In the week that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund finally pulled the plug on LIV golf Yasir Al-Rumayyan, Newcastle’s chair headed a 25 PIF delegation conducting an annual club review at Matfen Hall Hotel in Northumberland.
Al-Rumayyan and co rounded their trip off with a visit to St James’ Park to watch Eddie Howe’s team take on Brighton this afternoon. But the chair - who arrived complete with an expensive set of clubs - is understood to have enjoyed a round of golf at the excellent course adjacent to Matfen Hall yesterday/Friday.
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Half-time whistles are blowing. In Leagues One and Two, lots of permutations are being tapped into calculators.
Another twist in League One. Luton’s playoff hopes take a knock as they fall 2-1 behind at third-placed Bolton. They’re now eighth in the live table.
In League One, Plymouth have now made it 2-2 at Northampton after being 2-0 down. One more goal and from looking down and out they’d move up into the playoff spots. That’s presuming everything else stays the same and, of course, it won’t!
Brentford 1-0 West Ham
The Hammers are doing everything to equalise. Mavropanos had a ‘goal’ ruled out while Castellanos has hit both posts. That said, Brentford have just had a huge chance to double their lead via Lewis-Potter but somehow it stays out.
Are Bromley going to snatch title glory in League Two? That’s how it stands right now as Ben Thompson puts them ahead against Walsall. They’re currently two… hang on, make that one point ahead of MK Dons, who have just equalised at Fleetwood.
Leyton Orient have conceded an equaliser to Burton in League One. They still look safe for now though with Exeter losing at home to Bradford.
Twists at the top in League Two. Leaders MK Dons trail Fleetwood so are in danger of being pipped to the title by Bromley. Third-placed Cambridge have missed a penalty at Crewe.
Key goal in League One. Exeter are heading to League Two after they fall 1-0 behind to playoff hopefuls Bradford. Plymouth have pulled one back at Northampton.
Red card! Sunderland's Dan Ballard sent off at Wolves
It’s another hair pulling incident, folks. Ballard yanks Arokodare’s barnet and that’s not allowed is it. Paul Tierney jogs over to the pitchside monitor and soon after shows Ballard the red card. Sunderland still lead 1-0 but they’re down to 10 men.
Goal! Newcastle 2-0 Brighton (Burn, 24)
Brighton had made the better start but suddenly they’re 2-0 down to Newcastle as Big Dan Burn heads home at the near-post to double the Magpies’ lead.
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Key event
Brentford 1-0 West Ham
Mavropanos looks to have equalised but his effort is chalked off for offside. A shame. Always fun to see a player score at both ends.
Plymouth have a mountain to climb if they’re to nick a playoff spot as they’re already 2-0 down at Northampton. All happening at Bolton. Luton score a controversial penalty to go into the playoffs and then drop out of them again as Bolton equalise.
Goal! Wolves 0-1 Sunderland (Mukiele, 17)
And we have goals in all three Premier League kick-offs as Mukiele heads home Xhaka’s corner to put Sunderland in front.
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Goal! Brentford 1-0 West Ham (Mavropanos og, 15)
Big goal in the London derby as a scramble in the West Ham box results in what is deemed to be a Mavropanos own goal. Brentford are in front; Spurs fans celebrating.
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Goal! Newcastle 1-0 Brighton (Osula, 12)
Twists and turns at St James’ Park. Brighton go close again as Baleba has a pop from 30 yards but sees his shot smash off the bar. But at the other end, Brighton ‘keeper Verbruggen comes out of his goal to intercept, slips over and that allows Murphy to cross for Osula to head into the unguarded net.
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Newcastle 0-0 Brighton
The visitors have come flying out of the blocks. Jack Hinshelwood is put clean through on goal but Nick Pope denies him. But, as I write this, Newcastle have strong penalty claims but nothing doing.
In League One, it’s a great start for Leyton Orient. Needing to win to guarantee staying up, they’re in front inside five minutes.
In the Women’s Champions League, Arsenal need a huge second half. Taha Hashim is on the live blog.
Peep peep!! The 3pm kick-offs are go!
