Hull City have been promoted to the Premier League after a 2-2 draw with Cardiff at the KC Stadium on Saturday.
On the most dramatic of afternoons when all the Tigers had to do was match Watford’s result, a defeat for the Hornets meant a point was enough to start the biggest party the KC Stadium has ever seen.
Words will never do this incredible afternoon justice, but here goes.....
Steve Bruce made two changes to his starting eleven with Liam Rosenior and Jay Simpson coming in for Corry Evans and Matty Fryatt.
Bruce also made a switch to a 4-4-2 formation with Rosenior and Paul McShane operating at full-back, Ahmed Elmohamady and George Boyd on the wings and Robbie Brady supporting Simpson in attack.
A tremendous atmosphere greeted the players at kick-off on a gloriously sunny day at the KC.
The Tigers made a bright enough start, forcing a couple of early corners but without being able to make them count.
Boyd had the ball in the Cardiff net in the ninth minute, but the celebrations were cut short by an offside flag.
Cardiff went close themselves ten minutes later when a Craig Conway shot was deflected just wide.
The Tigers upped the ante halfway through the opening period with a couple of fast-flowing attacks, but again the finishing touch was lacking.
Brady missed a great chance just after the half-hour after being set up by Boyd, curling over from the edge of the box when he had time and space.
Cardiff were definitely a threat though and Jordon Mutch saw another deflected effort trickle just past the post.
At the other end, Brady’s effort from distance was kept out by David Marshall.
A couple of minutes before the break, news filtered through that Watford were losing to Leeds, sending the noise up a notch, although City lost Simpson to injury at the same time. Nick Proschwitz was his replacement.
Half Time: Tigers 0-0 Cardiff
By the time the second half kicked-off, news that Watford had levelled against Leeds had come through, but the Tigers were still in the driving seat.
Cardiff made a change at the break as former City loanee Fraizer Campbell came on.
Early shouts for a penalty fell on deaf ears after Brady went down in the area and the inevitable then happened as Campbell put Cardiff ahead. A defence-splitting pass from Kim Bo-Kyung had the striker through, and he calmly slipped the ball past David Stockdale.
The Tigers should have been level two minutes later when a Brady cross reached the back post where Proschwitz was waiting, but he somehow turned the ball wide.
Proschwitz saw another effort saved by Marshall before Meyler was also denied by the Cardiff keeper.
The Tigers were level shortly before the hour mark. Proschwitz again found himself with space at the far post and this time he finished neatly into the bottom corner.
The roof came off the KC in the 63rd minute as the Tigers hit the front. Brady’s corner from the right was absolutely perfect for McShane to finish from six yards.
Nothing was certain, though, and a hopeful down the line had Campbell racing away again, but this time Abdoulaye Faye got back to deny him a clear shot on goal.
At the other end, a powerful Brady effort was beaten away by Marshall.
A handball by Meyler on the edge of the City box offered Cardiff a chance to level from a free kick on 72 minutes, but Noone’s set-piece was blocked by the wall.
What seemed like the longest 20 minutes plus added time ever followed and it proved to be the most dramatic.
First Cardiff were reduced to ten men when Andrew Taylor was shown a second yellow card after barging into Elmohamady.
Then, deep into four minutes of added time, the Tigers were awarded a penalty when Meyler was barged over in the area. Proschwitz stepped up to take it, but was denied by a save from Marshall.
Heartache followed as Cardiff were awarded a penalty of their own seconds later for a handball by a City defender. Nicky Maynard converted from the spot and seconds later the full time whistle went.
It was then a waiting game with Watford’s game against Leeds running around ten minutes behind schedule.
It wasn’t long before news of a second Leeds goal against Watford came through, and a few moments later, the Tigers’ promotion was confirmed.
Tigers: David Stockdale, Liam Rosenior, James Chester, Abdoulaye Faye, Paul McShane, Ahmed Elmohamady, David Meyler, Stephen Quinn, George Boyd, Robbie Brady (Ahmed Fathi 88), Jay Simpson (Nick Proschwitz 45).
Subs Not Used: Eldin Jakupovic, Jack Hobbs, Corry Evans, Matty Fryatt, Alex Bruce.
Cardiff: David Marshall, Kevin McNaughton, Andrew Taylor, Ben Turner, Etien Velikonja (Fraizer Campbell 46), Craig Conway, Kim Bo-Kyung (Rudy Gestede 63), Craig Noone (Nicky Maynard 885), Aron Gunnarsson, Jordon Mutch, Ben Nugent.
Subs Not Used: Joe Lewis, Peter Whittingham, Tommy Smith, Simon Lappin.
Referee: Mr K. Stroud.
Attendance: 23,812 (2,153 visiting supporters).