Millwall

And so, after 45 Championship games, it all comes down to the final day...

Tell us, Ipswich, Millwall and Middlesbrough fans, how are you feeling?

The Tractor Boys have the advantage going into Saturday's home game with QPR, knowing a win would seal automatic promotion.

But the Lions, one point behind in third place, will seek to keep the pressure on as they host Oxford United while fourth-placed Boro, two points back, head to Wrexham aiming for a win and hoping other results go their way to sneak back over the dotted line where they spent most of the season.

Do you think your side will reach the Premier League by 15:00 BST on Saturday? If not, how hard would it be for them to pick themselves up and go again in the play-offs?

Click here to have your say.

It is set to be an "absolutely brilliant" final day of the Championship promotion race on which "anything can happen", according to the BBC's 72+ EFL podcast team.

Tuesday's dramatic 2-2 draw between Southampton and Ipswich has left Town, Millwall and Middlesbrough to fight it out for the second automatic promotion place in the 46th and final round of games on Saturday (12:30 BST).

Ipswich are in pole position, a point ahead of Millwall, with a goal difference advantage of +17 on the Lions, but with Boro a point further back. Town know they must beat QPR at Portman Road to secure an immediate return to the Premier League.

Middlesbrough are at Wrexham, who need to secure a play-off spot, while Millwall host already-relegated Oxford United.

"It was a brilliant game," said EFL pundit Jobi McAnuff.

"We have spoken all season about how open the Championship has been. Coventry have been by far and away the best team, worthy winners, but for it to go into the last Saturday [is fantastic].

"Millwall, the team that just won't go away, they're still hanging in there, Middlesbrough, the team off the back of really poor form but with a couple of good results of late, anything can happen, it's going to be absolutely brilliant on Saturday."

Despite extending their unbeaten league run to 18 games, Saints bowed out of the race, sitting four points behind Ipswich, and will need to win the play-offs if they are to secure their own top-flight return.

"It's been a fantastic run. Everyone from afar was hoping they'd get in there, It's Roy of the Rovers stuff," said Bristol Rovers boss Steve Evans.

"In fairness, probably the teams that have been more consistent and better over the course of the season, they're the ones who are going to fight the final day shootout."

Even though he believes Ipswich have been "underwhelming" this season, McAnuff said he expects the Tractor Boys to prevail.

He said: "I expect them to go and finish the job now at home. They have got through what was a tricky run of away games ,which has really been their Achilles heel.

"Big win at Charlton, [point at] West Brom on Saturday and follow up by getting a point at the form team [Southampton].

"I think Kieran McKenna would have taken that before - make sure they're going into the last game of the season very much in control.

"We associate McKenna and Ipswich with that all-out attacking free-flowing football, they haven't found that rhythm this season, they have been a bit underwhelming, I have to say, with the quality they have in their squad.

"I believe they will get over the line but with this squad that's the bare minimum they should be doing this season."

Evans fears for McKenna's future if he is unable to guide Ipswich back to the Premier League.

"If Ipswich turn up and play as they can at Portman Road they'll be in the Premier League," he said.

"If they drop to the play-offs and lose and Kieran McKenna doesn't lead them to the Premier League then he might not lead them anywhere, that's how ruthless football is."

Millwall boss Alex Neil spoke to BBC Sport following their 1-1 draw at Leicester.

"There is disappointment [in the changing room] because we've not won the game, and that is always the overriding emotion whether it is the second last game or if it's the second game," he said.

"It doesn't make any difference because we set out to win and we tried to win. There will always be frustration for the fact that I think when you get a point and haven't played well, you can be quite content, but we feel we played well and had enough opportunities to make a difference and to score, and we didn't take them.

"Depending on what happens in the next couple of games will determine how important or not important that point will be.

"We just need to try and finish with as many points as we can. We were never thought to be in contention for the top two at any point, not with anybody, and we are still here with one game to play. For that to be the case, this group of players has done magnificently well.

Leicester City play their final home game in the Championship this season, after relegation to League One was confirmed with their 2-2 draw against Hull City on Tuesday.

