Leeds backs in English Premier League after 16-year exile

LONDON (AP) — Leeds United’s 16-year exile from the English Premier League is over.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side secured promotion from the second-tier Championship with two games to spare on Friday after West Bromwich lost to Huddersfield 2-1.

It comes a year after a late collapse saw the northern English team drop to third place and have to go through the playoffs where it was beaten.

Seen as a sleeping giant of English soccer, Leeds won the last of its three English league titles in 1992, and was a Champions League semifinalist in 2001.

A financial implosion led to the team being relegated from the Premier League in 2004.

In 2018, the San Francisco 49ers took a minority ownership stake in the club, which is majority owned by Andrea Radrizzani.

West Brom remains a point ahead of Brentford, which can move into the second automatic promotion place with a win at Stoke on Saturday in its penultimate game.