Leeds United end epic season with warning shot as 49ers given lesson in dangers of standing still — Leeds Live 25/5/26

Progress must continue as Leeds have been shown the Premier League dangers that await

Isaac Johnson Leeds United reporter

In a season of such highs, such fight and such vigour, Leeds United put in a final day performance that lacked any of that, with some away fans leaving the London Stadium believing players were thinking more about the beach than the ball.

If there was any thought that these survival heroes had earned the right to go down 3-0 to a Championship-bound West Ham United, the reaction at full time from those online quickly shot it down. Fans pay good money to watch Leeds and at times on Sunday they produced some sore sights.

There are mitigating circumstances, though. United had five senior players out including three midfielders. West Ham needed to win to have any chance of survival. Nothing was on the line for them.

Leeds were playing away, with 60,000 home fans urging their own team to get the result needed - though this dissipated after Tottenham Hotspur took the lead against Everton. The Premier League is nevertheless difficult at the best of times. But yesterday was still a blot on the copy book.

It’s not a result that matters in the context of the season but supporters take pride in their team, especially with so many eyes on the game given West Ham’s plight, and Leeds betrayed their true quality and came close to leaving truly shamed.

There is a positive amidst this. The reaction from supporters to the defeat is a sign of the high levels Leeds have set themselves at Premier League level this season and the demand from supporters shows they will not settle for a second rate performance regardless of circumstance.

Most will forget the result in the next few weeks and it’s hardly worth dwelling on given the achievements of the season. Leeds have earned that grace.

It's worth underlining that those who travelled down gave Daniel Farke and the players a big round of applause as they went over at full-time. Leeds had gone eight games unbeaten and had shown their Premier League class for most of the last six months.

But Sunday's trip a reminder that whenever you wear the Leeds badge, the expectation is to keep standards high.

West Ham woes come as warning

These Leeds fans have been through hell and back through the years. Staff and players come and go and many of them have not experienced the true lows but supporters have, which feeds into the reaction from some United fans.

They only need to look at the opposition to have memories sparked of their own dismay of yesteryear. West Ham, only Conference League champions three years ago, are headed for the second tier and for financial hardship this summer.

A large portion of fans pointed fingers at the board, booed their players and left before full time given the relegation context. One result hardly defines a season, for both teams.

Yesterday is a reminder to Leeds that nothing can ever be taken for granted. Aside from your Premier League giants, success one year does not guarantee future security for a club. Not if ran in the wrong way, anyway.

Under the 49ers, Leeds look to be on a good path and on the up. The owners invested more than £100m on signings and will plug money into the club again this summer - and not just on the Elland Road expansion.

It is an exciting time and a season Daniel Farke says the key figures - himself included - have a ‘responsibility’ to build on. They will and look a million miles ahead of West Ham in that respect.

Progress is vital and the 49ers are proving so far they are willing to facilitate that. Long may it continue.

The fantastic final picture

Leeds finish 14th and eight points clear of the relegation zone - something unthinkable back in November. Success this season was simply 17th and above but they have surpassed that, and will look back on the campaign knowing that more could and should have been tallied.

That only goes to underscore the heights they have reached. Memories have been made - at home to Chelsea, away at Manchester United, the FA Cup win at West Ham. Leeds had set a total of 10 wins initially and they have secured 11.

A total of 38 points was the aim - they have beaten that by nine. For all of the disappointment from Sunday there is much to be proud of and to cherish. Perhaps most of all, Leeds fans have a team they love again.

Farke has built a squad with no bad eggs, and containing players who are pulling in the same direction and know what it means to be Leeds. This doesn’t always happen at every club.

What now?

A deserved rest, that’s what. The team travel back up to Leeds and Farke will hold an end-of-season debrief back at base before players go their separate ways for the summer.

For some, the season is not over with the World Cup just around the corner. Some fly to North America as soon as next week. Ao Tanaka (Japan), Noah Okafor (Switzerland) and Gabriel Gudmundsson (Sweden) are already known to be at the finals while Brenden Aaronson is expected to be named in the US squad for a home tournament.

There will be natural disappointment for those who have missed out on international selection but, as Farke said, Anton Stach and Dominic Calvert-Lewin will get much-needed rest and a full pre-season. First, though, it’s holiday time.

Farke will take a break too ahead of the summer transfer grind and maybe potential contract talks. He may wish to iron out boardroom process plans before he goes away. For the players and staff, this is now rest time. For transfer chiefs, their work is only just starting.