The richest prize in English football has been won by Brentford, after they beat Swansea 2-0 in the Championship play-off final and, with it, sealed promotion to the Premier League.

Winning the game is worth a minimum of £170m, more even than what Chelsea or Manchester City could get for winning the Champions League final.

The west London team were last in the top division of English football in the 1946-47 season, 74 years ago.

The Bees had to turn the tide of history to reach English football’s promised land, as, prior to today’s game, they had lost all of their nine previous play-off campaigns.

The match was played in front of 12,000 fans in glorious sunshine at Wembley as sport continued its slow progress back to normality after the COVID pandemic closed stadium doors.

Brentford, who finished third in the Championship table, seven points ahead of their opponents, were 2-0 up after 20 minutes through Ivan Toney’s penalty and Emiliano Marcondes.

Swansea finished the match with 10 men after Jay Fulton was sent off.

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