Thanks John. A sunny day in London as Brentford and West Ham prepare to do battle. At Exeter, Bradford fans in fancy dress are more than happy to have hoods on their Bantams outfits as it’s lashing it down!
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David Tindall is ready to take over for the first half in the Premier League. I’ll be back…
In the EFL, the games to pay attention to are the following, with promotion, playoffs and relegation to be decided.
League One
Barnsley v Stockport
Bolton v Luton
Exeter v Bradford
Leyton Orient v Burton
Northampton v Plymouth
Stevenage v Wigan
League Two
Barrow v Newport
Bromley v Walsall
Crawley v Salford
Crewe v Cambridge
Fleetwood v MK Dons
Harrogate v Barnet
Notts County v Bristol Rovers
Swindon v Chesterfield
Tranmere v Grimsby
Rod Wooden gets in touch: “The Hull keeper went down John, and immediately the whole Hull team rushed to the sideline for a team talk. Strange, that.”
Newcastle v Brighton teams
Newcastle: Pope, Miley, Thiaw, Botman, Burn, Guimaraes, Tonali, Willock, Jacob Murphy, Osula, Joelinton. Subs: Ramsdale, Trippier, Hall, Wissa, Gordon, Barnes, Elanga, Woltemade, Ramsey.
Brighton: Verbruggen, Wieffer, van Hecke, Boscagli, Kadioglu, Gross, Baleba, Minteh, Hinshelwood, Mitoma, Welbeck. Subs: Steele, Igor, Dunk, Rutter, Kostoulas, Ayari, De Cuyper, O’Riley, Veltman.
Wolverhampton v Sunderland teams
Wolverhampton: Bentley, Mosquera, Santiago Bueno, Toti Gomes, Pedro Lima, Joao Gomes, Andre Trindade, Hugo Bueno, Armstrong, Mane, Arokodare. Subs: Doherty, Wolfe, Hwang, Rodrigo Gomes, Bellegarde, Tchatchoua, Angel Gomes, Edozie, Gracey.
Sunderland: Roefs, Mukiele, Ballard, Alderete, Mandava, Xhaka, Sadiki, Hume, Talbi, Le Fee, Brobbey. Subs: Ellborg, Cirkin, Geertruida, Rigg, Mayenda, O’Nien, Isidor, Diarra, Bi.
To the Premier League
Brentford v West Ham teams
Brentford: Kelleher, Kayode, van den Berg, Collins, Lewis-Potter, Yarmolyuk, Jensen, Ouattara, Damsgaard, Schade, Thiago. Subs: Valdimarsson, Hickey, Pinnock, Dasilva, Nelson, Ajer, Janelt, Donovan, Furo.
West Ham: Hermansen, Walker-Peters, Mavropanos, Disasi, Diouf, Bowen, Soucek, Fernandes, Summerville, Pablo Felipe, Castellanos. Subs: Areola, Wilson, Traore, Lamadrid, Todibo, Magassa, Wan-Bissaka, Scarles, Kante.
Here’s our Championship final day reports.
