More than four months have passed since Leeds United's promotion parade. It was a truly memorable occasion as thousands of fans lined the streets for the celebrations.
The Championship trophy was paraded through the city centre. It was the perfect way to celebrate their Premier League return.
It was the culmination of two years of hard graft and the parade left a lasting impression on midfielder Ilia Gruev, who joined the Whites from Werder Bremen in the summer of 2023. Speaking to German outlet Bild, he said: “I was at Werder Bremen for eight years and thought it was time for something new. Then coach Daniel Farke called, told me about the project, and he simply won me over. The goal was the Premier League. We achieved that in our second year.
“It was insane. The way the city supports the club is extraordinary and almost impossible to grasp. Between 200,000 and 400,000 people came to the parade on Monday afternoon in 17-degree weather and clouds.
"We drove through the city for two or three hours by bus, and the crowds just kept coming. It was a fantastic experience. You could feel what the club means to so many people. The fans are incredibly excited for our games. It’s always sold out, the atmosphere is fantastic.”
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Gruev has featured in all three of the Whites' Premier League fixtures so far this season. He was introduced as a late substitute in their win over Everton but has started the last two matches against Arsenal and Newcastle United.
It remains to be seen whether Gruev will be available for selection for the trip to Fulham this weekend. He did not start Bulgaria's World Cup qualifier against Georgia over the weekend.
“Gruev had problems, questionable whether to start or come in as a sub,” said Bulgaria boss Ilian Iliev. “He came in and coped. I hope there are no consequences from the fact that he played with problems.”
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