Righto, we’re done here. Thanks all for your company and comments – sorry I couldn’t use them all, but things got freaky. Well done Burnley, Sheffield United, Luton, Boro, Coventry and Sunderland and see you next time. Peace aht.
Updated
“Celtic’s proper name is Celtic,” advises Mark Wilson, “there is no Glasgow attached (unless required to make a song scan or feel a bit European) so Celtic do fit the bill (ignoring the football club bit, of course).”
“Rovers would be in the playoffs now if Cov keeper’s handball for their 95th minute equaliser against us had been spotted,” tweets andy in Brum, “(Although whether we’d have therefore bottled it against Millwall is moot). Well done Sunderland.”
I didn’t see that, but yeah, pressure does funny things – though weirdly given they spaffed a 3-1 lead, I don’t think Millwall bottled that at all , on the contrary in fact – they just got diazed.
Amad wins man of the match and a kiss from O’Nien.
Luke O’Nien says he and his teammates love Amad, who raised standards as soon as he came in. Amad, meanwhile, wants to focus for the playoffs and he loves playing for the fans who give him so much energy. O’Nien points out the fans are still singing, noting that the players work every day to bring them happiness.
“If you give Celtic their proper name (with the Glasgow attached),” returns Simon McMahon, “Kilmarnock and East Fife are the only other Scottish clubs, alongside the aforementioned Dundee United, that fit the bill.”
Mark Robins says Coventry, who were bottom in October, only started talking about the playoffs three weeks ago. He says he’s got a lot of thinking to do in terms of how he attacks two more games with Boro, praising the job Carrick has done but, as he sagely notes, “it is what it is”.
“That clip of Jon Brady,” emails Simon McMahon. “Wow. Got extremely dusty in my kitchen as I watched. Should be required viewing for all players, managers, fans, pundits etc, whatever happens to your team come season’s end. Today I feel like a Northampton Town fan.”
I know, it killed me. Here it is again.
"Our goalkeeping coach woke up one morning and his wife didn't wake up"
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 8, 2023
Northampton boss Jon Brady was close to tears after securing promotion to League One ❤️ pic.twitter.com/KaZojXMY4a
“There is no way you, as a spectator, or as a camera, can be too high,” reckons Kevin Porter.” An elevated view is always a superior view. Enjoying the inevitable failure of one of the thirty pointers to mathematically secure Wolves Premier League status for next season.”
Have you ever been to Newcastle away or sat in tier three at Old Trafford? Those are not good places from which to watch a game, and this is a personal preference thing but I always want to be lower tier because I want to feel involved in the game – apart from at Stamford Bridge, where the upper tier is really low – so low it impedes the view from underneath.
Next!
Do yourselves a favour: check the goals from today here:
Ah, he returns: “PS Stanway & Sutton Common Rovers, Cleator Moor Celtic and Risborough Rangers.”
“Apart from the obvious Liverpool,” says Julian Borrill of clubs whose names start and end with the same letter, just looking at common endings in the English leagues we have:
Carshalton, Charlton, Crowborogh & Croydon Athletic
Nantwich, New Milton, Newark, Newcastle, Newent, Newmarket, Newport Pagnell, Northallerton & Northampton Town
York City
But not Uniteds (unless you’ll take the Damned United)”
There’s also Dundee United in Scotland – and Celtic if you call them Celtic not Glasgow Celtic.
All the words my brain is telling me to use, I’m not allowed to use in a family newspaper. Oh man, Gary Rowett, the Millwall manager, looks extremely poorly and I’m not surprised. His team had this in the bag, only for Diaz to rip a hole in it the size of the Andes.
Championship: final scores
Wigan 0-0 Rotherham
Luton 0-0 Hull
Preston 0-3 Sunderland
Burnley 3-0 Cardiff
QPR 0-2 Bristol City
Norwich 0-1 Blackpool
Millwall 3-4 Blackburn
Middlesbrough 1-1 Coventry
Huddersfield 2-0 Reading
Birmingham 1-2 Sheffield United
Swansea 3-2 West Brom
Watford 2-0 Stoke
Playoff fixtures
Sunderland v Luton
Middlesbrough v Coventry
Sunderland, by the way – and Amad in particular – have been devastating in the second half. Well done Terknee Merrbrey for acting at the interval, and well done his players for turning it up like that.
