Hull City have been promoted to the Premier League after a 1-0 win in the Championship playoff final against Middlesbrough on Saturday at Wembley Stadium.
Oli McBurnie scored the only goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time to send his side into the top flight, alongside Coventry City and Ipswich Town.
The playoff final was played amid the ‘Spygate’ furore which has rocked English football since the playoff semifinals. Southampton, who beat Middlesbrough in the semifinals, were expelled from the final by the EFL because they illegally spied on their opponents.
Hull, who only discovered their eventual final opponents just days ago, eventually overcame Boro.
Scorching heat marred the Wembley game on Saturday, but McBurnie had the final say when a cross was spilled into his path by Boro goalkeeper Sol Brynn.
Read more:Southampton players react to ‘spygate’ verdict: ‘Anger, sadness’
Hull became the first team since Blackpool in 2010 to finish sixth in the Championship before winning the playoffs. They battled through both legs of the semifinals and the final without conceding a goal.
Matchwinner McBurnie said post-match: “This game sums us up, we knew we wouldn’t have all of the ball. We knew we were going to be right up against it. We knew that we’d have one chance. It was written that I’d get it.”
He said about his late, crucial goal: “Just try and get good contact on it. It popped up to me. It’s a blur.”
Hull City boss Sergej Jakirovic said to Sky Sports: “It is an amazing feeling, I can’t believe it. We did it because we suffered a lot with the game.
“Like I said before the game, they are really happy with the ball, okay they didn’t get great chances and then after 15-minutes we changed our shape. Crooks tried to help Oli.
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“It was very good. Oli enjoys to play this type of game. We agreed he would score 15 goals.
“The regular season was the worst and then we started a completely new tournament and it matter how many points you won there.
“It is about pressure because you have time to fix everything. This is very demanding and a very difficult league, this is intensity and it is unbelievable.”
Relegated already from the Premier League are Wolves and Burnley. On Sunday, the third relegation side will be decided between West Ham and Tottenham.
Read more:Southampton rail against severity of ‘Spygate’ sanctions: ‘Manifestly disproportionate’
This was the last Championship season with only four sides in the playoffs. Next year, the format will expand to six teams.
Hull owner Acun Ilicali had spoken pre-match of his plan to launch legal action if his side lost, as ‘Spygate’ rumbled on.
“Our legal team says that we have to go for action, that’s for sure,” Ilicali told BBC Radio Humberside.
“So we have no doubt about it. Here, all we want is justice. If justice is broken, nobody will enjoy football.”
