Football
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Leeds end 16-year wait for promotion to the Premier league, go up as champions

Leeds United confirmed their promotion to the Premier League for the first time in 16 years after West Brom lost to Huddersfield on Friday.

Leeds' promotion means West Brom and Brentford are left battling for the final automatic promotion spot. 

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Marcelo Bielsa's side have won their past four games and sit top of the table with 87 points going into Sunday's match against Derby. Brentford's 1-0 defeat at Stoke on Saturday means Bielsa's men were confirmed as champions.

Leeds have struggled to get back into the Premier League after years of financial mismanagement and insecurity.

Following their relegation in the 2003-04 season, several players were released or left on free transfers with the club also forced to sell its training ground and stadium to repay loans.

The club was further relegated to League One at the end of the 2006-07 season and spent three seasons in the lower division.

The appointment of Bielsa at the start of the 2018-19 season has been a turning point for the club despite last season ending disappointingly.

Leeds spent much of the season in the automatic qualification spots with Norwich, but a bad run of form towards the end of the season saw them lose out on promotion in the playoffs.

"Our club, our fans and our players have sacrificed so much -- we've been in the doldrums for 16 years,'' captain Liam Cooper told BBC Radio Leeds. "To be part of this team and to lead this team to promotion back to where we know we've always belonged is unbelievable.'

"To be part of this team and to lead this team to promotion back to where we know we've always belonged is unbelievable."

In the Premier League, Norwich have been relegated to the Championship with several other teams fighting not to join them.

West Ham United defeated Watford 3-1 in a crucial tie on Friday as both sides vie for safety. Aston Villa and AFC Bournemouth occupy the other relegation spots on 31 points apiece.

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