Royal seal of approval as Aston Villa return to Premier League

Villa are back among the elite after three seasons away as goals from Anwar El Ghazi and John McGinn helped secure a 2-1 win over Derby in the £170m Championship play-off final.

The Wembley showdown was watched by Villa fan Prince William, who celebrated enthusiastically at the final whistle.

The club’s media team then quickly knocked up a tweet showing the Duke of Cambridge knighting Smith.

Afterwards Smith said: “I haven’t met him yet but I’d like to. I could tell him he supports the right team.”

It was an emotional day for the Smith family, all brought up as Villa fans, and especially after he had revealed his Villa-supporting father Ron suffers from dementia and does not know his son is the head coach. “I went to see my old man on Friday and he kept his eyes open for two minutes,” said Smith.

“I told him the next time I come to see him I’ll be a Premier League manager, and he smiled.”

The former Sheffield Wednesday defender added: “Reality has just set in. It all feels a little bit surreal but it’s no more than those lads deserve and no more than this football club deserves.

“The potential of the club is massive. It feels right. I believe this is a Premier League club. That’s not me speaking with a supporters’ head on. History tells you that.

“We’ve fallen on hard times. Last season was tough for everyone who went through the defeat here to Fulham.

“The players and the owners deserve what we are going to get.”

Villa boss Smith said his players could make themselves “icons” with glory at the national stadium and his side began on the front foot and edged a cagey opening period devoid of clear chances.

Jack Grealish lashed over from the edge of the box early on, while Tammy Abraham later showed a glimpse of his class before side-footing off target.

Derby eventually mustered a meaningful attempt eight minutes before the break, although Mason Mount’s drive was straight at Jed Steer.

The contest was in desperate need of a spark and it duly arrived a minute before the break with a sweeping move which began deep in Villa territory. After being released by captain Grealish, Conor Hourihane sprayed the ball wide to Albert Adomah. He laid the ball back for Ahmed Elmohamady to deliver a pinpoint cross which replays showed El Ghazi scruffily turned into the bottom left corner with his back after arriving ahead of Jayden Bogle.

With Scott Malone suspended and Duane Holmes injured, Lampard had turned to experience to plug the gaps, selecting former England internationals Ashley Cole and Tom Huddlestone.

His side needed to respond but, after a fractious beginning to the second period, they fell further behind. El Ghazi’s attempted cross was deflected into the air and McGinn nipped in and capitalised on Kelle Roos’s fumble to nod home in front of the jubilant Villa supporters.

With little to lose, Lampard threw on attacking duo Marriott and Martyn Waghorn in the hope of forcing extra-time.

Marriott, who had been the semi-final hero at Elland Road, gave the Rams a lifeline with a neat finish on the turn after Bogle nodded down inside the box.

But, despite seven minutes of added time, Derby were unable to force an equaliser during a frenetic finish.

Reports linking Lampard with a managerial return to his former club Chelsea will not go away, especially following a defeat which condemns Derby to another season in the Championship.

But Lampard insists he will not be jumping ship to follow Smith into the top flight.

He insisted: “That’s irrelevant. I’ve got a two-year contract here, I’ve loved working here and I want to continue that, and continue progressing. After my first year and the opportunity this club gave me it’s massively important that everyone understands that is my overriding feeling.”

Goalkeeper Dean Henderson has been named in England Under-21’s squad for Euro 2019.

The Manchester United stopper – who won promotion from the Championship with Sheffield United last season – is in Aidy Boothroyd’s squad for next month’s tournament in Italy and San Marino on Monday, along with another Blades loanee Kieran Dowell.

Squad: A Gunn (Southampton), D Henderson (Manchester United), F Woodman (Newcastle); J Clarke-Salter (Chelsea), J Dasilva (Chelsea), L Kelly (Bournemouth), J Kenny (Everton), E Konsa (Brentford), F Tomori (Derby on loan from Chelsea), A Wan-Bissaka (Crystal Palace); H Barnes (Leicester), H Choudhury (Leicester), K Dowell (Everton), P Foden (Manchester City), M Gibbs-White (Wolves), J Maddison (Leicester), M Mount (Derby on loan from Chelsea), R Sessegnon (Fulham); T Abraham (Aston Villa, on loan from Chelsea), D Calvert-Lewin (Everton), D Gray (Leicester), R Nelson (Arsenal), D Solanke (Bournemouth).