He didn’t exactly shine in the Premier League while leading Fulham and Bournemouth (he’s surely still haunted by that 0–9 loss to Liverpool), and he didn’t meet expectations as coach of Club Brugge either. But Scott Parker is a true master of the Championship. In his third season, with his third club, the former midfielder has once again secured promotion to the top tier of English football. First, he brought Fulham back to the Premier League, then Bournemouth, and now—Burnley! A 2–1 victory over Sheffield United means that next season we’ll once again see Leeds United and Burnley among the best clubs on the island. We’ll see in what order they get promoted since they’re tied on points with two rounds left, but it’s now certain that Sheffield can no longer catch them. The visitors played at Turf Moor hoping to keep their promotion hopes alive for the last 180 minutes of the regular season, but they couldn’t withstand the pressure in front of Burnley’s packed and singing stands. Nor on the pitch.The moment Leeds and Burnley secured promotion back to the Premier League! ⬆️🍿 pic.twitter.com/57gjs3iUBf— Sky Sports (@SkySports) April 21, 2025 Scott Parker’s team dictated the pace of the match, kept their composure, and clinched the win thanks to experienced midfielder Josh Brownhill. With two goals, he paved the way for his team. First, in the 28th minute, he nearly tore the net with a powerful shot after a scramble in Sheffield’s box. Then, just before halftime, he kept his cool and converted a penalty to restore Burnley’s lead. Earlier, in the 37th minute, Thomas Cannon had stunned the crowd with a great goal after linking up nicely with Gustavo Hamer. But the home fans quickly came back to life, and the euphoria didn’t let up until the end. The match at Turf Moor was closely followed in West Yorkshire, where Leeds had earlier crushed Stoke 6–0. Leeds fans were ready to celebrate, with pubs packed and a giant screen set up in front of Elland Road. Brownhill’s goals were celebrated as if they had been scored by a Leeds academy graduate. In summary, Leeds and Burnley earned their tickets to the Premier League with a strong finish to the season. Sheffield had been in a good position for a long time, but a poor run of form saw them lose out on direct promotion and forced them into the playoffs. Chris Wilder’s side picked up just three points in their last five Championship matches.The scenes at Elland Road tonight!!! 🤪🤪🤪Thousands of Leeds United fans flocked to the stadium to begin the promotion party 🥳It wasn’t long before the players and manager Daniel Farke joined them – celebrating a momentous and historic day for the club 👏Our city 🤍 #lufc pic.twitter.com/EtO2CQ5H4R— Leeds+ (@LeedsPlusSocial) April 21, 2025 Joining them in the playoffs will be Sunderland, while Bristol City, Coventry, Middlesbrough, Millwall, and even Blackburn (four points behind) will fight for the remaining two playoff spots in the final two rounds. The relegation battle is also heating up. Currently, Plymouth, Cardiff, and Luton—who made their historic Premier League debut last season—are the most threatened. Derby County will also be on edge until the final minute, while Hull, Oxford, Preston, and Stoke are in a slightly better position, though not entirely safe. As for the future Premier League sides, Leeds earned promotion as the team with by far the most goals scored (89, with 29 conceded), and Burnley with the fewest goals conceded (15, with 61 scored). Over 44 matches, both teams have posted an impressive record.##NAJAVA_MECA_8877166##