Championship 2025-26 final table
Coventry and Ipswich promoted; Millwall to play Hull, Southampton to play Middlesbrough in the playoffs; Oxford, Leicester and Sheffield Wednesday relegated; the Owls celebrate reaching zero.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coventry | 46 | 52 | 95 |
| 2 | Ipswich | 46 | 33 | 84 |
| 3 | Millwall | 46 | 15 | 83 |
| 4 | Southampton | 46 | 26 | 80 |
| 5 | Middlesbrough | 46 | 25 | 80 |
| 6 | Hull | 46 | 4 | 73 |
| 7 | Wrexham | 46 | 4 | 71 |
| 8 | Derby | 46 | 8 | 69 |
| 9 | Norwich | 46 | 7 | 65 |
| 10 | Birmingham | 46 | 1 | 64 |
| 11 | Swansea | 46 | -2 | 64 |
| 12 | Bristol City | 46 | 0 | 62 |
| 13 | Sheff Utd | 46 | 0 | 60 |
| 14 | Preston North End | 46 | -7 | 60 |
| 15 | QPR | 46 | -12 | 58 |
| 16 | Watford | 46 | -12 | 57 |
| 17 | Stoke | 46 | -5 | 55 |
| 18 | Portsmouth | 46 | -15 | 55 |
| 19 | Charlton | 46 | -14 | 53 |
| 20 | Blackburn | 46 | -14 | 52 |
| 21 | West Brom | 46 | -10 | 51 |
| 22 | Oxford Utd | 46 | -14 | 47 |
| 23 | Leicester | 46 | -10 | 46 |
| 24 | Sheff Wed | 46 | -60 | 0 |
Championship final day final scores
Blackburn Rovers 0-1 Leicester City
Bristol City 2-0 Stoke City
Derby County 1-3 Sheffield United
Hull City 2-1 Norwich City
Ipswich Town 3-0 QPR
Millwall 2-0 Oxford United
Portsmouth 1-1 Birmingham City
Preston North End 1-3 Southampton
Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 West Brom
Swansea City 3-1 Charlton Athletic
Watford 0-4 Coventry City
Wrexham 2-2 Middlesbrough
There’s a pitch invasion at Hull, even though they have another game to play. Wild celebrations at Ipswich, too. Portman Road is, once again, a Premier League ground.
Full-time: Derby 1-2 Sheffield United
Derby fall short. At one point, a playoff position was in their hands. Instead, disappointment.
Hull go into the playoffs
Penalty call for Norwich? They want it, and Maghoma is booked for his complaints. It’s a corner instead. The final moments of the season and Ivor Pandur claims it. That’s the last of the action, and Hull claim sixth place and will play Millwall over two legs in the playoffs.
Ipswich promoted!
Ipswich are back, and in the Premier League after beating QPR 3-0. They made short work of the job in hand. Well done to Kieran McKenna’s men.
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Final score: Wrexham 2-2 Middlesbrough
Kieffer Moore spoons his shot wide, and that’s the last of it. Wrexham fall short. They are relying on Norwich.
So, it comes down to Hull and Wrexham. The latter are in the final minute of time added on. Six minutes are added on at Hull.
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Coventry now lead 4-0 at Watford, Victor Torp getting it. Leo Walta has made it 3-1 to Swansea against Charlton. Leicester’s horror season is over, and they sign off with a 1-0 win at Blackburn, Stephy Mavididi getting their goal. It’s full-time at Ewood Park, and Bristol City sign off with a 2-0 win over Stoke.
Wrexham 2-2 Middlesbrough
A huge scramble as Wrexham chase that goal. It’s remaining elusive.
Goal! Ipswich 3-0 QPR (McAteer, 86)
The job is done as the sub, Kasey McAteer, scores as QPR commit men forward and leae themselves open. Ipswich are back in the big time.
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Wrexham 2-2 Middlesbrough
Close! Windass smashes over after a counterattack, Nathan Broadhead had laid that on a plate.
Swansea now lead again against Charlton, Adam Idah getting his second. At Hillsborough, Karlan Grant has got one back for West Brom. A Baggies equaliser would stop the Owls getting to zero points. Bristol City, in Roy Hodgson’s last game in charge – we think – now lead 2-0, Sam Bell getting it.
Wrexham 2-2 Middlesbrough
All guns blazing for Wrexham, as they seek the goal that takes them into the playoffs. Imagine the streaming content this would bring about.
Hull 2-1 Norwich
This game kicked off later in the second half than the others, and now the Hull keeper, Ivan Pandur, is down.
We’re into the last ten minutes of the Championship regular season.
By the way, Charlton have equalised, through Miles Leaburn, son of Addicks great Carl Leaburn.
Ipswich 2-0 QPR
Jack Clarke, who nearly got the job done at St Mary’s, is on and causing trouble for Rangers. This has been comfortable, and it might have been more when O’Shea heads back across goal, and McAteer can’t get there.
Swansea lead Charlton 1-0, Adam Idah getting the goal.
Millwall 2-0 Oxford
Femi Azeez, who has scored twice, is subbed off, to be kept for the playoffs. As it stands, Millwall will play Hull, and Southampton will face Middlesbrough.
