Final score Ipswich Town 3 Norwich City 2 An excellent result for Blackpool as it now means that Norwich can only reach a maximum of 52 points. So to be 100% certain of staying up we now need either: 1 point from our last two games, or Norwich fail to win either of their last two games (at home to Reading or away to Charlton) It also means that Doncaster Rovers can no longer be relegated.
Updated table: Position - club - played - points 15th Doncaster Rovers 44 55 16th Watford 44 52 17th Blackpool 44 52 18th Derby County 43 51 19th Plymouth Argyle 44 50 20th Nottingham Forest 44 49 21st Barnsley 43 47 22nd Norwich City 44 46 23rd Southampton 44 44 24th Charlton Athletic 43 35 (relegated)
Upcoming fixtures Tuesday 21st April Derby County vs Reading Coventry City vs Barnsley Charlton Athletic vs Cardiff City
Ahead of this evenings games (all games kick-off at 7:45pm) - Derby County vs Reading Derby will go above Blackpool if they draw or win. A win would secure their Championship status for certain. Coventry City vs Barnsley Barnsley quite simply need a win. Even a draw is not really good enough. A defeat or draw will mean that to finish the season above Blackpool they would then need to win both of their last two games. However, a Barnsley win tonight would put them on 50 points, 4 points ahead of Norwich City and so increasing the pressure on the Canaries who would then be clear favourites to be relegated. Charlton Athletic vs Cardiff City Charton are already relegated of course, and have nothing to play for other than pride.
Current scores in the 2nd half: Charlton Athletic 1 Cardiff City 0 Coventry City 0 Barnsley 1 Derby County 0 Reading 2
Full time scores: Derby County 0 Reading 2 Coventry City 1 Barnsley 1 Charlton Athletic 2 Cardiff City 2 Derby losing at home means they stay below us. And Coventry's late equaliser, now means that Barnsley can only go above us if they win both of their last two games.
Current table: Position - club - played - points 16th Watford 44 52 17th Blackpool 44 52 18th Derby County 44 51 19th Plymouth Argyle 44 50 20th Nottingham Forest 44 49 21st Barnsley 44 48 22nd Norwich City 44 46 23rd Southampton 44 44 24th Charlton Athletic 44 36 (relegated)
Upcoming fixtures Saturday 25th April - Barnsley vs Wolverhampton Wanderers Blackpool vs Nottingham Forest Coventry City vs Watford Derby County vs Charlton Athletic QPR vs Plymouth Argyle Southampton vs Burnley Monday 27th April Norwich City vs Reading
So this Saturday - if we draw or win then we are safe. If we lose and Barnsley also lose then we are safe as they could then only get 51 points. (I've not included Doncaster Rovers anymore as they are safe)
As expected the Football League today imposed a 10 pont penalty deduction on Southampton, which effectively seals their relegation to League One. If the Saints manage to win their final two games and finish the season above the relegation places, then the deduction will then be made, meaning that they would only have 40 points and so be relegated. If they finish in the relegation places, then the 10 points deduction will be made next season, meaning they would start life in League One on -10 points. So even though they are now destined to be relegated, it is in their best interests to try and win both their remaning games and try to take the points deduction this season rather than starting with such a big disadvantage next season.
This weekend's Championship Ups and Downs! If Birmingham City beat Preston North End they will be automatically promoted to the Premier League alongside Wolves. If the Blues draw and Sheffield United fail to take three points against Swansea City, Alex McLeish's men will still go up. Norwich City will be relegated if they lose to Reading (live on Sky Sports on Monday), Barnsley beat Wolves and Nottingham Forest take at least a point at Blackpool. And most importantly for Blackpool fans - we will stay up with a draw or win tomorrow. Or if Norwich City fail to win their match against Reading on Monday.
League One promotion Peterborough United will be promoted to the Championship with champions Leicester City if they win at Colchester United and Milton Keynes Dons lose at home to Walsall.
Results for Saturday 25th April Barnsley 1 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1 Blackpool 1 Nottingham Forest 1 Coventry City 2 Watford 3 Derby County 1 Charlton Athletic 0 QPR 0 Plymouth Argyle 0 Southampton 2 Burnley 2
Current table: Position - club - played - points 16th Derby County 45 54 (*) 17th Coventry City 54 (*) 18th Blackpool 45 53 (*) 19th Plymouth Argyle 45 51 (**) 20th Nottingham Forest 45 50 (**) 21st Barnsley 45 49 ((**) 22nd Norwich City 44 46 (**) 23rd Southampton 45 45 (relegated) 24th Charlton Athletic 45 36 (relegated) (*) Derby County, Coventry City and Blackpool are all safe. (**) The one remaining reegation place is between Plymouth Argyle, Nottingham Forest, Barnsley and Norwich City.
