Advertisement

Championship final day LIVE: Results, final scores and reaction as Sheffield United and Luton win play-off places

karl matchett
·16 min read
(PA)
(PA)

The final day of the 2021/22 season in the Championship kicks off early on Saturday afternoon, with four clubs set to scrap it out over just two remaining play-off places.

We’ve already had confirmation that Bournemouth will be going back up to the Premier League after securing promotion, while Fulham are also back up after being crowned champions on Monday night with a 7-0 thrashing of Luton Town - who are one of the sides still hoping for a play-off place at the end of today. At the other end of the table, Barnsley, Peterborough and Derby County have all been relegated to League One. Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest and Huddersfield are guaranteed a play-off place already, with just their final position to be determined.

Along with Luton, who sit sixth at the start of play, Sheffield United currently occupy one of the remaining and much-coveted spots. But behind them, Middlesbrough can sneak in with a victory if one of those two clubs slip up, while the outsiders are Millwall who need to win and have all three other results go their way. Follow all the latest goals and live action on the final day of the Championship season below:

Championship final day

Championship final day latest

14:23 , Karl Matchett

Full time!

Middlesbrough and Millwall have both finished - and both lost.

That means Sheffield United and Luton are now guaranteed top-six finishes, just as their own matches head to the final whistle too.

Championship final day latest

14:20 , Karl Matchett

Final goals going in around the second tier now in the last minutes of the season.

No dramatic changes in the top six in the end, which will be a big positive in the eyes of Luton fans we are sure. They have done superbly to finish sixth this season, a massive achievement.

Peterborough 5-0 Blackpool: Jack Marriott and Jack Taylor at least wrap up a fine last day for the relegated Posh, they’ll finish 22nd.

AS IT STANDS:

5th Sheffield United, 75

6th Luton, 75

--

7th Middlesbrough, 70

8th Millwall, 69

Championship final day latest

14:12 , Karl Matchett

We can pretty much now say the top-six race is wrapped up and both Sheffield United and Luton, who started the day in the play-off race, will end it there too.

Bournemouth are ahead through Kieffer Moore against Millwall, while Middlesbrough’s final-day implosion has been confirmed with a Patrick McNair red card and subsequent penalty scored by Emil Riis Jakobsen - it’s 4-1 to Preston there.

Meanwhile, QPR are ahead at Swansea and Birmingham have pulled one back, still 2-1 down to Blackburn.

Championship final day latest

14:00 , Karl Matchett

We’re rapidly heading into the final 20 minutes of the Championship season - then it’s just the play-offs to come.

As it stands, and there’s very little reason to think it might change at this stage, it’ll be Huddersfieldvs Luton and Nottingham Forest vs Sheffield United in the semi-finals.

Elsewhere:

Peterborough 2-0 Blackpool: Sammie Szmodics with the second here.

And

Peterborough 3-0 Blackpool: The same player bags a quickfire brace.

Championship final day latest

13:52 , Karl Matchett

The race for play-off spots was very nearly OVER.

Bournemouth thought they had taken a 1-0 lead at home to Millwall, the only side left who could potentially catch Luton if they conceded an equaliser.

Marcondes has the ball in the net but a very late offside flag cancels those celebrations.

Still, it leaves the Lions (and Boro, if they get a move on with a miraculous turnaround) with barely half an hour to mount a big finish.

Championship final day latest

13:49 , Karl Matchett

Middlesbrough’s revival did not last long.

Preston back into a two-goal lead, Emil Riis Jakobsen making it 3-1 there. Sheffield United are 4-0 up against Fulham as Enda Stevens adds another there.

Jordan Hugill has put Cardiff a goal up at relegated Derby, while West Brom have scored a third and fourth against Barnsley, Matthew Clarke and a second goal for Karlan Grant.

Championship final day latest

13:40 , Karl Matchett

Back underway around the Championship...and an early goal!

Middlesbrough have put themselves back in with a hint of a chance as Marcus Tavernier pulls one back. They still trail Preston 2-1 and need Luton to concede against Reading, for starters.

But we’ve all seen crazy turnarounds in football recently...

Championship final day latest

13:28 , Karl Matchett

Top-six race as it stands then...is actually looking on the verge of done and dusted.

