Memories from the day Leeds United were promoted to the Premier League

Friday, July 17, 2021, was the date when Huddersfield Town's 2-1 win against West Bromwich Albion confirmed the Whites had been promoted.

This writer and his family were at a McDonalds on the A64 at York when the full time whistle went at the John Smith's Stadium. And he's not embarrassed to admit he cried tears of joy in the drive through car park over the Whites return to the promised land.

Your YEP asked the Elland Road faithful to recall where they were and what they were doing when they heard the news.

Responses we received were both heartfelt and heartwarming:

James Mullins - "Took my mother to visit my dad's grave,. It was midway through second half and it was 1-1. I said a prayer at the grave and asked my dad for one big favour, Got back into the car and my phone started hopping with messages of Huddersfield winner."

Rob Smart - "Went out for a walk, couldn't stand sitting in waiting. Sat in a little country pub when a Man U fan came up shook my hand and said welcome back. Then had the best weekend for years."

Luke Speight - "I was at sea on a submarine. When I found out we got promoted. I was wearing my Leeds shirt and getting boos from the lads."

Abdel-Rahman Ghandour - "I was in Tripoli, Libya, in a middle of a war zone, leading Unicef's work to help children. Escaped back to my fortified compound, all with barbed wire, high walls and Nepalese military protecting us from brutal militias. Went to our recreation room and watched the game all alone on a giant screen. I was talking to myself and shed tears as the final whistle blew."

Kevin O'Neill - "Celebrating my birthday, best present I ever got."

Dan Cooper - "Was walking down the front at Filey with my shirt on and a Forest fan passed and congratulated me. I said "cheers mate and good luck for the play offs!"... They lost their next two games and missed out on play offs by a single goal difference."

Alison Orange - "I was in Ikea in Croydon - there are probably still people hiding in soft furnishings in terror."

James Wood - "Sat at home watching the huddersfield match. Cheered like a lunatic at their second goal. Felt extremely dirty for a few minutes then cried. Then got blind drunk and celebrated all weekend."

Destry Coetzee - "In South Africa making a video of me celebrating alone and then sending it of to my mate in Yorkshire."

Gary Pickford - "In a pub in north Devon with my son and best mate, who are also Leeds fans!"

James Mcguigan - "At work. Put the game on the radio in hope more than anything else! Then when Huddersfield got the winner I woke everyone up in the household. I work in supported living, wasn't able to get to the ground that night but joined in the champions celebrations. A week I will never forget!! Can't believe it's a year already!"

Michael Brown - "Was delivering shopping around Huddersfield. The cheers from their fans meant survival. The cheers from me were a lot louder!"

Steve Moss - "It was my eldest son's birthday, there were two car loads of us heading for a family meal. We pulled up on the car park and were walking into the restaurant when our phones buzzed with a score update on flash scores ! Queue me and my two sons leaping about and hugging each other on the car park as the lasses looked on ! Once we'd calmed down went to get our table and ordered a bottle of bubbly then started a four day sesh. One of the best days/weekends of our lives."

Alan Townend- "Driving home from work in Cheltenham. Radio Leeds on the M1 going past Huddersfield junction shouting to myself come on Huddersfield and having it confirmed by a loud cheer in Tesco Garforth - magical."

John Nee - " Driving back down the M5 and was seen bouncing about in the van screaming and hitting the horn, kissing the badge on the shirt. Everyone must have thought 'what a nutter'.

Simon Adamson-Foster - "Walking on Cleethorpes sea front when a copper pulled up in riot van and started singing to me 'pump it up Leeds are going up' to then tell me full time score followed by celebration hug and fist pump."

Matt Anderson - "Down pub with mates in London. Did not expect it to happen. Immediately bought their most impressive bottle of sparkling wine to celebrate! I was the only Leeds fan there."

Deano Fountain - "Sat at home having a few drinks and constantly checking sky keeping up with what was going on. Then proceeded to get hammered and celebrated all weekend long."

Sally Sloman - "After work, turned on telly, saw it on news - and cried. I was at Elland Road when we were relegated. Cried then too!"

David J Díaz - "Celebrated Huddersfield's second as if Ayling had scored from his own half to win Leeds the Champions League!"

Grant Davis - "Delivering takeaways. Had to go home tell the wife the great news that we are back in the big time (and I had a boot full of hot food) So what’s more important Leeds or hot food? Needless to say I don’t do it anymore."

Richard Horsley - "Was at my Huddersfield supporting in-laws at Outlane. Have never cheered a Huddersfield Town goal with as much fervour as I would a Leeds Goal. Tears of joy at the end."

Les Harper - "At home in Middlesbrough with some Boro fans. By god what a night that was. Neighbours thought I lost the plot."

Simon Bond - "Was at home in Castleford and looked up at sky and then cried. All the emotions and times going to games."

Paul John Smith - "Up Calgary tower in the revolving restaurant, looking at The Rockies, sipping Canadian Chardonnay looking at my phone with her indoors saying "You are not listening to a word I am saying are you?"

Iain Gosden - "Was at a retirement meal at the Ship Inn, Kinghorn, Fife. Fellow attendees were inquisitive when I punched the air, and proceeded to buy champagne."

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