LONDON: QPR were confirmed as Championship title-winners on Saturday after the Football Association announced they would not be deducted points following a hearing into their signing of Alejandro Faurlin in 2009.

QPR - who clinched the title last weekend - were found guilty of two of the seven charges they faced over the registration of the Argentinian midfielder.

The London club - who are returning to the top-flight after a 15-year absence - will be presented with the trophy at their final match against Leeds United later on Saturday.

Norwich are the other side to join QPR in being automatically promoted.

After sealing promotion as Championship winners last weekend, QPR had feared a points deduction would strip them of the title and plunge the club into the play-off places.

They had been charged with breaching strict third-party ownership rules over the transfer of Faurlin from Instituto and faced a hearing by a four-man independent regulatory tribunal at Wembley which started on Tuesday.

The decision was initially scheduled to be revealed on Friday, but the FA postponed the announcement until the final day of the season when a statement confirmed that no points would be deducted.

The statement read: “The Regulatory Commission hearing charges brought by The FA against Queens Park Rangers FC wish to announce that although two of the charges have been found to be proved there will be no points deduction made from Queens Park Rangers FC in this season or the next.”

Warnock - who was manager of Sheffield United when they were relegated and West Ham stayed up in the 2006/07 season when the Hammers were later fined for playing Carlos Tevez who was owned by a third party - paid tribute to his players for managing to concentrate on playing rather than be distracted by the off-field affairs.

He told BBC1's Football Focus: “How they have managed to focus with all the rubbish some of the tabloids report, people speaking out when they shouldn't have done, didn't know their facts...they coped well.

“We haven't said anything, we just kept our counsel and did it on the pitch.

“I can't praise them high enough although it's not really sunk in at the moment, it's just a great feeling.

“It's just a relief to know we are the champions. We have been the champions. But when you can't answer back it's horrible.”

Warnock was always confident the Hoops would not be docked points and he added.

“The barrister said to me we've breached a couple of regulations.

“He thought they were technical and couldn't see any points deduction whatsoever.

“He thought there may be a heavy fine for one and a minor fine for the other.

“He was involved in certain cases and he said it was nothing like those cases.”