We're still fizzing over our sweet triumph, says West Brom's Gera

Cast your sights across Europe, and beyond, and it is difficult to think of another league that matches England's top tier for passionate support and sheer excitement.

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Glory: Gera with the title trophy

There is one that comes close, in its own way, and it is a little nearer home: The Coca-Cola Championship. I won't try to make out I'm anything other than elated at winning promotion, particularly as champions, but I will leave behind so many fond memories of a division which has proved itself worthy of a title of its own.

If the Premier League is without equal, the Championship has to be the best second tier anywhere in the world — by a distance.

Back home in Hungary, they can't believe it when I say I've played at somewhere like Leicester, Bramall Lane or Molineux and the attendance was around 30,000.

The second division there attracts crowds of a few hundred. Even teams in the top division only pull in 3,000-4,000.

On the final day of the season, two Championship games attracted crowds in excess of 30,000 and seven matches in all were watched by more than 20,000 fans.

What an enthralling spectacle the season has been, from losing to Burnley at the outset to heeding manager Tony Mowbray's final team talk. At Loftus Road, he looked around us and said: 'It is 80 years since this club won a title. Go out and make history.'

His tone was no different after our defeat to Burnley. He said: 'Still 40-odd games to go, boys. Plenty of time to prove you're the best.'

There were lots of times that claim was put to the test, showing why the Championship is one of the most competitive and compelling challenges in the game. Colchester and Leicester may have fallen through the trap door, but we lost at Layer Road and were turned over 4-1 by Leicester at home.

Colchester then came to The Hawthorns and pushed us all the way, leading 3-2 before we hit back with two late goals. What a game, and what an atmosphere. It was sheer bedlam, matched only by the scenes that greeted Chris Brunt's late equaliser against Southampton last week.

We had been flying since beating Wolves 1-0, but seeing the finishing line so close had an inhibiting effect. Southampton were desperate to stay up and the nerves were jangling throughout that first half.

That is when the boss stepped in. 'Nothing to worry about,' he said. 'You have won so many games at home this season. One more, that's all. No need for any nerves.'

People say he is a misery, but he's the most calm football man I have known and his reassuring words did the trick. We drew 1-1 and were up.

Play-off dates

Saturday — C Palace v Bristol C (12.15).

Sunday — Watford v Hull (12.0).

Tues, May 13 — Bristol C v C Palace (7.45).

Wed, May 14 — Hull v Watford (7.45).

Sat, May 24 — Final (Wembley, 3.0).