Peterborough United have been relegated from the Championship following defeat at home to Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
The Posh needed to better Reading's result to have any chance of extending their stay in the second tier but a 1-0 defeat to Steve Cooper's side sealed their fate. Incidentally, Reading lost 3-0 at Hull City but Peterborough's loss means the Royals' spot in the Championship for next season is now confirmed.
Sam Surridge scored the only goal of the game just before half-time as Forest clinched a play-off spot.
It brings to an end Peterborough's time in the Championship after just a solitary season following promotion in 2020-21. Grant McCann was appointed for a second time in February, following Darren Ferguson's departure, but the Northern Irishman was unable to prevent the club from a quickfire return to the third tier.
Speaking in the immediate aftermath of today's loss, McCann said: "It's a tough day for everyone connected to the football club. People work tirelessly behind the scenes here.
"The fans come and pay their hard-earned money every single week and we just haven't been able to deliver. I said to the players afterwards that I can't thank them enough in the 12 games since I've been back here. They've put attitude and determination into every game. Some games we've come unstuck and today, again, I couldn't fault the attitude of the players up against probably the best team in the league at the minute.
"Maybe a loss of concentration cost us for the goal on the stroke of half-time. So yeah it is a disappointing day. I said to the players we need to feel the pain and use it to our advantage because the comeback is always stronger than the failure.
"We have to make sure we use that for next season."
They will be joined in League One next term by Barnsley and Derby County, whose fates were both sealed inside the last week. Derby, hamstrung by a mammoth 21-point deduction, went down on Easter Monday whilst Barnsley were relegated on Friday night.
The Reds lost 2-1 to Yorkshire rivals Huddersfield Town to end their three-year stint in the Championship. It came just a year after the team finished fifth and reached the play-off semi-finals.
