The 30-year-old has played 29 times for Groningen this season as they sough to try and claim a spot in next year’s Eredivisie, but they left it very late in the Eerste Divisie season to get the job done – and headed into the final day needing to beat second place Roda JC in order to pip them to the post.
Willem II had already won the league heading into the last day, but it was in Roda’s game the previous week where there had been arguably the most drama. Their fans stormed the field after they beat Cambuur 2-0 on Friday night, and with Pelupessy’s Groningen losing it looked like they were heading up into the top division once again. But a 95th minute equaliser elsewhere made it so they needed to avoid defeat in order to go up.
Telstar, who were playing Gronginen that night, got another goal – which would promote Roda – and it was announced to the Roda fans, much to their delight. But what they didn’t know was that that strike had actually been ruled out, so while they celebrated they were unaware that they hadn’t actually gone up after all.
So it went to the last day, and it was the home side who turned up. Pelupessy was a second half substitute, getting booked in the dying moments of the game, and he enjoyed the celebrations afterwards as he was lifted aloft when their promotion was confirmed – they will now be pitting themselves agains the best team in the country in 2024/25.
Pelupessy played 119 games for Wednesday during his spell at the club between 2018 and 2021, leaving as a free agent after the Owls were relegated into League One.
