Football Apr 28, 2026

Championship talking points: Blockbuster final week awaits in promotion and play-off races with Southampton taking on Ipswich

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By Admin
Sports Journalist
Championship talking points: Blockbuster final week awaits in promotion and play-off races with Southampton taking on Ipswich

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Not for the first time this season, just when you expected Ipswich to hit the gas and steam ahead, they stumbled again.

A goalless draw, albeit at an in-form West Brom, leaves the door ajar for the chasing pack. Promotion will be all-but guaranteed in midweek with a win, but they will have to beat Southampton to get that done. If recent games are anything to go by, our promotion race will be going to the final day.

"You don't know if it is a good point, I'll tell you next weekend," said Kieran McKenna after the game. He will likely have a good idea on Tuesday night at full-time at St Mary's.

It was made a better point by the fact that Millwall could not win at relegated Leicester on Friday night, despite battling back late on to earn a 1-1 draw.

Meanwhile, Middlesbrough will be desperately wondering why the scoring touch they found against Watford had evaded them for so long in recent times. They flattened the Hornets 5-1.

A few more performances like that lately, and Boro would still be sat pretty in second spot, probably promoted by now.

"We've come from a position where we really felt we had nothing to lose in the last week," said boss Kim Hellberg. "It felt as though it was probably gone, but if Ipswich do not win their next game, then it will come down to the last day of the season.

"If that happens, you never know. There are a lot of things that play into that type of game. Hopefully, Southampton can take at least a point from Ipswich, and then we will get that exciting last day of the season."

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Final-day drama is always guaranteed in the Championship, and that will come on Saturday with the race for sixth balanced on a knife edge.

Hull City were the first to slip up. Their lunchtime defeat at Charlton meant they missed the chance to retake sixth spot from Wrexham.

Sergej Jakirovic virtually conceded at full-time. But he may have just been playing a bit of '4D chess' as he would have known either way that his side would still have a chance whatever happened.

Then Wrexham went and failed to extend their advantage as they lost to champions Coventry on Sunday, meaning only goal difference separates the Red Dragons and the Tigers. Just a single goal, in fact.

There is a way that sixth spot could be decided by the head-to-head record, with Hull having the advantage there having won both of the fixtures this season.

"We knew goal difference was important and we had to make sure we stayed positive above Hull with that, whilst wanting to win the game," said Phil Parkinson after Wrexham went down 3-1 at the CBS Arena.

"The third goal is an unfair reflection on the game, but we're still ahead of Hull on goal difference. It's all to play for and we've got an opportunity next week to get over the line."

But if they both fail to win, then Derby could pounce. A point further back, they kept themselves in the race with a late win at QPR on Saturday - thanks to a stunning Jaydon Banel goal making it 3-2 late on.

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It is not too often as a club you get to celebrate securing safety twice in the space of a week.

But that was what West Brom and their supporters got to do. They beat Watford 3-0 on Tuesday night to get over the line. They were then deducted two points a couple of days later plunging them back into potential trouble.

The goalless draw against Ipswich on Saturday did it all over again. The Baggies can breathe a sigh of relief.

"We had the cloud hanging over us, it had finally come out," West Brom boss James Morrison said post-match. "We knew where we stood. We got the news but we concentrated on the football side. The lads were in a really good place, so we just cracked on."

As can Charlton Athletic. Who for several weeks have been chasing one more big result to keep them out of trouble. It finally came on Saturday as Charlie Kelman's brilliant strike set them up for the 2-1 win over Hull.

Despite keeping the Addicks in the league, boss Nathan Jones remained in reflective mood. He said: "It's as good an achievement as I've ever had, but there is also a touch of disappointment. I think we should be higher than we are."

He will want to ensure they can continue to improve next year.

And those two results in the lunchtime games on Saturday ensured Oxford suffered the heartbreak of relegation before they had the chance to take to the field, joining Leicester and Sheffield Wednesday in League One next season.

Full credit to Matt Bloomfield's side, though. They put Wednesday to the sword with an emphatic 4-1 win to end their two-year stay in the Championship on something of a high at home.

Friday

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Sunday

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