The Championship play-off final 2024 through an AFC Bournemouth lens

Jaidon Anthony’s Leeds United were taking on a Southampton side containing David Brooks and Joe Rothwell, a sizeable Cherries contingent with the chance to affect affairs under the arch.

In the end it was Brooks and Rothwell who ended up on top in the Cherries reunion, Saints beating Leeds 1-0 to join AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League next season.

With those three players involved in some capacity, the Daily Echo headed to the capital to watch the “most expensive football game on earth” as a neutral - with some vested interests.

Cherry-tinted promotion picture

Even before we reached the do-or-die football of the play-offs, the promotion picture in the Championship had a Cherry flavour to it.

Whilst Anthony has been with his temporary club for most of the season, January saw three Cherries parachuted down into the battle for automatic promotion in the second tier.

Brooks and Rothwell joined Saints, of course, but towering striker Kieffer Moore was lent to Ipswich Town.

The Welshman’s seven goals in 18 appearances helped the Tractor Boys over the line and into the top-flight, evading a fight with Moore’s clubmates in the play-offs.

• READ NEXT: Ryan Christie reinvented: A look at Cherries' most improved player

A rock and a hard place

Despite the fact that both teams have had a helping hand from AFC Bournemouth this season, there are a host of Cherries supporters that wanted both teams to lose.

You needn’t have witnessed the events of the riot wrought by Leeds on Bournemouth in the 90s to know what most Cherries think about the northerners.

The geographical proximity lends itself to a potential rivalry with Southampton, Cherries supporters desperate for local bragging rights over the Saints.

But it never feels like the feeling has been mutual from either Leeds or Southampton.

To be Leeds is to be hated; Cherries’ legitimate reasons for distaste of the Yorkshire club lost in a sea of dislike from many clubs up and down the country.

For Southampton defeat at Wembley would have been softened by a first south coast derby with fierce rivals Portsmouth in 12 years, their strong feelings reserved for their neighbours to the east, not the west.

In Saints supporters’ minds, Cherries are the harmless little brother they happen to share a corner of the world with.

Familiarity usually breeds contempt but despite sharing a division more often than not over the last decade, the rivalry between Cherries and Saints has yet to catch alight and become a mutual affair.

Fans’ feelings are certainly not a big consideration when it comes to Cherries doing business with either club.

Aside from this season’s loan dealings, Cherries have now signed two players permanent from Leeds.

Before swooping for Luis Sinisterra on deadline day, a deal that saw Anthony loaned the other way, Cherries had snapped up tenacious midfielder Tyler Adams from Leeds.

Cherries’ dealings with Saints have been frequent in recent years.

Southampton’s captain at Wembley, Jack Stephens, spent last season on loan at Vitality Stadium, whilst Shane Long is another to temporarily call Dorset home whilst contract to Saints.

The road to Wembley

After vying for a shirt at Cherries, it was out of the frying pan and into the fire for Anthony in terms of competition on the wings.

Having battled against Antoine Semenyo, Marcus Tavernier, Dango Ouattara, Justin Kluivert, and at the time, Brooks, the 24-year-old found himself up against some of the best players in the Championship with Leeds, Crysencio Summerville, Dan James, and Willy Gnonto direct competitors on the wing.

Displacing even one of the aforementioned names proved too much for Anthony, who entered the play-offs having started as many games this season for Cherries as he as for Leeds.

If he was to make his mark at Wembley, it would have to come off the bench.

Rothwell’s situation at Southampton was similar. After realising he was not going to get any game time at Vitality Stadium, Rothwell would have expected his temporary switch over the New Forest to yield more minutes on the pitch.

Still, the midfielder had seen far more of the pitch in his five months at St Mary’s than Anthony had in nine at Elland Road.

With Brooks, it was a different story. The former Manchester City man has produced moments of magic for Southampton, tricky displays proving he still has the quality he had before his career was cruelly paused by cancer.

The final itself

Amongst the soundtrack of the day was the familiar tones of BBC Radio Solent’s Kris Temple, the Cherries commentator spending the afternoon as Wembley’s announcer.

Brooks was the only member of the Cherries exiles to start the match, given the right-wing berth in Southampton’s team.

Not that you would be able to tell, with Brooks’ first interaction in the game coming after 19 minutes, the winger fouled inside his own box.

Leeds had Saints hemmed into their own half for most of the opening stages, and when Southampton did venture forward, they looked to attack down their left – the opposite flank to Brooks.

Southampton’s opener came down the middle, exploiting lax defending from Leeds.

Adam Armstrong was in acres when he was slipped through by Will Smallbone, Brooks joining the onlooking Leeds defence in watching on as the striker cooly slotted home to open scores.

Watching on was what Brooks would be resorted to minutes later. A hefty challenge saw the Cherries loanee requiring treatment, and when he returned to the field after a lengthy delay, he was clutching his shoulder.

Although he tried to play on, it was evident that Brooks was tucking his arm in to minimise the pain.

On 34 minutes, his day out at Wembley would be over.

That remained the flashpoint of note for the next 30 minutes or so, spilling over into the second period.

Saints had a lead and were more than comfortable to try and protect it, keeping Leeds firmly at bay.

Leeds would turn to their bench to replace a winger as well – but instead of Anthony, United boss Farke turned to established international Dan James to change the game.

Rothwell also continued to be unused, former Cherries winger Ryan Fraser replaced by Che Adams on 70 minutes.

With 17 minutes to go, Anthony would get his chance.

You could tell he had been champing at the bit on the sidelines, his play eager and harried as he chased to help his side equalise.

He would clip in a wide free kick towards the back post; causing Southampton enough worry to flick the ball behind for a corner.

As the clock ticked down further, Leeds chucked on more attackers.

As such, Anthony was now everywhere and anywhere, operating as both a left wing-back and as a false nine.

In stoppage time there was a spark.

Cutting in from the left, Anthony skipped past two Saints defenders before teeing up James on the edge of the area.

The Welshman’s strike seemed destined for the bottom corner, but goalkeeper Alex McCarthy was equal to the effort, pushing it away.

That was as good as it got for Leeds.

Anthony may only temporarily be a Leeds player, but the felt defeat just as hard as the other players in white shirts.

Conversely, Brooks and Rothwell will return to Cherries this summer, but memories of their achievement will remain for some time.