Reading return to top flight after four years

READING ARE back in the Premier League – four years after they cruelly dropped out of it on the final day of the season.

READING ARE back in the Premier League – four years after they cruelly dropped out of it on the final day of the season.

Brian McDermott’s men sealed promotion with two games to spare after beating Nottingham Forest 1-0 at the Madejski Stadium last night.

Promotion seals a remarkable turnaround for the Berkshire club, who were second bottom of the Championship four games into the season with just four points.

They were still 11 points off the pace when they lost 1-0 to Hull on January 21st – their last home defeat this season.

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But since then they have amassed 46 points from a possible 51, losing just once in 17 games.

It has been a long path back to the big time for McDermott, whose last taste of the top flight came as a centre-forward at Arsenal 30 years ago.

Mikele Leigertwood netted a late winner as Reading clinched promotion last night.

The midfielder broke the deadlock in the 81st minute as the home side eventually overcame a dogged Forest side to spark wild celebrations at the Madejski Stadium. The goal came minutes after news filtered through that nearest challengers West Ham had been held to a 1-1 draw by Bristol City at Ashton Gate.

Forest, though, came close to snatching a point and putting the champagne on ice but substitute Marcus Tudgay’s header was cleared off the line by Alex Pearce with the striker’s follow-up effort being kept out by Adam Federici deep into injury time.

Despite the defeat, only their second in eight games, Forest secured Championship football for another season with Coventry losing at home to Millwall.

A Robert Green blunder all but confined West Ham to the play-offs and helped edge Bristol City closer to safety as the sides finished 1-1.

The Hammers goalkeeper failed to deal with a routine Cole Skuse attempt from range after 29 minutes of a scratchy encounter at Ashton Gate, allowing the ball to bounce up and over his diving body. It means his side have plenty to do if they are to secure automatic promotion to the Premier League.

With Southampton winning 3-1 at Peterborough, Sam Allardyce’s outfit are five points off the top two with just two games remaining.

It could have been so different for the Hammers, who led thanks to James Tomkins’ header midway through the opening period and saw second-half chances spurned by Henri Lansbury and John Carew. But for City, a battling point improves their chances of staying in the Championship.

Birmingham missed the opportunity to book their place in the play-offs after being held to a 1-1 draw at Ipswich.

A win would have ensured at least a sixth-placed finish for Birmingham, who were playing their 51st game of the campaign, and they were on their way as Chris Burke’s sweet finish in first half injury time put them ahead.

But Ipswich had been the much better team and after Daryl Murphy missed a sitter in the first half and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas rattled the crossbar in the second, the former Arsenal striker finally gave his side some just desserts in the 75th minute with a close-range finish.

Billy Sharp made it 17 goals for the season with a brace in Southampton’s 3-1 win at Peterborough.

Early goals from defender Jos Hooiveld – his seventh of the season – and Sharp set the visitors on their way. Sharp’s second all but sealed the points, with a late strike from Tommy Rowe little more than consolation for the home side.