London: Millwall head into the English Championship play-offs with their sights set on a “fairytale” return to the top-flight after 36 years, while Southampton, Middlesbrough and Hull hope to end much shorter exiles from the Premier League.
After 46 rounds of matches in English football’s second-tier regular season, four teams remain standing in the race for promotion as the play-off semi-finals kick off on Friday. Championship winners Coventry and second-placed Ipswich secured automatic promotion, with Millwall finishing third, Southampton fourth, Middlesbrough fifth and Hull sixth.
In the 40th season of the Football League play-offs, the post-season battle should be as captivating as ever, capable of producing drama and heartache. Hull will host Millwall in the first leg of their semi-final on Friday in a clash between two unexpected play-off participants.
Millwall have not played in the Premier League since it was founded in 1992 -- their only seasons in English football’s top tier came in 1988/89 and 1989/90 when it was the First Division. The south London club, who finished just one point behind Ipswich, are in the second-tier play-offs for the first time since 2002.
It has been a remarkably successful campaign, given their pay-roll this season ranks 15th among the 24 Championship teams. Millwall boss Alex Neil, who led Norwich into the Premier League via the play-offs in 2015, believes taking the Lions up would be his greatest achievement. “We’re in the play-offs with an unbelievable season but there’s still a lot to play for,” Neil told BBC Radio London.
