Port Vale 1-3 Plymouth Argyle: Pilgrims win League One title
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Plymouth Argyle ended the season with 101 points - one off their club-record tally for a season in any division
Plymouth Argyle were crowned League One champions after coming from behind to win at Port Vale on the final day of the season.
James Plant gave Vale the perfect start when he raced through to fire past keeper Callum Burton in the third minute.
But homegrown midfielder Adam Randell restored parity with a low right-footed shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the box before Joe Edwards fired the Pilgrims ahead four minutes later.
Substitute Finn Azaz made sure the title would head to Devon when his right-footed shot from the edge of the box nestled in the top corner.
The win meant Argyle ended the season on 101 points, three clear of Ipswich Town, who drew 2-2 at Fleetwood Town, to clinch a return to the Championship for the first time since 2010.
Vale end the season in 18th place, having won just three times since mid-January.
Argyle knew a victory would guarantee them the title, but they were caught napping as 18-year-old Plant got the wrong side of Bali Mumba, and beat the offside trap to race through and score his second goal in as many games.
Mumba almost made amends for his mistake 15 minutes later when his back-post header from Callum Wright's cross rolled wide of the far post.
Randell levelled when a shanked clearance fell to the midfielder on the edge of the box and he showed great technique to keep his shot down.
Finn Azaz's fine strike made it 3-1 to Argyle on his final,appearance before returning to parent club Aston Villa
Edwards' goal soon after came after a lovely run down the right by Mumba, who threaded a ball through to Wright and his low cross from the right was fired home from six yards at the back post by the Pilgrims' skipper to send the almost 4,000 travelling supporters into dreamland.
David Worrall had an effort saved by Burton shortly before half-time, and Argyle took control after the break.
Edwards had two great opportunities either side of a Mumba shot while at the other end Burton did well to parry Tom Conlon's 54th-minute free-kick.
But Azaz made the win safe when he steered his effort home after Wright's strong run towards the penalty area set him up.
Vale had a stoppage-time goal from Matt Taylor disallowed as the party for the travelling Green Army began.
"This means the world to us," Argyle manager Steven Schumacher told BBC Radio Devon.
"We've fought so hard week in, week out, since the last day of last season when we just fell short of the play-offs.
"The work got going straightaway - the next week we were onto it and we felt we could mount another challenge.
"Everybody to a man, all the staff, all the players, everybody, has given everything that they've got and we've managed to become champions, and we deserve it."
Schumacher added: "The game was a good game, credit to Port Vale, I thought they had a great spirit and played the game the right way.
"They scored a great goal and then we came from behind once again.
"The lads showed brilliant character and loads of quality to go and win the game."
A first title for Plymouth in 19 years
Plymouth Argyle manager Steven Schumacher led the celebrations as he guided the Pilgrims to a title in his first full season in charge
Argyle's victory at Port Vale ends one of the most memorable seasons in the club's history.
Their 101-point tally is the second-highest in club history - one point shy of the 102 they earned when winning what is now League Two in 2002.
Argyle manager Steven Schumacher joked after last week's win over Burton that he would get a tattoo if his side broke the 100-point mark despite being "dead against them", although he did say it would be somewhere nobody could see.
This title is the first time the Pilgrims have won a league since 2004 when they also won the third tier.
The club's history has featured more downs than ups since - they were last in the Championship in 2010 and went into administration the following year as back-to-back relegations hit a struggling Home Park.
But under former owner James Brent and current majority shareholder Simon Hallett the club has improved both on and off the field - they will hope this title can help encourage the players they need to establish themselves in the second tier.