Unai Emery is a serial European winner but for Aston Villa simply getting there provoked a frenzied response.
The guttural roar that greeted David Coote’s final whistle echoed around the Second City, with Villa starved of European football since 2010.
There was no snobbishness about the Conference League as players hugged, laughed and took piggyback rides in celebration as a packed house sang along to Sweet Caroline.
In Brighton ranks, there was emotion too as they said farewell to World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister and Moises Caicedo.
‘I think it could be their last games. I am really sorry,’ confirmed their Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi.
Aston Villa have qualified for the Europa Conference League for the first time since 2010
Douglas Luiz and Ollie Watkins (middle) both scored to give Villa a 2-1 win against Brighton
After taking over earlier this season Unai Emery (pictured) has guided his side to the Europa Conference League after finishing seventh in the Premier League table
‘They are great players but this is the policy of Brighton and I think it’s right they can leave and play in a higher level. We have to find other players.’
Emery has won the Europa League four times but getting Villa to seventh might be his finest achievement yet.
The club were 16th when he took over in November with 12 points from 13 matches. Survival was the aim, now fans can look forward to more overseas adventures with the 1982 European Cup winners.
Emery has revived the careers of Tyrone Mings and John McGinn, turned Ollie Watkins into a regular goalscorer and made homegrown favourite Jacob Ramsey a genuine England candidate.
Villa knew a win would guarantee them Europe but anything less would let in Spurs, easy winners at Leeds. Brighton, themselves guaranteed sixth and a Europa League place, made it nervy and thrilling.
The home side raced into a 2-0 lead inside 26 minutes through Douglas Luiz and Watkins, both set up by Ramsey, but feared the worst when Deniz Undav reduced arrears shortly before half-time.
De Zerbi brought on big guns Moises Caicedo, Kaoro Mitoma and Pervis Estupinan to make a real game of it in the second half with Mitoma a constant threat.
But Villa didn’t shut up shop either. They tried to kill the game with a third with Ramsey scooping a Leon Bailey cross over from close range but in the end they didn’t need it.
Denis Undav (left) got one back for Brighton after going 2-0 down early in the first half
Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez (pictured) delivered several crucial saves int he game
Luiz (pictured) slotted the first goal inside eight minutes, putting his side a goal ahead
Villa’s glee was obvious with Emery cheered all the way to the tunnel as Brighton gathered in front of their fans to get a huge ovation and what looked like a send-off to a tearful Mc Allister, the Argentine World Cup winner almost certain to move on this summer, possibly to Liverpool.
Emery admitted: ‘Europe wasn’t our first objective but we can have some champagne now!
‘It is amazing the owners were here to share this with everybody. They are very committed in this project. Everything is for our fans. They are the heart of the club.’
Villa went for the throat from the first whistle. After four minutes Jacob Ramsey sped past Alexis Mac Allister and from his pullback Leon Bailey turned sharply to hit the crossbar.
Four minutes after that, the home side made their early dominance count.
Ramsey provided again, beating Joel Veltman and rolling a pass into Douglas Luiz. The Brazilian, voted the club’s player of the season, sidefooted home from just inside the penalty area to send the full house wild.
Brighton overcame their own sluggish start to give Villa a scare after 21 minutes when Undav stabbed in Julio Enciso’s cross only for VAR to rule the provider had been marginally offside.
Villa took full advantage of the let-off to strike a quick second. Ramsey, unluckily in the view of some to be left out of Gareth Southgate’s latest England squad, was again a key figure.
He raced on to Bailey’s pass after Mac Allister had lost possession in midfield and as goalkeeper Jason Steele rushed out, Ramsey had the presence of mind to put it on a plate for Watkins to tap home.
It was the Villa striker’s 16th goal of an impressive season but his first in seven matches.
It was an enthralling game with both sides going end-to-end with Villa claiming seventh place
And there were celebrations at full-time with Luiz (right) punching the air in joy
Instead of Villa holding what they had, the game became even more open, and spiky in parts with seven bookings.
John McGinn was denied by Steele with a chance to make it 3-0 while at the other end Cash needed to make two goal-saving blocks to keep out Ferguson and Undav.
Undav’s luck changed after 38 minutes when he converted Pascal Gross’ pass. An assistant’s flag was raised for offside but this time a VAR decided the goal was legitimate.
The biggest surprise of the second half was that there were no further goals. Mac Allister grimaced as his shot fizzed narrowly wide while Mitoma caused havoc and forced Cash and Tyrone Mings to double up on him.
Villa also had opportunities, chiefly when Ramsey sent his finish high in front of a gaping goal, Lucas Digne went close with a curling free-kick and Watkins’ header lacked the power to beat Steele.
Both teams can now look forward to playing Thursday nights and three matches a week, most weeks.
‘We have to work in the transfer market for sure.’ Said De Zerbi. ‘The results we achieved this year are incredible, no. But we have the dream to improve.’
At Villa, the message was simpler. ‘Bring your passports – Europe here we come,’ laughed skipper McGinn.
