ALEX NEIL last night insisted he's repaid the faith Norwich City showed in him by bringing him down from Hamilton Accies as he completed his Carrow Road miracle by leading them back to the English Premier League in world football's richest game.

Exactly a year to the day when Neil led Accies to a stunning play-off win at Easter Road against Hibs to take Hamilton in to the Scottish top flight, he repeated the feat down south... only this time the game was worth an estimated £130 million.

Neil was just three years old when Don Mackay was appointed Blackburn Rovers manager in 1984 - the significance being prior to another former Norwich manager, Paul Lambert's sacking at Aston Villa in February, that was the start of an unbroken spell of Scottish bosses in England's top league.

Now Neil will restore a Scottish presence in the Premier League after the stunning job he's achieved since taking over at Norwich in January after comfortably beating Middlesbrough yesterday.

Neil revealed the prospect of returning home to his disappointed children motivated him. He said: "The thing that drives me is letting people down. Norwich showed faith in me, giving me the job, being so young. A lot was made of that. They showed plenty of courage. I'm pleased I've made everybody happy means more than anything else and we have sent those fans home happy. The last thing I'd want to do is lose and go home with my kids crying.

"I don't look back. People have made a lot of the last year, telling me I was at Arbroath in front of 730 fans at the start of the season. But it's not a huge concern to me. I set goals, like setting promotion. I'm really determined to achieve those goals. Whether it is Hamilton or Norwich. I don't get overawed by anyone or any place.

"People will always question someone they don't know who came from Hamilton. That sort of thing doesn't bother me. But I don't take myself that seriously with people maybe disagreeing with my methods.

"I'm not silly. I know how big the task is. I know how huge the task is. We'll be one of the smallest clubs going into the Premier League. But clubs of similar size do okay. There is no reason we can't do the same. I know it is different levels. I did it with Hamilton. Our job is to compete."

And Scotland defender Russell Martin, who was excellent in his side's 2-0 win at Wembley, admitted the win was made all the more special by the spirit they showed after bouncing back from relegation last year.

He stated: "It's emotional after last year. It was so hard last year to take. To bounce back like we have, to just miss out on automatic promotion, but then to win today...

"Today we've turned up, we've put in probably our best, most accomplished performance of the season. We knew we had big-game players, players who've been there and done it before, and thankfully it paid off today.

"This is the best. Going up and going up this way, it's amazing."