West Bromwich Albion supporters celebrated like it was 2002 and 2004 last night as their team effectively clinched promotion to the Barclays Premier league for the third time in six years.

A draw against struggling Southampton was enough to take Tony Mowbray’s team to the top of the Coca-Cola Championship and their goal difference of plus31 means that they will be back in the top flight next season unless they lose away to Queens Park Rangers on Sunday while Hull City (plus19) beat Ipswich Town and engineer a 12-goal turnaround in their respective goal differences. Stoke City would also need to avoid defeat against Leicester City.

It sounds complicated, as well as improbable, but West Brom are almost back where they belong. As usual, though, they made their supporters suffer, this time until the 84th minute when Chris Brunt scored with a low drive to level the scores and get the party started.

If you like a good, old-fashioned pitch invasion, The Hawthorns was the place to be as thousands of West Brom supporters spilt on to the playing surface after the final whistle to mob their heroes and grab any mementoes they could get their hands on. West Brom’s imminent promotion may go down like a lead balloon in Wolverhampton, but many neutrals will be delighted that Mowbray’s team will be playing at the highest level next season.

Under Mowbray, West Brom have become one of the most attractive teams in England, occasionally tearing their opponents apart with their slick brand of pass-and-move. No team in the country have scored more goals this season – 86 – and they have had to do it the hard way in a division that has more than its share of hit-and-hope teams.

“It has been a long, hard season and I am delighted for the players and the supporters,” Mowbray said. “I have a responsibility to make sure that we go into the Premier League as best-prepared as we possibly can be.” But while Mowbray and thousands of West Brom supporters may be hoping that their attacking brand of football may be more suited to the top flight than the Championship, bookmakers have already made his side 8-11 to be relegated and 1,000-1 to win the title.

Southampton gave them plenty to think about last night. Nigel Pearson’s team, fighting for survival, were well organised and took the lead against the run of play in the 77th minute when Adam Lallana, a 19-year-old substitute, scored his first professional goal by latching on to Jermaine Wright’s through-ball and beating

Dean Kiely with a low, right-foot strike. Three points would have taken Southampton out of the relegation zone, but they had to settle for one when Brunt beat Richard Wright with a low strike seven minutes later. “We’ll take a lot of positives out of this game,” Pearson said. “We still have a fighting chance and we have to do everything we can to beat Sheffield United next Sunday.”

Southampton have won only twice since Pearson took over in February and their supporters have had to endure one of the worst seasons in the club’s history. Fans have been flooding radio phone-ins, complaining that their players do not deserve to wear the famous red-and-white striped shirts. In their defence, Pearson’s players rolled up their sleeves and fought for the cause last night, but at this stage of the season, they need points, not pats on the back.

The scrap for survival is so tight that Southampton could win on Sunday and still go down. “We have to do it ourselves,” Pearson said. Unfortunately for them, their destiny is out of their hands.

I West Bromwich Albion (4-4-2): D Kiely – C Hoefkens, L Barnett, N Clement, P Robinson – Z Gera, R Koren, J Greening (sub: L Moore, 80min), J Morrison (sub: C Brunt, 63) – K Phillips, I Miller (sub: R Bednar, 68). Substitutes not used: M Danek, M Albrechtsen.

Booked: Hoefkens, Clement. Southampton (4-4-2): R Wright – J Wright, C Lucketti, C Perry, A Surman – J Viáfara, I Idiákez, Y Safri (sub: N Dyer, 62), J Euell – S John (sub: B Wright-Phillips, 74), M Saganowski (sub: A Lallana, 74). Substitutes not used: K Davis, M Licka. Booked: Euell, Perry, Idiákez. Referee: L Mason.