'Pretty special' - Leeds and Burnley's fight for Championship title

Leeds won 29 Championship games this season - more than any other side

An incredible Championship title race came to a fitting end on Saturday, running all the way into stoppage time before Leeds United finally pipped Burnley to the post.

Manor Solomon's last-gasp winner at relegated Plymouth Argyle meant Leeds matched the Clarets' win over play-off chasing Millwall, just as the home fans at Turf Moor were gearing up for an almighty party.

Before kick-off, Leeds knew it was in their hands, but in typical style, twists and turns followed.

It was an epic ending to what has statistically been the most closely-fought hunt for the title.

For the first time ever, two teams reached 100 points in the same Championship campaign, with Leeds' superior goal difference proving decisive.

With Birmingham City also finishing with 111 points in League One, it is the first time in the Football League's 137-year history that three sides have earned a century of points in the same campaign.

A century of points not enough

Pop star Natasha Bedingfield sang on the pitch after Burnley secured promotion

Burnley had seen records tumble, including a Championship-best 30 clean sheets - equalling Port Vale's Football League record set in 1953-54 - and have conceded just 16 goals.

They have not lost at home all season, have been beaten only twice in the league, and have been unbeaten in 33 Championship games since losing at Millwall in November.

It seemed unlikely they would not return to the Premier League as champions, as manager Scott Parker admitted.

"If you'd have said to me you'd reach 100 points, 33 games unbeaten, 16 goals conceded and you wouldn't win the league I'd have said 'no chance'," Parker told BBC Radio Lancashire, after adding a third promotion to his name after success with Fulham in 2020 and Bournemouth in 2022.

"We've done remarkably this year. I'm so proud. We came into today hoping it would go our way, but wanting to win the game and get to 100 points, We did that."

Meanwhile, where Burnley have thrived as a defensive unit, Leeds shone in attack. With 95 goals, they were by some distance the top scorers in the division. Joel Piroe (19), Dan James (12) and Solomon (10) have all reached double figures this season.

"I can't put into words what I'm feeling right now. It is a dream come true to score the winning goal and take this Championship," an emotional Solomon told BBC Radio Leeds at full-time.

"Throughout the season we've shown we deserve this trophy and to finish in the first spot. I'm so glad it happened.

"We all knew what was happening at Burnley and we knew we needed to score. It paid off and the ball went into the net. It will take me a few days to digest what happened today, right now I'm going to celebrate."

Promotion experience proves crucial

Leeds boss Daniel Farke (right) has won promotion from the Championship for the third time

Like Parker, Leeds boss Daniel Farke has vast experience of getting out of the Championship.

He did so as champions with Norwich City in 2019 and 2021 and has now led the West Yorkshire club back to the Premier League after bouncing back from play-off final heartache against Southampton a year ago.

Farke told BBC Sport: "Of course I'm happy that we won this game in the final stages and are officially allowed to label ourselves as champions and the best team this season.

"It's an emotionally moving day because we have invested so much and wanted to crown ourselves with some silverware.

"It feels pretty, pretty special in the dressing room and I'm very happy for my players and staff, it means so much for them, and also our supporters."

Nobody should forget Sheffield United, either. Although four defeats in five games in April, including a loss at Burnley which ultimately knocked them out of contention for automatic promotion, proved fatal, the Blades led for long periods and looked the most likely.

Chris Wilder's side will need to go again in the play-offs, starting against Bristol City in the semi-finals. They have shown their readiness for the Premier League this season, finishing on 90 points, a tally which would have been enough to go up automatically in three of the previous six seasons.

While that points to a more competitive top of the Championship than ever, successive seasons with all three promoted clubs coming down, including Burnley and the Blades, offers a stark warning too.

A strong defensive unit will be crucial to hopes of survival, and Clarets captain Josh Brownhill, who also scored 18 goals, believes his team have a strong chance of improvement this time around.

"This is a different team, we look in really good shape to go up for next season and hopefully stay up. It is going to be difficult but we've worked hard on everything; our defensive record speaks for itself," he told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"Credit to the staff and the fans but mainly the gaffer. He has worked harder than anybody. 100 points, unbeaten at home, unbeaten in 33 games, our defensive record has been exceptional."

Never before have two teams accrued so many points in the same season at the top of the second tier.

Their consistency and strength of character laid the groundwork. Leeds held their nerve in the end, and right at the end, but ultimately, both they and Burnley can revel in achievements fit for the history books.