Derby clinch Premiership place
Updated on 28 May 2007
Derby County have clinched a place in the Premiership, beating West Brom 1-0 in the Championship play-off final at Wembley.
Former Celtic player Stephen Pearson scored his first-ever goal for Derby, sending the club into the top flight for the first time in five years.
It was especially sweet for Derby boss Billy Davies as he was in charge of the Preston team beaten by West Ham in the play-off final two years ago.
"I told the chairman Peter Gadsby last week that Pearson would score the winning goal and I was delighted when it was Pearson.
"It was always about the first goal, I told the players it would be crucial, and it was important for us to defend and be organised.
"I just had a funny feeling and I said it to Pearson for a week or so."
Derby become the first team to clinch a place at the rebuilt Wembley Stadium.
The Championship play-off final is known as the most lucrative game in football as the winners can expect a windfall of around £60 million spread over three seasons.
But it is a big blow for West Brom as they were relegated from the Premiership twelve months ago and they face a second season in the second tier of English football.
West Brom manager Tony Mowbray said: "The bottom line is we lost the football match. We were okay today.
"In a one-off spectacle, we were the team forcing the issue for the majority of the game but the bottom line is it is all about winning and they got the goal.
"Our keeper made one good save, they scored a goal and we had numerous opportunities.
"We more than matched them in every aspect of the game but we didn't put it in the net."
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