SEDAN, Apr 28 (SW) - Valenciennes secured promotion to Ligue 1 on Friday after they defeated second-place side Sedan 3-0 away for their first trip to the French top flight since 1994.

Goals from Sébastien Heitzmann and two by Lucas Savidan guided them to victory over their nearest competitors for the Ligue 2 title, and now many will be looking forward to their return to the top flight after financial troubles saw them relegated.

After being involved in the match-fixing scandal before Marseille won the 1993 European championship, Valenciennes were sent down to the third division of French football the next season. The scandal cost Marseille a league title and saw them relegated themselves.

Valenciennes, languishing in the lower divisions actually became an amateur side after another relegation in 1997, but after regaining their professional tag in 2002, they were promoted to Ligue 2 for this term and now will be back in the top flight.