Image source, Getty Images

So we come to the end of a day of unbridled joy and crushing lows.

Ipswich Town's rise from League One to the Premier League with back-to-back promotions is complete.

They will join Leicester City in the top flight.

Ipswich's joy at Portman Road as they beat Huddersfield also confirmed that the Terriers exit the Championship via the relegation trap door.

A win for Birmingham City against play-off bound Norwich was not enough to save Blues from joining Huddersfield in the third tier.

But that is only the regular season action done for 2023-24, as five games remain.

Leeds have missed out on automatic promotion and now go on to face Norwich in a two-legged play-off semi-final. Fourth-placed Southampton face West Brom in the other one.

After that, Wembley and one last shot at promotion awaits on Sunday, 26 May.

Image source, Getty Images

There are no signs that promotion celebrations at Ipswich and the title party at Leicester are slowing down.

At one point I think Tractor Boys boss Kieran McKenna invited the entire stadium to his place to keep the good times going.

That would be a legendary way to mark Premier League promotion, but I doubt any one house, compound, Suffolk mansion could host that party.

Leicester City themselves have a Sunday session to look forward to with a promotion parade.

Fans have been invited to gather near the Clock Tower from 11:30 BST on Sunday ahead of the parade at 12:00.

The players will lift the Championship trophy on the Haymarket shopping centre balcony at 13:15, the club said.

Blackburn manager John Eustace told BBC Radio Lancashire the effort of his players was fantastic after they beat champions Leicester and secured their Championship survival.

"They eventually got us through, and the support from the fans got us through as well," he said.

“We’ve been doubted on a number of occasions but have also bounced back. Five defeats in 18 games is a fantastic return, from when we came in.

“It’s important that people realise we had to change the character, the culture, and the environment, and we’ve had a lot of players playing through injury.

“[Szmodics] has been amazing. Every team needs a goalscorer and we’ve got one. I’ve talked about his work rate and endeavour and when you work as hard as he does for the team, you get your results.”

Image source, Getty Images

Despite beating play-off contenders Norwich, the other positive results for the relegation-threatened teams means Birmingham City are making a return to the third tier - somewhere they haven't been since 1995.

Interim manager Gary Rowett told BBC Radio WM he was still taking positives from the final game of the season.

“The atmosphere was absolutely incredible, as good as I’ve ever heard anywhere before a game," he said.

“I’m pleased with the performance and pleased with the result. But, when it’s not in your own hands that’s what you leave yourselves open to.

“The fans have played a huge part in trying to get us over the line and we should have been well ahead before we did score.

“And then you’re waiting for the results. At one point the crowd got wind of something and we thought we might back in business but it wasn’t to be.

“ When the dust settles, I think there’s exciting times ahead, if we can get it right on the pitch.”

Ipswich defender Cameron Burgess told BBC Radio Suffolk: "It's a special, special day for us as a team and the supporters as well.

"We went in to try and attack every single game this season and feel like we've done that.

"The last few months it's just been a case of (knowing) we're in a good position and ticking a game off at a time."

Image source, Rex Features

Meanwhile Plymouth Argyle first team coach Kevin Nancekivell is just as relieved as Kieran McKenna after his side sealed their safety with a win against Hull.

"It was stressful, but that was always going to be the case," Nancekivell told BBC Sport.

"I thought the lads were brilliant today, I thought that was one of our best performances for a few months, especially under the type of pressure that they were under.

"To go and produce a performance like that against a team like Hull who are pushing for the play-offs we’re really proud, I thought we were terrific, so I'm delighted.

"We wanted to take the game to them, which I think we certainly did.

"We had to defend at times, which against good teams in the Championship you’re going to have to do.

"I'm just delighted and relieved to get it all over."

Image source, Getty Images

Triumphant Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna told Sky Sports:

"I feel great. A lot of relief, I have to say. it's a wonderful day.

"We have promised ourselves a few days off but there's a lot of work to do. We are way ahead of schedule. There is a lot of work to do at the club in pretty much every department - that's not for thinking about today, today is for enjoying it. Maybe after Monday night we'll sit down and plan.

"I have big associations with Tottenham and Man United in particular and they will be games to look forward to in particular on a personal level, but it's the best league in the world, best clubs, best managers and players - it's going to be great - we'll enjoy every game.

"It's a great challenge. Competing against the best in the world. We know it will be a monumental jump.

"It's been said we've had our late winners this season but over the course of it we've performed at such a high level consistently that I think the players deserve everything they are getting."

Who do you fancy to join Leicester and Ipswich in the Premier League next season?

Leeds, Southampton, West Brom or Norwich.

Four big, big clubs.

Let us know using #bbcefl on X.

Image source, Getty Images

Defeated Leeds boss Daniel Farke told BBC Radio Leeds: "Today we chose a risky approach because there was no option but to win. It was a bit of a wild game. We wanted an early goal to put pressure on Portman Road.

"The problem was more or less the opponent was in the lead for the majority of the game. I would have liked to have equalised or turned it around for the confidence but I was pleased with the performance in the second half.

