Unfashionable? Hull City are looking trendier by the minute. One more victory and they can scratch a 104-year itch: the club who famously have never played in the top flight are at last on the verge of realising their potential.

Phil Brown’s side will face Bristol City in the Coca-Cola Championship play-offs final after an uneasy but ultimately convincing win over Watford last night. Promotion to the elite division would be a new experience owing plenty to a veteran.

Nick Barmby, 34, last played in the top flight four years ago today for Leeds United. The former England midfield player dropped into League One to join his home-town club and his goals, one in each leg, have helped take a club who were in the bottom division as recently as 2003-04 to the brink of the Barclays Premier League. “I call him the maestro, he’s a little wizard — a genius with the football,” Brown, the Hull manager, said. “He still retains that desire.”

While the game on Saturday week will be Hull’s first trip to the national stadium, Brown has already taken the road to Wembley. “On a crazy Thursday before the season started, I went to a referees’ meeting at Wycombe,” he said. “On the way back, I got lost and found myself in Wembley.”

An omen? Brown has certainly pointed his players in the right direction. Last term, they finished one place above the relegation zone. “We might have surprised a few, but there’s one or two in the team who’ve been there, seen it and done it at the top level,” he said.

Watford, who were in the Premier League last season, were tipped to make an instant return, but their form faltered badly when it mattered. A win over Leicester City on February 12 put them top. But after Valentine’s Day, the massacre: momentum murdered by a run of one win in 16 games, nine of which were draws. It came as a surprise: a team noted for their stamina and physical strength were brittle.

After much criticism of the side’s direct tactics, Adrian Boothroyd, the manager, vowed to make the team’s style prettier next season. “Change is a word we need to use — players and the way we play,” he said. “There’ll be inquests, but when it’s not your time, it’s not your time. I won’t be sulking.”

Hull held a two-goal advantage from the first leg that was almost extended after nine minutes. Adrian Mariappa’s crass headed back-pass was intercepted by Fraizer Campbell. Only the quick reaction of Richard Lee, who rushed out and blocked the striker’s effort, prevented a goal.

A tie that could have been over was instead re-energised three minutes later when Nathan Ellington played a one-two with Darius Henderson, whose shot beat Boaz Myhill to give Watford the lead.

The Watford defence barely contained the home attack, especially the exuberant Campbell, a 20-year-old on loan from Manchester United, who is a mere 19 years younger than his strike partner, Dean Windass.

Watford threatened on the counter-attack, but the back line cracked two minutes before half-time. Richard Garcia looped a lazy header over a stranded Lee and the ball was bundled into the net by Barmby.

Hull were largely comfortable after that and, on 70 minutes, a cross by Sam Ricketts evaded the defence to give Caleb Folan an easy header. Joy was unconfined — certainly not confined to the stands, anyway, as a couple of dozen fans encroached on to the edge of the pitch.

Mexican waves were interrupted with two minutes left when Garcia slalomed past a demoralised defence for Hull’s third. It provoked a pitch invasion, as did Nathan Doyle’s deflected goal in the last minute. Premature elation, with Bristol City still to beat? Not for a club who have waited a century for moments such as these.

Hull City (4-4-2): B Myhill — S Ricketts, M Turner, W Brown, A Dawson — N Barmby (sub: C Fagan, 72min), I Ashbee, B Hughes, R Garcia — D Windass (sub: C Folan, 63), F Campbell (sub: N Doyle, 78). Substitutes not used: M Duke, S Walton. Booked: Barmby, Turner.

Watford (4-2-3-1): R Lee — A Mariappa (sub: T Priskin, 57), J DeMerit, M Sadler, L Bromby — J Eustace, L Williamson — T Smith, N Ellington (sub: L Ainsworth, 79), J McAnuff — D Henderson. Substitutes not used: M Poom, L Doyley, J-J O’Toole.

Referee: M Clattenburg.