Leeds United skipper denies Burnley disrespect as title celebrations go viral
Leeds United captain Ethan Ampadu has said the team did not mock Burnley's promotion celebrations after pipping the Clarets to top spot.
Leeds city centre was awash with yellow, white and blue on Bank Holiday Monday as hundreds of thousands of supporters came out to celebrate the Championship title with the team.
Aboard three open-top buses, the squad, staff and club legends were paraded through the city on a loop beginning at Wellington Street and finishing at the end of the Headrow.
The buses made their way back to Elland Road at approximately 3pm where the party continued for Leeds players and their loved ones.
A subsequent video of Leeds skipper Ampadu and striker Patrick Bamford surfaced, showing the pair stood on top of a table singing Natasha Bedingfield's 2004 hit 'Unwritten'. It bore an uncanny resemblance to Burnley's promotion celebrations of two days earlier, which had featured Bedingfield on the pitch and inside the home dressing room at Turf Moor.
The Clarets became the butt of jokes online given the unusual nature of their celebrations, the pop star appearing somewhat out of place and Bedingfield's apparent connection to the club previously undisclosed.
Given the drama which unfolded in the Championship on the final day, which saw Manor Solomon clinch the title for Leeds with a 91st-minute winner at Plymouth Argyle, it was speculated by some Bedingfield had been booked by the Lancashire club to perform in the event Scott Parker's side were crowned champions instead of Leeds and a decision was taken to go ahead with the collaboration despite the late disappointment.
Ampadu and Bamford's attempt at hitting the high notes on Monday went viral with plenty of social media accounts drawing the comparison between Burnley's impromptu Turf Moor concert.
The Leeds captain addressed the rumours on social media late on Monday evening, writing: "Ok I know I have a sore head right now. Me and Pat actually sang this song together in pre season."
United's celebrations went on long into the night with the likes of Jayden Bogle, Junior Firpo, Largie Ramazani, Ampadu and Bamford front and centre at city centre Irish tavern Katie O'Brien's.