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Ben Watson delighted to return to Premier League with promoted Watford

Ben Watson of Watford in action during the Sky Bet Championship match between Watford and Rotherham United at Vicarage Road on February 24, 2015
Image: Ben Watson: Feels Hornets can survive next season

Watford midfielder Ben Watson was a proud man after his side clinched promotion to the Premier League.

Victory at Brighton, 2-0 with goals from captain Troy Deeney and substitute Matej Vydra, saw the Hornets keep up their end of the bargain in Saturday's early kick-off.

And Middlesbrough's dramatic defeat to Fulham and Norwich's draw at Rotherham meant the celebrations could begin in earnest - meaning Slavisa Jokanovic need not worry about preparing for a "final" after likening his side's result to winning a semi-final.

Watson was later able to reflect on the true meaning of the day's results and told the Guardian: "It's a huge honour to be back in the Premier League and our supporters deserve it."

Odion Ighalo, one of Watford's two 20-goal strikers along with Deeney, added in the Independent: "When we finished our game we were watching on our phones, listening to the results. We were waiting and waiting until the last minute, then you could see the celebrations on the bus.

"We work hard together as a team and we are in the Premier League. But we have a job to do and make sure we are the champions."

Watson quickly shifted his focus to the challenge that awaits next season and is adamant his side can compete.

"I am not being arrogant but we have the players to win big games," he said.

"We have two strikers who have scored 20 goals and another, Matej Vydra, who has 15 and a huge amount of talent at the club.

"We will need more players in the Premier League - the manager knows that. But these things are out of the players' hands."

Jokanovic was speaking before the 3pm kick-offs when he said: "We have won the semi-final and now it's on to the final, which we want to win next week."

He was thankful when Watford's second goal was scored late in stoppage time.

He added: "It was a relief and it was important. Brighton pressed at the start and the end of the game, so it was an important second goal."

Jokanovic made an early tactical change when Ikechi Anya was withdrawn after 26 minutes in favour of Daniel Tozser and the head coach played down the significance, saying: "We've made switches like this before.

"After this change we had more control. I decided to change our structure, not because there was something wrong.

"It was not a difficult decision because I am professional. It was not because he did something wrong, it was a tactical change."

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