A Leeds United fan has shared an iconic picture taken 16 years ago to celebrate the club getting "back where they belong".
Tom Kershaw, 29, and his father Adrian, 54, were pictured with a sign reading "We’ll be back" on May 8, 2004 - the day Leeds were relegated from the Premier League following a 3-3 draw with Charlton Athletic.
Despite a number of agonising years in the years since that painful relegation, they held onto the belief that one day Leeds would be back "where they belong" in the Premier League.
And the father and son duo were among thousands of Leeds fans celebrating over the weekend after Leeds finally secured promotion.
The pair from Howden recreated the picture with a new joyful sign which reads "We are back", alongside Tom's sister Amy.
Tom, a journalist at our sister title Hull Live, said his father Adrian has travelled home and away since 2009 and he feels numb and utterly shocked that they are back.
He said: “It would have been nice to do it outside the stadium but with everything that’s happened I don’t think its the best idea.
“Every year we were out of the Premier League I felt us becoming more and more of a smaller club. Not a fan base, but just as a club.
“I remember an Arsenal fan proclaiming ‘Leeds aren’t relevant any more’ but why was he even bothered about Leeds probably gave up less of an argument. All the fans of the big six remember Leeds and due to FFP (financial fair play), it means that we wouldn’t be able to just hope a decent buyer comes in and sends us all the way to the top.
“A lot of Leeds fans have come out the woodwork since Bielsa came to the club, but this is for those who went to Carlisle United away in the JPT and we lost on pens - and those who cheered on whatever team crossed the white line.
“It’s a funny old world right now and it was unfortunate about the pandemic but I think with fans it would put too much pressure on the players. The Barnsley game wouldn’t have ended 1-0 if the fans had been in the stadium. It’s a shame the fans couldn’t witness the celebrations but I know that now the stars have aligned for all the right reasons.
“We always knew that we would get back to the prem but never thought it would be this long.
“We’ve had a lot of ups and downs. It has been a long journey and I wish no fan has to go through the same thing. We have been dragged through the depths of despair.
“Those years in League One and mid-table misery of the Championship are now behind us. My dad has travelled home and away since 2009 and he feels numb and utterly shocked that we’re back.
“I remember us embracing while the tears were flowing when we beat Man U in the FA cup and the day we were promoted back to the Championship. It has been a great journey and glad we could do it as a family.”
