Key events
The big story is Ipswich’s return to the top flight after a 22-year absence. Back-to-back promotions in his first two seasons as a manager; that Kieran McKenna’s not half bad, eh? There’s also the matter of the two sensational Sammie Szmodics solo goals that indirectly condemned Birmingham City to League One. But amid all the drama, it’s easy to forget that Leicester City are the actual champions of the division, so let’s finish with a picture of the Foxes raising the famous old trophy as they return to the Premier League at the first attempt. Congratulations to them, and to Ipswich; good luck to Leeds, Southampton, West Brom and Norwich in the play-offs, and commiserations to Huddersfield and Birmingham, whose relegations were confirmed this afternoon. Thanks for reading this Clockwatch!
Saints will however be going into those play-offs in a better frame of mind than Leeds. Today’s result at Elland Road will see to that. Louise Taylor witnessed it, and here’s her report.
Play-off details
Got to say, none of these teams are heading into the play-offs in particularly good form. Leeds ended the season losing three of their last four, Saints were on a three-game losing streak before winning today at Leeds, ditto West Brom before today’s victory over Preston, and Norwich drew two and lost one of their last three. Good luck, everyone!
Sunday 12 May
Norwich City v Leeds United (12pm)
West Bromwich Albion v Southampton (2.15pm)
Thursday 16 May
Leeds United v Norwich City (8pm)
Friday 17 May
Southampton v West Bromwich Albion (8pm)
Sunday 26 May
The final
At the other end of the table, it was misery for Birmingham. Ben Fisher was on point, and here’s his verdict.
Jonathan Liew was at Portman Road. He’s filed his report, presumably from the middle of a blue pyro party. Here it is!
Kieran McKenna, who has taken Ipswich Town from League One to the Premier League in short order, speaks to Sky Sports. “It means a lot … mostly seeing how much it means to everyone, the players, the supporters … to be one of the leaders of that is absolutely massive … it’s a wonderful day, I’m very, very proud of everyone involved … we’ve delivered a really good performance … it’s what we’ve done all year … it’s served us well … it’s an incredible amount of effort … I’m sure it’ll sink in in a couple of days … there’s a lot of work to do … it’ll start in a couple of days time … [the Premier League] will be a great challenge and one that I’m really looking forward to.”
It’s then pointed out to him that Alf Ramsey took Ipswich from the third tier to the top, and won the title in their first season (1961-62). When will history stop repeating itself? “I think with that one,” McKenna laughs.
The Championship 2023-24
Champions: Leicester City
Promoted: Ipswich Town
Play-offs: Leeds United, Southampton, West Bromwich Albion, Norwich City
Relegated: Birmingham City, Huddersfield Town, Rotherham United
Full-time scores
Ipswich are automatically promoted. West Brom and Norwich secure their play-off spots. Blackburn, Sheffield Wednesday and Plymouth save themselves, sending Birmingham down.
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Birmingham City 1-0 Norwich City
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Coventry City 1-2 Queens Park Rangers
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Ipswich Town 2-0 Huddersfield Town
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Leeds United 1-2 Southampton
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Leicester City 0-2 Blackburn Rovers
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Middlesbrough 3-1 Watford
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Plymouth Argyle 1-0 Hull City
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Rotherham United 5-2 Cardiff City
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Stoke City 4-0 Bristol City
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Sunderland 0-2 Sheffied Wednesday
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Swansea City 0-1 Millwall
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West Bromwich Albion 3-0 Preston North End
BLUES RELEGATED: Birmingham 1-0 Norwich
A good performance by Blues. Too little, too late. They’re down. Replacing John Eustace with Wayne Rooney wasn’t the greatest idea.
PLYMOUTH SURVIVE! Plymouth 1-0 Hull
The Green Army are safe! That result, coupled with …
FULL TIME: Sunderland 0-2 Sheffield Wednesday
… condemns Birmingham to League One.
BLACKBURN SURVIVE! Leicester 0-2 Blackburn
What a solo show by Sammie Szmodics!
IPSWICH PROMOTED! Ipswich 2-0 Huddersfield
The whistle goes at Portman Road! On come the fans! Blue smoke! Ipswich are up! Huddersfield’s relegation is rubber-stamped.