Full time: Millwall 3-4 Blackburn
Oh my complete and utter days. An incredible game of football, settled by the incredible Ben Brereton Diaz, and Millwall are out of the playoffs with Sunderland in – along with Luton, Boro, and Coventry.
I still can’t believe Millwall are going to lose this game. They started both halves brilliantly, were 3-1 in front … and then Ben Brereton Diaz did his thing. He’s far too good for this level.
GOAL! Swansea 3-2 West Brom (Piroe 90+3)
A low free-kick bent around the wall, and Swansea are close to what Alan McInally says would be a deserved victory.
Six minutes to go at the Cottage…
“When Oliver Burke was at the Throstles he was very, very not good,” says JR in Illinois. “And now I have to see him essentially eliminate my guys’ chances of making the playoffs? I didn’t even know he was still playing in the Championship. That guy ... he’s not my kind of guy.”
Worked out well for you then, sort of.
GOAL! Fulham 5-3 Leicester (Barnes 89)
If only Leicester could defend…
AMAZING GOAL! Huddersfield 2-0 Reading (Hungbo 84)
Hungbo ozzes in off the left and unfurls a ridiculous curler into the far top corner!
GOAL! Millwall 3-4 Blackburn (Diaz 86)
Sunderland are going into the playoffs and Millwall are not! Pears shoves out a decent save and Diaz leads then ends a counter, sliding into an empty net at the back post! Diaz has been wonderful second half, fniishing his spell at Ewood in fitting manner, and this has been a wonderful game; Blackburn are above Millwall now, only out of the playoffs on insurmountable goal difference. This is insane!
Updated
Sorry, I’ve not done any emails this half because it’s been manic, but let’s try now. “Talking of London clubs Daniel, “ says Phil Rebbeck, “in 1974-75 there were relatively few 5 in the top flight-QPR, West Ham, Arsenal, Spurs and Chelsea. It was the last time that no team from the capital finished in the top ten, with QPR being highest placed in 11th. Hard to see that happening again.”
Updated
GOAL! Birmingham 1-2 Sheffield United (Sanderson 79)
Hannibal crosses to the back post, Roberts heads across, and Sanderson finishes with a lovely cushioned volley.
GOAL! Fulham 5-2 Leicester (Maddison pen 81)
Leicester must wish they could defend.
ANOTHER PENALTY TO LEICESTER!
Palhinha fouls Maddison and let’s see what happens this time…
GOAL! Watford 2-0 Stoke (Davis 74)
I didn’t see this one, but it happened.
"Our goalkeeping coach woke up one morning and his wife didn't wake up"
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 8, 2023
Northampton boss Jon Brady was close to tears after securing promotion to League One ❤️ pic.twitter.com/KaZojXMY4a
OH MY WORD WHAT A GOAL AMAD DIALLO! 🤩☄️ pic.twitter.com/7g9YgnxUoD
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 8, 2023
Absolute scenes at the Den, Diaz heading for the far corner only for Malone to somehow head off the line from under the bar! That is an astoundingly good piece of defending and keeps Millwall alive in this playoff chase!
Updated
GOAL! Watford 1-0 Stoke (Louza 70)
A lovely left-footed curler from edge, Ronnie Whelan 1983 Milk Cup-final style but form the other side.
That said, if Millwall don’t win Sunderland will have their spot, and West Brom are five behind Coventry on goal difference.
Millwall are turning it up – they’ve had 69% possession the last five minutes – while at Boro, the home side are putting it on Coventry who, remember, must avoid defeat to be certain of making the playoffs.
GOAL1 Fulham 5-1 Leicester (Willian 70)
Willian carries the ball across the face of the box from left to right before curling low into the far corner. That’s a very nice finish, if poor keeping to show him so much net real-estate.
