Sheffield Utd - 0 Wolves - 3: Ever since Wolverhampton Wanderers were relegated from the top flight in 1984 a lone supporter has kept a clock ticking awaiting their return. Yesterday tea-time, 19 long years, 13 days, 23 hours and 50 minutes later, that clock stopped. Wolves were back among England's elite.
In August the Premiership roadshow will stop for a first time at Molineux. For the first time in a generation, Manchester United, Arsenal and the rest will file past Billy Wright's statue on their way into one of the English game's most evocative venues.
Wolves' manager Dave Jones had urged his team to give the Old Gold hordes a new history to cherish. Though the names of Mark Kennedy, Nathan Blake, Kenny Miller and Matt Murray may not rank yet among the Wolves greats, nor will they be forgotten, not now.
After so long away, having plummeted so low they once lost an FA Cup tie to Chorley, and having then come so close to climbing back only to falter at the last, the Wolves fans did not start to celebrate properly until just before the end.
By then Wolves had been three goals up for a full 45 minutes but the collective disbelief was understandable. Not only had they the pain of their past failures to caution them, but Sheffield United had forced Wolves' young goalkeeper Murray into a man-of-the-match performance.
So Wolves' 34,000 supporters simply could not believe their eyes. But when they did allow themselves a song, it was "Hi-Ho Wolverhampton" at full throttle with Jack Hayward quickly on to the pitch in his favourite old shoes.
There Hayward and Jones held the play-off trophy aloft together. They have not always been quite so inseparable, but Jones has succeeded where the four men appointed by Hayward before him had failed.
Wolves will need it if they are to be next season's Birmingham City rather than - heaven forbid - next season's West Bromwich. Young men at the club such as Murray, Miller and Joleon Lescott have ability, but Denis Irwin is 38 in October and Paul Ince 36 10 days earlier.
But future investment is for tomorrow. What Wolves did yesterday deserves the focus. In short, what they did was defend well and take their chances. Sheffield United did neither, their disappointment increased by Neil Warnock again overshadowing his players with his erratic behaviour.
In their 61st game of a season that has taken them to two major semi-finals and now this, United displayed only fragments of previous fluency.
Two down in the play-off semi-final against Nottingham Forest, they had staged one incredible comeback. Yesterday, though, they were three down at half-time and when, three minutes after the interval, a Steve Kabba cross struck the hand of Paul Butler, they won a penalty only to miss it. Michael Brown, successful with six penalties this season, hit his seventh weakly. It was palmed away by Murray.
Murray later got another glove to a flicked header from Paul Peschisolido. The ball flew on to a post, then to Robert Page. Page, a Welshman in a rugby stadium, cleared the bar.
There and then United were thrust into self-loathing and Wolves were promoted. Not even they could lose a lead forged by Miller's relentless activity. His lay-off teed up Kennedy for an extraordinary opener from 20 yards. Kennedy then swung in a corner, Ince nodded it on and Blake, Cardiff-born, touched it past Paddy Kenny from three yards.
When Murray produced a marvellous reaction to prevent Ince scoring a 39th-minute own-goal and then Miller converted Shaun Newton's centre, Wolves were treading new ground - and about time.
It means farewell to the Football League after 115 years: Wolves were founder members in 1888. But they said goodbye with glee, checking their watches as they went.
SHEFFIELD UTD: Kenny, Kozluk, Curtis, Page, Jagielka, Tonge, Brown, Rankine (McCall 45), Ndlovu (Peschisolido 64), Kabba, Asaba (Allison 74). Subs Not Used: Kelly, Montgomery. Booked: Tonge, Brown.
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS: Murray, Naylor, Lescott, Butler, Irwin, Newton, Cameron, Kennedy, Ince, Blake (Proudlock 88), Miller (Sturridge 75). Subs Not Used: Oakes, Rae, Edworthy. Booked: Irwin. Goals: Kennedy 6, Blake 22, Miller 45.
Referee: S Bennett (Kent).
