By Sean Walsh
Ipswich Town have triumphed against all odds and secured promotion to the Premier League on the final day of the Championship season.
The Tractor Boys were expected to struggle on their return to the second tier this year following promotion from League One in 2023, but they have held off the advances of Leeds United to claim a second-place finish.
Ipswich went into the last day of the campaign needing only a point at home to Huddersfield Town, who needed a miraculous set of results to stave off relegation, and delivered with a 2-0 win at a sold-out Portman Road.
If Ipswich lost, Leeds could have moved above them in the standings with a win at home to Southampton, but the Yorkshire outfit have instead been consigned to the play-offs.
Former Manchester United first-team coach Kieran McKenna took charge of Ipswich in 2021 and has received universal praise for guiding them to back-to-back promotions.
Ipswich spent the entire 2023/24 season inside the Championship's top six, with most of that time spent in the automatic promotion places. A run of four games without a win during April threatened to derail their bid to finish second, but Leeds' own recent downward trend of results allowed Ipswich to wrestle back control of the runner-up spot.
McKenna's side also spent time at the top of the table during the early spring months, only for Leicester City to eventually run away with the league title.
Nevertheless, it's mission accomplished for Ipswich, who will return to the Premier League after a 22-year absence.
Leeds, meanwhile, will have to rally again to secure promotion via the play-offs. They will face Norwich City in a two-legged semi-final, with one of Southampton or West Bromwich Albion awaiting them at Wembley.
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This article was originally published on 90min.com as Ipswich promoted to Premier League on final day of Championship season.
