Relief for QPR as they head back to the big time with dramatic late winner against Derby County

Ten-man Queen's Park Rangers clinched promotion to the Premier League in dramatic fashion as Bobby Zamora’s stoppage-time strike secured a 1-0  win over Derby in the Championship play-off final at Wembley on Saturday.

Harry Redknapp’s side were reduced to 10 men for the final 30 minutes after Gary O’Neil’s red card, but Zamora punished a mistake by Richard Keogh to steal victory against the run of play and ensure the west Londoners will make a quick and lucrative return to the English top-flight after last season’s relegation.

It was a real smash and grab raid by QPR, who struggled to find any rhythm even before O’Neil’s dismissal, but although Derby dominated they had only themselves to blame for failing to make the most of their chances.

QPR’s triumph made them the first team to win promotion after finishing fourth in the second tier for 16 years. But the historical significance of the victory will pale in comparison to  the relief felt by QPR’s Malaysian owner Tony Fernandes, who has funded a £70 million wage bill while also coping with annual losses of around £65 million.

In that context, promotion to the promised land of the Premier League, where QPR will now land a minimum windfall of £80 million, was essential and somehow Redknapp’s men delivered.

For Derby manager Steve McClaren, Wembley once again proved the most painful of venues. It was McClaren’s first time in the Wembley dug-out since November 2007, when his underwhelming spell as England manager came to a farcical end with the coach lampooned as the "wally with the brolly’" after he huddled under an  umbrella during a 3-2 defeat against Croatia that shattered his country’s hopes  of qualifying for Euro 2008.