The regular season of the English Football League (EFL) wraps up on Saturday, with significant stakes across the Championship (second tier), League One (third tier), and League Two (fourth tier). The upcoming May playoffs offer a second route to promotion via two-legged semifinals and a final match at Wembley Stadium for teams that missed out on automatic promotion over the initial 46 fixtures.
However, before the playoffs, much remains undecided. While League One`s dominant Birmingham City has already secured its title, playoff positions are still up for grabs in all three leagues. Wrexham is also heading for the Championship along with Birmingham, but can Reading, facing difficulties, join them? They need to guarantee a top-six finish first.
Meanwhile, the threat of relegation looms large in the Championship. Five well-known teams are fighting to avoid dropping into League One, a fate already sealed for Cardiff City and almost certain for Plymouth Argyle. This group includes Luton Town, who were realistically hoping to stay in the Premier League just last year, and established top-flight clubs like Stoke City and Derby County.
We begin, however, at the top of the EFL:
Triple Centurions
A genuine marker of excellence in English football is reaching a points total in the triple figures by the season`s end. Before the current campaign, 16 teams had hit the 100-point mark, with 15 doing so in the 42-game EFL format and only Manchester City in the 38-game 2017-18 Premier League season. Achieving three clubs with 100+ points across the top four divisions in a single season had never happened, but it was a distinct possibility heading into the final day.
One club has already accomplished this feat. League One champions Birmingham City have actually surpassed the former record for the highest points total in an English league season. With 33 wins, nine draws, and three losses, they are two points clear of Reading`s previous record of 106 set when winning the Championship in 2005-06. If they win their final match against already-relegated Cambridge United, they will finish the season with 111 points.
Blues manager Chris Davies had previously stated the club`s record would `never be beaten` upon reaching 105 points. However, triple-figure totals have become more common recently, with seven recorded in the last 11 seasons. Nevertheless, 111 points would likely remain the top achievement in English professional football for a considerable time.
Certainly, neither Leeds United nor Burnley will reach that record tally. However, both still have an opportunity to finish the Championship season with 100 points. If either team achieves this benchmark without winning the league title, they would be the first-ever 100-point teams not to be crowned champions. Realistically, this scenario is only likely for Burnley, as Leeds boasts a significantly better goal difference, by 13 goals. This is unsurprising, given Leeds` dominance as the Championship`s top side based on non-penalty expected goal difference.
While both teams have secured promotion to the Premier League, winning the league title remains important, as Leeds right-back Jayden Bogle emphasized last month. `Our objective from the start of the season was silverware. We won`t stop now. Of course, early promotion is great, but we still have a specific goal and we are committed to doing our best to achieve it.`
For Leeds, this means needing a win against Plymouth, who are highly likely to be relegated due to their poor goal difference compared to the teams three points above them. The task is tougher for Burnley, who face Millwall, one of the Championship`s most in-form teams. And Millwall has everything at stake…
The Championship Playoff Battle
It wouldn`t feel like the final day of the Championship season without a crowded race for the remaining promotion playoff places. Sheffield United and Sunderland have already secured third and fourth spot. Below them, five teams are competing for two spots, with one of these likely to be decided at the CBS Arena (Coventry`s stadium).
Championship Playoff Picture
| Team | W | D | L | For | Against | GD | Pts. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Sheffield United | 28 | 7 | 10 | 62 | 35 | 27 | 89 |
| 4 | Sunderland | 21 | 13 | 11 | 58 | 43 | 15 | 76 |
| 5 | Bristol City | 17 | 16 | 12 | 57 | 53 | 4 | 67 |
| 6 | Coventry City | 19 | 9 | 17 | 62 | 58 | 4 | 66 |
| 7 | Millwall | 18 | 12 | 15 | 46 | 46 | 0 | 66 |
| 8 | Blackburn Rovers | 19 | 8 | 18 | 52 | 47 | 5 | 65 |
| 9 | Middlesbrough | 18 | 10 | 17 | 64 | 54 | 10 | 64 |
Remaining Fixtures
- Bristol City vs. Preston North End
- Burnley vs. Millwall
- Coventry City vs. Middlesbrough
- Sheffield United vs. Blackburn Rovers
Bristol City and Coventry City currently hold fifth and sixth positions, controlling their own destiny. However, Bristol faces a tough final match at home against Preston, who must win to guarantee remaining in the Championship for an eleventh season. As dramatic as that match is, the stakes are even higher in the Midlands, where it`s a must-win game for Michael Carrick`s Middlesbrough. The situation is similarly critical for Frank Lampard`s Coventry; securing only a draw would likely see them overtaken by at least one of Millwall or Blackburn.
Blackburn might view their final match as a potential preview of a playoff semi-final against Sheffield United (3rd vs 6th), while Millwall, despite being close to the top six, face a significant challenge. Earning a draw at Burnley would be difficult, but even then they`d need Middlesbrough to beat Coventry, Blackburn to lose at Bramall Lane, and Bristol City to lose by a five-goal difference against Preston. Alex Neil`s team simply must win.
