Norwich City won promotion to the Premiership without kicking a ball last night after first division rivals Sunderland had their goalkeeper sent off and slumped to a 3-0 defeat at Crystal Palace.
Norwich, relegated from the top flight in 1995, lead the table with 85 points and just four games left in the 24-team division. They cannot now be denied one of the two automatic promotion slots.
West Bromwich Albion are second on 83 points, with Sunderland rooted on 71 after the 20th-minute dismissal of their Estonian keeper Mart Poom who conceded a penalty in the process.
Andrew Johnson converted the spot-kick, beating substitute keeper Thomas Myhre, while second-half goals from Neil Shipperley and Dougie Freedman put the result beyond doubt.