Wrexham 2-2 Middlesbrough
News reaches Wrexham fans, looking pensive as they realise their own dream is dying.
Goal! Hull 2-1 Norwich (McBurnie, 67)
Another shift! Hull are in sixth, and Wrexham will go mad, and they’ve every right to go mad; that looked offside.
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Goal! Derby 1-2 Sheffield United (Peck, 69)
The Derby dream is slipping away. Is it just Hull and Wrexham with a chance now? Sydie Peck’s goal has them sunk.
That’s been the fifth time the final playoff position has changed. The second-placed spot has been in full Ipswich command all afternoon. They cannot let this slip, can they?
Wrexham 2-2 Middlesbrough
News has reached the Racecourse, and the atmosphere is buoyant. Tom Cannon’s name is being heard in the stands, via transistor radio and 5g.
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Goal! Derby 1-1 Sheffield United (Cannon, 62)
Tom Cannon’s equaliser puts Wrexham in the final playoff position.
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Goal! Preston 1-2 Southampton (Dobbin, 60)
A breakaway goal, and Dobbin scores. Saints hoping for the best playoff draw possible.
Ellis Simms has made it a hat-trick for Coventry at Watford. The champions of the Championship are cruising.
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Ipswich 2-0 QPR
Jaden Philogene almost finished it off, only to be denied by Joe Walsh. Life’s been good to Ipswich so far, though.
Hull 1-1 Norwich
A fine save from Kovacevic in the Norwich goal, after a McBurnie header.
Millwall 2-0 Oxford
Millwall are all over Oxford at the moment. All they can do is keep up the pressure and await good tidings from Suffolk.
Southampton now lead 2-0 at Preston, with Ross Stewart on the scoresheet.
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Goal! Millwall 2-0 Oxford (Azeez, 48)
That man again, and Millwall are keeping up the pressure on Ipswich.
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Ipswich appear to be taking their time coming back on. That could delay the conclusion being reached.
Back underway for the second halves
What fun awaits us in the next 45 minutes?
As it stands: automatic promotion
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coventry | 46 | 50 | 95 |
| 2 | Ipswich | 46 | 32 | 84 |
| 3 | Millwall | 46 | 14 | 83 |
| 4 | Southampton | 46 | 25 | 80 |
| 5 | Middlesbrough | 46 | 25 | 80 |
As it stands: playoffs
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Middlesbrough | 46 | 25 | 80 |
| 6 | Derby | 46 | 10 | 72 |
| 7 | Wrexham | 46 | 4 | 71 |
| 8 | Hull | 46 | 3 | 71 |
Championship half-time scores
Blackburn Rovers 0-0 Leicester City
Bristol City 1-0 Stoke City
Derby County 1-0 Sheffield United
Hull City 1-1 Norwich City
Ipswich Town 2-0 QPR
Millwall 1-0 Oxford United
Portsmouth 1-1 Birmingham City
Preston North End 0-1 Southampton
Sheffield Wednesday 2-0 West Brom
Swansea City 0-0 Charlton Athletic
Watford 0-2 Coventry City
Wrexham 2-2 Middlesbrough
Ipswich 2-0 QPR
Rangers have come back into this one, having rained the last six shots. Have Ipswich blown themselves out? We’re into time added on of the first halves.
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Coventry score a second, as does Ellis Simms, at Watford, their 95th goal of the season.
Goal! Wrexham 2-2 Middlesbrough (Strelec, 43)
Tommy Conway lays it up for a neat sidefoot, and Derby are back in sixth. Big cheers at Hull for that one.
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Sheffield Wednesday are 2-0 up on West Brom, Liam Palmer scores and they will climb to zero points and win a first home game of the season it stays this way.
Goal! Wrexham 2-1 Middlesbrough (Smith, 41)
A brilliant header from Sam Smith and Wrexham are up into the play-offs.
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Jamie Cowper gets in touch: “The Oxford away end at Millwall is a sell out, we’ve been put in the upper stand, plenty of us here cheering the team on as they’ve put up a fight to try and keep us in the division, “We’re going to Bromley, you’re going to Spurs.”
