'The best feeling in my career' - Johnnie Jackson

AFC Wimbledon head coach Johnnie Jackson described their Sky Bet League Two Play-Off Final win at Wembley as the best feeling of his career.

The Wombles return to the third-tier for the first time in three years, securing a second-ever Wembley triumph to go alongside their Sky Bet League Two Play-Off win back in 2016.

While the game wasn’t always pretty, Wimbledon’s defence that remained resolute after Myles Hippolytes' perfectly placed effort gave them the lead on the stroke of half-time.

There was a huge release of emotion from both Jackson and his players upon the final whistle, showcasing just how much hard work has gone into achieving promotion.

“I'm so proud of everyone. To see Wembley full of blue and yellow shows what this Club is about,” he revealed.

"It's the best feeling and day in my whole career playing and coaching. I've had success before, but to get it as a coach and lead the team out was a privilege. But to go on to win the game was the icing [on the cake].”

shutterstock_editorial_15316456dj.jpg

The South West London outfit have kept a clean sheet in 24 of their 49 games this season, more than any other side in the division.

In the Semi-Final, they perfectly shut out opponents Notts County, and as the saying goes, ‘goals win you games and clean sheets win you promotion.

“I did feel that we deserved it. I felt like we had the better moments in the game. I knew it was going to be a close game, two evenly matched teams,” the 42-year-old added.

"You hope that you can come up with a moment of quality, and the goal is the defining moment.

"I always think we've got a moment, and sometimes one is enough if you can defend the way we can.”

"We've been good at defending this season, we’ve been solid and kept clean sheets, so to see it through was great.”

Jackson also praised the appetite for football in the EFL, with around 30,000 AFC Wimbledon supporters filling the West End of Wembley.

The Sky Bet Play-Off Finals this weekend have been an incredible showcase of football at this level, with a new record broken for the highest ever aggregate attendance across all three Finals - 211,858.

"I think there's such an appetite for it [football outside the Premier League], it shows you the types of teams the Clubs, and the level that is outside the Premier League,” Jackson declared.

"Over these last three days, you've seen English football in its best light. To see 50,000 fans at a fourth-tier game is nothing short of incredible."

"I think [the attendance] just shows you the power of football, and it's why we all love it."