Huddersfield are third ahead of Forest right now, while neither Boro nor Millwall are doing what they need to do to trouble Luton and Sheffield United, who are both winning.

AS IT STANDS:

5th Sheffield United, 75

6th Luton, 75

--

7th Middlesbrough, 70

8th Millwall, 70

Championship final day latest scores

13:23 , Karl Matchett

Bournemouth 0-0 Millwall

Birmingham 0-2 Blackburn

Derby 0-0 Cardiff

Huddersfield 2-0 Bristol City

Hull 0-0 Nottingham Forest

Luton 1-0 Reading

Peterborough 1-0 Blackpool

Preston 2-0 Middlesbrough

Sheffield United 3-0 Fulham

Stoke 1-1 Coventry

Swansea 0-0 QPR

West Brom 2-0 Barnsley

Championship final day latest

13:19 , Karl Matchett

GOAL!

An absolute SHOCKER from Reading goalkeeper Orjan Nyland and Luton are in the lead!

The ‘keeper has the ball in his hands, doesn’t check behind him and rolls it out to kick long and clear...but doesn’t spot Harry Cornick lurking behind him and the Luton man simply races in, nicks back possession and finishes into the empty net!

AS IT STANDS:

5th Sheffield United, 75

6th Luton, 75

--

7th Middlesbrough, 70

8th Millwall, 70

Championship final day latest

13:16 , Karl Matchett

Huddersfield looking good for third as they go 2-0 up against Bristol City through Danny Ward.

Luton looking in control of the game as we approach the interval, at home to Reading. A draw is perfectly fine for them to be in the play-offs, given Middlesbrough’s final-day dismal showing so far.

Elsewhere:

Stoke City 1-1 Coventry: Equaliser from Sam Clucas for the home side just before the break.

Championship final day latest

13:13 , Karl Matchett

Some angry appeals from the Luton fans as Reading’s Holmes brings down his man on the edge of the box and the referee waves penalty appeals away.

As it stands we are now looking at one from Luton or Millwall for the final play-off place - it’s Luton’s to lose, but if they do lose here, Millwall need to win their own match to claim sixth on goal difference.

Elsewhere:

West Brom 2-0 Barnsley: Karlan Grant with a penalty and Adam Reach with the second.

Peterborough 1-0 Blackpool: Jonson Clarke-Harris with the opener there.

Championship final day latest

13:08 , Karl Matchett

GOAL!

Looks like Middlesbrough are resigned to another season of Championship football - they are now 2-0 down to Preston with Daniel Johnson crossing and Dael Fry deflecting in the second just after the half-hour mark.

A couple of goals around the rest of the games to update you on:

Huddersfield are ahead at home to Bristol City thanks to Harry Tofolo, which as it stands sees them jump above Forest into third.

And John Buckley has put Blackburn ahead against Birmingham too.

Championship final day latest

13:00 , Karl Matchett

GOAL!

Might have to reduce the number of Sheffield United updates we focus on at this rate - they are now 3-0 up against Fulham thanks to Sander Berge! No chance the Blades lose their play-off spot now, surely.

Championship final day latest

12:56 , Karl Matchett

GOAL!

Not good news for Boro - Alan Browne has fired in a brilliant volley to put Preston ahead in that game!

That will leave Luton fans rather more happy, given those early missed chances at home to Reading.

AS IT STANDS:

5th Sheffield United, 75

6th Luton, 73

--

7th Middlesbrough, 70

8th Millwall, 70

Championship final day latest

12:54 , Karl Matchett

Injury issue for Reading as Paul Ince watches on in concerned fashion from the sidelines.

Meanwhile... GOAL!

It’s another one for the Blades and it might be fair to suggest Fulham are taking it easy today after winning the title.

Illiman Ndiaye has the second on 22 minutes, finishing after a Seri slip in midfield is ruthlessly punished.

AS IT STANDS:

5th Sheffield United, 75

6th Luton, 73

--

7th Middlesbrough, 71

8th Millwall, 70

Championship final day latest

12:52 , Karl Matchett

All looking good for the Blades right now, though Kenny Tete has hammered an effort over the bar in response for Fulham.