Millwall visit on Friday (20:00 BST) and will need at least a point to move back into second position, above Ipswich who visit West Bromwich Albion on Saturday lunchtime.

• Leicester City have won both of their past two home league games against Millwall, scoring three goals in each: a 3-0 win in November 2013, and 3-2 in December 2023.

• Millwall have won both of their past two Championship matches against Leicester City (both 1-0), and are looking to complete their fourth league double over the Foxes, after 1990-91, 2011-12, and 2012-13.

• Leicester City have been relegated to League One, 10 years after they were crowned Premier League champions. It is the second-shortest gap between a side being English champions and then being relegated to the third tier, after Derby County's nine years from 1975 to 1984.

• Leicester have lost their final home game in five of their past eight Championship seasons (W3), including three of their past four.

• Millwall have won 40 points from 22 Championship away games this season (W11 D7 L4); it is the Lions' joint-most away points (assuming 3 points for a win) in a league campaign, along with the 2000-01 campaign.

Nick Hart
Fan writer

Not only did Tuesday night's convincing 3-1 win at Stoke City put the Lions into the end-of-season promotion play-offs for the first time at Championship level in 25 years, it also keeps us in the hunt for the glittering prize of automatic promotion via second place.

What an achievement by Alex Neil and this hugely resilient squad.

The rise of young players like Derek Mazou-Sacko, Camiel Neghli and Josh Coburn is in the best traditions of Millwall FC.

Add in the experience of Jake Cooper, Tristan Crama and the talent of Femi Azeez, this is a heady mix for Millwall fans to enjoy.

If there is one factor beyond all else that has got us into this wonderful position, I would say that there is a sense of unity throughout the players, management and fans.

A unity that may yet generate more stories from what has already been a tremendous season.

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Millwall boss Alex Neil spoke to BBC Radio London after his side's 3-1 win at Stoke City:

"I thought it was a great performance. I thought we set our stall out early in the first half, with a couple of the best chances. I thought we took the lead deservedly so, I thought it was a brilliant goal from Camiel Neghli.

"We should have scored the second, the cutback for Josh [Coburn] with Femi [Azeez] right behind him as well. We had one for Josh across the face, Femi had a couple on his left foot rolling in.

"When they get a goal back to 2-1, the reaction's important at that point. If they go on and get on top, then it's a nervous 20 minutes.

"I thought our reaction was brilliant, in terms of going and getting the next goal.

"And then I thought we saw the game out quite comfortably and there was only one team who deserved to win."

Image source, Opta

Millwall will seek to keep up the pace in the automatic promotion race as they head to Stoke on Tuesday night (19:45 BST).

The Lions returned to winning ways with a 2-0 victory over QPR on Saturday and could return to second place, three points ahead of Ipswich, if Alex Neil can continue his fine winning record against his former club.

The Tractor Boys, who visit Charlton on Wednesday, would however have two games in hand on Millwall and a vastly superior goal difference.

The Potters are already safe and though they have picked up just a point from their past three games, Mark Robins' side are unbeaten in six at the Bet365, earning 12 points and scoring 13 goals.

• Stoke have won just one of their past 14 league games against Millwall (D5 L8), a 2-0 home win in March 2022. The Potters have failed to score in 10 of these 14 games.

• Millwall have won five of their past seven league games against Stoke (D2), conceding just one goal in these seven matches.

• Stoke are unbeaten in home league games since the start of February (W3 D3); they last recorded a longer unbeaten run in their final seven home league matches in 2018-19 (W1 D6).

• Millwall are unbeaten in their past seven away league games (W5 D2), their longest run since April 2018 (run of nine), while their 37 points on the road this season is their most since 2015-16 in the third tier (39).

• Former Stoke manager Alex Neil has won six of his past seven league games against the Potters (L1), including both while in charge of Millwall.

Millwall boss Alex Neil spoke to BBC Radio London after his side's 2-0 win against Queens Park Rangers:

"We made a fast start. We needed to get the fans behind us, we needed to play on the front foot, try and create chances and pressure.