Updated
GOAL! Preston 0-3 Sunderland (Clarke 65)
Goodness me, Terrknee Merrbray not only has one of the best names to say in a north-east accent but has also made some nifty half-time changes. This is another fine finish too, curled low from the edge, and this game is over; can Blackburn hold out at the New Den?
Updated
GOAL! Swansea 2-2 West Brom (Ntcham 66)
this is nicely taken, Ntcham allowing the ball across his body on the edge before placing into the far corner.
Bernd Leno saves Jamie Vardy's penalty!
It was a classic good height for a keeper situation, and sums up Leicester’s afternoon (so far).
PENALTY TO LEICESTER!
Have we lozzed them off too early?
Oh my days, Millwall go down the right with Bradshaw, whose cross is narrowly missed by whoever’s lurking at the back stick.
GOAL! Preston 0-2 Sunderland (Pritchard 61)
With the keeper expecting a shot towards the near, Prtitchard, on as sub, sweeps to the far and Sunderland are in the playoff spots; if Millwall can’t find a winner, they’ll likely stay there!
Now here comes Diaz again, down the left of the box. He opens body curls another beautiful finish … except this time he hits the post and whoever it is following up somehow slides it wide! This is an expletive unbelievable game of association football, it really is!
WHAT A GOAL! WHAT A COLOSSAL GOAL! Millwall 3-3 Blackburn (Diaz 63)
The ball falls to Diaz outside the box and he curves a glorious finish into the far corner!
Updated
We’ve seen that Burnley goal now and it’s a goodun, a free-kick swished into the side-netting.
GOAL! Fulham 4-1 Leicester (Barnes 59)
Maddison might shoot himself but instead tees-up Barnes who sweeps in high off the bar.
Updated
GOAL! Burnley 3-0 Cardiff (Twine 57)
Burnley have been far too good for this league, and I can’t wait to see how it goes for them in the Prem.
GOAL! Birmingham 0-2 Sheffield United (McAtee 56)
W’eve not seen this one yet, but it happened.
Updated
WHAT A GOAL! Preston 0-1 Sunderland (Diallo 56)
I said I wanted to watch this lad and he’s not let me down, whipping a fine finish from 20 yards into the far top corner! That was coming, but Sunderland still need Coventry to lose or Millwall to draw.
GOAL! Birmingham 0-1 Sheffield United (McBurnie 53)
A cross from Basham, a nice header, and already-promoted Blades look set to finish the season in the correct manner.
GOAL! Swansea 1-2 West Brom (Ajayi 54)
A mess in the Swansea box, then the ball breaks to Ajayi, who mullers an instafinish into the top corner. West Brom still need another Blackburn goal and Sunderland not to win, but things are moving in the right direction for them,
GOAL Huddersfield 1-0 Reading (Koroma 49)
Ach, poor old Coniah Chronicles Boyce-Clarke. Making his debut in the Reading goal at 20, he’s dispossessed by Diarra and eventually Koroma places a decent finish into the far corner.
Updated
GOAL! Fulham 4-0 Leicester (Cairney 51)
Leicester are on the attack again, lose possession again, and Tete does brilliantly down the right before snapping a square-pass in for Cairney, who kills it on the burst then slots a composed finish into the corner. Leicester could take an almighty pasting here.
Updated
GOAL! Millwall 3-2 Blackburn (Rankin-Costello 51)
A free-kick from Diaz is parried out, there’s another touch, then Rankin-Costello finishes.
Updated
“Cheers Daniel,” says Simon McMahon of our clubs whopse name begins and ends with the same letter. “Any excuse to shoehorn yet another mention of Dundee United into the MBM.”
Sunderland, desperate for a goal, have changed to a back three.
We go again…
Gosh, that was great wasn’t it? See you in 12 minutes for more fun.
Premier League half-time score
Fulham 3-0 Leicester
The away end are giving the away side all sorts.
