So numerous are the consequences of a play-off victory, that it is impossible to parse in the aftermath. Best, then, to concentrate on the occasion. Inside a Wembley so loud that eardrums were under threat, and with the temperature rising on the field, Fulham kept their cool. Claiming a first-half lead that they refused to give up under relentless second-half pressure, the Cottagers edged past Aston Villa and have returned to the Premier League.

The winning goal was scored by Fulham’s captain, Tom Cairney, and assisted by their teenage prodigy Ryan Sessegnon. To see these two young men celebrate with the trophy, Cairney still taking deep breaths to stay calm some 20 minutes after the final whistle, was a reminder of what this team has achieved. Largely shorn of big names, they have outplayed most of the division this season. Now, in front of 85,243 people, they played like the national stadium was their own back yard, and saw the job to completion.

This was a triumph for the club no doubt, but also vindication for their manager, Slavisa Jokanovic. Promoted to the Premier League with Watford three years ago, he left (read: was edged out) before coaching a single game in the top flight.

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It is unlikely such an outcome will happen again, though. Jokanovic is trusted by Fulham’s owner, Shahid Khan – the man who intends to buy Wembley Stadium for himself – and this time, he will surely be rewarded not with the elbow but a new contract this summer.

“It’s not easy to come to this place to decide what we fought for these past few years,” Jokanovic said. “It was a really important victory for us and we deserved it. It’s not easy to play with lots of pressure, with lots of young players, and on the other side lots of experience. It was the first experience for me [of the play-off final], the first for 18-year-old players, but we played with character and expression.

“I am personally satisfied because this is our project. This Fulham is my club, my staff, our way for trying to get a team promoted. We needed two-and-a-half years. First year not to be relegated, second to start building the team.

“This year we improved a little bit more and came back after a bad beginning. Now we must adapt ourselves, we must know that the Premier League is the most competitive league and we must be clever. I will think about the new season in a few days. But tonight I will drink some beers.”

The decisive goal came in the 23rd minute, with Sessegnon cutting in off his inside-left position to meet a forward pass from Kevin McDonald. The teenager took a heavy first touch but was alert enough to chase it down. He won a 50-50 with Conor Hourihane to recover possession, and then turned and sized up the situation in an instant. He picked out the perfect pass between John Terry and Alan Hutton. Cairney read it, ran onto it and calmly placed it under the Villa goalkeeper Sam Johnstone from 10 yards out.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tom Cairney latched onto Ryan Sessegnon’s through ball to give Fulham the lead. Photograph: Anna Gowthorpe/BPI/Rex/Shutterstock

Villa had only flickered in the match to this point and had no response for the rest of the first half. Words were shared in the dressing room and Steve Bruce’s men returned to give it their all in the final 45 minutes. They were led by Jack Grealish, Villa’s own young talisman, who reminded everyone of the potential that has always been in his play.

A solo slalom from the 22-year-old on the hour nearly ended in the most glorious of equalisers, but after beating four Fulham defenders his shot was deflected into the body of goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli.

Fulham were reduced to 10 men with 20 minutes remaining, after Denis Odoi was dismissed for a second caution for fouling Grealish, a marked man throughout. It presented a potential opportunity for Villa to exploit, but they spurned it by throwing too many attackers on the field and losing their composure. Fulham’s, for their part, never wavered for a moment.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Denis Odoi was shown a second yellow card for a wild tackle on Grealish, which left Fulham facing a nervy last 20 minutes. Photograph: Paul Currie/BPI/Rex/Shutterstock

“They set out to rough up Grealish, it was part of their game plan,” said a shell-shocked Steve Bruce. “But we didn’t do enough around Grealish. The second half was much better from us but to be brutally honest it wouldn’t have been too hard.

“The feeling now is utter disappointment for everybody and the next hard part is where we go from here. But let’s not forget we’re Aston Villa, we’re a proud club, a big club with big history. I’m really upset for everyone but I’ll roll my sleeves up and go for it again.”

Time ticks on and those questions about next season will soon press for both clubs. But matches of this scale do not come along for these clubs or their supporters that often. The task is to make the most of them and, regardless of the outcome, both teams can feel they did their best.