LONDON - Derby County won promotion to the Premier League for the first time since 2002 today after beating West Bromwich Albion 1-0 in the second division playoff final at Wembley Stadium.
The match, worth an estimated £60 million ($166.17 million) to the winners in terms of increasedTV revenue, gate receipts and sponsorships, is regarded as the single richest one-off match in world soccer. It was played in a highly competitive spirit from the first minute to the last.
The only goal came from Stephen Pearson who turned the ball in from close range after 61 minutes.
Pearson, who signed for Derby for £650,000 from Celtic in January, had not scored for the club before but he took his chance superbly after being set up by substitute Giles Barnes, who had been on the field for only three minutes.
The win also marked a personal victory for Derby manager Billy Davies, who lost twice in playoffs with Preston North End and has won promotion in his first season in charge at Pride Park. Derby, who finished third in the table, eight points ahead of West Brom, go up alongside champions Sunderland and automatically promoted runners-up Birmingham City.
"That was a very tough game and I am delighted we have won it. No-one could have given more for this club today than my players did and I feel for West Brom who made it so tough for us."
West Brom went close to scoring almost straight after kickoff when Diomansy Kamara forced Derby keeper Stephen Bywater into a full-length dive to his left after a powerful run.
Derby also created chances with Paul Peschisolido and Matt Oakley having decent attempts but the nearest either side came to a goal in the first half was two minutes before the break when West Brom's Kevin Phillips clipped the top of the bar with a searing first time shot from the edge of the box.
Both sides continued to create one chance after another in the second half but Pearson's was the only one that counted and it sent Derby's fans wild at the end of an exhilarating game played in front of a 74,993 crowd.
