PARTY TIME: Rovers players and fans begin the celebrations after the final whistle (left). A remarkable day at the Victoria Ground was capped by a mass pitch invasion, which saw jubilant fans celebrate with their Rovers heroes. Ref: NT04181
ONLY by the slightly inappropriate name of the Southern League's sponsors have Bromsgrove Rovers been able to consider themselves a business league side.
But no longer is it just by name. After a lengthy stint in the doldrums, they are a club that is now back in business.
Rod Brown's side have not always done things the easy way this season, and they weren't about to start doing so in Saturday's crunch promotion decider.
Right up until Jermain Clarke's 110th minute winner in a nail-biting period of extra-time the nagging doubts of whether or not the Southern Premier Division radar had been destined to land just short of the Victoria Ground must have been etched in the minds of the die-hard Rovers supporters.
The final league table suggests that there have been far rougher rides than the one the Greens' fans have just experienced.
Sure, they saw their side come out of the traps as fully-fledged promotion challengers, and showed great promise in setting the early pace.
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But second place doesn't tell the story of a crippling injury crisis, a frustrating struggle for consistency, the loss of striker Gary Hay to Kidderminster Harriers in February and more injuries at the season's home straight.
While Brown battled these problems, rivals Brackley Town were heading off into the sunset with the division one league title and the precious automatic promotion slot in their grasp.
CROWNING THE GLORY: Carl Heeley, who skippered Rovers to victory proudly lifts the play-off trophy with club captain Mark Taylor, who missed the closing weeks of the season with a broken arm (above). Ref: NT04188
The manager then found himself with the arduous task of lifting his players, in the knowledge that the title had all but vanished with weeks of the season still remaining.
It took some effort to drag his beleaguered troops over the finish line.
Yes, the green and white army may have seen their nerves tested, but they will head up and down the country next season enjoying their Premier Division status, safe in the knowledge that Brown delivered.
And what a platform he has built to carry on delivering.
However, after the late drama in the midweek semi-final win against Evesham, one more afternoon of tension was left before the popping of any champagne corks.
Twists and turns
On an afternoon of twists, turns and surprises, the first eyebrow raising moment was the shock news of Sam Allsop's inclusion in the Rovers midfield ahead of influential player/coach John Snape.
The greater surprise was how crucial Allsop's contribution turned out to be.
But this was not before Willenhall Town had dealt the first blow.
Despite early half-chances for front pair Hay and Nathan Lamey, the visitors rumbled Rovers before they had properly settled into the occasion.
Carl Heeley failed to deal with a long clearance, and his poor back header fell short of keeper Danny Crane.
After latching onto the loose ball Pat Bannister lobbed Crane, and striker Craig Gregg beat Chris McHale to the far post to help the ball over the line and give Willenhall the lead after 15 minutes.
The home side's retaliation was prompt, and Kevin Banner's snap-shot was blocked by defender Lucan Spittle, after a one-two with Allsop.
Rovers enjoyed a wealth of possession and forced four corner kicks in quick succession, but they were unable to carve out any clear-cut opportunities.
More poor defending let Willenhall in again in the 39th minute.
This time Richard Scott's air shot allowed Bannister to pounce, but after dribbling across the box he drove his left footed shot just over.
Just before half-time Willenhall goalkeeper Dan Coleman seemed intent on handing out a gift of his own.
He failed to hold on to David Bridgewater's aimless ball from the half way line, which bounced awkwardly.
Poacher Lamey was lurking and managed to hold off Coleman, but the keeper recovered and was able to dive on the ball.
The most significant moment of the game came a minute after half-time.
Banner's corner was only cleared as far as Allsop on the edge of the area.
He took a touch, and despite Coleman getting a hand on the ball, his left footed shot found the bottom corner.
Not only were Rovers back in the game, but the equaliser crucially turned the atmosphere up several gears.
The on-field action also began to gather pace, with an absorbing 15-minute passage which saw chances at both ends.
Willenhall almost hit straight back when Sean Platt got past Banner.
He thrashed across goal but an outstretched Gregg couldn't find the decisive touch.
In the 51st minute Lamey dummied Banner's low cross and the ball fell to Hay who shot into the keeper before sending the rebound over the bar.
Immediately at the other end Crane tried to meet Mark Briggs' cross, but his poor punch dropped for Nathan Jackson, who fired over.
Briggs hit another long-range effort a minute later after finding space 30 yards from Rovers' goal, but again his effort was too high.
Although both sides pushed for a winner, Rovers had the better of a tense last half hour.
Hay out-jumped Spittle to set up Banner who shot straight at Coleman and Paul Lloyd sent a dipping half-volley just over.
Tension
The Greens tried to carry their momentum into extra-time, with substitute Clarke heading over from Banner's cross in the first minute.
But from then on it was an incident-free first period, with both sides knowing one slip-up would see their season end with a heartbreaking climax.
As the second extra 15 minutes of extra-time dawned on this epic final, it was going to take a big moment from a big player.
And there are few players that have such a towering presence as powerhouse centre-forward Clarke.
Snape had gathered a loose ball and sent it left to Lloyd.
Lloyd picked out Clarke, and the hundreds of Rovers fans held their breath.
The giant shrugged off Spittle and steadied himself before slotting the ball underneath Coleman.
Cue the first of the ecstatic scenes that would sweep the Victoria Ground for the remainder of the afternoon.
There was the formality of seeing out an agonising remaining 10 minutes with inevitable nerves.
But with wild celebrations already underway, another inevitability was ringing around the ground.
Bromsgrove Rovers had clinched their place back in a respectable tier of non-league football.
As the jubilant fans invaded the pitch in their droves on the final whistle they at last had something to rejoice.
Chairman Tom Herbert has often reiterated his desire that the fans who had lost faith in him would one day return.
The scenes that followed the team's triumph showed that he could surely but slowly be edging closer to seeing his wishes granted.
Once thing is for certain - if the Victoria Ground witnesses more magical Saturday afternoons like this, there are exciting times ahead for Bromsgrove Rovers.
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