February 17, 2025 will live long in the memory for me as a Leeds United reporter. The year as a whole will; promotion day, Manor Solomon’s last-gasp title winner down in Plymouth and the historic bus parade.

It’s been quite the 12 months for me in this role, and the significance of 2025 as a year for Leeds is not lost on me. For context, I started in this position a year ago in January, right slap-bang in the middle of an empty and frustrating transfer window.

It was all go, with Leeds in the thrust of a four-horse promotion chase. It would soon be whittled down to three not long after deadline day.

Sheffield United and Burnley were obviously gunning for the top two, and away trips to both teams would come within my first six weeks. The only home fixture against an automatic promotion rival was the visit of Sunderland.

Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris arrives prior to kick off(Image: Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images)

The Black Cats were still in the...