"To score so early and to back that up with a few chances and another goal set us up really nicely for the remainder of the game."

"[I'm] Delighted with the lads' performance."

Millwall manager Alex Neil says their recent run of results is "not a fair reflection" of what the club has achieved in the Championship this season.

The Lions have won one of their past five games (D2 L2) and suffered back-to-back home league defeats for the first time since August in losses to Blackburn and Norwich.

But Millwall are just two points behind second-placed Ipswich - who have a game in hand - in the race for automatic promotion and are one win away from all but securing a second-tier play-off spot for the first time since 2002.

"The fact that we are where we are with four games to go, I think is a bigger reflection on how well the lads have done," Neil told BBC Radio London before welcoming QPR to The Den on Saturday.

"Do we want to be in really good form getting into these [final] four games? Absolutely. But I think as the Championship shows everyone, games are unpredictable."

Neil said there was "nothing to be negative about" and pointed to the fact Millwall have won 21 of their 42 league games this season, as well as recording their best points tally since their run to the play-offs 24 years ago.

"I think it's overwhelmingly positive for where we're sitting and how we're looking at the remaining matches," he said.

"The only team in the league that's won more games than us this year is the team that's going to win the title.

"So this whole 'who would you rather play? Are we in a bad spot? Do we need to fix home form?' I don't want to hear any of that. As far as we're concerned, we're in a really good spot."

Should Millwall fall short of the top two, Neil said competing in the play-offs would still be "a brilliant thing".

"There might be elation at the end of it, there might be disappointment, but that's why we're all involved," he added.

"Would you rather sit 12th and bore yourself to death in the remaining fixtures? No.

"So let's enjoy it, let's look forward to it, let's live in the moment, stop worrying about what might happen and let's get on with it and support each other."

Image source, Getty Images

Millwall have triggered a one-year extension on midfielder Casper De Norre's contract.

The Belgian joined the Lions in 2023 and has made more than 100 appearances since, including 25 in the Championship this season.

"I've always said I love it here and I'm really happy to be here," the 29-year-old said in a club statement.

"To play for this football club, to live in London and to be able to do that for another year is something I am very proud of."

Third-placed Millwall go into Saturday's London derby having only picked up one win in their past five Championship outings.

That dip in form has seen the Lions slip two points adrift of second-placed Ipswich.

But a win here would push Alex Neil's side up into the automatic promotion spots with the Tractor Boys hosting Middlesborough on Sunday.

QPR, who sit 11th in the Championship, make the journey across London having drawn their past two games and are 10 points off the play-offs before Saturday's (12:30 BST) kick-off.

• Millwall have won four of their past six league games against QPR (D1 L1) and are looking to complete the double over the Hoops for the first time since 1988-89.

• QPR have lost their past two league games against Millwall, last having a longer losing run against them between 1937 and 1953 (4).

• Millwall have only won one of their past five Championship games (D2 L2), after winning four in a row prior to this run. They've also lost their past two home league games, last losing three in a row in November 2023.

• QPR are unbeaten in their past five Championship matches (W3 D2) and could equal their longest run without defeat under Julien Stephan (six between August and October 2025).

• Femi Azeez has been directly involved in 15 goals in the Championship this season (eight goals, seven assists). Six of his seven assists have been from open play, with Jed Wallace in 2019-20 (seven) the last Millwall player to make more than six open play assists in a Championship campaign.

Image source, Shutterstock

On Tuesday, we asked for your thoughts on Millwall's automatic promotion hopes and if you would be happy with a play-off spot.

The Lions are two points behind second-placed Ipswich, who have a game in hand, with four matches still to play.

Alex Neil's side are in a cluster of four teams from second to fifth separated by just three points.

Here are a selection of your responses:

Mark: Automatic promotion is still within our reach, with the games that Ipswich and Middlesbrough have compared to ours, we have on paper the easiest run-in. But we all know how much teams can come unstuck like we did against Norwich and WBA.

Harry: Think we've overachieved too much this season and feeling the effect these last few games. Southampton to go up instead.

