Championship
Automatic promotion As we have known for a while, Burnley will be back in the Premier League next season. A win on Saturday at home to relegation-threatened QPR would guarantee the title. They are likely to be joined in the top flight by Sheffield United, who are seven points clear of third with a game in hand and need three points from four matches to guarantee promotion. The Blades will effectively be up if Luton and Middlesbrough draw at Kenilworth Road on Monday given the goal difference but the earliest they can officially secure second spot is Wednesday.
Playoffs Luton and Middlesbrough are almost certain to finish third and fourth, although the order could change. It leaves two spots up for grabs. Three points separate fifth and 11th, a sign of how tight it is. Blackburn and West Brom have played one game fewer than their rivals, giving them a theoretical advantage over Millwall, Coventry, Sunderland, Norwich and Preston.
Relegation It is bad news for the historic county of Lancashire, with Wigan and Blackpool occupying the bottom two spots, seven and six points adrift of safety respectively, with three games to go. Wigan must win at home to Millwall on Saturday to have any chance of surviving. Blackpool play at Birmingham on Saturday and also could be relegated. The third spot for the drop into League One will go to one of five teams: Reading, Cardiff, QPR, Huddersfield or Rotherham.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burnley | 42 | 48 | 92 |
| 2 | Sheff Utd | 42 | 29 | 82 |
| 3 | Luton | 43 | 17 | 75 |
| 4 | Middlesbrough | 43 | 30 | 74 |
| 5 | Millwall | 43 | 8 | 65 |
| 6 | Blackburn | 42 | -2 | 64 |
| 7 | West Brom | 42 | 9 | 63 |
| 8 | Coventry | 43 | 9 | 63 |
| 9 | Sunderland | 43 | 9 | 62 |
| 10 | Norwich | 43 | 8 | 62 |
| 11 | Preston North End | 43 | -8 | 62 |
| 12 | Watford | 43 | 2 | 59 |
| 13 | Swansea | 43 | 0 | 59 |
| 14 | Bristol City | 43 | -3 | 53 |
| 15 | Birmingham | 43 | -7 | 53 |
| 16 | Hull | 43 | -11 | 53 |
| 17 | Stoke | 43 | 4 | 52 |
| 18 | Rotherham | 42 | -10 | 46 |
| 19 | Cardiff | 42 | -14 | 45 |
| 20 | Huddersfield | 43 | -19 | 44 |
| 21 | QPR | 43 | -27 | 44 |
| 22 | Reading | 43 | -19 | 43 |
| 23 | Blackpool | 43 | -25 | 38 |
| 24 | Wigan | 43 | -28 | 37 |
League One
Automatic promotion It is a four-way fight, with Plymouth and Ipswich the ones to catch. Sheffield Wednesday sit two points below Argyle and one short of the Tractor Boys, having played a game more. Barnsley have a slight chance but overhauling their six-point deficit on Ipswich looks a tough ask with four games to go.
Playoffs Barnsley will probably have to settle for a playoff place with the other team that fall short. The candidates to join them are Peterborough, Bolton and Derby, realistically. Optimistic Wycombe and Portsmouth fans would make their case but it looks unlikely for the former and nigh-on impossible for the latter.
