Leeds United two-time champion honoured with renaming of historic Elland Road pub — YEP 16/9/25
By Graham Smyth
An Elland Road pub has changed its name in tribute in
tribute to a two-time Leeds United promotion hero.
The Old Peacock, opposite Leeds' Elland Road ground, is now
synonymous with the club and its fans. On matchdays it serves as both a
watering hole and a pilgrimage for supporters coming from near and far to watch
their team play.
Earlier this year Patrick Bamford put £5,000 behind the bar
of The Old Peacock so that fans could enjoy a pre-game drink ahead of the game
against Bristol City, when promotion back to the Premier League was to be
marked with celebrations before and after. Now the establishment is out to
repay his generosity and recognise his contribution to Leeds United during a
seven-year stint that came to an end this summer. A post on The Old Peacock's
Facebook page revealed that the pub will be renamed in his honour until
Tottenham Hotspur visit early next month.
It read: "To celebrate the unforgettable years of
service from Patrick Bamford at Leeds United, The Old Peacock is proud to
announce that it will be renamed The Lord Bamford for a limited time. Bamford
joined Leeds United in 2018 and spent seven years donning the famous white
shirt. During that time, he became a two time Championship winner and played a
key role in Leeds’ promotion back to the Premier League - helping end a 16-year
absence from the top flight.
"We invite all football lovers, Leeds United fans and
the local community to come and raise a glass at The Lord Bamford in honour of
his contribution. The renaming will last until the next home fixture at Elland
Road against Tottenham on Saturday 4th October to give everyone a chance to
join in celebrating Bamford’s time with The Whites. Thank you, Paddy, for your
passion. You will always be part of Leeds United history."
Bamford first won promotion to the Premier League under
Marcel Bielsa in the 2019/20 campaign that was disrupted by the Covid-19
pandemic. He scored 16 goals in that season and followed it up with 17 in the
Premier League as Leeds secured a top-10 finish on their top flight return.
Injuries and falling down the pecking order saw Bamford's gametime and goal
contributions diminish but he played a part last season as Daniel Farke's side
won the Championship with 100 points. Bamford also played a full part in the
celebrations, putting on an impromptu gig in a city centre bar after an open
top bus parade attended by well over 150,000.
This summer the striker was informed by Farke that he was no
longer in the club's plans and had to train with the Under 21s. Bamford and the
club came to a mutual agreement to terminate his contract. In an emotional
video he said: "As many of you will have seen, my time at Leeds United has
come to an end. I arrived here in 2018 a young lad and looking for a new
challenge, and I found a new home here in Yorkshire.
“The club became a massive part of my world, and I tried to
make you proud by doing the most I could on the pitch and also in the
community. As in any walk of life, there have been challenges, and we've had
our ups and downs as the song goes, but I've always felt strongly connected
with both fans and the community. But as I leave here, I'm a married man to my
beautiful wife, Michaela, and we have two beautiful girls who were born here in
Yorkshire.
