ðə fˈɑːloʊɪŋ jˈɪɹ, hɪz sˈaɪd fˈɪnɪʃt θˈɜːd ɪnðə lˈiːɡ ænd wˈʌn pɹəmˈoʊʃən tə pɹəmˈɪɹ lˈiːɡ tˈuː dᵻvˈɪʒən wˈʌn ðə hˈaɪɪst lˈɛvəl fɔːɹ jˈuː twˈɛnti θɹˈiː z fˈʊtbɔːl fɚðə fˈɜːst tˈaɪm ˈɛvɚ, fˈɑːloʊɪŋ ɐ tˈuː zˈiəɹoʊ vˈɪktɚɹi ˌoʊvɚɹ ɐstˈɑːn vˈɪlə ɪnðə plˈeɪˈɔfs.
The following year, his side finished third in the league and won promotion to Premier League 2 Division 1 - the highest level for U23s football - for the first time ever, following a 2–0 victory over Aston Villa in the play-offs.