Championship half-time scores
Wigan 0-0 Rotherham
Luton 0-0 Hull
Preston 0-0 Sunderland
Burnley 2-0 Cardiff
QPR 0-1 Bristol City
Norwich 0-1 Blackpool
Millwall 3-1 Blackburn
Middlesbrough 0-1 Covenrty
Huddersfield 0-0 Reading
Birmingham 0-0 Sheffield United
Swansea 1-1 West Brom
Watford 0-0 Stoke City
GOAL! Middlesbrough 1-1 Coventry (Archer 45+3)
A scramble following a corner and on the stroke of half-time, Boro are level. So Millwall now go above Coventry, and if they concede again, Sunderland can go by them with a win.
Updated
GOAL! Fulham 3-0 Leicester (Cairney 45)
Leicester get themselves in a pickle trying to build from the back, but they get caught, Cairney sends Soyuncu into the Thames, and smacks a rare right-footed finish into the corner.
Updated
Millwall are all over Blackburn now. Credit where it’s due, they’ve properly turned up today.
“Since there is an excellent chance my Everton will be competing in the Championship next year,” says Mary Waltz, the eponymous hero of Mary Waltz’s Everton, “I switched off the Fulham match and I am watching Millwall take on relegated Rovers. The ulcer quotients are off the chart and this is dream MBM territory because the playoff status changes every 4 minutes. Big fun!”
A missed one-on-one apiece at Deepdale, where it’s still goalless. Even if they win, though, Sunderland need Coventry or Millwall to falter and both currently lead.
Back to the London clubs thing, I remember Arsene Wenger saying one reason Arsenal got nowhere near the title, I think in 00-01, was the number of derbies. I remember thinking Man United v Liverpool and Man United v Leeds could hold its own with Arsenal v Charlton and Arsenal v Wimbledon.
GOAL! Millwall 3-1 Blackburn (Burke 39)
Pickering has had better two-minute periods. Here, he backs off as Burke advances and is left stood there as a shot is drilled across Pears and into the far corner. Surely Millwall are cemented in the playoffs now?! What a half this has been!
Updated
GOAL! Millwall 2-1 Blackburn (Watmore 37)
One in 15, now two in 37 for Watmore! Millwall counter, a long switch into the middle sees Pickering head it away from Pears, his keeper, who comes, and Watmore takes advantage of the confusion to tap home.
Updated
“If Millwall get promoted and West Ham stay up there will be eight London clubs in the Premier League. Would this be a top flight record?" wonders Richard Hirst.
It’d be a record for the Prem but not for Division One – in 89-90 we had eight: Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea, Palace, Millwall, QPR, Wimbledon and Charlton … and if we’re going by airports, we can add Luton to that.
GOAL! Burnley 2-0 Cardiff (Barnes 31)
A defenders tries to chest down a cross; bad idea. Barnes is lurking and drives a pearler into the top corner.
Nice from Willian who plays a one-two with Cairney, cuts back, and Reed drills into the keeper’s feet. I’m surprised by how well the former done, I must say.
Updated
GOAL! QPR 0-1 Bristol City (Sykes 28)
A lash across the box and a far-post tap-in.
GOAL! Burnley 1-0 Cardiff (Brownhill 27)
What looks like a ridiculous shove on the by-line allows whoever perpetrated it to square and Brownhill scores fro close range.
“Thanks for the soubriquet,” says Richard Hirst. “I hope it will be followed by ‘Mary Waltz’s Everton,’ and so on.”
Sunderland might’ve had a penalty a few minutes ago, one of their players, I’m not sure whom, nicking the ball away from a defender and wearing the inevitable clattering. It looked like he played for it but it doesn’t matte rif there’s a proper ploughing-through, and Michael Dawson was certain; it looked clear to me too, but i’d like another look.
GOAL! Swansea 1-1 West Brom (Cundle 26)
West Brom were in the top six for just four minutes, a calm finish slotted into the corner shoving Millwall from whence they came.
GOAL! Middlesbrough 0-1 Coventry (Hamer 22)
Hamer is held up outside the box but the ball breaks for him and he leathers a terrific low drive into the corner. Cov need a draw to cement their playoff spot.
Updated
GOAL! Millwall 1-1 Blackburn (Wharton 22)
NOW THEN! Taking possession outside the box, Wharton opens body to curl a gorgeous, low left-footer into the far corner. West Brom are now sixth with Millwall out of the playoffs in seventh!
