LONDON: Fulham returned to the Premier League after a four-year absence as Tom Cairney scored the winner in a 1-0 victory over Aston Villa in the Championship playoff final at Wembley on Saturday, the richest game in world football.

Cairney netted by calmly sidefooting home a finish in the 23rd minute to earn Fulham, owned by US billionaire Shahid Khan, an estimated 160 million pounds ($213 million) windfall as they look forward to joining Championship title winners Wolverhampton Wanderers and second-placed Cardiff City in the top flight next season.

Villa, captained by former Chelsea defender John Terry and seeking to get back in the top flight after a two-year absence, dominated the second half and Fulham’s players bid to defend their lead was made even harder when defender Denis Odoi was sent off in the 70th minute for a second yellow card as tempers began to fray on a sultry afternoon.

Slavisa Jokanovic’s side succeeded, and will play in the Premier League for the first time since relegation in 2014 ended 13 straight seasons in the world’s wealthiest and most-watched division.

Fulham, who failed to claim automatic promotion when losing to Birmingham City on the final day of the regular season as they finished third in the table, celebrated with their joyous fans as they sealed a lucrative place among the elite.

“I am so excited for my club, for these supporters. We showed we could follow the style that we followed for the past two years, in this stadium,” Jokanovic said. “I’d have preferred to do the job with automatic promotion but, to be promoted at this place in front of these fans, I have to be satisfied.”

Published in Dawn, May 28th, 2018