DAVID Meyler has hailed the immense contribution of manager Steve Bruce and hands his Hull City boss "90 per cent" of the credit for the Tigers' historic promotion to the Premier League.
Bruce became the first manager in City's 109-year history to win automatic promotion to the top flight on Saturday when an epic 2-2 draw with Cardiff proved enough to clinch the runners-up spot in the Championship.
The final day drama caps a remarkable debut season for Bruce at the KC Stadium and Meyler, who followed the City boss down from Sunderland, says promotion would have been impossible without him.
"I believed in him five years ago, what he wanted to do and what he was all about," he said.
"He tells you as it is. If you deserve a kick up the arse, there'll be no better man to give it to you.
"He's been brilliant with me from day one and I can't thank him enough.
"I'd honestly say it's 90 per cent down to him and 10 per cent down to the players.
"We'd played 3-5-2 all season and the gaffer turned around the other day and said 'Listen, I want to play 4-4-2' and that took some bottle."
Bruce's tactical gamble inspired a fitting reaction from the Tigers as they bounced back from a turgid sequence of results to end the campaign with a bang.
Although Fraizer Campbell momentarily spoiled the party with the opening goal early in the second half, Nick Proschwitz and Paul McShane pounced to give City a priceless lead.
Proschwitz's missed penalty allowed Nicky Maynard to make it 2-2 from the spot with almost the last kick of the game, but eventually it counted for nothing as Leeds struck a late winner against Watford to seal City's ascent.
"It's an unreal feeling," said Meyler. "It's a fantastic achievement.
"I feared the worst when my best pal (Campbell) ran in there and slotted one past the keeper but these things happen in football. That showed the character we've got here to respond like we did.
"Big Nick has done incredibly well to get across his man and then who else but Super Paul to clatter a few players out of his way and drive the ball home. He's been outstanding and he deserved it.
"At the corner I said to him 'Come on, Paul, get your head on this one' and sure enough it was him who put it in."
A fairytale end for City means a return to the Premier League for Meyler, just four months after waving goodbye to the top flight.
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A £1.5m switch from Sunderland turned an initial loan into a permanent transfer in January and has kick-started a bright career previously blighted by two serious knee injuries. Meyler's 29 appearances for City now account for half of his senior starts.
He said: "It's brilliant for me after all the set-backs I've had. Twice with my knee and then I didn't get the run of games I'd have liked at Sunderland.
"But this was always a good opportunity for me to come and play football.
"The manager told me all along that we'd be going for promotion and it's paid off, we're back in the Premier League."
A nine-week summer holiday can be enjoyed once City's parade of the region is completed this week, but Meyler already has one eye on August.
"Every team that gets promotion to the Premier League is an underdog and we'll be no different," he said.
"But the Allam family have shown great backing and no doubt the manager will have four or five targets that he'll want to bring in here.
"We'll be ready come the first game in August that's for sure.
"I'm fortunate enough to have been there before but I can't wait to get back. I've played at Old Trafford, Stamford Bridge and the Emirates and I can't wait to be back. It's where we all want to be and we're finally there. Incredible."
