Thousands of ecstatic Derby fans invade pitch after sealing promotion back to Championship after two-year absence

DERBY fans flocked onto the Pride Park pitch after their heroes sealed a Championship return.

Needing a draw to join Portsmouth, the Rams beat relegated Carlisle thanks to strikes from Max Bird and James Collins.

ReutersDerby’s Championship return saw fans pour onto the pitch[/caption]

PAEbou Adams celebrates with delighted Rams fans[/caption]

ReutersDerby owner David Clowes savours the moment[/caption]

The result saw Derby ensure Bolton could not climb above them into the automatic promotion places and sparked wild scenes.

Thousands of Rams fans flooded onto the field chanting “we are going up”.

It was Derby’s second promotion in 26 years and comes after they dropped into League One while in dire financial straits in 2022.

Manager Paul Warne has now led four successful escapes from the third tier – three with former club Rotherham.

He said: “You wake up in the morning and pretend like it is any other game but it isn’t.

“You have to try to convince the lads to play it like any other game. That’s difficult because they are not idiots.

“David Clowes brought us in – and I appreciate not the most popular choice – we’ve come in here to get promoted and we’ve done it.

“We fell short last year and we wanted to win the title this year. We didn’t but we tried to get an average of two points per game which we did.

“The lads have been great. And I am really pleased for everybody who works at the football club, the fans and there is no greater fan than the owner.

“It’s nice when somebody shows you that much respect and belief that you can pay them back.

“The highlight for me, and this sounds really saccharine, but when I saw David and his wife Cath, all the heartache and the stress I’ve taken off my life is worth it.”

Bird got derby off to a flier as his curling effort gave them the lead after just five minutes.

And Collins’ second-half strike saw the party really start in the stands for a deserving fanbase.

RexThe party continued in the dressing room[/caption]

PAThere were jubilant scenes at full time[/caption]

Tactics Exposed: Why Kai Havertz is Arsenal’s most important player

By Dean Scoggins

KAI HAVERTZ endured a difficult start to life at the Emirates after his big-money move from Chelsea.

But has now well and truly found his feet.

The German, 24, has found his scoring boots in recent weeks, including his double against his old club.

But Havertz has been providing much more than goals in recent months.

In fact he has become Mikel Arteta’s most important player as Arsenal go for the title.

That’s after the Spanish boss made a genius tactical switch.

Click here to read all about it.

Or to watch the brilliant video in full on YouTube.