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Daily Mirror

Sport

Ricky Charlesworth

Championship play-off permutations: Four sides chasing two spots in final day of destiny

Fulham Mansfield (Organization) Bournemouth (Organization) Bristol Rovers Middlesbrough Millwall Northampton (Organization) Port Vale Barnsley Exeter City

The Football League is well into the final straight, and this weekend marks the last day of the regular season in the Championship and League Two.

There is still an awful lot to play for across the two divisions, whilst in League One the play-offs have already begun. In the Championship Fulham sealed the title last Monday, with Bournemouth confirming their status as runners-up the night after.

With all three relegated teams having been confirmed last month it means the final day of the regular campaign in the second tier is all about the race to qualify for the play-offs. Nottingham Forest and Huddersfield Town are guaranteed their spots. They are destined to finish third and fourth meaning potentially crucial home ties in the second legs.

The other two spots are up for grabs with four teams in the hunt. Sheffield United and Luton Town are in the driving seat with those two occupying fifth and sixth respectively. They both sit on 72 points.

Middlesbrough, in seventh, are on 70 points whilst Millwall still retain slim hopes on 69 points. If either of the Blades or Hatters drop points then it opens the door for those two sides below them. United host champions Fulham, Luton play host to Reading, Middlesbrough face a trip to Preston North End and Millwall go to another promoted side in Bournemouth.

As for Forest and Huddersfield, they take on Hull and Bristol City respectively and given Forest's far superior goal difference they are assured of finishing higher if they match Town's result.

Which side will join Fulham and Bournemouth in the Premier League next season? Let us know here

At the bottom Barnsley are guaranteed to finish 24th whilst fellow doomed sides Derby and Peterborough will aim to seal a consolation by finishing 22nd. In League Two, the final day will see a number of issues resolved. At the top, Exeter City can clinch the title if they win or match Forest Green Rovers' result.

The Grecians host Port Vale, one of the sides right in the thick of the promotion shake-up, whilst Rovers travel to Mansfield - another side that could clinch the third spot. Northampton currently occupy that very spot and know a win away at Barrow will almost certainly seal automatic promotion.

But they know a slip-up could prove fatal, with Bristol Rovers behind them only on goal difference - both on 77 points. Mansfield are on 76 points and along with Vale, on 75, they both need to realistically win and hope the Cobblers and Gas both slip up.

Swindon Town, in seventh on 74 points, could effectively pinch third spot but would not only need to win at Walsall but hope none of the four sides above them win. Sutton and Tranmere, in eighth and ninth respectively, are still in the hunt to nick a play-off spot but both need to win and hope Swindon do not.