There is a huge amount to play for in the Football League, with battles for promotion, play-off places and relegation still raging as we which the penultimate weekend of the regular season
The business end of the 2024/25 season is upon us and there is a lot left to play for. Some are dreaming of promotion, while others are nervously looking over their shoulder at relegation.
The Premier League champion is likely to be crowned on Sunday, with Liverpool now needing just a point against Tottenham to secure their first title since 2019/20. At the bottom, Southampton and Leicester have already been relegated back to the Championship, while Ipswich are set to join them this weekend.
The real excitement in the Premier League comes in the race for European places, where Manchester City, Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest, Chelsea and Newcastle are chasing a spot in next season’s Champions League.
But while a lot is already settled in the Premier League, there is plenty of intrigue further down the divisions – and many fates can be decided this weekend across the Championship, League One and League Two. Allow Mirror Football to take you through things.
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Championship
Burnley and Leeds United have already confirmed their place in the Premier League next season thanks to their wins on Easter Monday. Leeds thrashed Stoke 6-0 before Burnley beat Sheffield United 2-1 hours later to spark promotion parties in two northern cities.
Those results meant the Blades had to settle for the play-offs and third place, with Sunderland guaranteed fourth, and will play at home in the second legs of their play-off semi-finals.
With two matches left to play, Bristol City (67 points) are fifth and Coventry (66pts) are sixth and hold the other two play-off spots ahead of Middlesbrough (63pts), Millwall (63pts) and Blackburn (62pts). Bristol City can confirm a place in the play-offs by beating Leeds on Monday while Coventry can move a step closer by beating Luton on Saturday.
It is the relegation battle where things get really tight with just six points separating Plymouth, who are bottom on goal difference, and 18th-placed Preston.
Plymouth (43pts) beat Frank Lampard ’s Sky Blues on Monday to stay alive and need to beat Preston on Saturday to stand a chance of staying up. Lose and they will be as good as relegated due to their poor goal difference compared to their rivals.
Cardiff (43pts) are also in deep trouble ahead of their match against managerless West Brom on Saturday. Their fate is tied to Luton (46pts), who have won their last two games but remain in the relegation zone, and Derby County (46pts), who travel to Hull (48pts). Even if they lose, Cardiff could take it to the final day if Derby and Luton also suffer defeats.
League One
Birmingham have already been promoted and been crowned champions. Wrexham are in a good position to take the second automatic promotion place, sitting two points ahead of third-placed Wycombe ahead of their home game against fourth-placed Charlton on Saturday.
The Hollywood-owned Welsh side will secure their promotion with a win if Wycombe fail to beat sixth-placed Leyton Orient. Charlton and Stockport are assured of their play-off spots, but Orient need to fend off seventh-placed Reading, who are a place behind on goal difference.
At the other end of the table, Shrewsbury have already been relegated. Cambridge United will follow them if they lose or draw this weekend and Crawley Town look set for the drop too. Crawley must beat Northampton Town and hope Bristol Rovers and Burton both lose to take to the last day. Rovers and Burton are separated by goal difference and will make up the final relegation spot.
League Two
Doncaster sit top of the table with two games left to play and could be crowned champions this weekend. They need to beat third-placed Bradford City and see second-placed Port Vale beaten by AFC Wimbledon to secure the title and promotion.
But it’s tight at the top, with four points separating Donny, Vale, Bradford and Walsall and three automatic promotion places available. It’s all to play for in the play-off race too because only three points separate Chesterfield in 10th and Grimsby in seventh.
At the bottom, Morecambe have already been relegated to the National League and it looks likely that Carlisle will be following them out of the Football League. Carlisle have taken 10 points from a possible last 12 to cling on this long, but are four points behind 22nd-placed Tranmere, meaning defeat against Cheltenham on Saturday will send the Cumbrians down.
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