Stoke fans go potty after promotion but Holloway is devastated as Leicester go down

Stoke's sea of jubilant red celebrated a return to the big time after a 23-year absence while in the blue corner, the cries were muted and anguished as Leicester dropped into the third level of English football for the first time in their history.

CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH REPORTS

• Southampton 3 Sheffield United 2

• Sheffield Wednesday 4 Norwich City 1

• Charlton Athletic 4 Coventry City 1

• Scunthorpe 3 Colchester 3

• QPR 0 West Brom 2

• Ipswich Town 1 Hull City 0

• Wolves 1 Plymouth Argyle 0

• Cardiff City 3 Barnsley 0

• Crystal Palace 5 Burnley 0

• Bristol City 3 Preston NE 0

• Blackpool 1 Watford 1

PROMOTED: West Brom, Stoke

PLAY-OFFS: Hull, Bristol City, Crystal Palace, Watford

RELEGATED: Leicester, Scunthorpe, Colchester

A single goal for either side would have had far-reaching consequences at both ends of the table, but it never came.

Stoke thus earned the point they needed to cement a first crack at the Barclays Premier League, while Leicester's failure to win cost them the chance to relegate Coventry instead of themselves. Pulis, persuaded to return for a second spell at Stoke, paid tribute to players and fans. But he reserved a special word for chairman Peter Coates.

He said: 'I'm pleased for the city and pleased for the supporters. But most of all, I'm pleased for Peter.

'Two years ago, I was on a beach in Portugal having kept Plymouth Argyle up when he rang to say he was taking over here and wanted me to have a go again. The last time I was here I got a budget fit for the bottom three. I was criticised and I said I wouldn't do it again unless that changed.

'He's kept his word and given me everything I've asked for. I'm delighted for the fellow. He's had the guts to come back and take it on. I thought if he had the guts to do it, how could I do anything but accept?'

The normally chirpy Holloway was devastated as he faced up to failure after being in charge at the Walkers Stadium since October.

Last year Leicester stayed up having won six fewer points. After 124 years, their claim to be one of only nine clubs never to have played outside the top two divisions has now been shattered.

Chairman and owner Milan Mandaric was watching events from his house in San Francisco. Holloway is his fourth full-time boss at Leicester in a year and he will be lucky to survive. 'This is my lowest point as a manager,' said Holloway.

'I'm devastated. I brought in new players but they haven't hit the ground running.

'If I'd seen performances like that all season, we wouldn't be in this position — the spirit, the work-rate — but the table doesn't lie. I feel I've let my family down and the Leicester people down. I take full responsibility. I was talking about the play-offs yet everything I've touched hasn't really worked. But Leicester are a brilliant club.'

His side defended stoutly but failed to test a resolute Stoke backline who looked like they had been drilled for combat. It was not until Leicester goalkeeper Paul Henderson blocked from Ricardo Fuller in the second half that the home fans were roused. With fortunes ebbing and flowing at Southampton, Leicester fans did not know whether to laugh or cry.

But as news filtered through from Portman Road that Hull were losing, it became obvious that scoring the winner would be more important to the visitors than the hosts. At that point, only a Hull win would have stopped Stoke automatically reaching the top flight.

Leicester, meanwhile, were heading for League One as Saints held a 3-2 lead over Sheffield United. Holloway urged his men forward in a desperate effort to grab a goal that would send Coventry down instead.

And it nearly arrived. Gareth McAuley's header crashed into Carlo Nash's right-hand post from a corner. Then Iain Hume and Richard Stearman were foiled by the brilliant keeper.

Stoke's fans charged on to the pitch in added time and order needed to be restored by Mike Dean, who blew the final whistle shortly after. Then came the tears — but for vastly different reasons.