Cardiff City will be playing Premier League football again next season after a goalless draw against Reading on the final day of the regular Championship season saw Neil Warnock and his side clinch automatic promotion.
With Wolves already crowned champions, Fulham could have secured second place by simply beating Birmingham in their last fixture, but instead fell to a shock 3-1 defeat at St. Andrew’s, thus leaving the door open for the Bluebirds to slip in and usurp them.
YES! Fans celebrating at the City Stadium as CARDIFF ARE PROMOTED! đ #CapitalReports pic.twitter.com/bUYF3Im6oC
— CapitalSWales News (@capitalswanews) May 6, 2018
While there were no goals at the Cardiff City Stadium, we were still treated by the most unusual of throw-ins from Royals full-back Chris Gunter, who inadvertently took it from the shadow boundary, rather than the actual touchline…
Is it the line? Is it the shade? đ¤đ
Fair to say the Welsh sunshine is causing some confusion at the Cardiff City Stadium today! đ´ó §ó ˘ó ˇó Źó łó żâ
Watch Cardiff’s push for Premier League promotion live on Sky Sports Football now! https://t.co/WqGAjfhNH3 pic.twitter.com/Ttz84bRiVk
â Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 6, 2018
Warnock has now overseen the most senior promotions (eight) in the history of English football, moving out on his own ahead of Dave Bassett and Graham Taylor, who both managed seven during their respective careers.
As for Fulham’, their wobble saw them finish up in the third place, with Aston Villa, Middlesbrough and Derby County joining them to make up the Championship play-off quartet.
At the other end, Bolton scored twice in the last five minutes to beat Nottingham Forest and thus haul themselves out of the relegation zone at the very last moment, consigning Barnsley, Burton Albion and Sunderland (who had their fate confirmed last weekend) to the drop beneath them.