GOAL! Leicester 0-2 Blackburn (Szmodics 90+4)
Another entertaining solo run by Sammie Szmodics, and Blackburn’s Championship status is secure! Leicester were on the attack, but it broke down and Szmodics romped from inside his own half, rounded the keeper on the halfway line (!) and celebrated before rolling home. He’s kept Rovers up all by himself!
Ipswich 2-0 Huddersfield. Ipswich are in party mode all right, so much so that they’ve just hooked keeper Václav Hladký and sent on Christian Walton, just because they can.
RED CARD! Japhet Tanganga (Millwall).
RED CARD! Jerry Yates (Swansea).
An exchange of views and hands.
As it stands, Plymouth are staying up by the skin of their teeth. Can they hold on against Hull? Can Hull do Birmingham a solid? We’ll find out soon enough.
Plymouth 1-0 Hull. With Birmingham and Blackburn leading, the nerves are jangling in Devon. Should Hull equalise, it’ll be the Pilgrims going down. Meanwhile …
GOAL! Middlesbrough 3-1 Watford (Jones 84).
GOAL! Coventry 1-2 QPR (Allen 83).
Leicester 0-1 Blackburn. Harry Winks pings a shot off the top of the crossbar from 12 yards. Rovers staying up as things stand.
GOAL! Middlesbrough 2-1 Watford (Bangura 78). Boro regain the lead at the Riverside.
GOAL! WBA 3-0 Preston (Furlong 68)
West Brom tearing clear down the final Furlong. The play-offs certain now. Meanwhile …
GOAL! Swansea 0-1 Millwall (de Norre 72).
GOAL! Middlesbrough 1-1 Watford (Hoedt 73).
GOAL! Rotherham 5-2 Cardiff (Hugill 69).
Leicester 0-1 Blackburn. That was an outrageously good solo goal by Szmodics. He spun away from and clear of the last man in his own half, making it all the way down the flank and into the box before bobbling a low diagonal shot home. What a way to ensure survival, if that’s how things pan out!
GOAL! Leicester 0-1 Blackburn (Szmodics 68)
With Birmingham winning, a goal for Leicester would put Blackburn in the relegation places. Sammie Szmodics responds by barrelling down the left flank, cutting into the box, and threading a shot across the keeper and into the bottom right! Rovers on the way to saving themselves!
GOAL! Rotherham 4-2 Cardiff (Nombe 63). League One watch out!
GOAL! WBA 2-0 Preston (Bartley 61)
A long throw from the right. Kyle Bartley wins a header, sending the ball looping on an absurdly high arc, and back down into the top-right corner. West Brom almost certain of the play-offs now!
GOAL! Rotherham 3-2 Cardiff (Eaves 57 pen). Rotherham signing off in style.
GOAL! Birmingham City 1-0 Norwich City (Paik 55)
Hope for Birmingham! Anderson cuts in from the left. He shoots. The ball deflects, pinballs and bobbles. Paik pokes home at the far stick. Well, well, well. Now, should Leicester score against Blackburn …
The Championship first halves started slowly. History repeating itself, right now.
GOAL! Rotherham 2-2 Cardiff (Tanner 47).
GOAL! Stoke 4-0 Bristol City (Manhoef 49).
The goals raining in at the New York and Bet365 stadiums.
GOAL! Ipswich 2-0 Huddersfield (Hutchinson 48)
The Tractor Boys are surely truckin’ towards the Premier League! Omari Hutchinson turns into space, dribbles down the middle of the park, and threads a shot into the bottom left from distance! Portman Road erupts!
The final 45 minutes of the 2023-24 Championship season, then. Coming right up!
Half-time entertainment. The Championship isn’t the only show in town this lunchtime. The snooker is on as well. All the latest from the Crucible is just a click away.
Half-time scores
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Birmingham City 0-0 Norwich City
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Coventry City 0-2 Queens Park Rangers
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Ipswich Town 1-0 Huddersfield Town
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Leeds United 1-2 Southampton
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Leicester City 0-0 Blackburn Rovers
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Middlesbrough 1-0 Watford
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Plymouth Argyle 1-0 Hull City
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Rotherham United 2-1 Cardiff City
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Stoke City 3-0 Bristol City
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Sunderland 0-2 Sheffied Wednesday
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Swansea City 0-0 Millwall
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West Bromwich Albion 1-0 Preston North End
As it stands, Ipswich are going up, West Brom and Norwich have secured their play-off spots, and Huddersfield and Birmingham are going down.