Following the promotions of Cardiff City, Hull City and Crystal Palace from the Npower Championship, the number of players with South West footballing connections has dramatically increased.
Malky MacKay's Cardiff clinched the Championship title to end a 51-year wait for top-flight football for the Bluebirds and former Plymouth Argyle duo Craig Noone and Joe Mason made significant contributions to their cause.
Noone, who left Home Park in January 2011 to join Brighton and Hove Albion for a fee in the region of £300,000, joined the Bluebirds at the start of the 2012-13 campaign.
He established himself as a regular for Cardiff and scored seven goals in 36 appearances. Noone also had a loan spell with Exeter City earlier in his career with the Pilgrims.
Republic of Ireland Under-21 international Mason, who joined Cardiff from Argyle at the end of the 2010-11 season whilst the Pilgrims were in Administration, found the back of the net six times in 29 appearances for the Bluebirds.
He will no doubt be relishing the opportunity to play in the Premiership after scoring the Bluebirds' opening goal in their League Cup final appearance last year against Liverpool, which Cardiff lost on penalties after drawing 2-2 after 120 minutes.
Second-placed Hull City boasted three players who have served time with South West clubs amongst their ranks, including two former Plymouth Argyle loanees James Chester and David Stockdale.
Former Manchester United defender Chester made three appearances for the Pilgrims during the 2009-10 season and was a regular in the Tigers' defence this season-appearing on 48 occasions and scoring once.
Goalkeeper David Stockdale arrived on loan from Fulham and made 24 appearances for Steve Bruce's side. He performed a similar role for Argyle during the 2009-10 season after being snapped up by Paul Mariner on loan, as they Pilgrims were relegated from the Championship.
Another mainstay of the Hull backline was Liam Rosenior, the son of former Torquay United manager Leroy Rosenior, who made 36 appearances for the Tigers at right back.
Ex England Under-21 cap Rosenior was brought to Plainmoor on loan by his dad during the 2003-04 season and he appeared 10 times for the Gulls as they won automatic promotion for the first time in 38 years.
However, Play-Off winners Crystal Palace provided the highest number of personnel with South West links.
Perhaps the best known of these is manager Ian Holloway, the former Plymouth Argyle manager and ex Torquay United loanee, who masterminded the Eagles' promotion bid.
Palace are now the second club after Blackpool that Holloway has guided to the top-flight.
His squad contains a number of players with Home Park connections, including winger Yala Bolasie, who arrived at Selhurst Park from Bristol City having left the Pilgrims in the summer 2011, defender Darcy Blake who last appeared for the Eagles last December, Jermaine Easter, the last player signed by Holloway during his time at Home Park who spent the final months of the season on loan at Millwall, and Jason Banton who only appeared for Palace once in the FA Cup against Stoke City, but enjoyed a successful loan spell with Argyle where he scored six goals and won the Npower League Two Player of the Month award for March.
It is likely that Banton will be loaned out again next season by Holloway with Argyle manager John Sheridan admitting he would like to bring him back to the Pilgrims.
One player who will be looking forward to testing himself in the Premiership, particularly when the Eagles visit Old Trafford, will be their former Exeter City defender Dean Moxey.
As a youngster with the Grecians, Exeter-born Moxey was part of the Exeter side which famously drew 0-0 with Manchester United in the third round of the FA Cup in the 2004-05 season.
He later helped Exeter win back-to-back promotions from the Conference to League One before prior joining Derby County prior to his move to Selhurst Park. Moxey has also been capped by England C.
Fans of Exeter City, Plymouth Argyle and Torquay United will be watching their progress with interest.
