May 4, (THEWILL)- Ipswich Town have achieved promotion to the English Premier League after a 22-year hiatus, earning their top-flight status with a 2-0 victory over Huddersfield Town at Portman Road on Saturday.
Kieran McKenna’s side, promoted from League One just last season, required a solitary point on the final day to confirm their ascent, but goals from Wes Burns and Omar Hutchinson ensured a celebratory atmosphere in Suffolk.
The result rendered Leeds United’s 2-1 defeat to Southampton inconsequential, as even a victory for the Yorkshire club would have been insufficient to deny Ipswich’s promotion. Joel Piroe’s equaliser for Leeds was swiftly negated by Will Smallbone’s second-half strike, consigning the Whites to a playoff encounter with Norwich City, who dropped to sixth after a 1-0 loss against Birmingham City.
West Brom’s comprehensive 3-0 triumph over Preston North End cemented their fifth-place finish, setting up a playoff semi-final clash with Southampton. Meanwhile, Birmingham City’s victory over Norwich was not enough to preserve their Championship status, joining Rotherham United and Huddersfield Town in suffering relegation to the third tier.
Plymouth Argyle’s 1-0 victory against top-six chasers Hull City and Sheffield Wednesday’s 2-0 win at Sunderland ultimately sealed the fates of the relegated trio. Rotherham’s demotion was confirmed last month, while Huddersfield’s plight was effectively sealed prior to the final day’s fixtures.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
