Aston Villa beat Derby 2-1 in the Sky Bet Championship play-off final at Wembley to book their return to the Premier League.
The triumph tops off an incredible first season at the West Midlands club for Dean Smith, who took over in October with the Villans 15th in the table.
The boyhood Villa fan has now guided them back to the top flight after three seasons in the second tier, winning what is dubbed the 'richest game in football' - said to be worth an estimated £170million to the winner - to join Norwich and Sheffield United in being promoted to the Premier League in 2018/19.
Goals from Anwar El Ghazi and John McGinn either side of the break put them on their way to their third win of the season against Frank Lampard's Rams, who pulled one back late on through substitute Jack Marriott.
Villa started well and Derby looked nervous, but Smith's men only went close through half chances for Jack Grealish and Tammy Abraham who both failed to test Kelle Roos.
With the game heading 0-0 at half-time, Villa took the lead in the 44th minute when El Ghazi made a run at the far post to dive and head home Ahmed ElMohamady's cross to cap off a fine move.
Villa started the second half as they ended the first and they doubled their lead on 59 minutes after mistake by goalkeeper Roos.
- READ: Aston Villa 4/5 to avoid Premier League relegation
- READ: Derby 4/1 to win promotion from Sky Bet Championship next season
El Ghazi cut inside to shoot from 20 yards and Keogh's block looped towards goal. As the Dutchman went to catch the ball but could not secure it and McGinn headed into an empty net.
It was the second goalkeeping error in the play-offs at Wembley in as many days, after Charlton's Dillon Phillips' mistake in the League One final - which you can watch here. Luckily for Phillips the Addicks turned it around, but it was not the case here and Roos will rue his costly mistake.
Marirott flashed a volley past the post soon after coming on before finding the back of the net to give the Rams hope of salvaging something with just over eight minutes left on the clock. It came after Tyrone Mings' vital interception on Martyn Waghorn, which saw the Villa man go off injured, but the ball was not cleared and it was crossed back in, falling to Marriott who lashed home what proved to be a consolation despite a couple of late counters for Derby.
Highlights
Quotes
Aston Villa manager Dean Smith: "To be sitting here now as a Premier League manager is a surreal feeling.
"We got over the line today and that is nothing short of what the players deserve after the season they've had and the effort they put in.
We had to get through a difficult period when I first came in with a lot of injuries and battled through. Once we had everyone back we were at another level and once we had confidence it drove us on to this success.
"Aston Villa are a Premier League club and we have a huge opportunity to move forward and really build again now after three tough, tough years."
Derby boss Frank Lampard: "We achieved so much just to get here and of course we are devastated to lose in the final. But we must remember this has been a successful season.
"I've thanked the players for their great effort and for bringing such a great season to Derby after such a tough summer for the club.
"The little bits didn't go our way today and that is football."
Opta facts
- Aston Villa are the first side since West Ham in 2004 (runners up) and 2005 (winners) to win a playoff final in the second tier after losing in the previous season.
- This is the first Championship playoff final to see both sides score since West Ham’s 2-1 win over Blackpool back in 2012 – each of the last six had seen at least one side fail to find the back of the net.
- No team have lost more second tier play-off finals than Derby County (3, also Reading and Sheffield United).
- Derby have lost all three of their Championship meetings with Aston Villa this season by an aggregate score of 1-9 (0-3 home, 0-4 away and 1-2 in the play-off final).
- Aston Villa have won seven of their last 10 matches against Derby, losing just once in this run, a 0-2 defeat in December 2017.
- The team finishing sixth in the Championship have been promoted via the play-offs in just one of the last 14 seasons, with Blackpool beating Cardiff City in the 2010 final.
- Aston Villa have scored 33 goals from crosses in the Championship this season (including play-offs); the most of any team.
- Aston Villa midfielder John McGinn has scored in each of his two appearances against Derby this season, also providing an assist at Pride Park in November.