Updated
“I concur totally regarding the Fulham camera angle,” emails Stephen Carr. It’s a rival for White Hart Lane’s mid 80s vertigo-inducing vantage point.”
Yup., agreed – luckily it was lower by the time you nailed this. West Ham was also not good, if I remember correctly.
We’ve not seen much action from Preston v Sunderland, but apparently the home side have started the better.
GOAL! Fulham 2-0 Leicester (Vinicius 18)
Leicester are in all sorts, they really are. Soumare loses it in midfield and Wilson carries forward, sliding a nice ball in behind for Vinicius, who slots confidently into the corner.
Updated
Fulham are all over Leicester here, Reed missing with a shot and someone, I’m not sure who, missing a free header.
So West Brom are in front, but still need two of the following: Sunderland to lose, Millwall to lose, and Coventry to lose with a goal-difference swing of five.
GOAL! Norwich 0-1 Blackpool (Rogers 15)
Bowler slips Rogers through and the Man City loanee lifts a lovely finish over the keeper. That was, apparently, Blackpool’s first attack.
GOAL! Swansea 0-1 West Brom (Yokuslu 13)
A good run from someone, I’m not sure who, into the box, a square pass, and a calm finish swept into the corner.
Updated
GOAL! Fulham 1-0 Leicester (Willian 11)
One of those free-kicks, you’ve seen the sort, curled into the mixer from out wide, the keeper thinks he can’t react until he’s seen whether anyone gets a touch, no one does, and by the time he moves it’s past him. However: he could’ve reacted because no attacker was anywhere near it.
Updated
NO GOAL! Millwall 1-0 Blackburn
Bradshaw went too early and was offside.
GOAL! Millwall 2-0 Blackburn (Bradshaw 11)
A brilliant free-kick curled onto the post and Bradshaw sticks away the rebound!
Updated
“Regarding Millwall,” says Bogdan Kotarlic, “I know that they think nobody likes them (according to one of their chants) but I, although not being a fan of their club, have a soft spot for that team, I actually quite like them. I don’t know why, maybe because of their beautiful kit (my favourite colour is dark blue), and I hope they play in the Premier League next season.”
I’d like them up too as I fancy Millwall away, but EXCUSE ME WHILE I INTERRUPT MYSELF!
GREAT GOAL! Millwall 1-0 Blackburn (Watmore 8)
Another long throw, a flick, a bobble …then Watmore lashes a shot that shrieks home, in off the bar for extra joy! Millwall have earned that, and look good for the playoffs now!
Updated
On which point, the cameras at the Cottage are far too high.
At Craven Cottage, Richard Hirst’s Fulham have started the better against Leicester, who look to be working their way into things.
Zack Steffen has made a good save for Boro against Cov and, while we’re here, what a job Michael Carrick has done. I’m not entirely surprised – he played like someone who knew the game and observed some decent managers, but I wasn’t certain he’d have the communication skills.
Gosh, everyone in the Blackburn defence misses a long throw and Bradshaw, arriving on time, narrowly misses knocking it home. It’s going on!
Millwall have started well against Blackburn, Burke having a shot blocked.
Updated
Away we go!
We’re getting anthems for the coronation.
“Never have the words ‘lost three straight’ concealed so much,” gently chides Richard Hirst. “One-goal defeats to Villa, Man City and Liverpool, with the latter two hanging on at the end (two City players booked for timewasting). I don’t think Marco Silva has received the credit he deserves this season. No one was forecasting that Fulham would have done as well as we have this season – and with seven or eight of the Championship side in the team most weeks, especially since most of those players had experienced two relegations from the Premier League. PS Last match of the season at Old Trafford; revenge for the FA Cup defeat and keep Man Utd out of the Champions League – sweet dreams are made of this!”
Ha! As we slunk out of the London Abomination Stadium last evening, I said to one of my mates that at this point I’d take a win on the last day to secure top-four – but real talk, I can barely be bothered to care about that given the prospect of losing a derby Cup final in humiliating circumstances, as part of a treble. Otherwise, though, I agree: Silva has done an incredible job. I’d assumed Fulham – and Bournemouth for that matter – would go straight back down again.
