Guide To: The Championship Play-Offs
A quick run-down of the four teams involved.
By Patric Ridge
As Leeds United players no doubt nurse some sore heads following their parade in the wake of winning the Championship title, and Burnley also look ahead to a season back at the top table of English football, four other teams will battle it out for a place in the Premier League next season.
This season’s Championship play-offs begin on May 8th, with Sheffield United, Sunderland, Coventry City and Bristol City the teams involved.
Twenty-two points separated the Blades in third to Bristol in sixth, so the gulf between them has been sizeable this term. But in the play-offs, anything can happen.
Play-Off Fixtures
Thursday May 8th: Bristol City v Sheffield United
Friday May 9th: Coventry City v Sunderland
Monday May 12th: Sheffield United v Bristol City
Tuesday May 13th: Sunderland v Coventry City
Saturday May 24th: Play-off Final
Here, we provide a run-through of each of the teams.
SHEFFIELD UNITED
Place: 3rd | Points: 90 | Form: LLWLWD
For a long stint of this season, it seemed Chris Wilder’s side would be sealing an automatic return to the Premier League.
Despite having to overcome a two-point deduction, the Blades surged up the table and were looking well set to take one of the top two spots.
Yet a collapse around Easter saw them finish a whopping 10 points behind centurions Leeds and Burnley, and with just two wins from their last six matches, United enter the play-offs in poor form.
That is always the worry for the team that finishes third — look at Leeds last season. Getting back on track is difficult, and semi-final opponents Bristol have plenty of momentum.
United also have a poor record in the play-offs, having failed to gain promotion via this method in their previous nine such appearances across the second and third tiers, while they have not won a game at Wembley in 100 years.
But, on paper, United have the best squad of the four teams, and they accumulated 14 points more than fourth-place Sunderland. If Wilder’s team can rediscover some composure, they are still the team to beat.
Key Player: Gustavo Hamer
SUNDERLAND
Place: 4th | Points: 76 | Form: DLLLLL
If the Blades are in bad form, then Sunderland’s recent run is on a different level of poor — they have not won any of their last six matches.
The Black Cats have long been assured of their place in the top six, but were never really that likely to challenge for automatic promotion, so the drop-off didn’t do too much damage, though this dip in form will surely be a worry for Régis Le Bris.
Sunderland have not been in the Premier League in almost a decade, and have spent their time down in the doldrums since then, but with the likes of Enzo Le Fée, Jobe Bellingham and Chris Rigg, who is reportedly of interest to several Premier League clubs, they have plenty of talent that can do the damage.
Wilson Isidor top-scored for them this season, netting 12 league goals, and Le Bris will be hoping the striker does the business.
Key Player: Chris Rigg
COVENTRY CITY
Place: 5th | Points: 69 | Form: WDWLLW
Frank Lampard has been much-maligned as a manager after his poor spells at Everton and Chelsea (in his second stint at Stamford Bridge), but the Premier League great deserves plenty of credit for taking a step back down to the second tier and then showing just what a good coach he can be at this level.
Coventry, who reached the play-off final in 2023, losing to Luton Town, were 17th when they dismissed the popular Mark Robins in November.
But Lampard came in and not only steadied the ship, but propelled Coventry up into the play-off picture with a run of nine wins in 10 matches.
Their form in the run-in was patchy, but three wins is more than Sheff Utd and Sunderland managed from their last six games combined, and there should be little to separate the Black Cats and Coventry in the first round.
Indeed, Lampard’s side won 3-0 when these teams last met back in March, following a 2-2 draw at the Stadium of Light in November.
Key Player: Jack Rudoni
BRISTOL CITY
Place: 6th | Points: 68 | Form: WDWLLD
It is often the case that the team that finishes sixth in the Championship is the side that has put a run together late on to charge into the play-offs — and those teams can sometimes be the most dangerous, even if they are unfancied.
That is not quite the case for Bristol City, though.
They looked well set for a top-six finish for a while, but a late-season wobble saw them pick up just eight points from the last 18 on offer.
A 3-1 loss at Luton was followed up by a 4-0 hammering at the hands of Leeds, and those results left Liam Manning’s side vulnerable.
Yet a final-day draw against Preston North End was enough to get them over the line and into the play-offs for the first time since 2008, when they made it all the way to Wembley before losing to Hull City.
The Robins have never been promoted via the play-offs, and took just a point from their two fixtures against Sheff Utd earlier this season, so it’s fair to say they are the underdogs this time around.
Key Player: Jason Knight