`I believe scoring the first goal will be crucial for both sides in this match,` Neil commented. `We need to ensure we create chances to win the game. Our approach hasn`t changed over the last ten matches. Therefore, our mindset will remain exactly the same.`
Five Teams Fight to Avoid Relegation
While not described with the same level of doom as Premier League relegation for a top-flight regular, dropping from the Championship to League One can still severely impact many clubs. Five teams approach the final day fearing the worst, with Hull City beginning just above the relegation zone (22nd place). At least they know that Derby County hosting Stoke City means at least one of the teams near them is guaranteed to drop points.
Championship Relegation Picture
| Team | W | D | L | For | Against | GD | Pts. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | Oxford United | 13 | 13 | 19 | 46 | 62 | -16 | 52 |
| 18 | Stoke City | 12 | 14 | 19 | 45 | 62 | -17 | 50 |
| 19 | Derby County | 13 | 10 | 22 | 48 | 56 | -8 | 49 |
| 20 | Preston North End | 10 | 19 | 16 | 46 | 57 | -11 | 49 |
| 21 | Luton Town | 13 | 10 | 22 | 42 | 63 | -22 | 49 |
| 22 | Hull City | 12 | 12 | 21 | 43 | 53 | -10 | 48 |
| 23 | Plymouth Argyle | 11 | 13 | 21 | 50 | 86 | -36 | 46 |
| 24 | Cardiff City | 9 | 17 | 19 | 46 | 69 | -23 | 44 |
Remaining Fixtures
- Bristol City vs. Preston North End
- Derby County vs. Stoke City
- Portsmouth vs. Hull City
- West Bromwich Albion vs. Luton Town
Earning a point at Fratton Park could offer Hull City hope, especially considering their better goal difference, but regardless of their result, their fate isn`t entirely within their control. This is because Luton Town has significantly improved in their last three matches, winning all of them, which gives them belief in achieving a `great escape` as they visit managerless West Bromwich Albion.
Could relegation be decided at Pride Park? Stoke City would secure safety with just one point, which would also provide a valuable buffer for Derby County. Derby would then only be relegated if all three of Luton, Preston, and Hull City secure victories. However, the final day of the Championship season often sees teams battling for survival deliver exceptional performances.
Crisis-Stricken Reading Seek On-Field Salvation
Very little remains uncertain in League One. Wrexham and Birmingham have secured promotion, the four relegated teams are confirmed, and only positioning is being settled among teams placed third through fifth. However, the team claiming the final playoff spot could be decided dramatically, potentially influenced by both on-field performance and off-field issues.
Leyton Orient currently occupies sixth place and could likely secure it with a win at Huddersfield. However, if they fail to win, they would open the door for Reading. Reading is currently on an eight-game winning streak and plays at home against Barnsley. Noel Clarke`s team has been outstanding on the pitch, but nearly every recent news story about the club has centered on their ownership crisis. Chinese businessman Dai Yongge purchased the club in 2017 when they were challenging for a Premier League return. Since then, his management has caused constant distress for Royals fans, with multiple points deductions leading to their relegation to League One in 2023.
Following a court decision in China, Yongge was deemed unfit to own the club under the EFL`s Owners` and Directors` Test in March and ordered to sell by April 4. Although that deadline passed, Reading was granted an extension, all while facing the threat of expulsion from the EFL. Rob Couhig is considered the likely buyer, but his discussions with Yongge have been contentious, to say the least. The two parties even appeared in London`s Commercial Court last month regarding the sale. Another potential buyer is Robert Platek, but his firm, BDT & MSD Partners, has provided loans to several other EFL clubs, which could pose a conflict of interest.
Yongge`s most recent deadline to sell the club is May 5. Just two days later, the team finishing sixth in League One will play the first leg of their playoff semi-final. This period could significantly change Reading`s future path… or see them sink deeper into difficulties.
Can Walsall Halt Their Tailspin?
A lot is still at stake in League Two. The title needs to be won, and the final two playoff spots are open. However, perhaps most significantly, Walsall has one last opportunity to salvage a season that looked incredibly promising for a long time. When Mat Sadler`s side defeated MK Dons 4-2 on January 18th, their ninth consecutive win, they had built a 15-point lead at the top. Across England`s top four leagues at that point, no team had earned more points, scored more goals, or had a better expected goal difference (xGD) except Leeds and Liverpool. Promotion to League One seemed certain.
However, top scorer Nathan Lowe had left. Their tendency to not keep possession effectively has been exploited. Arsène Wenger`s classic quote about confidence building slowly but disappearing quickly seems fitting at the Bescott Stadium. They have won just two of their last 20 matches, a points-per-game rate placing them 84th out of the 92 clubs in England`s top four divisions. The 16 points gained during this period is the lowest total (joint-worst) in League Two. Luck seems to have entirely abandoned Walsall, yet they don`t appear to have simply turned into a terrible team overnight. If you rank the top four leagues by xGD since January 19th, they are 21st, slightly ahead of Newcastle United.
The significant lead they had built has vanished. With one game remaining, they are one point behind Bradford, who occupy the third and final automatic promotion spot. Walsall will need a favorable result elsewhere before focusing on their own match. On the positive side, they are facing another team that has also significantly dropped down the standings in 2025. After Walsall`s win against MK Dons, Crewe Alexandra were their closest rivals. Crewe now sit 12th in the table after a similarly poor run of form. Perhaps today is the day fortunes finally change for Walsall.
