Fulham returned to the Premier League after a four-year absence as Tom Cairney scored the winner in a 1-0 victory over Aston Villa in the Championship playoff final at Wembley on Saturday, the richest game in world football. Cairney’s first-half goal was decisive as Fulham, owned by US billionaire Shahid Khan, held on to their narrow lead despite having defender Denis Odoi sent off after 70 minutes as tempers began to fray on a sultry afternoon.
The win secures the west London club a windfall of at least 160 million pounds ($212.91 million) as they look forward to joining Championship title winners Wolverhampton Wanderers and second-placed Cardiff City in the top flight next season. Fulham, who failed to claim automatic promotion when losing to Birmingham City on the final day of the regular season as they finished third in the table, celebrated with their joyous fans as they sealed a lucrative place among the elite.