I'm proud to be manager - Worthington

[Huckerbys right foot]

Norwich city manager Nigel Worthington toasted his side's promotion with a glass of champagne last night before setting his sights on another big achievement.

The Canaries booked their place in the premiership without kicking a ball when third placed Sunderland crashed to a 3-0 defeat at Crystal Palace – and now Worthington wants to see his team round off a memorable season in style by clinching the title. Second placed West Bromwich Albion are just three points adrift of the leaders, with four games still to play so that particular piece of silverware remains very much up for grabs – and the city boss won't be completely satisfied until his side have secured top spot.

With the majority shareholders Delia Smith and Michael Wynn Jones either side of him Worthington told the assembled media: "It's still just sinking in to be honest. I am grateful that Crystal Palace got the result we wanted but this night belongs to everyone at this football club, it's a great day for the club. I am proud to be their manager, I am proud of the supporters and I am proud of the players, the ones who have been here all along and the ones that have just come in. The one thing we have got to do now is to try and finish it off. I want to try and get medals for the players because they all deserve one. Promotion has been achieved, which is great and now we must focus on the title. That's something we can now try to achieve. I am pleased and relieved that it has happened with four matches to go. We are in the Premiership for next year but we know it is a major challenge and we will tackle it when it comes around."

Worthington was quick to pay tribute to the directors alongside him as he savoured the biggest moment of his managerial career. "These two people have put in a lot of hard work and I am delighted for them, they've been tremendous all the way along and nobody more deserves what happened tonight than them.

"We owe them a big debt but this is has been a very real team effort from everybody connected with the football club. The chairman has picked up on the togetherness angle this season, and he's right, it has been a real team effort."

Worthington was also quick to suggest how important it was from a personal point of view to have guided the Canaries back to the premiership after a nine year absence. "I am a pretty honest person and yes I am emotional at the moment and I am just delighted it has all gone well, a tremendous amount of hard work has gone into this and it is great when it actually happens. I remember saying it might take three years when I took the job and the majority shareholder has just reminded me it took three and a half. But I'm not too worried about that.

"It is a real sense of achievement. To be successful in football is very important and it doesn't happen all the time so it's important to enjoy it when it comes along. It's my first taste of promotion as a manager and I'm delighted to have done it here. They deserve to be back in the top flight. I have tasted promotion before as a player with Sheffield Wednesday and I have to say this is even more enjoyable. When you are a player you just have to look after yourself but as a manager there is a lot more to concentrate on. For the last ten months or so together with a lot of help from my staff I have been looking after a group of around 30 people keeping them focused on the job in hand ensuring they train the right way. So yes, there is a big sense of personal achievement and I have got to praise the staff around me. We have achieved what we have achieved together and I owe a lot to them."

Worthington also remembered the role played by his family as the enormity of what he had achieved began to sink in. "I had better give a mention to my wife for all she has had to put up with! Thanks Sandra and thanks to the boys."