The day Leeds did a Leeds - winning promotion the hard way

It proved to be a day heroes were forged and unforgettable memories were made for a generation of the Elland Road faithful.

By Andrew Hutchinson

Published 19th Jun 2021, 06:00 BST

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Leeds did a Leeds - winning the hard way - against Bristol Rovers in May 2010 to clinch the second automatic promotion spot in League One. It was a it was a far from straightforward afternoon for the Whites - and at one point it looked to be heading towards disaster. Max Gradel was sent off in the first half after an incident with Bristol Rovers defender Daniel Jones. He had initially refused to leave the pitch and had to be restrained by his team-mates as he angrily pursued the referee. Then Darryl Duffy's hooked strike shortly after half-time put Rovers in front. But 10-man Leeds scored twice in four minutes to earn the victory that ended their three-season spell in the third tier of English football. Homegrown hero Jonny Howson equalised before captain for the day Jermaine Beckford bagged the winner sparking a pitch invasion at full-time. READ MORE: 16 of the most iconic Leeds United photos of all time LOVE LEEDS? LOVE NOSTALGIA? Join Leeds Retro on facebook