I guess I’m going to watch, or at least start watching Millwall v Blackburn. I can’t lie, I’m keen to watch Preston v Sunderland to see how Amad Diallo does – he’s a lovely footballer, so I hope he’s got the physicality to play in the Premier League.
Tangentially, what a job Mark Robins has done at Coventry, who were bottom in October. He’s remembered for the goal at Forest when it looked like Fergie might get sacked if they lost, but don’t forget he also scored the semi-final winner that took them to Wembley that season.
Updated
Someone told me this morning that Alex Ferguson retired 10 years ago today, so while we wait for our next dose of football, here are my thoughts from that day.
Northampton’s winner was a bit of alright. Sam Hoskins, take a boo!
What a goal from Sam Hoskins!!! 🚀 pic.twitter.com/ELUDVX82jQ
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 8, 2023
League Two: final standings
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leyton Orient | 46 | 27 | 91 |
| 2 | Stevenage | 46 | 22 | 85 |
| 3 | Northampton | 46 | 20 | 83 |
| 4 | Stockport County | 46 | 28 | 79 |
| 5 | Carlisle | 46 | 23 | 76 |
| 6 | Bradford | 46 | 18 | 76 |
| 7 | Salford City | 46 | 18 | 75 |
| 8 | Mansfield | 46 | 17 | 75 |
| 9 | Barrow | 46 | -6 | 62 |
| 10 | Swindon | 46 | 6 | 61 |
| 11 | Grimsby | 46 | -7 | 61 |
| 12 | Tranmere | 46 | -3 | 58 |
| 13 | Crewe | 46 | -12 | 58 |
| 14 | Sutton Utd | 46 | -12 | 58 |
| 15 | Newport County | 46 | -3 | 57 |
| 16 | Walsall | 46 | -3 | 55 |
| 17 | Gillingham | 46 | -13 | 55 |
| 18 | Doncaster | 46 | -19 | 55 |
| 19 | Harrogate Town | 46 | -9 | 52 |
| 20 | Colchester | 46 | -7 | 49 |
| 21 | AFC Wimbledon | 46 | -12 | 48 |
| 22 | Crawley Town | 46 | -23 | 46 |
| 23 | Hartlepool | 46 | -26 | 43 |
| 24 | Rochdale | 46 | -24 | 38 |
League Two results: final day
Barrow 0-1 Stevenage
Bradford City 1-1 Leyton Orient
Colchester 0-2 Mansfield Town
Grimsby Town 1-0 AFC Wimbledon
Harrogate Town 1-1 Rochdale
Newport County 2-2 Crewe Alexandra
Salford City 0-1 Gillingham
Stockport County 1-1 Hartlepool
Sutton United 1-1 Carlisle
Swindon Town 2-1 Crawley Town
Tranmere Rovers 0-1 Northampton Town
Walsall 2-1 Doncaster Rovers
Northampton Town being roared on by 2,000 very vocal fans behind the goal at Prenton Park. pic.twitter.com/UpAHkL1dRZ
— Matthew Crist (@Matthewjcrist) May 8, 2023
Email! “The team I’ve always supported,” says Jonny Mills in Brescia, “didn’t used to begin and end with the same letter, but since I’ve been living in Italy it does...
L’Arsenal. Boom boom.”
L’thearsenal, you mean.
Full time: Colchester 0-2 Mansfield Town
Mansfield, who knocked Northampton out of those playoffs before losing in the final, miss out again – and by the barest of margins, one measly goal. Salford, who lost today, scrape in.
Full time: Tranmere Rovers 0-1 Northampton Town
Northampton are up! They lost in the playoffs last term but they’re there now, and their fans invade the pitch, players hoisted onto shoulders. Beautiful.
GOAL! Colchester 0-2 Mansfield Town (Gale 90+7)
We’re into the eighth minute of injury-time; can Mansfield find the goal they need to eject Salford from the playoffs?!
A few fans from the away end invade the pitch and are summarily ordered back into it by Jon Brady, the Northampton manager.
Northampton Town are promoted to League One!