Relegation Forest Green are down and three clubs will join them. Above them sit four teams separated by three points: Accrington, who are second bottom with one win in 10 matches, Morecambe, Cambridge and Oxford. All four face games at teams in the top half on Saturday. The following Saturday Accrington play Cambridge and Oxford travel to Forest Green, who are at Cambridge in their final fixture. MK Dons are also vulnerable and poor form means Port Vale (three points form their past eight games) will be looking nervously over their shoulder. Burton and Cheltenham are not mathematically safe but should survive.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Plymouth | 42 | 28 | 89 |
| 2 | Ipswich | 42 | 54 | 88 |
| 3 | Sheff Wed | 43 | 39 | 87 |
| 4 | Barnsley | 42 | 36 | 82 |
| 5 | Peterborough | 43 | 22 | 73 |
| 6 | Bolton | 42 | 23 | 72 |
| 7 | Derby | 43 | 21 | 72 |
| 8 | Wycombe | 43 | 13 | 68 |
| 9 | Portsmouth | 43 | 10 | 65 |
| 10 | Charlton | 43 | 4 | 58 |
| 11 | Lincoln City | 42 | -1 | 56 |
| 12 | Shrewsbury | 42 | -5 | 56 |
| 13 | Fleetwood Town | 43 | 3 | 54 |
| 14 | Exeter | 43 | 2 | 53 |
| 15 | Bristol Rovers | 41 | -9 | 52 |
| 16 | Burton Albion | 41 | -22 | 49 |
| 17 | Cheltenham | 42 | -17 | 47 |
| 18 | Port Vale | 43 | -22 | 46 |
| 19 | Milton Keynes Dons | 43 | -21 | 43 |
| 20 | Oxford Utd | 42 | -11 | 41 |
| 21 | Cambridge Utd | 42 | -27 | 40 |
| 22 | Morecambe | 43 | -32 | 38 |
| 23 | Accrington Stanley | 42 | -37 | 38 |
| 24 | Forest Green | 43 | -51 | 27 |
League Two
Automatic promotion Leyton Orient sealed promotion in defeat at Gillingham on Tuesday, on a good night for Northampton and Stevenage, who grew their advantage over fourth-placed Stockport after the Hatters drew at fifth-placed Carlisle. Bradford have the most realistic hopes of a top-three finish among the rest of the chasing pack. Orient will be champions on Saturday if they win at home to Crewe and Stevenage fail to beat Mansfield.
Playoffs Four of Stockport, Carlisle, Bradford, Salford and Mansfield will almost certainly make up the playoffs unless either Northampton or Stevenage are overhauled and dragged into an extended season.
Relegation With the best will in the world, Rochdale look done and dusted. Their 102-year stay in the Football League will surely end. They are eight points adrift of safety with three matches to play and can keep hope alive only if they win at Stockport on Saturday and Crawley do not win at Hartlepool. Hartlepool v Crawley is a meeting of the teams immediately above Rochdale and a 1-0 home win would put those clubs level on points and goal difference, which would be almighty fun. Harrogate, Colchester and AFC Wimbledon are not mathematically safe but their chances of relegation look slim.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leyton Orient | 42 | 27 | 84 |
| 2 | Northampton | 43 | 18 | 77 |
| 3 | Stevenage | 42 | 19 | 76 |
| 4 | Stockport County | 43 | 24 | 72 |
| 5 | Carlisle | 43 | 23 | 72 |
| 6 | Bradford | 42 | 18 | 71 |
| 7 | Salford City | 43 | 17 | 69 |
| 8 | Mansfield | 42 | 16 | 69 |
| 9 | Barrow | 43 | -2 | 62 |
| 10 | Sutton Utd | 43 | -6 | 57 |
| 11 | Swindon | 42 | 3 | 55 |
| 12 | Grimsby | 42 | -6 | 55 |
| 13 | Tranmere | 43 | -4 | 54 |
| 14 | Doncaster | 43 | -17 | 52 |
| 15 | Walsall | 43 | -3 | 51 |
| 16 | Crewe | 41 | -10 | 51 |
| 17 | Gillingham | 43 | -13 | 51 |
| 18 | Newport County | 42 | -5 | 50 |
| 19 | AFC Wimbledon | 43 | -7 | 47 |
| 20 | Colchester | 43 | -7 | 46 |
| 21 | Harrogate Town | 42 | -9 | 45 |
| 22 | Crawley Town | 43 | -24 | 42 |
| 23 | Hartlepool | 43 | -26 | 39 |
| 24 | Rochdale | 43 | -26 | 34 |
National League
Automatic promotion Wrexham had enough drama for a whole season in their 3-2 win over second-placed Notts County and are on course for a calmer ride towards the one automatic promotion slot. They play at home to Boreham Wood on Saturday evening and will secure the title if Notts County lose earlier at relegated Maidstone or if they match Notts’ result.
Playoffs County look destined for the six-team playoffs despite being 36 points better off than Bromley in the final playoff place. Chesterfield, Woking and Barnet are guaranteed playoff spots. Boreham Wood and Bromley complete the picture but Eastleigh and Southend hope to crash the party.
Relegation Definitely joining Maidstone in regional football are Scunthorpe and Yeovil, who were in the Championship in 2010-11 and 2013-14 respectively. Torquay looked doomed but five wins in a row from the end of March have put them in contention to stay up. The task is tough, though. They are three points behind Maidenhead and York with two games remaining and an inferior goal difference and head to Altrincham before hosting Wrexham on the final day.
