#INSERT type:image caption:Watford players celebrate victory at Brighton, with their promotion confirmed a few hours later. END#
Watford are back in the Premier League for the first time since 2006-07 after they won 2-0 at Brighton and other results went their way.
The Hornets, playing in the first Championship game of the day, went in front on the south coast through Troy Deeney and sealed the points when Matej Vydra struck on the break in stoppage time.
We are Premier League!!! #watfordfc #fornicforpromotion pic.twitter.com/ZPanGWQzNx
- Official #watfordfc (@watfordfcsays) April 25, 2015
Middlesbrough's dramatic 4-3 defeat at Fulham and a 1-1 draw for Norwich at Rotherham later in the day meant the Hertfordshire side could not be caught in the race for automatic promotion.
Bournemouth will join them in all but name if they win at home to Bolton on Monday, with their goal difference significantly better than Middlesbrough's -- the only side that would then be able to equal their points tally.
Boro's hopes of automatic promotion were hit by Ross McCormack, who scored a hat trick including a stoppage-time winner at Craven Cottage.
They thought they had clawed back a precious point after trailing 3-1 when substitute Kike made it 3-3 with a minute to go, with Fulham's other goal coming from Michael Turner and Boro's from Adam Reach and Daniel Ayala.
But Aitor Karanka's side were punished for pressing for a winner when goalkeeper Dimitrios Konstantopoulos went up for a corner that was cleared, allowing McCormack to find the net.
Norwich's hopes of automatic promotion were damaged as Rotherham scored a late equaliser in a rousing 1-1 draw with implications at both ends of the table.
The Canaries, who had to play for over an hour with 10 men after Lewis Grabban was sent off for violent conduct, looked to be heading back into the top two after Gary Hooper's moment of brilliance put them ahead, but Jordan Bowery's 86th-minute header earned the relegation-threatened Millers a vital point.
Freddie Sears scored a priceless 83rd-minute winner as Ipswich remained in the playoff zone with an edgy 2-1 home victory over Nottingham Forest.
The striker grabbed his ninth goal in Ipswich colours with a shot that deflected off Michael Mancienne. Daryl Murphy grabbed his 25th goal of the season in the 22nd minute, but an own goal from Christophe Berra in the 54th set up a nervous finale.
Lee Gregory's hat trick was in vain as Derby fought back at the Den to draw 3-3 and leave Millwall's hopes of a sixth season in the Championship hanging by a thread.
Gregory's first-half double, the second from the penalty spot, had the home fans dreaming, though Tom Ince's fine free kick gave Derby a crumb of comfort. Another Gregory penalty moments after the break made it 3-1, but a Chris Martin spot-kick and a fine Jeff Hendrick volley earned the Lions a point.
Brentford kept alive their slim Championship play-off hopes with a 2-0 win at Reading -- their first victory in five matches.
Alan Judge volleyed home to give the Bees a half-time lead and central defender James Tarkowski nodded in a free kick midway through the second half to seal matters.
Benik Afobe grabbed the only goal to win a scrappy game at the DW Stadium 1-0, keeping Wolves in the playoff hunt and all but confirming Wigan's relegation.
The Latics, though, live to fight another day after their 1-0 defeat, with relegation rivals Rotherham and Millwall only drawing.
Leeds United ran out 2-1 winners against Sheffield Wednesday in a fiercely-contested Yorkshire derby at Hillsborough.
The visitors had to come from behind to win after Chris Maguire's controversial first-half penalty, with second-half goals from Charlie Taylor and Steve Morison ensuring their first win in six matches.
Lloyd Dyer was the Birmingham match-winner in a hard-fought 1-0 home success against Charlton.
Dyer, a second-half substitute, thumped a 20-yard angled shot in the 82nd minute to send Charlton to only a second defeat in six away games.
Two penalties from Eoin Doyle helped Cardiff condemn relegated Blackpool to a season without an away victory thanks to a 3-2 victory at the City Stadium.
Joe Mason's early strike put the hosts into the lead, with Doyle doubling their advantage after Henry Cameron had fouled Aron Gunnarsson. Andrea Orlandi's goal gave the visitors hope, but Doyle struck again before Peter Clarke's late consolation.
Substitute Joe Lolley scored a cracking late equaliser as Huddersfield came from two down to draw 2-2 at home to Blackburn.
Lolley belted a low effort into the bottom corner from 25 yards on 84 minutes, a minute after Town had the second of two goals controversially ruled out for offside. Goals from Rudy Gestede and Jordan Rhodes had put Blackburn two up before Jacob Butterfield pulled one back.