Safe home, Jamie.
Sheffield Wednesday, for whom there was already good news of a takeover, have taken the lead against West Brom; Nathaniel Chalobah scored in the 36th minute at a packed Hillsborough.
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Goal! Millwall 1-0 Oxford (Azeez, 35)
The Lions roaring at last, with Azeez dropping the shoulder and smashing in a fine goal.
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Ipswich 2-0 QPR
George Hirst, who didn’t start at Southampton, has been full of zest and almost lays up Darrell Furlong.
Goal! Hull 1-1 Norwich (McBurnie, 28 pen)
Norwich give away a cheap penalty, and the striker converts. Both Wrexham and Hull are just a point behind Derby now.
Goal! Hull 0-1 Norwich (Toure, 26)
Norwich lead but….
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Goal! Wrexham 1-1 Middlesbrough (Windass, 28)
A free-kick, a beauty, a family trademark, from Josh Windass. Wrexham are fighting back.
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Ipswich 2-0 QPR
QPR have been toyed with at Portman Road. Ashley Young, who retires after this game, is watching from the sidelines.
Preston 0-1 Southampton
Daniel Peretz, outstanding in Tuesday’s draw with Ipswich, has just made a fine save from Preston’s Alfie Devine.
For champions Frank Lampard’s Coventry, Ellis Simms has scored at Watford, 1-0 at Vicarage Road.
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Birmingham have equalised at Portsmouth through August Priske. It’s 1-1.
Wrexham 0-1 Middlesbrough
Wrexham need to win this game but also to stay calm. Derby have the place they have been aiming for. There’s a bit of frustration at the Racecourse Ground.
Millwall 0-0 Oxford
A series of corners being forced by the home team at an away end that’s very empty.
AS IT STANDS: Ipswich promoted, Derby in the playoffs, Hull and Wrexham have to find a way back.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coventry | 46 | 48 | 93 |
| 2 | Ipswich | 46 | 32 | 84 |
| 3 | Middlesbrough | 46 | 26 | 82 |
| 4 | Millwall | 46 | 13 | 81 |
| 5 | Southampton | 46 | 25 | 80 |
| 6 | Derby | 46 | 10 | 72 |
| 7 | Hull | 46 | 3 | 71 |
| 8 | Wrexham | 46 | 3 | 70 |
| 9 | Norwich | 46 | 8 | 66 |
| 10 | Birmingham | 46 | 0 | 63 |
| 11 | Bristol City | 46 | -1 | 62 |
| 12 | Swansea | 46 | -4 | 62 |
| 13 | Preston North End | 46 | -6 | 60 |
| 14 | Watford | 46 | -8 | 58 |
| 15 | QPR | 46 | -11 | 58 |
| 16 | Sheff Utd | 46 | -2 | 57 |
| 17 | Portsmouth | 46 | -14 | 57 |
| 18 | Stoke | 46 | -4 | 55 |
| 19 | Charlton | 46 | -12 | 54 |
| 20 | Blackburn | 46 | -13 | 53 |
| 21 | West Brom | 46 | -9 | 52 |
| 22 | Oxford Utd | 46 | -12 | 48 |
| 23 | Leicester | 46 | -11 | 44 |
| 24 | Sheff Wed | 46 | -61 | -2 |
Ipswich 2-0 QPR
Party atmosphere at Portman Road, where they’re singing about going to Arsenal, and QPR facing Spurs.
Goal! Preston 0-1 Southampton (Harwood-Bellis, 12)
That’s the 80th goal of the season for Saints, scored by their captain. They will be a team to fear in the playoffs.
Portsmouth are 1-0 up on Birmingham, Adrian Segecic opening the scoring.
Goal! Ipswich 2-0 QPR (Philogene, 9)
As stated previously, Philogene is flying, and is played in by George Hirst to score. This has been awesome from Ipswich.
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Sheffield Wednesday takeover completed
Sheffield Wednesday have been bought by American consortium Arise Capital Partners, the club have announced.
