Huddersfield Town, League One’s ‘nearly boys’ finally won promotion to the Championship today, but they just couldn’t do it the easy way.

After 90 minutes at Wembley Stadium neither Huddersfield nor Sheffield United had managed to score, and that didn’t change in the 30 minutes of extra time. So to a penalty shootout. It took 22 to separate the teams with every player on the pitch taking a turn, Sheffield’s goalkeeping sending his shot over the goal to end the match.

Congratulations to Huddersfield, you’ll get to play Blackburn Rovers next season. We’ll see you at the Galpharm where the attendance will probably be higher than at Ewood!

For those who don’t know it, today (Saturday 26th May) is European Cookie Day.

Some time ago the EU passed a new directive requiring websites based within the EU to give their viewers/customers/readers information about what cookies the site ‘plants’ onto the readers device and giving them the chance to opt-out of certain (types) of Cookie.

In the UK, the directive became law a year ago today, but the Information Commissioners Office gave a year for websites to comply before they would take any action. That year is up today.

So, in the interests of being on the right side of the law, but not missing out, I give you these cookies – they’re actually McVities chocolate Hobnobs and don’t count as cookies, but this site doesn’t use any cookies so that’s OK. It also keeps me on the right side of a rather strange and ill thought out law, passed by lawmakers who don’t really understand what they’re legislating against.

Still, I need to tell you this, clearly and so here is my privacy policy. If you want to know more about what cookies are and what they do, try allaboutcookies.org.

The original version of this image was taken in Cardiff, on the way to the FA Cup semi-final against Arsenal in 2005.

This edited version is just one of a collection of Rovers images that I’ll be offering to the Blackburn Rovers Supporters Investment Trust for use on their new website.

The trusts aim is to sell shares to Rovers’ fans around the world and ultimately use the funds to buy Rovers from their current Indian owners Venky’s.

Leeds Parish Church on Kirkgate. I love the design of this building, its almost impossible to get a clear shot of the church because of the number of trees in front of it and the buildings to the sides and back being in close proximity.
I think I found one of the best angles here to shoot the tower, the trees really compliment the picture and the sky and grass add the extra colour and depth to make turret really stand out.

The first church on this site was probably built in the early 7th century when Leeds was no more than a village. This building was wooden and burned down in the year 633. The Domesday Book refers to a church in the manor of Leeds in 1086. After a fire, the church was rebuilt in the 14th century. It was extended over the centuries, but became cluttered and ugly in the process as more seats were added to cater for a growing population. In 1837 Walter Farquhar Hook became Vicar of Leeds. He realised many alterations and repairs were needed. But when work started, it was found that the building was unsafe and a completely new church was necessary. He told the architect, Robert Chantrell, to build a “grand” building which would “hold as many people as possible”. This Church, with over 1600 seats, was consecrated on 2nd September 1841 to serve the great City of which it is the historic spiritual center.

Now, in 2012, as part of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee celebrations, the Bishop of Ripon has announced that the church’s status is to be upgraded. From September 2012 it will be known as Leeds Minster.

I took my wife to Liverpool for her birthday recently, where we spent a few hours looking around the famous Albert Dock (you might recognise the photo above if it had Fred Talbert’s weather map floating on the water from 1990′s This Morning on ITV).

Afterwards I took her to see the live version of BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, featuring football Robbie Savage, actor Chelsee Healey (Waterloo Road), Jason Donavan and drummer Harry Judd among others.

Below are a few pictures from the day, taken from an iPhone so the quality isn’t as great as I’d have liked!

This article was originally titled “How to get the Guardian iPad Edition for free, every day”, however I’ve removed the instructions as the extensive content and quality of journalism is well worth the small monthly fee. Go buy it!!!

Got an iPad? Get the app now: Guardian iPad Edition(iTunes link).

Driving along the M65 in Lancashire and high on the hilltops in the distance is a little space rocket poking out of the hill. Head towards it from east or west and the rocket directs you home. Of course, it’s not a rocket, it’s Darwen Tower, or Jubilee Tower to give it it’s official name.

Late in 2010 strong winds blew the dome off the top of the tower. This weekend, thanks to the generosity of local engineering firm WEC, the tower has been re-roofed, with the aid of a couple of helicopters lifting it into place.

Protest
noun
An organized public demonstration expressing strong objection to an official policy or course of action.

Fans of Blackburn Rovers Football Club have been protesting for some time, both about the lack of ability being shown by the teams rookie manager Steve Kean, and the lack of leadership and direction from owners Venky’s.

The latest protest is to be a 24 hour event outside the clubs Ewood Park home, followed immediately by a protest march in the Ewood area and pre and post match protests inside the stadium as Rovers take on Fulham in the Premier League.

The protest organisers are doing all they can to help make Rovers fans voices heard and have recently changed tactics and started to call for the resignation of the day to day directors at Ewood, following a string of broken promises by the club.

Although the protests have drawn widespread support from football fans around the country and abroad, large sections of the media, and those involved in football professionally have condemned the protests and falsely reported that fans are protesting against the players on the pitch. Much to the contrary, fans have the players best interests at heart and are desperate for then to succeed. In turn, many players have indicated their support for the protesters.

The problem is, the manager is largely ignorant of the protests and the fans wishes, and the owners have not been heard from in months, other than posting a link on Facebook following the Christmas victory at Old Trafford, which was quickly removed when fans commented on the post calling for the owners to sell up.

Venky’s were very open when they bought the club, about their reasons for the purchase. They want to promote their brand worldwide and to popularise football in India.

Today, I’m calling on everybody on loved in the protests to think differently. Venky’s are not taking notice of the protesters message, and the only time they will take notice is when it hits them in their pockets. I personally am all for a boycott of Ewood Park, but football fans are a loyal bunch and you will never convince enough people to give up their matchday.

Therefore, I now call for protests to be staged in the town centre, outside the Rovers store on Church Street and outside Barclays Bank on Darwen Street.

At the store, there are two direct hits. A large group of peaceful protesters will deter people from entering the shop, reducing takings and hitting the owners financially – although by not a great deal in one day. The shop also hosts a tea room, which is owned independently of the club. If this business suffers as a direct result of a protest it could cause all sorts of ruptures at Ewood and possibly the loss of a paying tenant.

Barclays Bank are Rovers bankers a d they are eager for the clubs large overdraft to be repaid by Venkys. Reports indicate that the owners failed to make a £10m reduction to the debt due by the end of 2011. A large and vocal presence outside the branch would put many off entering and put those who do enter off staying for more than a few minutes, thus limiting the sales and new business the branch is able to undertake. A direct financial hit to the bank, indirectly caused by one of their customers (Venky’s) is not likely to be tolerated for very long, and they should be encouraged to pile pressure on Venky’s to pay up or sell up.

Direct protests have failed. Now is the time to hit the owners where it hurts.

Chloe got the iPad she always wanted this Christmas. How about you?

Here are 25 photos that tell my story of 2011.