One of the most dramatic Championship final days in recent memory saw the race for automatic promotion run to the wire, but it was West Brom who eventually booked a place in the Premier League following their draw with QPR.
Slaven Bilic’s men were locked in a head-to-head battle with Brentford for second spot heading into the final match of the season, but the Bees’ surprise 2-1 defeat against Barnsley meant West Brom were promoted regardless of their result against QPR.
Albion were held to a 2-2 draw at the Hawthorns by their West London visitors – with Grady Diangana and Callum Robinson on target for the hosts – and the final whistle was followed by pandemonium when news of the outcome at Griffin Park filtered through.
It means that West Brom’s two-year absence from the Premier League has come to an end, with the Midlands outfit making amends for last season’s play-off heartache by booking their place in next season’s top flight alongside league champions Leeds United.
It has been a remarkable season at West Brom which has been packed with twists and turns, but here are the 15 defining moments of their successful promotion charge…
Bilic’s arrival
West Brom’s promotion quest can be traced right back to June 13th 2019 when Slaven Bilic was confirmed as the club’s new boss, with the Croatian taking over from caretaker manager Jimmy Shan who had overseen the club’s unsuccessful play-off campaign.
Bilic’s appointment at The Hawthorns served as a clear indicator of the club’s ambition ahead of the 2019/20 season, with the former West Ham manager telling the club website that the Baggies had convinced him they want a Premier League return.
Opening day success
West Brom ensured a winning start to the Bilic era as they came from behind to record a 2-1 win over Nottingham Forest on the opening day of the season with Kyle Edwards and Matt Phillips finding the net at the City Ground.
There was a clear sense of resilience within West Brom’s display as they overturned the one-goal deficit to claim three points, while the encounter also marked the debut of full-back Nathan Ferguson who was a key fixture in the side during the first half of the season.
Pereira becomes a Baggie
Albion enjoyed an excellent transfer deadline day in August which saw them add big names such as Charlie Austin and Grady Diangana — but their best move was completing a season-long loan deal to sign Matheus Pereira from Sporting Lisbon.
Pereira quickly established himself as a key part of Bilic’s attacking unit following his arrival in the Midlands, with the Brazilian going on to score eight goals and registering an enormous 20 assists during his maiden Championship season.
Diangana makes his mark
Diangana made a lightning impact after coming off the bench during West Brom’s trip to face Luton at Kenilworth Road in August, with the West Ham loanee netting a brace within six minutes of his introduction to turn the game on its head.
The tricky winger produced an excellent 25-yard strike to level the scores before a smart header made it 2-1 to Bilic’s men who claimed their second win. It was immediately obvious that Albion had a real player on their hands in Diangana.
Albion at the summit
West Brom were looking to extend their eight-game unbeaten when they travelled to face an in-form QPR side in September, and Bilic’s men produced a statement performance to assert their promotion credentials early in the campaign.
Ferguson and Pereira were both on target during the comprehensive success over Mark Warburton’s men, with the 2-0 success ensuring the Baggies leapfrogged Nottingham Forest at the Championship summit.
Elland Road setback
West Brom travelled to face Leeds in search of their third consecutive victory following wins over Huddersfield and QPR, but Ezgjan Alioski’s first-half strike condemned Albion to their first defeat of the league season.
The disappointing result paved the way for this new-look West Brom side’s first real test of character – but they responded in style by sealing a 4-2 victory over Cardiff the following weekend.
Swansea demolition
The Baggies were able to maintain their strong form heading into the Christmas period as they recorded five straight wins heading into their home clash with Swansea in early December, and it was a match to remember for the Hawthorns faithful.
West Brom ran riot as they secured a resounding 5-1 victory over promotion hopefuls Swansea with Pereira scoring once and registering three assists during a destructive afternoon which sent Bilic’s side back to the top of the table.
Austin at the double
West Brom demonstrated their never-say-die attitude in full effect when they twice came from behind to beat Midlands rivals Birmingham City in a 3-2 scoreline, with striker Charlie Austin scoring a second-half double at St Andrew’s.
Austin’s exploits sent the West Brom away end into raptures as they celebrated their side’s comeback, while the nature of the victory made it feel like a significant moment in the wider picture of their season.
Held by Leeds
There was a big-game feel ahead of this key clash at the top of the Championship between West Brom and Leeds on New Year’s Day, with Bilic’s men on the look-out for revenge following their narrow 1-0 defeat earlier in the campaign.
It looked like Albion were on track for a massive victory when Semi Ajayi made it 1-0 after just two minutes, but the defender’s own goal in the second half meant the spoils were shared at The Hawthorns.
FA Cup boost
West Brom’s promotion push looked at risk of unraveling in January when they went six matches without a win over the festive period, but their FA Cup form provided some solace for Albion fans as they progressed to the fifth round.
They saw off the challenge of Charlton in the third round before sealing an excellent 1-0 over Bilic’s former club West Ham at the London Stadium, as Conor Townsend netted the only goal of the game to lift Albion’s spirits during a tough period.
Strong January signings
The Baggies’ promotion bid was seriously boosted by the double addition of Kamil Grosicki and Callum Robinson during the January window, and both these attackers going on to score important goals during the Championship run-in.
The duo helped inject a fresh lease of life into Albion’s attack as the competition for places suddenly intensified even further as both players added increased second-tier experience to the side.
February’s hot streak
Albion re-discovered their form following a tricky festive period as they secured a magnificent five victories during the month in February, with dominant successes away at Millwall and Bristol City particularly standing out at the time.
The clash at Ashton Gate saw Bilic’s men sweep aside play-off hopefuls Bristol City with a 3-0 victory as West Brom started to truly believe it could be their year.
Season suspension
West Brom were held to a goalless draw by a resilient Swansea side when they made the trip to the Liberty Stadium in March, and this proved to be their final game before the season’s suspension.
The Baggies entered the enforced break sitting in second spot and six points clear of third-placed Fulham.
Key victory over Owls
West Brom endured an indifferent return to Championship football as they drew 0-0 with Birmingham before a 1-0 loss against fellow promotion contenders Brentford, with this placing massive pressure on their following match against Sheffield Wednesday.
However, the Hawthorns outfit rose to the occasion and brushed the Owls aside with a 3-0 scoreline as they started to get their promotion bid back on track following a rocky return to action.
Terriers blow
It looked like Albion had blown their automatic-promotion chances when they suffered a 2-1 defeat against Huddersfield at the John Smith’s Stadium, with this result sending Leeds into the Premier League while also handing Brentford the initiative.
However, the Griffin Park side failed to capitalise on West Brom’s error as they fell to a shock 1-0 defeat at Stoke, with this meaning that the Baggies were leading Brentford by one point heading into the final day of the season.
Final day drama
West Brom’s 2-2 draw with QPR on the final day of the season meant they were relying on the result between Brentford and Barnsley going their way, and the Bees’ surprising 2-1 defeat was enough to send Bilic’s side back into the Premier League.
It was an unusually long road to success as a result of the season’s interruption in March, but it made their deserved promotion taste even sweeter as the West Brom players celebrated with the fans outside the stadium following the conclusion of the QPR clash.