Worcestershire Director of Cricket Steve Rhodes admits it is "very satisfying" to secure promotion to Division One of the LV= County Championship after being written off pre-season.
The county were rank outsiders with bookmakers to go up and pre-season predictions were also dismissing their chances.
But eight wins from 16 matches proved enough to earn a spot in the top flight despite a tailing off in results and performances in the past month or so.
Rhodes said: "We've tailed off a bit as the season has finished.
"I like to be a perfectionist and imagine you are going to carry on winning every single game of cricket.
"But we musn't take anything away from the fact that we were 33-1 outsiders to get promoted at the start of the season and we've managed to achieve that.
"I'd also like to add eight wins out of 16 in the four-day competition is a really strong achievement.
"It's been very satisfying when we've proved a lot of people wrong to get promoted.
"I like to do things right so to finish the season dropping off has been disappointing for me personally and the team.
"But that shouldn't detract from the fact that we've won eight games of cricket."