Back in the big time: 20 years on from West Brom's first Premier League promotion

April 21, 2002, and the Baggies went into their final game of the season knowing that a win would secure them automatic promotion to the promised land - something most would not have dreamed off back at the start of the season.

Megson's men had eaten away at an 11 point deficit to Wolves in the previous weeks - and went into the final day ahead of their fierce rivals with their fate in their own hands.

20 years on from that famous day - here is a look back at the build up to the game and how the Baggies did enough to put themselves in the big time.

It had been a whirlwind few years for the club since Megson walked through the door.

He had helped guide them to safety in his first half a season - when it looked like they could slip back to the third tier - before they were beaten in the play-offs against Bolton the following year.

And going into the 2001/2002 season - they were no ones bet for automatic promotion.

Darren Moore, Danny Dichio, Andy Johnson and Scott Dobie all arrived in the summer of 2001 and they would go on to play an integral role in the campaign.

The mantra of Megson was to keep his side resolute, hard to beat and stubborn. And they were all those things, but they could score too. However, very rarely did they score more than one.

'1-0 to the Albion' was the chant synonymous with that campaign - with Megson's men winning by the odd goal on almost 20 occasions.

As the season went on they stayed in and around the play off and automatic promotion hunt - before striking late on when Wolves faltered.

What some forget that season is Albion also went on a superb cup run - beating two Premier League sides in Sunderland and Leicester City before being knocked out 1-0 by Fulham in the last eight.

But it was the league that was the priority and as they wore down Wolves' lead - Albion fans really did start to believe.

It was almost derailed though - as a goal that crossed the line against Rotherham in the penultimate home game of the season denied Albion three points and could have knocked their automatic promotion charge off course.

But after the heroics of Igor Balis with a late spot kick at Bradford - they went into the final game knowing that if they win promotion to the Premier League was secure.

And so, in front of a red hot atmosphere at a baking hot Hawthorns - Albion stood 90 minutes from the top flight.

They didn't need any more incentives or fuel added to their fire going into their clash with Crystal Palace - but it was provided by Clinton Morrison.

The Palace and Republic of Ireland forward vowed in the media in mid week to help out his Irish pals by getting one over on West Brom.

Word has it, the words were pinned up on the wall of the Baggies dressing room before the game. Morrison's words had the opposite impact - they did Megson's team talk for him.

It was tense and nervy but that was all settled from the most unlikely of sources - as Moore volleyed home after 17 minutes to send The Hawthorns into raptures - before Super Bob Taylor capitalised on a parried Neil Clement free kick to make it two and secure one of the most famous wins in the club's history.

Against the odds, the Baggies and Megson had done it, and although they came down the following season, that promotion changed the club's path and played a part in the following ten to 15 years as the Baggies enjoyed a number of seasons in the top flight.