Leeds United

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Kaiser Chiefs bassist Simon Rix hopes Leeds United manager Daniel Farke can help get the Whites over the line in this season's Championship play-off final.

Leeds reached Wembley after Thursday's 4-0 thumping of Norwich City, but have not won promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs in five attempts.

"Any time I have been to see Leeds in a big game or a final, we haven't done anything," said Rix on on the latest episode of BBC Radio Leeds' Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast.

"With Farke this year, we have done things we don't normally do.

"Maybe Farke is the man to break the hoodoo and get us a win at Wembley.

"We are surely due some nice times at Wembley?"

BBC Radio Leeds sports editor Jonny Buchan appreciates the grandeur of the play-off final, which will be a first for many of Leeds' team, but believes the Whites have regained form at the right time.

"Think of this squad, not many, if any of them will have played at Wembley," he said.

"It's a massive occasion for everybody and for the players.

"They seem to have that little bit of bounce back in them and whoever Leeds face, they will be thinking: 'Oh, that's the Leeds of a little bit earlier in this calendar year. That Leeds that were in their pomp.'"

The Whites will face Southampton at Wembley on 26 May after the Saints beat West Brom 3-1 in their semi-final second leg on Friday.

Listen to the full podcast on BBC Sounds

Everton will continue negotiating with Leeds United to keep winger Jack Harrison next season. (Yorkshire Post), external

Meanwhile, Wolves are set to sign Southampton and Scotland forward Che Adams, 27, on a free transfer, despite interest from Leeds and Everton. (Teamtalk), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Saturday's full gossip column

Put simply, everything worked well for Leeds United against Norwich City.

Wembley awaits but the team on Don't Go To Bed Just Yet want to bathe in the semi-final win first.

Watch a clip below or get the show in full here.

In the latest episode of the Don't Go To Bed Just Yet: Leeds United podcast, Jonny Buchan, Adam Pope and Kaiser Chiefs bassist Simon Rix react to the Whites' Championship play-off win over Norwich City and look ahead to the final.

Daniel Farke's team beat the Canaries 4-0 at Elland Road on Thursday to reach the Wembley showcase and, after gushing about the way Leeds blew Norwich away, attention turned towards the second semi-final, between West Brom and Southampton.

The Saints host the Baggies on Friday (20:00 BST kick-off) in the second leg, with the aggregate score at 0-0 after the first leg.

"I'd take West Brom right now," said Buchan of Leeds' potential opponents in the final.

"If you would give me the choice of them two, I would take West Brom.

"I think Southampton do have something about them that seemingly is able to get past Leeds. I know that Russell Martin doesn't particularly like Daniel Farke because Farke sort of pushed him out at Norwich, so will that play into it a bit?"

Pope agrees, outlining the need for Leeds to reach their best levels under the arch of the national stadium.

"In terms of a game, I think it would be cagier against West Brom than it would Southampton," he said.

"I think Southampton would be a more difficult opponent but it would be a more entertaining game.

"If Leeds are on it, firepower for firepower they are a better side. If they get anywhere near the level they did last night [against Norwich] they will turn anybody over."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

Leeds United boss, Daniel Farke, praised the "unbelievable atmosphere" at Elland Road for helping his side beat Norwich City 4-0 and book a place in the Championship play-off final.

"We should have scored more goals, if I'm really honest," Farke told BBC Radio Leeds.

"I'm happy with the clean sheet and it was important at Carrow Road to return to our normal defensive behaviour and we carried that into tonight.

"Norwich tried everything to change the running of the game. Many compliments to my young side. I was a bit concerned because the pressure was a bit on us after the first game.

"I don't know what the average age of our team was tonight but the lads delivered in a perfect way for such a young side.

"This place is second to none when it really gets rocking. The atmosphere is unbelievable."

We asked you how you are feeling before Thursday's winner takes all play-off semi final second-leg at Elland Road.

Are you confident Daniel Farke's men can get you to the final?

Here are some of your comments:

Dave: The international break seemed to have knocked us off course and although my heart says yes, my head says we will miss out sadly.

Gray: Our only hope is for Bamford and Piroe to both be injured so we can play a centre-forward who can actually score goals. Step forward Mateo Joseph - this is your chance to write your name into Leeds United history.

Balboa: I would be hopeful if I could see where goals were coming from for Leeds. Aside from the freakish Middlesbrough game, we have scored two in six. Our best striker can not finish (and is regularly injured) and our best finisher does not work in our system. Adopting a 4-6-0 formation versus Norwich also suggests a conservative approach to the play-offs from Farke. I will say a 4/10 chance.

Vince: I have supported Leeds for 60 years, so my heart says yes of course we will be promoted. However, my brain says no chance. The obvious selection should be Southampton, as they have destroyed Leeds both home and away. Many of the players are underperforming, so maybe there are rumours of leavers and that is upsetting the others?

Ricky: A month ago I would have said Leeds would walk it against any opposition, but they have been pretty dire as the season drew to a close. I am banking on the players finding their mojo again in the nick of time and winning promotion!

