Neil Warnock was a proud man after Huddersfield retained their place in the Sky Bet Championship with a 1-0 victory over promoted Sheffield United, but ruled out staying on as manager into next season.
The 74-year-old came out of retirement in mid-February to take on the role, with the Terriers battling to get out of the relegation zone.
However, a run of just one defeat in their last nine league matches ensured they achieved safety as Danny Ward’s stunning 25-yard strike got the job done against United with a game to spare, instead sending Reading tumbling into League One.
Warnock had previously said keeping the Terriers up would be the “greatest achievement” of his career, which has spanned over 1600 games and included eight promotions.
And he believes it was no less than the players deserved after a nail-biting 90 minutes at the John Smith’s Stadium.
“I’ll remember tonight for the rest of my life,” said Warnock. “It’s a massive achievement and I couldn’t be any prouder.
“When (Warnock’s assistant) Ronnie Jepson phoned me, he said ‘are you sure? This is the worst team I have seen’. Everyone has worked their socks off for me but I can’t do another 10 months of this. The job is done for me.
“I have great memories and didn’t want to leave having gone down.
“You can imagine relegation, jobs at stake. We looked nervous, not wanting to have a second touch. At half-time we told them what we’d been doing the last nine games and we deserved it in the end.
“Danny scored one like that for Cardiff at Forest, I said we could do with another one of those. He’s an unsung hero.
“It’s been an amazing ride. I think tonight could have converted youngsters for years to come.
“I remember watching Joe Shaw for (Sheffield) United one night and it did me. I had to be an United-ite and there will be Town fans like that tonight.”
The Blades enjoyed a promotion party of their own last month after they secured their return to the Premier League.
But they had to endure watching Huddersfield celebrate this time around and boss Paul Heckingbottom admitted it was a difficult result for his team.
“Of course we have to put it into perspective but not one of us enjoyed that,” he said. “But we’ve earned the right to be in that position.
“I can’t help how I feel after a defeat. It was evident in the second half that there was one team scrapping for survival.
“I am not going to be tough on the lads. They have been fantastic and that’s the difference when you haven’t got that edge.
“We were good first half and missed chances, but second half they played it like a Championship match.”
When asked about Warnock’s achievement of keeping the hosts up, Heckingbottom said: “Results have picked up. I have seen a lot of games and they have turned some really good teams over.
“He’s worked his magic and got what he, and the club, wanted.”
Leeds' belief never wavered as Wembley beckons
Ethan Ampadu said Leeds United's players never let their belief waver despite a poor end to their Championship campaign, with a trip to Wembley now coming up.
Leeds will face either Southampton or West Brom in the play-off final on May 26 after thrashing Norwich City 4-0 at Elland Road on Thursday.
The Whites endured a miserable end to their campaign, losing 4-0 at Queens Park Rangers before going down at home to Southampton on the final day, as Ipswich Town claimed automatic promotion behind Leicester City.
But after their emphatic defeat of the Canaries, who they drew with 0-0 in the first leg, Ampadu claimed Leeds never lost their way.
"Towards the end of the season there was a lot of talk about how we were playing, how we weren't on the front foot, how we weren't aggressive or clinical," he told Sky Sports.
"But we always had our belief that on our day, when we are firing, we can be hard for anyone to play against.
"When the front four, five, six play like that, they make the job of us defenders a lot easier.
"Whoever we play in the final it's going to be a hard game but to go in like this, to put in a performance like this, we can take momentum and confidence into it.
"The fans were second to none and we enjoyed their support – now we are going to prepare for the big one."
Georginio Rutter scored one and set up another in the rout, and he put the onus on Leeds to replicate the same level at Wembley.
"It's incredible. Today we go to Wembley," he said.
"We played a good game. I'm happy, everybody is happy. One more game and we will see.
"We played very good. 4-0 is a clean sheet. Today, we were mature. It's a very good performance from the team.
"I want to try my best and help the team. If we play like this [at the final], we have a good chance but we have to play like this."
Leeds United 4-0 Norwich City (4-0 agg): Whites book Wembley spot in emphatic fashion
Leeds United thumped Norwich City 4-0 in the second leg of their Championship play-off semi-final to seal their place at Wembley.
After a goalless draw in the first leg left it all to play for at Elland Road on Thursday, Leeds turned on the style in front of a raucous home crowd to cruise into the final on May 26.
Ilia Gruev settled the majority of Elland Road's nerves with just seven minutes played as he caught out Angus Gunn with a long-range free-kick, curling into the space vacated by the Norwich goalkeeper's expectation of a cross.
Joel Piroe then doubled the hosts' advantage 13 minutes later, again capitalising on poor goalkeeping to beat Gunn to Wilfried Gnonto's cross and nod home.
The tie was effectively over five minutes from half-time, Georginio Rutter getting on the end of Crysencio Summerville's squared pass to rifle off the underside of the crossbar and in.
And after Gunn spilled Gnonto's low shot in the second half, Rutter cut the ball back for Summerville to poke home and secure Leeds' place in next Sunday's final, where they will meet either Southampton or West Brom.
Data debrief
Leeds may have looked pretty blunt in attack at Carrow Road, but that was far from the case on home soil as they put the Canaries to the sword in brutal fashion while keeping a 21st Championship clean sheet this season, more than any other side.
Daniel Farke's men produced 2.45 xG (expected goals) to Norwich's 0.51, while Summerville made it 20 league goals for the season, more than any other Leeds player.
West Brom 0-0 Southampton: Hawthorns draw sets up intriguing second leg
West Brom and Southampton played out a goalless draw at the Hawthorns on Sunday in the first leg of their Championship play-off semi-final.
Both teams had plenty of chances, but a combination of poor finishing and impressive goalkeeping from the Saints' Alex McCarthy and the Baggies' Alex Palmer ensured the tie remains finely poised for the return leg at St Mary's Stadium on Friday.
Roared on by a loud Hawthorns, the hosts started well but were unable to capitalise, and it was Southampton who went closest in the first half as Kyle Walker-Peters smashed a deflected effort wide, while Palmer kept out Flynn Downes' shot.
West Brom rallied, though, and had a golden opportunity to take the lead with 33 minutes on the clock as Grady Diangana nodded Tom Fellows' cross goalwards, only for McCarthy to get across and make a brilliant stop.
The tempo slowed somewhat after the interval, but the game burst into life again with just over 10 minutes to play, as McCarthy denied Diangana before substitute Ross Stewart lashed goalwards up the other end, only to see his shot somehow kept out by the wrong-footed Palmer.
Both sides pressed for a precious goal late on, but neither could break the deadlock and it remains all to play for at St Mary's to see who will face either Leeds United or Norwich City at Wembley on May 26.
Data debrief
There was certainly attacking endeavour on display at the Hawthorns, but neither side could find the back of the net despite the teams combining for 1.76 xG (expected goals), split 1.03 for Southampton and 0.73 for the hosts.
With Norwich and Leeds drawing 0-0 in their first leg earlier on Sunday, it is the first time since 2011 that the first leg of both Championship play-off semi-finals have ended goalless.
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