Tens of thousands lined the streets of Leeds on 6 May to toast Championship glory as a gold-trimmed bus carried players, staff, and the gleaming trophy from Kirkstall Road to Millennium Square. Chairman Paraag Marathe and vice-chairman Peter Lowy led celebrations, flanked by Daniel Farke and captain Ethan Ampadu, who lifted the silverware amid a sea of yellow and white smoke. Police estimated a 75 000-strong crowd, making it the city’s largest sporting parade since the 2012 Olympics homecoming. The procession paused at Elland Road, where a banner reading Champions 100 Points was unfurled above the East Stand. Players took turns on the microphone, with Luke Ayling’s karaoke rendition of Marching On Together receiving the loudest cheer. City Hall hosted the closing ceremony, where Lord Mayor Al Garthwaite presented commemorative medals to academy graduates Joe Gelhardt, Archie Gray, and Leo Hjelde. Fireworks capped the evening, illuminating the Victoria Quarter’s glass roof in club colours. The event proceeded smoothly despite heavy rainfall, thanks to a coordinated safety plan involving 350 stewards and West Yorkshire Police. Fans chanted Farke’s at the wheel as the coach turned into Great George Street, a nod to the manager’s tactical acumen. For owners 49ers Enterprises, the parade underlined the global pull of the brand as drone footage streamed live to supporters across the United States and Australia. The celebrations ended at 22 30 when the squad returned to Thorp Arch for a private reception, promising to use the euphoria as fuel for Premier League survival.