League One promotion Peterborough United were today promoted to the Championship with a win at Colchester United while Milton Keynes Dons lost at home to Walsall.
With four clubs and one relegation spot left - If Norwich lose at home to Reading on Monday, then both Plymouth Argyle and Nottingham Forest will be safe and it will be either Norwich or Barnsley who go down. If Norwich draw then Plymouth Argyle will be safe and it will be either Norwich, Barnsley or Nottingham Forest who go down. If Norwich win then all four clubs will go into the final day of the season with relegation a possibility. Excuse me but all I can say though is - "The Pool are staying up The Pool are staying up And now you're gonna believe us And now you're gonna believe us And now you're gonna beliee-eve us!! The Pool are staying up" "We are staying up I said, we are staying up! We are staying up I said, we are staying up!"
Last night's result Norwich City 0 Reading 2 Norwich osing at home to Reading means that both Plymouth Argyle andn Nottingham Forest are now safe. The final relegation place is now between Norwich and Barnsley.
Current table: Position - club - played - points 16th Derby County 45 54 17th Coventry City 54 18th Blackpool 45 53 19th Plymouth Argyle 45 51 20th Nottingham Forest 45 50 21st Barnsley 45 49 22nd Norwich City 45 46 23rd Southampton 45 45 (relegated) 24th Charlton Athletic 45 36 (relegated)
Final day league fixtures (all kick-off at 1:15pm) Burnley vs Bristol City Charlton Athletic vs Norwich City Crystal Palace vs Sheffield United Ipswich Town vs Coventry City Nottingham Forest vs Southampton Plymouth Argyle vs Barnsley PKE vs QPR Reading vs Birmingham City Sheffield Wednesday vs Cardiff City Swansea City vs Blackpool Watford vs Derby County
Looks like Norwich are on their way to League One as they are losing 3-0 at rock bottom Charlton. At the top it's between Sheffield United, Birmingham City and Reading for second place and automatic promotion. At half time United are drawing 0-0 at Crystal Palace and the other two are ironically playing each other at Reading and City are winning 1-0 so at the moment going up.
Final day results; Burnley 4 Bristol City 0 Charlton Athletic 4 Norwich City 2 Crystal Palace 0 Sheffield United 0 Ipswich Town 2 Coventry City 1 Nottingham Forest 3 Southampton 1 Plymouth Argyle 1 Barnsley 2 PKE 2 QPR 1 Reading 1 Birmingham City 2 Sheffield Wednesday 1 Cardiff City 0 Swansea City 0 Blackpool 1 Watford 3 Derby County 1 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1 Doncaster Rovers 0 So - The bottom three and relegated to League One - Charlton Athletic, Southampton and Norwich City. Promoted to the Premier League - Wolverhampton Wanderers and Birmingham City In the promotion play-offs - Sheffield United, Reading Burnley and PKE
Final league table: Position - club - played - points 1st Wolverhampton Wanderers 46 90 (Champions) 2nd Birmingham City 46 83 (Promoted) 3rd Sheffield United 46 80 (play-offs) 4th Reading 46 77 (play-offs) 5th Burnley 46 76 (play-offs) 6th PKE 46 74 (play-offs) 7th Cardiff City 46 74 8th Swansea City 46 68 9th Ipswich Town 46 66 10th Bristol City 46 61 11th QPR 46 61 12th Sheffield Wednesday 46 61 13th Watford 46 58 14th Doncaster Rovers 46 58 15th Crystal Palace 46 57 16th Blackpool 46 56 17th Coventry City 46 54 18th Derby County 46 54 19th Nottingham Forest 46 53 20th Barnsley 46 52 21st Plymouth Argyle 46 51 22nd Norwich City 46 46 (relegated) 23rd Southampton 46 45 (relegated) 24th Charlton Athletic 46 39 (relegated)
In the play-offs Sheffield United will play PKE and Reading play Burnley. It is a good achievement by PKE to sneak into the last play-off spot ahead of Cardiff City who only needed a draw to finish 6th, but managed to lose! At the bottom, it is three former Premier League clubs who will be playing in League One next season. And for Wes Hoolahan it means that his decision to leave Blackpool wasn't the right move at all and it has backfired on him big time. When he left us last summer he cited the desire to play in the Premier League and how he felt that being at Norwich, he stood a better chance of doing so. League One beckons. As for the Seasiders, in the end two points higher than last season on 56 and 16th place - and that despite Simon Grayson jumping ship to Leeds at Christmas and the resulting departure of 8 loan players, which totally disrupted our season.
