Frantic five minutes puts Watford in top flight, and they plan to stay
WATFORD dramatically clinched promotion to the Premier League yesterday on a typically manic afternoon in the Championship — and insist they’re wellequipped to stay in the top flight.
Slavisa Jokanovic’s side beat Brighton 2-0 at the Amex Stadium in the early kick-off and were hoping that Middlesbrough lost and Norwich failed to win. Both those results came in during a sensational final five minutes, with Fulham beating Aitor Karanka’s Boro 4-3 in stoppage time after Rotherham had equalised against Norwich moments before.
Watford had won at Brighton and were travelling back home on the team coach when news filtered through on that they had won promotion three hours afterwards. Players and staff erupted on the bus when Ross McCormack scored a 94th-minute winner for Fulham at Craven Cottage. The squad uploaded numerous videos on the internet in the immediate aftermath, with Tommie Hoban labelling it an ‘unbelievable achievement’.
‘For Middlesbrough to lose like this — it’s a magical division. There is no other league like it,’ Hoban said.
‘Luckily we’d just got into the training ground as Rotherham scored. It is the best day ever, it hasn’t sunk in yet. I think we can definitely stay up — we have a stronger squad than a few of those teams in the Premier League and will add in the summer.’
Twenty-goal striker Odion Ighalo added: ‘It is dream to play in the Premier League.
‘It was very tense because we were waiting and listening.
‘We’re in good spirits now. This is what I came to England for, to play in the Premier League. We can stay in the Premier League.
We are very calm. It’s not going to be easy but the way we are playing now... I think we can stay there.’
It ends Watford’s eight-year absence from the top flight after suffering relegation back in 2007. The squad were out partying in the town last night.
Troy Deeney opened the scoring at Brighton before a stoppage-time Matej Vydra goal sealed the points.
Middlesbrough’s capitulation at Craven Cottage also means Bournemouth will effectively earn promotion should they beat Bolton tomorrow by virtue of superior goal difference.
Watford have managed the achievement despite serious managerial upheaval earlier in the campaign.
Oscar Garcia tendered his resignation on health grounds and replacement Billy McKinlay left the club after just two games and was replaced by Jokanovic.