Steve: I do not want to be negative, but as a 57-year-old Leeds fan, boy does my club test my patience! Sorry but we lose 1-2 on Thursday night, in fact make that 0-2 as I cannot see where our next goal is coming from.

Image source, PA Media

An early goal in the second leg of their semi-final tie with Norwich could be "key" to Leeds United's chances of progressing to the Championship play-off final.

Daniel Farke's side drew the first leg 0-0 at Carrow Road on Sunday and host the Canaries on Thursday, with the winners heading to Wembley to compete for a place in the Premier League next season.

"Leeds can absolutely win the second leg comfortably," said presenter Jonny Buchan on BBC Radio Leeds' Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast.

"I didn't think Norwich were a very good side particularly - I didn't think Leeds were a very good side particularly - but I think Leeds went there with a different mentality to Norwich.

"The big positive was Norwich had to come out of the traps in that game, they had to start well and they did start better in the first 15-20 minutes, but they still didn't create a huge goalscoring opportunity.

"The difference on Thursday is Leeds will be expected to come out like that, but Norwich will not be expected to come out like that. If Leeds get that early goal, that is going to be key. If it's 35 minutes in and Norwich have ridden that storm, that's when things start to change in terms of how much Norwich will believe they can win.

"Look at [Norwich boss] David Wagner - he has got promoted through the Championship play-offs before [with Huddersfield in 2017] and he did without scoring goals and he did it on penalty shootouts. He knows how to set a team up to get to a penalty shootout in the second leg of the play-offs."

Listen to the full podcast on BBC Sounds

Football authorities must crack down on tragedy chanting.

Shortly after the first leg of the Championship play-off semi final on Sunday, an image of a Leeds United fan with cuts to his face and neck was posted on X. This fan should have been celebrating a professional away leg performance by the Peacocks, instead he looked on in shock – as police made arrests – his white shirt covered in blood.

The incident allegedly involved tragedy chanting. “We came out of Carrow Road after the game to Chants of Turks with knives and Galatasary” the fan's son said in a tweet on X.

In August last year the Crown Prosecution Service updated its guidance on football-related offences, reconfirming that tragedy chanting can be prosecuted. The CPS cited Christopher Loftus and Kevin Speight – the two Leeds fans killed in Istanbul – as an example of tragedy chanting in the announcement.

For any fan who lived through that night nearly 25 years ago, the image of a Leeds fan covered in blood is deeply upsetting. And while last year's updated guidance from the CPS is welcome – there appears to be a significant amount of work to be done.

Football authorities must crack down on tragedy chanting and do more to ensure the safety of fans.

Adonis Storr, The Roaring Peacock, external

Leeds United's 0-0 draw at Norwich City in an edgy Championship play-off semi-final didn't deliver buckets of drama but - as is so often the case - some officiating was under the spotlight.

The team on BBC Radio Leeds' Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast have had their say.

Have a listen to the clip below or take in the full show here.

Image source, PA Media

The latest episode of BBC Radio Leeds' Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast reflects on Leeds United's 0-0 draw at Norwich in the first leg of their Championship play-off semi-final on Sunday.

Kaiser Chiefs bassist Simon Rix said: "Going into it, because of previous games, I thought 0-0 would be a great result and I predicted 1-1 for some reason.

"As it got closer to the end of the game, I was happy with 0-0, but we could have easily won it. Norwich started off quite strong and I thought we grew into it.

"I wonder whether [Daniel] Farke was going for a 0-0 because we didn't play with a proper number nine really. I thought maybe we were setting out to be more solid than we've been. Getting a clean sheet was great for the future, but the game itself sort of petered out."

Commentator Adam Pope added: "I felt some major decisions didn't go Leeds' way and I've never seen Farke so animated [after the match]. For him to come out and say he's had 12 letters of apology during the season [for incorrect decisions from officials] - that's a lot of big mistakes."

Listen to the full podcast on BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

A man has been charged and a second bailed following an incident involving a Leeds United supporter outside Carrow Road after the play-off semi-final first leg against Norwich City on Sunday.

The incident happened shortly after 14:00 BST when the victim reported being punched outside the stadium.

"An object is also believed to have been thrown at the victim, who suffered a cut to his chin," a Norfolk police spokesperson said on Sunday.

"The victim was seen by paramedics at the scene and did not require further medical treatment."

In a statement, external, Leeds United said the club "thanks the emergency services for their quick response to the supporter and swift action taken following the incident".

So, a final before the final will decide Leeds' play-off fate after a goalless semi-final first leg against Norwich on Sunday set up a winner takes all clash at Elland Road on Thursday evening.

Can Daniel Farke's side make it to Wembley? How relevant is their poor end to the league season? How important will the Elland Road crowd be?

Let us know here, external

Everton boss Sean Dyche is hopeful of finding a deal to turn 27-year-old English winger Jack Harrison's loan from Leeds United into a permanent transfer. (Liverpool Echo), external

Want more transfer news? Read Monday's full gossip column