Steve Bruce praised the Aston Villa supporters and was glad to reward them with a trip to Wembley after his side overcame Middlesbrough in a tense play-off semi-final.

The West Midlands secured a 1-0 win at the Riverside on Saturday thanks to a Mile Jedinak header and played out a goalless draw in front of a packed out Villa Park last night.

There were only a few nervy moments on the night, with Villa fortunate keeper Sam Johnstone wasn't sent off for a deliberate handball, with Stewart Downing hitting the resulting free-kick against the bar. However, Villa deserved to progress on the whole.

And, as quoted by the Express & Star, Bruce praised the supporters who have little to cheer about in recent years.

"I’m delighted for everybody. The supporters have had a lot to suffer. And let’s be fair, the reason why a football club survives is because of its supporters.

"To a man they were terrific. I’m delighted for them that we can plan a trip to Wembley."

Villa will play Fulham in the national stadium on May 26 for a place in the Premier League.

The Verdict

Villa took a big step to achieving their goal last night and it was a real battle for the team but they did very well to rather easily contain Boro over the two legs.

It was a massive effort and as Bruce says the supporters played a part too.

They can now look forward to Wembley and they will hope the players deliver once again when it matters most.

Thoughts, Villa fans? Let us know in the comments below!