- The English second-tier division came to an official close after a thrilling campaign
- Leeds United and Burnley both finished on 100 points, but the former clinched the title with a 92nd stoppage time winner and a healthy goal difference
- Luton Town and Cardiff, at the other end of the table, faced the agony of going down to the lower division
The English Football League Championship delivered yet another extraordinary conclusion as the 2024/25 season came to a thrilling end on Saturday, May 3.
From the first whistle at 12:30 PM BST to the last gasp of stoppage time, fans across 12 stadiums witnessed a day filled with late goals, emotional highs and lows, and the kind of drama that only this league can provide.
With the Championship title, play-off spots, and relegation survival all hanging in the balance, every goal carried enormous weight. What followed was a whirlwind two hours of unforgettable footballing theatre.
Title race: Leeds seize glory in final minute
The spotlight fell squarely on Leeds United and Burnley, both vying for the Championship crown and automatic promotion. Leeds entered the final day with a narrow lead, needing a win at home against Stoke City to guarantee the title. Burnley, hosting Millwall, needed victory and a Leeds slip-up to have any chance.
Burnley did their part, producing a dominant 5–0 victory with goals flowing freely at Turf Moor. By the hour mark, their clinical finishing had temporarily placed them atop the live table.
But at Elland Road, it was a much tighter affair. Leeds were locked 1–1 with Stoke going into stoppage time. Then, in the 92nd minute, a perfectly timed header from a Leeds striker found the back of the net. The roar inside the stadium was deafening.
“The dagger that won @LUFC the title,” read one X post, encapsulating the moment.
The 2–1 victory sent Leeds back to the Premier League as champions, capping off a campaign of consistency and resilience. Burnley, despite their emphatic win, had to settle for second place — and a well-earned promotion.
Play-off battle
Behind the top two, the fight for the final play-off spots was no less dramatic. Sheffield United, Blackburn Rovers, Millwall, and others were in contention, with shifting positions throughout the day.
At Bramall Lane, Sheffield United secured their place with a 2–0 win over Blackburn Rovers, thanks to goals from Sam McCallum and Andre Brooks. Despite the loss, Blackburn scraped into the play-offs on goal difference — helped by results elsewhere and their own strong finish to the season.
Millwall, clinging to hope, earned a vital 1–0 win over Swansea City. Veteran midfielder George Saville scored a rare goal — his first in 18 months — at a critical moment to push the Lions into sixth.
Middlesbrough, meanwhile, saw their play-off ambitions dashed in a goalless draw with Norwich City. Despite a spirited campaign under new manager Jack Wilshere, they fell just short.
With final standings confirmed, the play-off semi-finals will feature Sheffield United, Blackburn Rovers, Millwall, and either Sunderland or West Brom, depending on final goal differential reviews.
Relegation heartbreak: Luton, Cardiff go down
At the foot of the table, the relegation battle was equally brutal. Luton Town, freshly relegated from the Premier League last season, were in desperate need of a win to avoid back-to-back demotions. Facing West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns, they led 3–2 deep into the second half. But in a crushing twist, West Brom scored three unanswered goals — including a stoppage-time dagger — to win 5–3 and send Luton down to League One.
Cardiff City also faced relegation after consecutive goalless draws — including one on the final day against Norwich City. It marked the end of a disappointing campaign and the beginning of a rebuilding phase.
In contrast, Derby County and Stoke City survived with a cagey 0–0 draw at Pride Park, while Oxford United also secured safety, their tenacity praised by fans and commentators alike.
Ex-Super Eagles star scores first championship goal in 14 years
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that Nigerian international Victor Moses rolled back the years on Friday night, September 27, scoring his first goal in the English Championship with Luton Town since January 2010.
Moses was part of the squad that won the Europa League in 2012/13 with Chelsea, but spent much of his nine years as a Chelsea player out on loan, playing for European giants Liverpool and Inter Milan, as well as domestically for West Ham, Stoke and in Turkey with Fenerbache.
