Brighton & Hove Albion secure promotion to Premier League

Brighton & Hove Albion will play top-flight football next season for the first time in 34 years after securing promotion from the Championship.

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The Seagulls saw off Wigan Athletic 2-1 at The Amex on Monday afternoon, sparking a pitch invasion at full time as a top-two finish was all but secured.

Automatic promotion was made mathematically certain a couple of hours later, though, as a late strike from Jacob Butterfield earned Derby County a 1-1 draw with Huddersfield Town in the evening kickoff, meaning that the third-placed Terriers can no longer catch Albion.

Events at Pride Park would also have been celebrated in the North-East, with Newcastle United - beaten 3-1 at Ipswich Town earlier today - also now on the brink of a return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

Brighton will now look to mark their three-and-a-half decade wait for a place in the top tier in style by winning the title, sitting seven points above closest challengers Newcastle with just three games left to play.