Sheffield United are promoted back to the Premier League after beating West Bromwich Albion

The Premier League now beckons thanks to second-half strikes from Sander Berge and Anel Ahmedhodzic, which lit the touch paper under a fan base which had flooded through the turnstiles hoping to witness history being made.

They did and, given some of the challenges Paul Heckingbottom and his squad have overcome during a memorable and sometimes testing campaign, it was fitting that United owed their victory to patience, durability and persistence. Those are the qualities, combined with lashings of talent, which have enabled Heckingbottom’s men to plot a course out of the Championship with three assignments to spare.

"Brilliant,” Berge said afterwards. “We’ve deserved it. Just brilliant.”

Heckingbottom had tried to frame this as just another fixture beforehand. It was one of the few moves he has made since being appointed which failed to have the desired effect. His team’s routines during the pre-match warm-up were carried out with extra purpose. The ‘Countdown to Kick-Off’ routine which prefaces every fixture had more edge than usual. But it was the sight of a sell-out home crowd cramming into United’s famous old stadium which truly confirmed something very big was at stake.

“Four games, three points needed,” their master of ceremonies reminded ahead of kick-off. Those were delivered at the first time of asking, when Berge stroked Ndiaye’s pass into a gaping goal after the Senegalese had pounced on Taylor Garnder-Hickman’s loose back pass. Then, Ahmedhodzic diverted George Baldock’s attempt past Alex Palmer when a corner was poorly cleared.

What nearly got lost among all the talk about United was the fact this contest was also a big deal for Albion. Chasing top-flight status themselves, albeit via the play-offs, it was the visitors who settled quickest with Karlan Grant somehow contriving to miss a glorious chance during the opening seconds.

As things began the bed down, so United began to find their rhythm. Berge fired over from distance after deciding a shot was his best option while Iliman Ndiaye attempted to carve a hole in Albion’s defence. He probably would have done so if he hadn’t lost his footing. But it was still Corberan’s men who were creating the better openings. Grant forced a fine block from Foderingham, who was unaware an offside flag had been raised, after being teed-up by a clever Jed Wallace set-piece.

United performed in fits and starts until Berge’s intervention; engineering numerous possibilities but failing to take advantage of any while an excitable fan base implored them to pour forward.

George Baldock and Max Lowe, who had earlier been fortunate not to give away a penalty for upending Grant, decided to try and grab proceedings by the scruff of the neck at the beginning of the second period. The latter’s cross, however, was tipped away by Palmer. It was 20 or so seconds of football which summed up United’s work so far.

But after Berge pounced, they slipped effortlessly into sixth gear with Ahmedhodzic adding another as the party cranked into life.

Sheffield United: Foderingham, Ahmedhodzic, Egan ©, Robinson, Baldock (Bogle 90), Lowe, Doyle (Norwood 80), Berge (Basham 90), McAtee (Fleck 74), McBurnie (Sharp 74), Ndiaye. Not used: Davies, Jebbison.

West Bromwich Albion: Palmer, Ajayi, Pieters (Swift 70), Townsend ©, Molumby, Yokuslu (Bartley 70), Wallace (Malcolm 90), Gardner-Hickman, Grant (Albrighton 78), Thomas-Asante. Not used: Griffiths, Rogic, Livermore, Malcolm.

Referee: Dean Whitestone (Northamptonshire).

Attendance: 30,050.