Bob: 9 points from 4 games could see us finish second, but I'm ecstatic with a play-off place. It's been a great season already and who knows what awaits us.

Paul: There will be more twists and turns to this. Southampton have got a cup semi-final to think of, so a nice distraction for them. This weekend is a pivotal one for all of the teams.

Darren: My heart says auto promotion. Alex Neil has done a fantastic job. I was there in 1987/88 when Johnny Docherty and big Frank [McLintock} did the impossible. Oh how I want those times back again. These are brave Lions but head says play-offs and we fear no foe for the top 6. Come on you Lions, do us proud.

Kevin: Half of me would love promotion, half dreads us getting mauled and spat out. Automatic promotion really depends on other results. We just need to keep going. I think we are a great Championship side, with only a few players capable of playing in the Prem. Let's hope my fears are not realised.

Lewis: I never in my wildest dreams believed we would be competing for an automatic place. When you look at the quality of teams who've missed out in previous seasons, it's remarkable to see us there on merit and outcompeting lots of really good clubs.

Finishing 6th in the Championship has been El Dorado ever since I can remember, never mind finishing second. I am extremely proud of the Lions no matter where we finish.

Do I think we can still make second place? I think we are in the best position besides Ipswich. Ipswich will drop points but we have to win four successive games which is not easy in this division.

Dan: It has been an incredible season with so many players performing well and Alex Neil really stepping up and proving himself a very good manager at this level. To be in with a realistic chance of a top two finish is something I did not think possible, but we have shown huge resilience and no shortage of skill to get there.

Ultimately, I think we'll finish just short to Ipswich but with a great chance in the play-offs where we have a decent record over the last 20 years. One final push in these last four games and you never know. Millwall in the Premier League - I think many neutrals would love to see that. I would after supporting them for 45 years.

Richard: I have been a fan of the Lions since I was 17. I am now 89 and what a joy to see them in a lovely position. Please don't let me down.

How are you feeling, Millwall fans?

You've popped your head above the dotted line for automatic promotion but a run of five points from five games has seen you overhauled.

Now looks like a four-way fight for second place with Ipswich, Millwall, fast-finishing Southampton, and Middlesbrough separated by just three points.

The Lions can jump back into the top two on Saturday lunchtime when QPR head to The Den (12:30 BST), but there's a big game between Ipswich and Middlesbrough on Sunday (12:00) to come, and the Tractor Boys will also visit Southampton in the penultimate game of the season.

So what do you think you need from your final four games? QPR and Stoke look to be on the beach while Leicester and Oxford are likely to be scrapping for their lives in their final two outings.

Is the door for automatic promotion still open, or would a play-off place be reward enough for a fine season?

Click here to have your say.

Nick Hart
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

Despite what proved to be a valuable away point at the Hawthorns last Friday night, the sense of missing out on the automatic second spot in the Championship was strong amongst many online Millwall fans over the weekend.

Wrongly, I would argue.

Unfortunately, once again a series of missed chances by the Lions, combined with promotion fatigue, meant that the side were clinging on by the late stages of the game.

Indeed it needed a late save by on-loan keeper Anthony Patterson to preserve the draw for Millwall.

That said, the weekend's other results increasingly put Millwall in a stronger position for post-season play-off football - which is in itself no mean achievement.

Certainly as gaffer Alex Neil said post match, if you'd have offered that to most Lions fans back in August, they'd have accepted with enthusiasm.

Myself included.

Although nothing is done and dusted yet, the planning for the play-off semi-finals will probably begin discreetly at The Den after Saturday's home derby fixture versus QPR onwards.

Certainly, Ipswich Town will be bitterly disappointed if they miss out on second place, given the games in hand that they currently hold.

Play-offs it is then.

Football of course rarely offers a sense of perspective but as much as some might feel deflated by settling for the Championship play-offs, this remains a huge achievement by Alex Neil and this squad.

An exciting finish that has eluded Millwall for 25 years since the 2001-02 season awaits and the possibility of the big-time next season.

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