The Championship, League One and League Two play-off finals will take place at Wembley at the end of May, with 12 teams battling out for three precious promotion spots
After a dramatic end to the regular seasons, 12 teams from across the EFL will be battling it out for promotion from their respective divisions. Some will be happier to be there than others, but all 12 have a chance to end their campaign with Wembley glory over the bank holiday weekend at the end of the month.
In the Championship, Leeds and Burnley had confirmed automatic promotion before the final day, while Sheffield United and Sunderland were already assured of a play-off place. They have been joined there by Coventry and Bristol City, with the latter enduring a nervous wait as rivals Blackburn couldn’t find the goal they needed to pip the Robins to sixth place.
Stockport, Wycombe and Charlton had each locked down a play-off spot before the final round of League One fixtures, after Birmingham and Wrexham finished first and second respectively. The final spot has gone the way of Leyton Orient, whose final day win at Huddersfield saw them finish three points clear of Reading.
There was late drama in League Two, with Bradford snatching the final automatic promotion spot in stoppage-time when Antoni Sarcevic scored a dramatic winner against Fleetwood. That saw them join Doncaster and Port Vale in the automatic spots, with former league leaders Walsall forced to settle for the play-offs along with Wimbledon, Notts County and Chesterfield.
The play-offs begin on Thursday night with Bristol City’s first leg against Sheffield United in the Championship, while the second-leg matches run from May 12-17 across the three EFL divisions. The finals take place at the end of the month – May 24 for the Championship, May 25 for League One and May 26 for League Two – and here’s how Mirror Football‘s writers expect things to go.
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Daniel Orme
Championship: Sheffield United
League One: Leyton Orient
League Two: AFC Wimbledon
Despite their rotten run of form that ended up costing them automatic promotion, the Blades still remain the best of the rest in the Championship. They have quality in abundance – their 28 league wins throughout the campaign evidence of that. They should certainly have enough to get the job done.
While the Blades’ might disprove the theory that momentum is not everything when it comes to the playoffs, Leyton Orient might actually fit in with that. Richie Wellens’ side come into their semi-final having won each of their last six league games. They’ve also got the league’s top goalscorer Charlie Kelman at their disposal so must be favourites to earn a spot in the Championship.
Ironically, none of the contenders in the League Two playoffs contenders come into the semi-finals in any real form. Walsall’s collapse has been stark and, while Notts County have been inconsistent over recent weeks. The same could be said for AFC Wimbledon but their excellent defensive record – the best in the league – might do them good for a knockout tournament.
Felix Keith
Championship: Sheffield United
League One: Charlton
League Two: Chesterfield
Sheffield United have stumbled of late, but finished 14 points ahead of the rest in the play-offs for a reason. They will beat Bristol City – who bizarrely finished nearer to the relegation zone than to Chris Wilder’s side – and meet Coventry in the Wembley final. I was at Coventry’s 3-0 thumping win over Sunderland in March and the Sky Blues have an outstanding record vs the Black Cats, having gone 10 games against them without losing. I fear there could be some more Wembley heartache inbound for Frank Lampard’s side, though, with the Blades going up.
I fancy Charlton in the League One play-offs. They have the best record against the other contenders, having done the double over both Wycombe and Leyton Orient, and drawn both games against Stockport. Manager Nathan Jones has a lot to prove after failing at Southampton and could cause an upset over Stockport in the final.
The League Two play-offs are packed with out-of-form sides. I have no faith in Walsall, who managed to blow a 12-point lead at the top and go 13 games without a win before the last game of the season, which still wasn’t enough as Bradford pipped them. Chesterfield went six unbeaten to snatch seventh place and Paul Cook has a lot of experience in these situations, having won four league titles as a manager – two of them in previous spells with Chesterfield. I’m backing the Spireites to cause a shock.
Alex Richards
Championship: Coventry
League One: Charlton Athletic
League Two: Notts County
Frank Lampard’s side have momentum behind them heading into the play-offs and, as we’ve seen many, many times before, that can be crucial.