Stockport and Hartlepool have drawn 1-1, so they can’t be caught even if they lose.
Full time: Salford City 0-1 Gillingham
Mansfield need to score twice in whatever’s left of added time to rob the Ammies of a playoff place.
Drama! Stockport have just had a penalty saved, and there are cheers and singing from the Prenton Park away end. The Cobblers are almost there…
Premier League team news:
Fulham: Leno; Tete, Adarabioyo, Diop, Robinson; Reed, Palhinha; Wilson, Cairney, Willian; Vinicius. Subs: Rodak, Duffy, Kebano, Solomon, Cedric, Decordova-Reid, Lukic, Harris, Dibley-Dias.
Leicester City: Iversen; Castagne, Faes, Soyuncu, Kristiansen; Tielemans, Soumare, Praet; Maddison, Vardy, Barnes. Subs: Ward, Evans, Souttar, Daka, Pereira, Dewsbury-Hall, Ndidi, Thomas, Tete.
So Fulham bring in Tete and Reed for Soares and Lukic; Leicester replace Thomas and Ndidi with Kristiansen and Praet, while Evnas is back on the bench after injury.
Colchester v Mansfield is into injury-time and it’s still 0-1; the Stags are running out of time, because Salford v Gillingham is nearly finished too.
GOAL! Salford City 0-1 Gillingham (Alexander pen 84)
Now then. Goal-difference swing of two now required, though Mansfield need to hit the net at least once to avoid losing out on goals scored.
Tranmere are doing their best for Stockport, but Northampton, resplendent in pink, and hanging on and Bowie, their centre-forward, has just leathered a vicious shot over the bar.
Otherwise, Stockport, Carlisle, Salford and Bradford started the day in the playoff places with only Mansfield able to challenge; they need a win at Colchester and for Bradford or Salford to lose, along with a goal-difference swing of three or four respectively. Currently, Mansfield are a goal up while Bradford are, as discussed, level with Orient while Salford v Gillingham is goalless.
However, even if Northampton concede and draw, they’ll have to settle for the playoffs only if Stockport beat Hartlepool, and it’s currently 1-1 with roughly 15 minutes to go.
Northampton Town – one of few clubs whose name begins and ends with the same letter, feel free to send in the others – lead Tranmere 1-0. If they hang on, they’ll be promoted along with Orient, level at 1-1 with Bradford, and Stevenage, 1-0 up at Barrow.
But even before we get involved with all of that, we’ve 20 minutes and change left of the League Two season, so:
Preamble
Once upon a time, bank holiday football was a tradition, the time of year when key developments took place at both ends of our various tables; it’s funny, the nonsense for which we can become nostalgic. Well, because of this year’s addition to our day-off calendar, we’ve all sorts going on with plenty up for grabs, so let’s wade in.
In the Premier League, relegation will now befall three from five. Southampton, five points adrift, look done for, but above them Everton have 29 points and Forest, Leeds and Leicester 30, so which two go down is impossible to say. Leicester, though, are the “form” team with a win and two draws from their last three games, plus they also have better players than their rivals, so will fancy themselves to do enough – especially given Fulham, to whom they travel this afternoon, are nicely ensconced in 10th and have lost three straight.
But that is not our sole focus. Championship promotion – Burnley and Sheffield United – and relegation – Reading, Blackpool, Wigan – is settled, likewise two playoff spots – Luton and Boro – but the final two berths remain in play. Coventry and Millwall currently sit fifth and sixth respectively, the former needing a point at fourth-placed Boro and the latter a win at home to ninth-placed Blackburn; should either fail, Sunderland will move above whichever it is with a win at Preston, while West Brom and the aforementioned Blackburn are also in the mix – which is where it gets complicated, so:
Blackburn must beat Millwall and if they do, they will make the playoffs provided Sunderland and West Brom do not win at Swansea. West Brom, meanwhile must first win at Swansea, then hope for at least two of the following three things: Coventry lose and there’s a goal-difference swing of five; Millwall lose or draw; Sunderland lose or draw. Capiche? Excellent. This is going to be fun.
Kick-offs/kicks-off: 3pm BST
Updated
