Aston Villa boss Dean Smith declared staying up felt better than promotion last season after securing survival with a 1-1 draw at West Ham.
Jack Grealish took centre stage as Villa, promoted via the play-offs during the last campaign, escaped relegation by the skin of their teeth.
The Villa captain came up with the goal which should have settled their nerves six minutes from the end.
However, moments later Grealish deflected in Andriy Yarmolenko’s shot to leave the visitors hanging on by a thread again, knowing another West Ham goal would send them down with rivals Bournemouth beating Everton.
Yet Villa, who were seven points from safety heading into their game against Crystal Palace on July 12, held on to complete their version of the great escape to stay up by a single point.
An emotional Smith, who lost his Villa-supporting father Ron to coronavirus during the enforced break, said: “It feels better than getting promoted. We had a big turnround in the summer and to stay up from where we’ve come from is a great achievement.
“I was aware of the scores elsewhere but I was more in the game. I didn’t think we were playing that well, defences were on top. They got the riot act at half-time because I wanted to win the game and put it in our hands.
“When Jack scores you think ‘That’s it we’re safe’ but a deflection made it a little bit nervous, but we saw it out well.
“I’m immensely proud and I’ve said that in the dressing room. We now look like Premier League players.
“My whole family are in the living room watching together. It’s been emotional because I lost my father to coronavirus. I’m sure he’ll be looking down on us.”
⏫ The moment Dean Smith and his Aston Villa squad found out they had secured Premier League survival.
— Sporting Life Football (@SportingLifeFC) July 26, 2020
🙌 This is brilliant!
🦁 Congratulations, Villa fans!
👏👇 #AVFC #WhuAvl pic.twitter.com/AfHT2qHEqo
Grealish’s long-term future remains unclear – but his immediate future was pretty certain.
“What happens now? He comes out and gets drunk with me,” added Smith.
“Will he stay? I’m certainly hopeful, he’s contracted for another two or three years. He’s a Villa fan. He’ll be immensely proud to have scored the goal today to keep us in the Premier League.”
What next for Jack Grealish's Aston Villa future?
— Sporting Life Football (@SportingLifeFC) July 26, 2020
'Well, I expect him to get drunk with me tonight!'
- Dean Smith on BT Sport 😂 #AVFC #WhuAvl pic.twitter.com/wTVVpNy2iA
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