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BBC News
05-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Piroe earns golden boot award
Leeds United striker Joel Piroe has a personal achievement to go along with the side's promotion and title win on Saturday - the Championship's golden Dutchman found the net 19 times to be named the second division's highest scorer, beating out Burnley's Josh Brownhill with 18."It's something I'm really happy with, personally," Piroe told BBC Radio Leeds."I said before if you become champion and you get the golden boot, you can't really complain as a striker, can you?"Goalkeeper Karl Darlow has also had a personally gratifying played second fiddle to number one stopper Illan Meslier since joining from Newcastle in July 2023, a series of errors from the Frenchman gave Darlow first call on the team sheet for the final seven games of the kept four clean sheets across those games to help his side clinch the title - though when it comes to pride, it's the collective that matters."I've stayed professional throughout the whole thing and waited and bided my time to get an opportunity, to get a chance to get into the side," Darlow said."I'm just proud of what we've done as a group and how we've got over the line. We've won the last six on the bounce, and it's an incredible way, under massive pressure from a young squad, to galvanise to get over the line."Listen to the full interviews and more on the Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast.
BBC News
04-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Leeds chairman backs manager Farke
Leeds United chairman Paraag Marathe says he has "ended speculation" over the future of manager Daniel Farke by confirming the German is "my man".The Whites secured promotion back to the Premier League two weeks ago and won the Championship title with a 2-1 victory at Plymouth on their stellar campaign, which saw them reach 100 points, there were some reports the club were considering changing manager in the summer."I'm very excited to run it back with Daniel and collaborate with him," Marathe told BBC Radio Leeds."I'm under no illusions that it is going to be easy. The past two seasons the three promoted teams came straight back down but we have something they don't have, we have Daniel Farke first of all."Asked whether he had ended the question marks over the manager, Marathe responded: "I have ended the speculation. He is my man."This season's title was the third time that Farke, who has two years left on his contract, has finished top of the second tier, having previously twice finished top with has found life in the Premier League far tougher though, with his only full season at that level ending with a bottom-placed finish, before he was sacked in November of his second campaign in the top flight with Norwich in the relegation had said previously that Farke had not been given the financial backing required to compete before, and that would not be the case this time."Together we are going to build the best squad we can, with every penny we are allowed to spend to be competitive in the Premier League," the American said."We are going to attack the transfer market and it's something I'm really excited about." Farke a 'calming force' Leeds secured the title thanks to a run of five successive wins - after a run of just one victory in their previous six praised Farke's temperament in guiding the club back up to the top flight after two seasons in the Championship."He is such a calming force - presence would be an understatement," Marathe said."He really has a superpower that way. He told you all he was 100% confident we were going to the Prem after the draw with Swansea, and he believed it and I love him for it."He has that conviction and belief and I told him privately that I was looking forward to moving forward together, but I didn't feel like it was my time to speak because someone wanted to put out a rumour."
BBC News
27-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Ampadu returns but Gnonto a doubt
Leeds United captain Ethan Ampadu returned to training on Friday to provide a boost to the squad - but the side have big questions over the fitness of winger Willy Italy international returned back from national duty with an ankle issue on Sunday but is currently 50/50 for Saturday's game against Swansea City."We tried to involve him for the first time in a light session. It will be a late decision," Farke told BBC Radio Leeds."We know the less we use him, the more time he has for the healing and the less risk for reinjury."On the other hand, he was in good shape and you want to involve him, especially at this stage of the season as much as possible."We won't do anything stupid but I hope to have him at least available for the squad but the final test will be tomorrow."While Gnonto may not be ready for the weekend, Leeds fans should expect to see Ampadu on the pitch after returning from a knee Welshman has been side lined for the past five league games, having already previously missed 11 games earlier in the season with a knee problem."I spoke a lot about his value in the group," Farke added. "His value as a player is pretty beneficial so it's good to have him back in training."He's our captain, with him it's a bit special, so he will definitely be involved in the next game."
BBC News
19-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Farke's set up suits me to the ground'
Leeds United winger Dan James says that boss Daniel Farke's management style has helped him find his good Wales international is enjoying a fine season, scoring 10 goals and making nine assists across his 32 Championship games."When he first come in, he put his arm around me and said what he wanted from me," James told BBC Radio Leeds."We had a good relationship from the start and it's one I've tried to continue with."The way he sets up the team suits me down to the ground and that's where I get the benefits from."His 10 goals make him the first Welsh player to make it to double digits in a single season for Leeds since John James is quick to shirk off any comparisons to the Wales legend."It's always an honour to be put in a category like that. I think I'm a long way off to be put in the same bracket as him," James said."Things like that I try not to get too high off. We've got eight important games left and we are still at a stage where we haven't done it yet."You can listen to the full interview and more on the Don't Go To Bed Yet podcast.
BBC News
11-03-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Work begins on building £12m Overgate Hospice in Elland
A West Yorkshire hospice boss has described the arrival of diggers on site ready to build a new £12m facility as a "momentous" milestone. The new 16-bed Overgate Hospice in Elland, Calderdale, is set to be built in the existing grounds of the current hospice. The facility will include individual bedrooms, accessible ensuites and garden terraces, the hospice said, with fundraising events and appeals raising more than £11.5m of its £12.75m target. The current hospice accommodates 12 beds in shared units, with the new building set to make a "massive difference", chief executive Tracey Wilcocks said. The current hospice, built in 1994, served as a location during filming for TV series Happy Valley, with writer Sally Wainwright backing the fundraising Wilcocks said the vision for the new hospice was to "future-proof" care for those living in Calderdale. "The diggers are here and the ground is being broken so it's a really momentous day," Ms Wilcocks told BBC Radio Leeds."It will make a massive difference - unfortunately at the moment we sometimes have to say no to people as we don't have the right bed available."She continued: "By having the set side rooms it will increase our flexibility and mean we can be more responsive."The new facility is expected to open by spring 2027. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