They showed last term that they can step it up in knockout competitions with their run to the FA Cup Final, have goals throughout the side and, having put a difficult first half to this season behind them, are well placed to make the most of a Sunderland side lacking experience in the semi-finals. Given Sheffield United’s history in the play-offs, it’d be a brave person to back the Blades, while Bristol City are very much the underdogs.
League One is especially tough to call with all coming into it in good form – particularly Leyton Orient after a fine run of six straight wins. For me the winner is likely to come from the Wycombe-Charlton semi-final, and I’ll tip my hat towards the Addicks. They were convincing 4-0 winners against Wycombe on April 21, and have veteran striker Matt Godden enjoying the best season of his career.
In League Two, you simply can’t back Walsall after how their hopes of not just automatic promotion but the title fell to pieces, while, in contrast to the third tier, none of the four are arriving in their best moment. All things considered, I’m looking at a final between Chesterfield and Notts County, who, with two of the division’s top scorers in Alassane Jetta and veteran hitman David McGoldrick, may just edge it.
Tom Victor
Championship: Coventry
League One: Stockport County
League Two: Chesterfield
The Championship play-offs are packed with clubs who have – with their form – strongly made the case for not wanting promotion. The exception are Coventry, who weren’t in the top six at all until March and survived a painful defeat at Luton on the penultimate weekend of the season to win an effective shoot-out with Middlesbrough on the final day.
Frank Lampard’s squad contains players who experienced the pain of a final defeat just two years ago, and those memories can spur them on. Sheffield United might be some people’s favourites after finishing well clear of the other three contenders in the regular season, but the slate has been wiped clean now.
As with the Championship, League One has delivered two teams with hefty points totals to the extent that 87 points – enough for the title in 2015-16 and enough for automatic promotion on a couple of occasions since – was only enough for third this time around. Stockport have that honour, but I’m backing their recent experience of promotion to power them through.
In League Two, Chestefield went into the final day as long-shots to even make the play-offs after being out of the top seven for the entire second half of the season. Results went their way, though, and the freedom provided to the Spireites could well see them shock teams who finished above them over the course of 46 games.
Scott Trotter
Championship: Sheffield United
League One: Charlton
League Two: Chesterfield
There is rarely so much on the line or drama as throughout the play-offs. And the added pressure generally ensures promotion isn’t easily won by the team to have just missed out on an automatic spot.
For the Championship, perhaps Sheffield United are too far beyond their rivals, however. The Blades finished the season 14 points ahead of Sunderland, who lost their final five matches to kill any momentum, 21 points ahead of Coventry and 22 points clear of semi-final opponents Bristol City.
In League One, Charlton have already defeated Wycombe and Leyton Orient in recent weeks. Stockport finished above the Addicks, and the sides shared two draws over the course of the season, but Nathan Jones should take the Londoners into the Championship.
And in League Two it is difficult to look past Chesterfield. They may have been the final team to make the cut, but enter the play-offs with comfortably the best form as Walsall, AFC Wimbledon and Notts County all stuttered.
James Whaling
Championship: Coventry
League One: Stockport
League Two: Notts County
Sheffield United will rightly go into the Championship playoffs as favourites having amassed 90 points but must pick themselves up having been in the title race right up until the last few games.
Coventry had no right to be in the shake-up after a dodgy start to the season, but Frank Lampard has been a revelation in the CBS dugout and they will be bouncing into the playoffs given their final-day win over Middlesbrough.
They take on a Sunderland side in wretched form having had nothing to play for over the last couple of months. I expect them to come through that and face the Blades at Wembley, and I’m backing the Sky Blues for a first return to the top flight since 2001.
Stockport are a club on the up after two promotions in the last three seasons and I fancy them to follow Wrexham all the way ito the Championship.
In League Two, Notts County fell away from the automatic promotion race in the final weeks of the season but I fancy them to pick themselves up and, spearheaded by the evergreen David McGoldrick, make it into the third tier.
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