Updated at 17.24
WES HOOLAHAN AND Norwich City won the promotion jackpot as they swept back into the Premier League with a 2-0 victory over Middlesbrough in the Championship play-off final on Monday.
Alex Neil’s side raced into a two-goal lead inside the first 15 minutes at Wembley thanks to goals from Cameron Jerome and Nathan Redmond and that early blitz was enough to secure an immediate and lucrative return to the Premier League just 12 months after the pain of relegation.
Promotion is worth an estimated £120 million ($185 million), but, while the cash is important to Norwich’s prosperity, it was the thought of taking their place alongside the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United that fuelled the jubilant celebrations at the final whistle.
Winning promotion in such style will also add to the growing reputation of the 33-year-old Neil, a fiery Scot who has already earned comparisons with former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson and seems to have the midas touch when it comes to the play-offs.
Neil guided Hamilton into the Scottish Premiership via the play-offs last season, and now he has led Norwich to promotion in the same fashion after a remarkable 17 wins in the 25 games since he was hired to replace the sacked Neil Adams.
Norwich hadn’t played at Wembley since 1985 when they won the League Cup final against Sunderland, yet within 15 minutes it became apparent the 30-year wait would be worth it.
Middlesbrough’s team bus had been caught in the busy bank holiday traffic en route to Wembley, arriving later than expected.
Aitor Karanka’s players appeared unsettled by that disruption and the flaws that would undermine them were immediately on display when a sloppy Dean Whitehead clearance fell to Norwich midfielder Bradley Johnson, who smashed a left-footed strike against the crossbar.
https://vine.co/v/eq92gOz1HwW
That narrow escape prompted a brief surge of adrenaline from Middlesbrough as they charged straight down the other end and hit the bar themselves through Jelle Vossen’s curling 25-yard drive.
But, fatally, Middlesbrough couldn’t quell their nerves and more lackadaisical defending proved their downfall in the 12th minute.
- Shell shocked -
Whitehead put his team-mate Daniel Ayala in trouble with a slow backpass and Jerome pounced to devastating effect.
He muscled Ayala off the ball and advanced into the penalty area before guiding a cool finish past goalkeeper Dimitrios Konstantopoulos from a tight angle at his near post.
Jerome’s 21st goal of the season was a terrible one to concede and Karanka’s team still looked shell-shocked when Norwich swept forward to double their lead three minutes later.
This was a far more emphatic strike from Neil’s team, whose confidence, already high after their play-off semi-final win over bitter rivals Ipswich, had gone through the roof in the moments after Jerome’s opener.
They swaggered towards the penalty area in blur of quick passes before Steven Whittaker played a precise ball into Redmond, the young Norwich winger matching the quality of the approach play as he a touch before driving a fine finish into the far corner.
Despite beating Norwich twice this season, Middlesbrough had been completely over-run and spent the rest of the half just trying to recover their composure.
It didn’t help that Patrick Bamford, the gifted young striker loaned to Karanka by his friend and Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, struggled to make an impact as Norwich’s industrious midfield cut off the supply lines.
After a first half that must have exceeded their worst nightmares, Middlesbrough made a brighter start to the second period and Bamford’s shot on the turn forced a sprawling save from John Ruddy.
Ayala had a header blocked on the line by Lewis Grabban in the closing stages.
But Middlesbrough’s revival came too late to disturb Neil’s team, who cruised to the finish line while their yellow-clad fans got the promotion party started.
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Bloody hell, where did that come from!
The well of truth
Wonder how vocal sheedy was when moyes was his boss. I think we can all guess
Didn’t want to lose his job I’m sure.
Sheedy was probably protecting the kids….
Moyes is the best thing to happen to football in 20 years. People should have more respect for him. Like the Liverpool fans’ banner yesterday said, he is a football genius!
Paul, in all honesty, because this has been going on for a while now, normally I would try to make a case but at this point, this remark puts a smile on my face.
Must of been hard for Sheedy. Everyday at work coaching kids for 7 years telling them to do this , do that and work hard, all for the goal of developing players for the first team. When in reality he probably knew these kids were going nowhere at Everton.
Prob like most top half premier league clubs in all fairness tho, like v few of these clubs are actually using their own youth developed players
I think it’s the arsenal fans that are the champions of waiting.
Reckon Harry would have been a better choice! Players have no confidence in manager. Harry a fantastic player manger.
Go on the sheedy, great goal, corner of the net.. 1990 Ohh love it sir, love it.
Everton is a good team but they’re not as good as Arsenal – 2013/14 champions in waiting.
Waiting being the important word there!..waiting they will be!
It’s great Sheedy has the courage to speak out.