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West Bromwich Albion were today promoted to the Premiership after winning the Championship title in west London.

And what a cloesly-fought season in the Championshop is has been, with several teams fighting for promotion up until the last day

The Championship is the richest NON-top flight football division in the world, and the sixth richest division in Europe (despite it not even being England's top tier division)

QPR 0-2 West Brom (At Loftus Road, west London. Attendance: 18,309)

Albion midfielder Jonathan Greening holds the trophy aloft

West Brom secured the Championship title and promotion with a win at QPR.

Do-Heon Kim headed them ahead from Zoltan Gera's cross and Chris Brunt sealed the win by firing home a superb free-kick from 20 yards.

QPR keeper Lee Camp had denied Roman Bednar and Brunt before Rangers captain Martin Rowlands was sent off for a bad challenge on Jonathan Greening.

Rangers' best chance came early on when Dexter Blackstock's header was ruled not to have crossed the line.

The Baggies were all but up at kick-off and went into the game knowing that only a hugely unlikely combination of results would deny them a place in the Premier League after a two-season absence.

Before the game QPR unveiled a new club badge to signify what they hope will be a new era at Loftus Road.

And they thought they had taken the lead after 10 minutes when Blackstock's header looked as though it may have gone in despite the efforts of Dean Kiely.

At the other end, Camp saved well from Bednar and the keeper then tipped over a powerful left-foot shot from Brunt.

Rangers' hopes suffered a blow when Rowlands was shown a straight red card for a two-footed tackle on Greening.

Despite the dismissal, the hosts started the second half well and Blackstock shot just over the bar from 20 yards.

But the game turned Albion's way eight minutes after the break when half-time substitute Kim headed in Gera's cross from close range to give the visitors the lead.

Brunt then hit the bar from the edge of the area but he was not to be denied and he sealed the points, and all that went with them, by hammering a free-kick into the top corner from just outside the area.

The victory won Albion their first trophy for 40 years as they finished two points clear of Stoke.

QPR: Camp, Delaney, Mahon, Mancienne, Blackstock, Ainsworth, Rowlands, Connolly, Ephraim (Rose 80), Rehman, Balanta (Leigertwood 39).
Subs Not Used: Cole, Barker, Lee.

Sent Off: Rowlands (37).

West Brom: Kiely, Hoefkens, Barnett, Clement (Albrechtsen 53), Robinson (Moore 72), Koren, Gera, Brunt, Greening, Bednar (Kim 46), Phillips.
Subs Not Used: Miller, Morrison.

QPR 0-2 West Brom: The Baggies' cause is boosted when Rangers' Martin Rowlands (right) is sent off for a foul on Jonathan Greening

The visitors make good use of their extra man and open the scoring through substitute Do-Heon Kim in the 53rd minute

A Chris Brunt free-kick with 13 minutes to go seals the win and sees Tony Mowbray's team take the Championship title