It’s a little end-to-end between Preston and Boro too - a goal right now for the away side would put them above Luton on goal difference, remember.

Elsewhere: Coventry lead at Stoke, Gyoekeres with the goal.

Championship final day latest

12:44 , Karl Matchett

GOAL!

Sheffield United are in front against the league champions Fulham!

A huge first strike of the day and it’s a 10th-minute goal for Morgan Gibbs-White.

A cross from the right is nodded in at the near post by the attacking midfielder.

AS IT STANDS:

5th Sheffield United, 75

6th Luton, 73

--

7th Middlesbrough, 71

8th Millwall, 70

Championship final day latest

12:40 , Karl Matchett

Luton have already spurned two or three really good openings against Reading - an early goal here would surely settle some massive nerves and put them well in the driving seat for a play-off place.

No goals in the second tier anywhere in the 12 games, as we approach the 10-minute mark.

Worth remembering Nottingham Forest and Huddersfield’s results today will also determine the play-off semi-final fixtures.

Championship final day: Kick-off!

12:34 , Karl Matchett

Underway at our four focus games! Luton and the Blades have it in their own hands - and a chance inside a minute almost sees Cameron Jerome put Luton ahead!

What a start that would have been.

Table at kick-off:

5th - Sheffield United, 72 pts

6th - Luton, 72

7th - Middlesbrough, 70

8th - Millwall, 69

Championship final day

12:25 , Karl Matchett

For Boro it’s pretty straight-forward: win or forget the top six. A draw is no good and a win still requires one of the others above them to lose today - but if they do, Boro sneak in.

They must be feeling fairly hopeful that Fulham could prove strong enough.

A draw for Sheffield United or Luton means it all goes to goal difference, of course.

Five minutes to kick-off!

Championship final day

12:20 , Karl Matchett

The side with the hardest task is of course Millwall, as they are eighth and need everything to go right - starting with a win at second-placed Bournemouth, which is tough enough.

They they’d be on 72 points, so need Sheffield United and Luton to both lose, plus Middlesbrough to do no better than a draw.

Even that isn’t quite enough - the Lions need to improve their goal difference by a swing of six on the Blades, either by a big win of their own or a heavy defeat for the Bramall Lane side.

Championship final day

12:15 , Karl Matchett

The Blades are pushing the positive vibes as they look to get the job done on home soil. They have the hardest opponent, in champions Fulham, but they’ll also be hoping the top club in the Championship are either well below-strength or have their foot massively off the pedal, having claimed the crown on Monday.

No real margin for error though as they will drop out of the top six if they lose and Middlesbrough beat Preston away, or even if they draw and ‘Boro thrash their opponents by three or more.

Championship final day

12:10 , Karl Matchett

League Two is also playing the final day later on, with their games all 3pm kick-off.

Forest Green and Exeter are already promoted and will play for the title, with Rovers a point ahead, as the real intrigue shifts to third place and an automatic promotion place.

Their respective opponents Mansfield and Port Vale still harbour automatic promotion hopes of their own but will need a slip-up from third-placed Northampton at Barrow as well as Bristol Rovers, fourth and level on points with the Cobblers. Rovers will look to rack up the goals against relegated Scunthorpe, with their goal difference five worse than Northampton’s.

Mansfield and Vale, though, could still miss out on the play-offs. They are on 76 and 75 points respectively, with Swindon on 74, Sutton 73 and ninth-placed Tranmere 72. Swindon could even dramatically snatch third place but would need to beat Walsall and hope Northampton and Bristol Rovers both lose and Mansfield and Vale do not win.

Oldham and the Iron are relegated.

Championship confirmed line-ups for teams chasing play-off spots

12:04 , Karl Matchett

Sheffield United vs Fulham: Foderingham, Stevens, Fleck, Basham, Berge, Egan, Norwood, Robinson, Osborn, Gibbs-White, Ndiaye.

Luton Town vs Reading: Ingram; Bree, Burke, Bradley, Naismith, Bell; Lansbury, Campbell, Clark; Cornick, Jerome.

Middlesbrough vs Preston: Daniels, Dijksteel, Fry, Tavernier, Sporar, Howson, McNair, Watmore, Crooks, Jones, McGree.