A Sheffield Wednesday statement and headed ‘Sheffield Wednesday Reborn’, read in part: “The Joint Administrators of Sheffield Wednesday Football Club Limited are pleased to confirm the successful completion of the sale of the Club to Arise Capital Partners LLC, a consortium led by David Storch, alongside Michael Storch and Tom Costin.
“The transaction has been completed following constructive engagement with key stakeholders, including the English Football League (EFL), and in accordance with all relevant regulatory requirements.
“As part of this process, the EFL Board exercised its discretion, as provided by the Insolvency Policy, and concluded that it would not be appropriate to impose a 15-point deduction on the Club following its exit from Administration. As such, the Club will begin the upcoming season on 0 points. A position has also been agreed on wage and transfer parameters that is both acceptable and supportive of the Club’s forward progress.
“The sale secures the long-term future of the Club and marks the beginning of a new era for Sheffield Wednesday - one built on stability, responsibility, and renewed belief.
“Throughout this turbulent period in the Club’s history, staff and players have shown unwavering professionalism and pride. Supporters - through uncertainty and frustration - have shown they are amongst the most loyal in the land.”
Ipswich 1-0 QPR
Ipswich have been rampant, Philogene is flying, they want to get the job done, four shot have rained down on the QPR goal.
Goal! Derby 1-0 Sheffield United (Szmodics, 5)
That goal means Derby climb into the top six.
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Goal! Wrexham 0-1 Middlesbrough (Conway, 4)
That’s a huge goal, Boro keeping up the pressure and knocking Wrexham out of the playoffs.
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Goal! Ipswich 1-0 QPR (Hirst, 3)
Ipswich in dreamland, Leif Davis sets up George Hirst to tap in.
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Goal! Bristol City 1-0 Stoke (Burgzorg, 1 )
Roy Hodgson’s team get the goals started, after a horror error by the Stoke goalie.
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Away we go on the final day of the Championship
In two hours or so, destiny will be decided, and the pitches are likely to be invaded, too.
Across the Championship, teams are making their way to the field. At Ipswich, it’s a sea of blue, and the pyro is out. Kick-off is but moments away.
Bill Preston gets in touch: “I think Wednesday beating West Brom and finishing on zero points, the same as they began the season with*, would be fitting. It would reflect a new start to the club, a fresh page, a story yet to be written.
“Although, one can’t help but feel I’ll be writing the same email again this time next year albeit into the League One finale if they get the expected fourteen points deduction post takeover and slide again.”
Derby v Sheff Utd teams
Derby: Zetterstrom, Ward, Langas, Clarke, Forsyth, Ozoh, Travis, Brereton Diaz, Szmodics, Banel, Morris. Subs: Vickers, Batth, Salvesen, Johnston, Sanderson, Fraulo, Eames, Clark, Allen.
Sheff Utd: Adam Davies, Seriki, Tanganga, McGuinness, Burrows, Hamer, Peck, Arblaster, O’Hare, Bamford, Cannon. Subs: Ings, Hoever, Soumare, Chong, Sasnauskas, Riedewald, Rothwell, Betts, McGlinchey.
Speaking of Wrexham:
Wrexham AFC, the football club part-owned by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac, used taxpayer funds to re-lay its pitch, even though initial grant documents assessing the state investment did not make reference to it.
The club has been awarded £18m in grants, with the first £3.8m tranche in February 2022. However, legally required state aid documents relating to that initial grant made no reference to the pitch works.
Wrexham v Middlesbrough teams
Wrexham: Ward, Hyam, Scarr, Doyle, Kabore, Dobson, Matty James, Rathbone, Thomason, Windass, Smith. Subs: Okonkwo, Cleworth, Keillor-Dunn, Cacace, Sheaf, Moore, O’Brien, Broadhead, Longman.
Middlesbrough: Brynn, Ayling, Fry, Malanda, Targett, Browne, Morris, Brittain, Whittaker, Strelec, Conway. Subs: Wildsmith, McGree, Gilbert, Kaly Sene, Silvera, Castledine, Edmundson, Hansen, Sarmiento.
