Brendan Rodgers felt the gods were on Swansea's side after guiding the Welshmen to promotion to the Premier League.

Scott Sinclair grabbed a hat-trick, including two penalties, as the Swans ran out 4-2 winners against Reading in a dramatic play-off final at Wembley.

It meant Rodgers was able to celebrate victory against the club who axed him 16 months ago.

Their win was all the more poignant as eight years ago almost to the day Swansea, bottom of the Football League, beat Hull 4-2 in order to survive - including a hat-trick from James Thomas.

"It's ironic, they won that game 4-2 and a player scored a hat-trick, including two penalties," said Rodgers.

"And now the club has done it again to get into the Premier League.

"The footballing gods were with us today. Eight years ago they couldn't pay the electric bill and now they've won a £90m game."

Victory saw City reach the top flight for the first time since John Toshack was in charge in 1983.

They will be the first Welsh side to play in the Premier League since it was formed, meaning Manchester United, Chelsea and Co will have to add a trip to The Valleys to next season's schedule.

It is also quite a turnaround for Rodgers, who lasted only 195 days in the Reading hot-seat before the axe fell, and was out of work until Swansea took a chance on him last summer.

However, the 38-year-old Irishman was in no mood to gloat and said: "I've nothing bad to say about Reading, I was just there at the wrong time.

"It was a big blow to leave a club I loved, and still do. That's why there was not much jumping around at the end."