Millwall vs Bournemouth: Bialkowski, McNamara, M Wallace, Hutchinson, Cooper, Burke, Saville, Leonard, Bennett, Afobe, B Mitchell

Dean Smith sets sights on Norwich winning Championship as relegation confirmed

11:57 , Karl Matchett

Norwich boss Dean Smith immediately set his sights on winning the Championship next season after the Canaries’ Premier League relegation was confirmed in defeat to his old club Aston Villa.

Goals from Ollie Watkins and Danny Ings – the latter cruelly set up by Norwich’s former player of the year Emi Buendia – gave the hosts a 2-0 win on Smith’s return to Villa Park, though by the time the second went in, Norwich were already heading down thanks to Burnley’s 2-1 win at Watford.

Though the relegation comes as little surprise, it was still a painful moment for Smith, who had never previously experienced the drop.

“Obviously I’m bitterly disappointed and I fully take my responsibility as well,” he said. “I think over the last four to five weeks there’s probably been an inevitability about it.

“I’m disappointed that we got relegated today because I thought our performance was good, but unfortunately over the season, the performances have not been good enough and we’ve lacked the quality required in this league.

“(The players) are very down, very dejected. I won’t know my own feeling on getting relegated until I’ve felt it over a few weeks but we have to reflect and move on very quickly now to planning to get back up.”

Dean Smith sets sights on Norwich winning Championship as relegation confirmed

Fulham star Fabio Carvalho quiet on summer Liverpool switch

11:51 , Karl Matchett

Fabio Carvalho says that he is unsure about his Fulham future after being linked with a summer move away from the club.

The 19-year-old, whose contract expires at the end of the season, came close to a move to Liverpool in January, who have again been connected with the young winger.

Carvalho has scored ten times in the league, playing a key role as Marco Silva’s side cruised to promotion.

The free-scoring London club sealed the Championship title with a 7-0 thrashing of Luton on Monday night, with Carvalho on the scoresheet.

But he was keeping any prospective move under wraps when asked about his next step after the game.

Fulham star Fabio Carvalho quiet on summer Liverpool switch

Championship final day fixtures

11:45 , Karl Matchett

And the remaining fixtures in the second tier today:

Birmingham vs Blackburn

Huddersfield vs Bristol City

Hull vs Nottingham Forest

Peterborough vs Blackpool

Stoke vs Coventry

West Brom vs Barnsley

Derby vs Cardiff

Swansea vs QPR.

Again, all are 12:30pm kick-off; the main focus here will be those games involving the play-off places but we’ll keep you updated on the others throughout.

Championship final day fixtures

11:43 , Karl Matchett

Here’s what we’re looking at today, with the play-off race. Everything is a 12:30pm BST kick-off.

Bournemouth vs Millwall

Luton vs Reading

Preston vs Middlesbrough

Sheffield United vs Fulham.

And here’s how the teams stand in the league table ahead of kick-off:

5th - Sheffield United, 72 pts, +14GD

6th - Luton, 72 pts, +7

7th - Middlesbrough, 70 pts, +12

8th - Millwall, 69 pts, +9

Championship final day: Fulham crowned champions

11:31 , Karl Matchett

Ahead of the play-off spots taking centre-stage today, a quick look back at the start of the week as Fulham confirmed their status as champions - and their star striker hit a record-breaking strike.

Aleksandar Mitrovic took his Championship goal tally for the season to 43 as Fulham sealed the title in devastating fashion with a 7-0 mauling of Luton at Craven Cottage on Monday evening.

Captain Tom Cairney opened the scoring in the 29th minute - the Cottagers’ 100th league goal of the campaign - and Kenny Tete made it two 10 minutes later to ensure the hosts, who sealed promotion to the Premier League on April 19, were in control at the break.

The floodgates opened in the second half with goals from Fabio Carvalho, Bobby Decordova-Reid, substitute Jean Michael Seri and a brace from Mitrovic - confirming a record haul in the second tier for the Serbia striker.

It marked the third time this term that Marco Silva’s side have netted seven goals.

Aleksandar Mitrovic secures Championship goal record as Fulham clinch title in style