At the start of the season I tipped Birmingham to win the Coca-Cola Championship. But last week Wolves were crowned Championship Champions. Now the race for the other automatic promotion place is between Birmingham (80 points), Sheffield United (79 points) and Reading (77 points), with Cardiff City and Burnley only strong enough to hold on to their current play-off spots at best.
Throughout much of the season, Birmingham and Reading have been jostling for the second place automatic promotion place to the Premier League, but a run of good results sees Kevin Blackwell’s Sheff Utd now separating two teams looking to automatically bounce back to the top flight of English football at the first attempt.
Reading beat Norwich 2-0 last night at Carrow Road. A result that has all but sealed The Canaries fate to play League One football next season. And with all clubs playing their final fixtures simultaneously next Sunday 3rd May at 3PM, the fixture list could not be more exciting.
Reading v Birmingham
Sheffield United v Cardiff City
Reading will need to beat Birmingham and hope Sheffield United can only draw against fith place Cardiff City, to finish in second place on goal difference.
Cardiff (74 points) will be fighting for at least a point or they may miss out on a play-off place, altogether. Burnley (73 points) have a home tie with Bristol City, while Preston play at home to QPR.
Preston (71 points) are the only team that can move into the play-off positions but will need to displace either Cardiff or Burnley in the process. Again, this one could be decided on goal difference.
Once again we head towards the final weekend of the Championship without knowing who is being promoted or relegated. The 2008/09 Championship season has been another hugely entertaining season and one that has helped to promote the very best in English football.
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