adminBruce Chikuni
IT was a cruel twist of fate in the English lower leagues for two Zimbabwe international defenders with Tendai Darikwa and his Wigan Athletic being relegated while Brendan Galloway’ Plymouth got promoted.
Wigan Athletic failed to hold on to their narrow lead, which could have kept alive their slim survival chances, when they conceded late to settle for a 1-1 stalemate against Reading.
This automatically confirmed their relegation from the English Championship.
Darikwa played the entire match.
While Darikwa was in pain, trying to process this outcome, Galloway was having a victory lap, celebrating promotion into the Championship after edging out Burton 1-0 on Saturday.
A decade ago, Plymouth avoided relegation to the National League by a single point.
Galloway’s team have just come out of a financial meltdown that almost saw the club collapse.
But, good ownership since, first under James Brent and then current owner Simon Hallett, has helped the club to regain its shape that has seen them go from League Two relegation contenders to a Championship club.
Galloway didn’t play any part in this win as he was out due to an injury.
Plymouth coach, Steve Schumacher, praised his players and fans for the team’s success.
“I’m overjoyed and delighted.
It’s been an amazing season, an amazing campaign and to finish it off here on a sunny day in Devon in front of our home fans is just amazing.
“I’m just so proud of everybody associated with the club that we’ve managed to get over the line. “We’ve set out and achieved the goal that we wanted to do and I couldn’t be any prouder.
“The standard that’s been set at the top end of League One this year has been nothing short of amazing.
“Big congratulations to Ipswich Town who’ve also sealed their automatic promotion today, they’ve been brilliant to watch, and commiserations to Darren Moore and Sheffield Wednesday and Michael Duff at Barnsley.
“The relentless pace and the relentless nature that all of the teams have set has just made you work so hard.”
Online Reporter