Gus Poyet has praised Dillon Phillips after the goalkeeper recovered from a bizarre error in the League One play-off final to help Charlton return to the Championship in dramatic fashion.

The shot-stopper’s mistimed touch for Naby Sarr’s pass back to him gifted Sunderland a shock lead just five minutes into the match.

However, Phillips would recover and pull off some important saves as Ben Purrington levelled the tie before Patrick Bauer scored a last-gasp winner.

Poyet, whose son Diego played together with Phillips in Charlton’s youth ranks, said the pair felt for him when they watched the play-off final on TV.

But the former Chelsea and Tottenham midfielder was left impressed by his maturity as the Addicks secured promotion to the second-tier following a three-year absence.

“It was difficult [to see],” he told News Shopper. “Like I said to you before it was difficult to see because Dillon played with Diego and I saw him so many times, when I went to Charlton to see the games and the training sessions.

“We felt so sad with Diego, it was difficult to watch it, but luckily for Dillon and for Charlton they were able to turn it around.

“I'm proud of Dillon because he said after the game it was his responsibility and not easily blaming the defender [Naby Sarr].

“I was really pleased for him that he'd done both things - he recognised that it was something that happens in football but, at the same time, delighted that he won.

“I know he's coming up to a division [the Championship] which is going to be very difficult for him.”

For Lee Bowyer, promotion crowns an extraordinary first full season in management – but that early trajectory is also not too dissimilar from that of Poyet.

Poyet won promotion to the Championship in his first full season as a manager, when he was at Brighton in 2011, before taking the Sunderland job a couple years later.

The ex-Black Cats boss hailed the Addicks’ campaign under Bowyer as “spectacular” and hopes they achieve even more success with him.

“I think they were improving through the season and, at the end, when you get to that position you deserve to go up,” he added.

“I know it's harsh on Sunderland but it was like that because you [Charlton] had done something important.

“They made a massive mistake in the middle of the game, with that goal conceded, and they were able to come back and get up.

“Now they need to get ready for the Championship, which is another story. Completely different.”

Asked what advice he had for Bowyer, Poyet said: “I think Lee knows English football probably better than me. He played at every level, he knows what is needed.

“I think he probably enjoyed a lot [this season] and I hope he just gets the backing of the club for him to have the tools to do well, and not to suffer.”

Poyet was speaking at the launch of Hyundai FC at Stamford Bridge, a new nationwide grassroots scheme for junior teams.

You can find out more here.