'My little angel' - Kalvin Phillips and Leeds United dedicate Take us Home award to special young fan

The documentary won the Best in Football Media category at the Football Business Awards earlier today.

Season two of the documentary that captured the rollercoaster that carried the Whites through an up and down 2019/20 campaign halted by a global pandemic, was directed by Lee Hicken of Leeds firm The City Talking, working alongside NEO Studios. It was then broadcast by Amazon Prime, to the acclaim of Whites supporters who relived the emotion of their Premier League return.

Sarah, from a family of Leeds fans, featured in the show, having struck up a special friendship with Leeds midfielder Phillips. The youngster battled through serious illness after she was born with a severe genetic kidney disease. She received a kidney transplant last year after a high-profile campaign but earlier this month she was diagnosed with a rare immune disorder, which led to her death.

"Congratulations to NEO Studios for winning at the Football Business Awards for Take Us Home," said Phillips tonight.

"At Leeds United we would like to dedicate this award to my little angel Sarah Emmott. She featured in the series and she sadly passed away recently. Rest in peace Sarah."

The documentary was up against BT Sport and Singula Decisions, Ball Street Network, Goal and Scottish club Motherwell.

“We are all really proud of Take Us Home," Lee Hicken told the YEP when it was shortlisted.

"Season one had it all except the glorious ending but in the end the team and the show produced something even more beautiful to finish the story in season two.

"I’m really proud of the series and of everyone who worked on the project."

The awards aim to recognise the work of off-pitch teams in the game, who have worked to bring football to fans while stadia have remained empty since the Covid-19 pandemic took hold.

Best in Football Media was one of 18 categories for the ninth edition of the annual awards.