Reading promoted into Premier League
Reading returned to the English Premier League after securing automatic promotion with a 1-0 win at home to Nottingham Forest on Tuesday.
Mikele Leigertwood volleyed in an Ian Harte free-kick nine minutes from time for the only goal of the game at the Madejski Stadium.
Forest, though, came close to snatching an equaliser in stoppage time but substitute Marcus Tudgay's header was cleared off the line by Alex Pearce with the striker's follow-up kept out by Australian goalkeeper Adam Federici.
Victory took the Royals, who've won 46 points from a possible 51 since January, back to the top flight for the first time since 2008, with the players swamped by joyful Reading fans who swarmed onto the pitch at the final whistle.
With only the top two sides guaranteed promotion, victory gave Championship leaders Reading an unbeatable eight point lead over third-placed West Ham, with only a maximum of six on offer to the Hammers from their final two regular season league games.
"It's unbelievable, it puts the cherry on the cake," an elated Federici told the BBC. "To see all the fans on the pitch is fantastic.
"We always believed and we knew what we could achieve as a group."
Reading manager Brian McDermott, who suffered the agony of a playoff final defeat by Swansea last year, added: "I'm delighted. I couldn't see too much good in losing that play-off final at Wembley final last year, but perhaps this is meant to be.
"I'm not even bothered about the Premier League tonight, I'm just concerned about the players and staff. It's a night for the fans."
One consolation for Forest was that results elsewhere meant they could not now be relegated.
Meanwhile, second-placed Southampton took a giant stride towards promotion with a 3-1 win away to Peterborough.
Jos Hooiveld headed the Saints into a fifth minute lead before, five minutes later, Billy Sharp doubled their advantage.
Sharp scored his second and Southampton's third in the 57th minute before Peterborough's Tommy Rowe pulled one back four minutes from time.
That left Saints on the brink of promotion as they now have a five-point lead over West Ham.
The Hammers remained third with a 1-1 draw away to strugglers Bristol City.
James Tomkins headed the Londoners into a 25th minute lead only for City to equalise four minutes later through Cole Skuse.
Had City won, they would have relegated both Portsmouth and Coventry.
Instead Portsmouth, Southampton's bitter south coast rivals, gave themselves hope of avoiding the drop, until Saturday at least, with a 2-1 win at home to Crystal Palace.
Scott Allan fired Pompey, into a 32nd minute lead and, 10 minutes after half-time, Greg Halford made it 2-0 for Michael Appleton's men.
Pompey, docked 10 points for entering administration, knew a draw with Palace would mean ensure relegation.
And Palace's Darren Ambrose ensured a nervous finale at Fratton Park when he scored with a 71st minute penalty but the south Londoners could not equalise.
Australian defender Shane Lowry's 66th minute header saw Millwall win 1-0 away to Coventry after visiting keeper Maik Taylor saved Gary McSheffrey's penalty.
Portsmouth and Coventry are now five points from safety, but both clubs will be relegated if City beat Barnsley on Saturday.
Blackpool and Cardiff all but made sure of playoff spots with 1-0 and 2-0 wins over Leeds and Derby respectively.
Meanwhile Hull beat Barnsley, now safe from relegation, 3-1, Brighton drew 2-2 with Watford, Ipswich and playoff contenders Birmingham shared the points in a 1-1 draw.
Elsewhere, the matches between Leicester and Burnley and Middlesbrough - now five points off a playoff place - and already relegated Doncaster both ended in goalless stalemates.
English Football League tables
(played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points):
Championship
Reading 44 27 7 10 67 37 88 - promoted
Southampton 44 25 10 9 80 44 85
West Ham 44 22 14 8 77 46 80
Birmingham 44 19 15 10 75 50 72
Blackpool 44 19 14 11 73 57 71
Cardiff 44 18 17 9 63 51 71
Middlesbrough 44 17 16 11 49 48 67
Hull 44 18 11 15 44 41 65
Brighton 44 17 13 14 51 51 64
Leicester 44 17 12 15 63 52 63
Burnley 44 17 10 17 60 53 61
Leeds 44 17 9 18 63 65 60
Watford 44 15 15 14 52 61 60
Derby 44 17 9 18 47 56 60
Ipswich 44 16 10 18 66 72 58
Crystal Palace 44 13 16 15 43 47 55
Millwall 44 14 11 19 50 55 53
Peterborough 44 13 9 22 64 74 48
Nottm Forest 44 13 8 23 45 61 47
Barnsley 44 13 8 23 49 72 47
Bristol City 44 11 12 21 41 67 45
Portsmouth 44 13 11 20 49 55 40
Coventry 44 9 13 22 41 59 40
Doncaster 44 7 12 25 39 77 33 - relegated
Note: Portsmouth deducted 10 points for entering administration
League One
Charlton 43 28 10 5 75 31 94
Sheff Utd 43 27 7 9 88 46 88
Sheff Wed 43 25 9 9 75 46 84
Milton Keynes Dons 43 20 14 9 81 45 74
Huddersfield 43 19 17 7 75 46 74
Notts County 43 19 10 14 65 55 67
Stevenage 43 16 18 9 62 41 66
Carlisle 43 17 15 11 59 61 66
Brentford 43 17 13 13 58 46 64
Colchester 43 12 19 12 55 59 55
Tranmere 43 14 12 17 45 47 54
Bournemouth 43 14 11 18 45 50 53
Hartlepool 43 13 13 17 45 50 52
Preston 43 13 13 17 51 64 52
Bury 43 14 10 19 56 74 52
Scunthorpe 43 10 20 13 53 56 50
Yeovil 43 13 11 19 54 74 50
Oldham 43 13 10 20 47 64 49
Walsall 43 9 19 15 47 52 46
Leyton Orient 43 12 10 21 43 70 46
Wycombe 43 11 10 22 61 80 43
Chesterfield 43 9 12 22 50 74 39
Exeter 43 9 11 23 39 67 38
Rochdale 43 8 14 21 44 75 38
League Two
Swindon 43 28 5 10 69 29 89
Shrewsbury 43 25 9 9 63 37 84
Crawley Town 43 22 14 7 74 50 80
Torquay 43 23 11 9 60 44 80
Southend 43 22 8 13 70 48 74
Cheltenham 43 21 8 14 61 47 71
Oxford Utd 43 17 16 10 58 42 67
Crewe 43 19 10 14 63 56 67
Gillingham 43 18 9 16 73 60 63
Rotherham 43 17 11 15 61 58 62
Aldershot 43 18 7 18 46 48 61
Accrington Stanley 43 14 14 15 52 59 56
Morecambe 43 14 13 16 59 50 55
Bristol Rovers 43 14 12 17 55 64 54
Port Vale 43 18 9 16 64 55 53
Burton Albion 43 13 12 18 51 75 51
AFC Wimbledon 43 13 9 21 57 73 48
Bradford 43 11 13 19 52 56 46
Dagenham and Redbridge 43 13 7 23 45 70 46
Northampton 43 12 9 22 54 77 45
Plymouth 43 10 14 19 43 59 44
Barnet 43 10 10 23 46 75 40
Macclesfield 43 8 13 22 39 59 37
Hereford 43 8 13 22 44 68 37
Note: Port Vale deducted 10 points for entering administration