After a board meeting, the directors decided to launch a public appeal to build a new stand with assistance from Leeds City Council. Radrizzani, who purchased 50 per cent of the club in January, acquired the remaining 50 per cent stake from Massimo Cellino in May, taking full control of the club and becoming chairman. On 29 January 2019, it was announced that Elland Road would play host to a semi-final match in the 2021 Rugby League World Cup. The Don Revie Stand is at the north end of the ground. Plans submitted to Leeds City Council ask for permission to host one horizontal banner and six vertical banners to the east stand; seven hanging Mesh PVC banners to the north east corner and one vinyl graphic fascia covering the south stand elevation. Great advances were made on the stadium during Revie's reign and a new attendance record of 57,892 was set on 15 March 1967, in a fifth-round replay of the FA Cup against Sunderland. In summer 2006, the South Stand was updated and closed for the first few games of the 2006–07 season while work was completed. [33] A statue for Leeds' most successful manager Don Revie was also built in 2012, celebrating the 40th anniversary of the club winning the FA Cup. This was the first England home international played away from Wembley in 22 years, and the first time since 1946 that a new ground had hosted an England international game. Rugby League was played at international level when a Great Britain v. New Zealand test match was staged on 9 November 1985. On 16 November 1997, the third and deciding match of the Super League Test series between Great Britain and Australia was played at Elland Road before a crowd of 39,337. Elland Road has also hosted four of Leeds Rhinos World Club Challenge matches. The Wildcats initiative was launched during the 2016/17 season with the club’s official charity having just two centres in Leeds. The club was poorly financed throughout that period. Each stone will be engraved with the legends keys stats and achievements during their career's with Leeds United. Speaking at … The first competitive football match at the ground was the West Yorkshire Cup final on 23 April 1898 between Hunslet and Harrogate, with Hunslet winning 1–0.[15]. The ground was used during the Great War as a venue for drill and shooting practice until the 1919–20 season commenced. E: joshua.hammond@newsco.com, Andy Slim, Commercial Director They were described as '10 legend stones' in the area around the famous statue. [68], Elland Road was used as a substitute for the old Wembley Stadium for scenes in the 2010 film The King's Speech,[69] which was nominated for 12 Oscars, three of which were for its stars Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter.[70]. The stadium was chosen to host the all city of Leeds Rugby Football League Championship Final between Leeds and Hunslet in 1938, when a crowd of 54,112 saw Hunslet win the title. Leeds Rhinos have played several matches at Elland Road. On 16 August 2001, chairman Peter Ridsdale sent a letter to season ticket holders and shareholders regarding the future of the club outlining two options, to improve Elland Road or to relocate. The improvements consisted of a partial new roof and cladding on the West Stand, banners on either side of the East Stand, South Stand and North East Corner of the ground featuring Leeds United legends past and present. The estimated costs were between £50 million and £75 million to re-build the Lowfields with a 7,500 all-seater stand and construct a peripheral 2,000-seater sports stadium adjacent to the stand. Due to the redevelopment, the capacity of the East Stand was reduced and the words Leeds United AFC were taken off the seats. [16], A statue for legendary Captain Billy Bremner was built outside the ground in 1999. In March 2011, the East Stand Development began phase one of a five-phase redevelopment project which included an extension to the East Stand Upper's main concourse along with the addition of 25 executive boxes and a modern upgrade to the external appearance of the stand; whilst this created extra corporate facilities and more room on the concourse, it in-turn reduced the East Stand Upper's capacity by around 2,500 seats, thus leaving the overall capacity of the ground to stand at just under 38,000 seats.