Former West Ham and Charlton boss Alan Pardew has praised West Brom, Stoke and Hull City for how they have handled Premiership promotion this season.

Pardew, who led West Ham back to the Premier League four years ago and almost performed a miracle to keep Charlton up in 2007, told the Daily Mail: "The three promoted clubs have learned lessons from the likes of Derby.

"They have come in and been competitive; willing to invest properly in players, whereas sometimes in the past clubs have come into the Premier League and their boards have been staggered by the transfer fees and salaries being quoted.

"The competition to get promoted from the Championship is so intense that no club wants to risk going down again.

"The three promoted teams have spent their money wisely and that has brought them on a par with the teams at the lower end of the Premier League."