"This season is over and you have to say congratulations to Leicester and Ipswich. They were the two best teams in terms of consistency and we were the third best."

On facing his former side Norwich in the play-off semi-final.

"Now we go into a new competition. Hopefully we have three finals now.

"It's a bit special. It was quite emotional to return there as an opposition manager but the second game was business as usual.

"I will always be grateful for my time there but my only focus is here because this team and the supporters deserve promotion."

Image source, Rex Features

Norwich City finished their regular season with a defeat at Birmingham City, but the Canaries still made the top six.

Norwich will now head into a two-legged play-off semi-final against Leeds.

Boss David Wagner spoke to BBC Radio Norfolk about what the Canaries face next, having previously taken Huddersfield up to the Premier League.

“I know what we are capable of in the play-offs," he said. "This is my second time in the play-offs in England.

“But this result doesn’t count today. What happened over the 46 games counts for nothing now.

“The most important thing is that everyone is healthy and people got some minutes in.

“We will rest for a couple of days before we get back into our routine and then it will be all about belief, being brave and showing commitment.”

After West Brom secured their play-off place with a comfortable win against Preston, manager Carlos Corberan told BBC Radio WM they kept believing despite a slump in form over the past few weeks.

"It's been tough weeks because we didn't achieve the results that we wanted but in football and in life, you need to be able to manage different situations," he said.

"Things don't happen like how you would like them to happen. The ones that achieve things are the ones that keep believing, keep working hard, keep coming with the situation until they achieve what they want to achieve.

"The result has been the consequence of a positive team performance today."

Image source, Rex Features

After falling three points shy of the play-offs, emotional Hull boss Liam Rosenior told BBC Sport:

"It’s a really disappointing day, I think it says about the league that every single team that was battling against relegation won.

"It’s a tough league and Plymouth gave so much energy into their performance, they ran, they chased they tackled.

"Maybe we played the occasion a bit rather than the game

"There's tears in the dressing room from some of the lads, but I couldn't be prouder.

"From where we've come from last season and what we've built there's a bedrock and a real foundation for us to go on and achieve in the long term for this football club."

There's been some party at Portman Road over the past hour since Ipswich's promotion to the Premier League was confirmed...

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

After seeing his side's relegation confirmed at Ipswich, Huddersfield boss Andre Breitenreiter told BBC Radio Leeds: "We wanted to try and give our best in the game. We played good against the ball in the first half, we showed a compact unit.

"Second half we wanted to be more brave, but you could see they were better in every possession, they were quick and confident.

"I think the mentality and the willingness were ok, and this is what we can expect from our team (in future).

"The owner came over to England so we will have some conversations. I want to reflect on the last few weeks and then we will decide if I am the right person for the project."

Image source, Getty Images

A small stage has been set up on the King Power Stadium pitch and Leicester players have been itching to make the triumphant walk up to get their winner's medals.

They finally get their hands on the Championship trophy, and Premier League-winning Foxes Jamie Vardy and Marc Albrighton are in there as the silverware is lifted.

The pyrotechnics go off and the the players go wild.

Their defeat by Blackburn this afternoon was little more than an inconvenience. All eyes turn to next season now...

The Saints boss added his congratulations to promoted Ipswich.

"Ipswich deserve it, they have been great.

"Everyone said they will fall away but they have not and that's testament to Kieran (McKenna) and the team.

"It shows they job they have done that Leeds have won 90 points and not gone up today. We went 25 games unbeaten at one point and have finished fourth."

Image source, Getty Images

Southampton boss Russell Martin said he was proud of his players after the win over Leeds but that the play-offs are a "totally different competition" as his side prepare to face West Brom in the semi-final.

"I really enjoyed much of the performance. We showed both sides of the game today. We asked for big energy and more aggression and we got that. I'm proud of the players.

"I changed the shape because I thought it suited the game today and it might be something we use going forward in the play-offs. It wasn't negative to start with so many defensive players on the pitch. They were brave.

"It doesn't mean anything that we're unbeaten against all the other teams in the play-offs. It's a totally different competition. We need to be ready. They trained like beasts this week and they'll need to do that in the next two weeks too."

Everyone ok?!

Image source, Reuters

That view from Ged Scott at Birmingham City differs from what is happening at Portman Road.

Supporters came onto the pitch in a flood of bodies.

Players were hoisted onto shoulders. The celebrations haven't slowed down since promotion to the Premier League was confirmed.

Ged Scott
BBC Sport at St Andrew's

Birmingham City have only rarely been outside English football’s top two divisions in their entire history since joining the Football League as Division Two founder members as Small Heath in 1892.

They alternated between the top two divisions until 1989 when they were relegated to Division Three, shortly after new owners – the Kumar Brothers - had taken over.

After being promoted back to the second tier as Division Three champions under Terry Cooper in 1992, they were narrowly relegated again two years later after another new owners David Sullivan and the Gold Brothers had taken over, despite a last-ditch late season revival under Barry Fry.

Fry then took Blues back up, again as champions, a year later, in 1995.

Since then, Blues have been promoted to the Premier League, twice under Steve Bruce (in 2002 and 2007) and again under Alex McLeish in 2009.