Updated
Should Sheffield Wednesday beat West Brom today, they will climb to a total of zero points, nil point, if you will
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | Blackburn | 45 | -13 | 52 |
| 21 | West Brom | 45 | -9 | 51 |
| 22 | Oxford Utd | 45 | -12 | 47 |
| 23 | Leicester | 45 | -11 | 43 |
| 24 | Sheff Wed | 45 | -61 | -3 |
Updated
Millwall v Oxford teams
Millwall: Patterson, Leonard, Crama, Cooper, Sturge, De Norre, Bannan, Azeez, Neghli, Ballo, Ivanovic. Subs: Crocombe, McNamara, Mitchell, Doughty, Langstaff, Watson, Cundle, Smallbone, Mazou-Sacko.
Oxford: Cumming, ter Avest, Helik, Brown, Spencer, Vaulks, Konak, Mills, Donley, Emakhu, Lankshear. Subs: Ingram, Long, Brannagan, Harris, Currie, Jeon, Makosso, McDonnell, Peart-Harris.
Hull v Norwich teams
Hull: Pandur, Coyle, Hughes, Egan, Giles, Slater, Crooks, Belloumi, Gelhardt, Millar, McBurnie. Subs: Phillips, Lundstram, Ajayi, Hirakawa, Joseph, Gyabi, Dowell, Koumas, McNair.
Norwich: Kovacevic, Stacey, McConville, Cordoba, Fisher, Mattsson, Wright, Forson, Ben Slimane, Ahmed, Toure. Subs: Grimshaw, Darling, Gibbs, Maghoma, Field, Schlupp, Kvistgaarden, Springett, Mundle-Smith.
Ipswich v QPR teams
Ipswich: Walton, Davis, O’Shea, Greaves, Furlong, Matusiwa, Taylor, Burns, Nunez, Philogene-Bidace, Hirst. Subs: Palmer, Kipre, Neil, Johnson, McAteer, Akpom, Azon, Mehmeti, Clarke.
QPR: Walsh, Mbengue, Edwards, Clarke-Salter, Norrington-Davies, Bennie, Varane, Morgan, Madsen, Vale, Chair. Subs: Salamon, Adamson, Smyth, Saito, Hayden, Esquerdinha, Smith, Alemayehu, Scarlett.
Preston v Southampton teams
Preston: Iversen, Storey, Lindsay, Hughes, Potts, Devine, Whiteman, Moran, Vukcevic, Dobbin, Jebbison. Subs: Cornell, Valentin, McCann, Brady, Thompson, Smith, Small, Osmajic, Offiah.
Southampton: Peretz, Charles, Harwood-Bellis, Wood-Gordon, Welington, Bragg, Jander, Fellows, Archer, Scienza, Stewart. Subs: Long, Quarshie, Bree, Manning, Romeu, Edozie, Azaz, Larin, Oyekunle.
Preamble
It’s a big day in the north, and south. The east, too. It all comes down to this. It’s been a vintage Championship season, and though the bottom three has been decided – farewell, Sheff Wed, Leicester and Oxford – there’s automatic promotion and playoffs to be decided. Make no mistake: this is massive.
Automatic promotion, the key games:
Preston v Southampton
Wrexham v Middlesbrough
Millwall v Oxford
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coventry | 45 | 48 | 92 |
| 2 | Ipswich | 45 | 30 | 81 |
| 3 | Millwall | 45 | 13 | 80 |
| 4 | Middlesbrough | 45 | 25 | 79 |
| 5 | Southampton | 45 | 24 | 77 |
Playoffs, the key games:
Preston v Southampton
Wrexham v Middlesbrough
Hull v Norwich
Derby v Sheffield United
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Southampton | 45 | 24 | 77 |
| 6 | Wrexham | 45 | 4 | 70 |
| 7 | Hull | 45 | 3 | 70 |
| 8 | Derby | 45 | 9 | 69 |
| 9 | Norwich | 45 | 8 | 65 |
It all kicks off at 12.30pm, UK time.
Following that a huge day in the Premier League, and in League One and League Two, too. Join me.
