FANS hailed Roy Keane and Niall Quinn last night as Sunderland clinched a £50m promotion to football's Premiership, on a day the team didn't even kick a ball.

Just eight months after the team were bottom of the Championship and a year after the club was relegated as the worst-ever Premiership side, it is heading back to the top flight.

Derby County, rivals in the fight for one of the two automatic Championship promotion places, lost 2-0 yesterday away to Crystal Palace, leaving them four points behind Sunderland with only one game, or three points, to play for.

In typical understated fashion, Keane learnt of the promotion by text message while out walking his dog Triggs.

He said: "It's great news for the club."

All that remains to be resolved now is whether the Black Cats or their Midlands rivals Birmingham City will lift the Championship trophy.

Last summer, former Red and White favourite Niall Quinn's Drumaville consortium took over from the regime fronted by Bob Murray, and transformed the club, after appointing Manchester United and Republic of Ireland hero Roy Keane a month later.

Yesterday, fans were in no doubt who they held responsible for the dramatic change in the club's fortunes.

Long-time fan Kevin Bond, 46, a council worker, of Houghton-le-Spring, said: "I'm on top of the world. All credit to Quinny and Keano. They seem to have instilled some self-belief and discipline into the team.

"The whole town is absolutely buzzing."

Mr Bond believed that Sunderland had a better chance of attracting the players that could ensure the club's survival in the top flight with Keane as manager.

Season ticket-holder Janice Chandler, 48, a drugs action team worker, of Sunderland, said: "This time it feels very different. Our culture has completely changed in the last six months. Keano got a losing team to think they could win."

Durham postman John Gibbons, 30, a season ticket-holder, watched the Derby game at the city's Half Moon pub.

He said: "When Keane came to Sunderland, I thought we would get to the play-offs.''

Sunderland's promotion, and Quinn and Keane's part in it, was also hailed by regional development agency, One NorthEast.

Director of communications and tourism Stacey Hall said: "This is fantastic news for the city - the success of the football club brings a real feelgood factor to the area and plays a major role in raising the profile of Sunderland and North-East England to new audiences.

"We know from our close ties with Sunderland Football Club that the success of the team under the stewardship of Niall Quinn and Roy Keane has led to a significant upturn in the number of Irish visitors coming to Sunderland for weekend breaks - to watch the football and take in the attractions of the surrounding area.

"Having Sunderland, Middlesbrough and Newcastle in the Premier League next season is great news for the regional economy and its top quality tourism offer."

Last night, a delighted Quinn said: "It shows you that when people put their mind to it and work as a team, you are capable of doing anything."

With TV money taken into account, the promotion is worth an estimated £50m to Sunderland.