Ipswich Town have ended a 22-year exile from the English Premier League, securing a return to the top flight with a 2-0 win over Huddersfield Town, much to the delight of their most famous fan - popstar Ed Sheeran.
Ipswich needed a point to confirm promotion going into the final day of the Championship season, as Kieran McKenna's side became the first club since Southampton in 2012 to gain back-to-back promotions from third-tier League One to the premier league.
After Leicester City secured promotion last weekend, Ipswich and Leeds were battling for the second automatic promotion spot going into the final day of the league season.
Leeds needed results to go their way, but a 2-1 home defeat by Southampton left them third, six points behind Ipswich. Champions Leicester ended the season with 97 points, while Ipswich finished with 96.
"I feel great... a lot of relief, I have to say," McKenna told Sky Sports, adding that they were preparing for a "monumental jump" to the top flight.
"It's a wonderful day. I have big associations with Tottenham and Man United in particular, and they will be games to look forward to on a personal level, but it's the best league in the world, best clubs, best managers and players - it's going to be great.
"It's a great challenge, competing against the best in the world."
McKenna, 37, coached the U18 sides at Spurs and United, before taking the Ipswich job in 2021.
Ipswich took the lead from a well-worked move in the first half, when Conor Chaplin found Wes Burns unmarked in the box and the Welshman fired home to draw a huge roar from the Portman Road crowd.
As Leeds fell behind against Southampton, Ipswich struck again three minutes after the restart, when Omari Hutchinson skipped away from a challenge and found the back of the net from the edge of the box.
Among those celebrating was Sheeran, who video-called the team from his US tour.
"I'm in Miami," he told them. "I've got to pay for the sponsorship somehow.
"I'm back on Wednesday, you guys want to go out?"
Sheeran has been the team's principal shirt sponsor since 2021.
Reuters/Newshub
