Summary

  • Cardiff City promoted to Premier League with draw against Reading

  • Barnsley and Burton relegated, Bolton safe after fighting back to beat Forest

  • Head coach Jose Morais left Barnsley as Tykes dropped in League One

  • Derby County claimed final play-off spot ahead of Preston

  1. Heartbreak for Barnet, joy for Shrimpspublished at 11:03 British Summer Time 6 May 2018

    Saturday's League Two recap

    Jim BentleyImage source, Rex Features

    If you were out enjoying the sunshine yesterday, here's a snapshot of what happened in League Two on the final day...

    • Barnet were relegated despite beating Chesterfield 3-0
    • Morecambe survived after a goalless draw at Coventry
    • Lincoln and Coventry claimed the final two play-off places
    • Mansfield missed out on a top-seven finish
  2. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 10:58 British Summer Time 6 May 2018

    #bbcefl

    So who - like Rochdale - will be celebrating survival, and who do you think is going up?

    Will it be Cardiff and Neil Warnock's day, or will Fulham instead return to the Premier League?

    Where will today's drama occur? Have your say and give us your predictions via #bbcefl on social media.

  3. Rochdale pull off the 'Great Escape'published at 10:55 British Summer Time 6 May 2018

    Saturday's League One recap

    Keith HillImage source, Getty Images

    They were 11 points from safety in February, but Rochdale secured their League One safety on the final day with a dramatic win over Charlton.

    Here's what unfolded on a frenetic Saturday in England's third tier...

    • Oldham and Northampton were both relegated after 2-2 draw at Sixfields
    • Rochdale survived as a goal from Joe Thompson - who earlier this season recovered from cancer for a second time - saw off Charlton
    • Charlton clung onto the final play-off spot after Plymouth lost 5-2 at Gillingham
    • Wigan were crowned champions with a 1-0 win at Doncaster
  4. Relegation permutationspublished at 10:51 British Summer Time 6 May 2018

    Championship final day

    Right then, time to get the abacus out and decipher how two of five teams will be relegated from the Championship today...

    Ring-tailed lemurs play with an abacusImage source, Getty Images

    Bolton will be relegated if they lose. Realistically, a draw is not enough as they’d need a 15-goal swing against Barnsley, even if the Tykes lose. Even if they win, they’re down if three of the following things happen: (1) Reading avoid losing with a 14-goal swing on Bolton, (2) Birmingham avoid losing with a four-goal swing on Bolton, (3) Barnsley win, (4) Burton win.

    Burton’s goal difference means realistically, they’re down if they lose at Preston. If they draw, they’re down if Barnsley avoid defeat or Bolton win. Even if they win, goal difference means they’re almost certainly down if Reading and Birmingham avoid defeat AND Barnsley win.

    Barnsley will go down if they lose AND either Burton avoid defeat or Bolton win. If the Tykes draw, they’re down if Burton or Bolton win. But goal difference means that realistically, they’re safe if they win.

    Birmingham are safe if they avoid defeat by Fulham. But if they lose, they’ll go down if Barnsley and Burton both win - or if either Barnsley or Burton win AND Bolton win with a four-goal swing.

    Reading are also safe if they avoid defeat. But if they lose at Cardiff, they’ll go down if Barnsley and Burton both win, AND Birmingham avoid defeat.

    And breathe...

  5. Five teams scrap it out at the bottompublished at 10:47 British Summer Time 6 May 2018

    Championship final day

    Championship tableImage source, .

    Which two clubs will join Sunderland in League One next season?

    Five teams go into the final day sweating over survival. Two from Reading, Birmingham City, Barnsley, Burton Albion and Bolton Wanderers will go down.

    The bad news for all of those teams - apart from Wanderers - is that they play teams involved in the battle for promotion and the play-offs.

    The permutations are quite complicated for relegation, so take a deep breath and prepare to consider several scenarios...

  6. Derby and Preston bid for last play-off spotpublished at 10:43 British Summer Time 6 May 2018

    Championship final day

    Championship tableImage source, .

    Results last weekend meant we were denied what could have been a seven-team scrap for two spots in the play-offs.

    Aston Villa and Middlesbrough are already assured of taking part in the post-season jamboree, along with whichever one of Cardiff and Fulham misses out on second.

    As it is, Derby County and Preston North End are the only realistic contenders to take sixth place.

    For the Rams, two points ahead of North End in the table, a draw is likely to be enough given their superior goal difference.

    Preston will sneak into sixth spot if they beat Burton and Derby lose against Barnsley.

    Millwall still have a very slim outside chance.

    But, the Lions have to win, hope Preston fail to win and that Derby lose - and then need a 10-goal swing in their favour, as Derby have scored more goals.

    So, Millwall to beat fourth-placed Aston Villa 5-0 and County to go down 5-0 at home to the 21st-placed Tykes then?

    Stranger things have happened, but not much stranger.

  7. Second promotion place to be decidedpublished at 10:39 British Summer Time 6 May 2018

    Championship final day

    Top of the ChampionshipImage source, .

    With Wolves already crowned champions, the second automatic promotion spot will be decided today and two clubs are vying to seal a return to the Premier League.

    Cardiff City, who have spent just one week outside of the top two since mid-February, are in pole position to return to the top flight for the first time since their relegation in 2014.

    Neil Warnock's Bluebirds know a win at home against Reading will be enough to clinch second.

    Fulham go into their match at Birmingham needing to better Cardiff's result to leapfrog the Welsh side.

    The Whites' bid for promotion has been built on a 23-match unbeaten run in the league which stretches back to mid-December.

    But victory will not be simple for either team, as both Reading and Birmingham have something to play for at the other end of the table.

  8. Final day fixturespublished at 10:35 British Summer Time 6 May 2018

    After eight months, the final day of the Championship season is upon us.

    And we go into the last day with plenty still to be decided - one automatic promotion spot, one play-off place and two relegation spaces.

    Here are the fixtures, with six having something riding on them:

    • Birmingham v Fulham
    • Bolton v Nottm Forest
    • Brentford v Hull
    • Bristol City v Sheff Utd
    • Cardiff v Reading
    • Derby v Barnsley
    • Ipswich v Middlesbrough
    • Leeds v QPR
    • Millwall v Aston Villa
    • Preston v Burton
    • Sheff Wed v Norwich
    • Sunderland v Wolves

    Given it's the final day, all matches kick-off at 12:30 BST so if you're reading this at home and you're meant to be heading to a game you'd best get going!

  9. Welcome to the Championship's final daypublished at 10:30 British Summer Time 6 May 2018

    #bbcefl

    It may not feel like May, but the final day of the regular Championship season is upon us.

    The opening day, when everything seemed possible, feels like yesterday. Unless you're a Sunderland fan of course.

    The Black Cats opened the season on Friday, 4 August with a 1-1 draw with Derby County, full of hopes of an immediate return to the Premier League. Sadly, a campaign of almost unremitting misery has brought just six wins, two sacked managers and a second successive relegation.

    We will bring you all the drama of the final day, but before then we've plenty of build-up.

    We'll bring you a month-by-month review of the season, alongside our usual match previews.

    Settle in for what promises to be an eventful day in the second tier.