December 26, 2024

Fulham 5-3 Leicester, Coventry and Sunderland book playoff spots – as it happened

Leicester #Leicester

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Righto, we’re done here. Thanks all for your company and comments – sorry I couldn’t use them all, but things got freaky. Well done Burnley, Sheffield United, Luton, Boro, Coventry and Sunderland and see you next time. Peace aht.

Updated at 14.00 EDT

“Celtic’s proper name is Celtic,” advises Mark Wilson, “there is no Glasgow attached (unless required to make a song scan or feel a bit European) so Celtic do fit the bill (ignoring the football club bit, of course).”

“Rovers would be in the playoffs now if Cov keeper’s handball for their 95th minute equaliser against us had been spotted,” tweets andy in Brum, “(Although whether we’d have therefore bottled it against Millwall is moot). Well done Sunderland.”

I didn’t see that, but yeah, pressure does funny things – though weirdly given they spaffed a 3-1 lead, I don’t think Millwall bottled that at all , on the contrary in fact – they just got diazed.

Amad wins man of the match and a kiss from O’Nien.

Luke O’Nien says he and his teammates love Amad, who raised standards as soon as he came in. Amad, meanwhile, wants to focus for the playoffs and he loves playing for the fans who give him so much energy. O’Nien points out the fans are still singing, noting that the players work every day to bring them happiness.

“If you give Celtic their proper name (with the Glasgow attached),” returns Simon McMahon, “Kilmarnock and East Fife are the only other Scottish clubs, alongside the aforementioned Dundee United, that fit the bill.”

Mark Robins says Coventry, who were bottom in October, only started talking about the playoffs three weeks ago. He says he’s got a lot of thinking to do in terms of how he attacks two more games with Boro, praising the job Carrick has done but, as he sagely notes, “it is what it is”.

“That clip of Jon Brady,” emails Simon McMahon. “Wow. Got extremely dusty in my kitchen as I watched. Should be required viewing for all players, managers, fans, pundits etc, whatever happens to your team come season’s end. Today I feel like a Northampton Town fan.”

I know, it killed me. Here it is again.

“There is no way you, as a spectator, or as a camera, can be too high,” reckons Kevin Porter.” An elevated view is always a superior view. Enjoying the inevitable failure of one of the thirty pointers to mathematically secure Wolves Premier League status for next season.”

Have you ever been to Newcastle away or sat in tier three at Old Trafford? Those are not good places from which to watch a game, and this is a personal preference thing but I always want to be lower tier because I want to feel involved in the game – apart from at Stamford Bridge, where the upper tier is really low – so low it impedes the view from underneath.

Next!

Do yourselves a favour: check the goals from today here:

Ah, he returns: “PS Stanway & Sutton Common Rovers, Cleator Moor Celtic and Risborough Rangers.”

“Apart from the obvious Liverpool,” says Julian Borrill of clubs whose names start and end with the same letter, just looking at common endings in the English leagues we have:

  • Carshalton, Charlton, Crowborogh & Croydon Athletic

  • Nantwich, New Milton, Newark, Newcastle, Newent, Newmarket, Newport Pagnell, Northallerton & Northampton Town

  • York City

  • But not Uniteds (unless you’ll take the Damned United)”

  • There’s also Dundee United in Scotland – and Celtic if you call them Celtic not Glasgow Celtic.

    All the words my brain is telling me to use, I’m not allowed to use in a family newspaper. Oh man, Gary Rowett, the Millwall manager, looks extremely poorly and I’m not surprised. His team had this in the bag, only for Diaz to rip a hole in it the size of the Andes.

    Championship: final scores

    Wigan 0-0 Rotherham

    Luton 0-0 Hull

    Preston 0-3 Sunderland

    Burnley 3-0 Cardiff

    QPR 0-2 Bristol City

    Norwich 0-1 Blackpool

    Millwall 3-4 Blackburn

    Middlesbrough 1-1 Coventry

    Huddersfield 2-0 Reading

    Birmingham 1-2 Sheffield United

    Swansea 3-2 West Brom

    Watford 2-0 Stoke

    Playoff fixtures

    Sunderland v Luton

    Middlesbrough v Coventry

    Sunderland, by the way – and Amad in particular – have been devastating in the second half. Well done Terknee Merrbrey for acting at the interval, and well done his players for turning it up like that.

    Full time: Millwall 3-4 Blackburn

    Oh my complete and utter days. An incredible game of football, settled by the incredible Ben Brereton Diaz, and Millwall are out of the playoffs with Sunderland in – along with Luton, Boro, and Coventry.

    I still can’t believe Millwall are going to lose this game. They started both halves brilliantly, were 3-1 in front … and then Ben Brereton Diaz did his thing. He’s far too good for this level.

    GOAL! Swansea 3-2 West Brom (Piroe 90+3)

    A low free-kick bent around the wall, and Swansea are close to what Alan McInally says would be a deserved victory.

    Six minutes to go at the Cottage…

    “When Oliver Burke was at the Throstles he was very, very not good,” says JR in Illinois. “And now I have to see him essentially eliminate my guys’ chances of making the playoffs? I didn’t even know he was still playing in the Championship. That guy … he’s not my kind of guy.”

    Worked out well for you then, sort of.

    GOAL! Fulham 5-3 Leicester (Barnes 89)

    If only Leicester could defend…

    AMAZING GOAL! Huddersfield 2-0 Reading (Hungbo 84)

    Hungbo ozzes in off the left and unfurls a ridiculous curler into the far top corner!

    GOAL! Millwall 3-4 Blackburn (Diaz 86)

    Sunderland are going into the playoffs and Millwall are not! Pears shoves out a decent save and Diaz leads then ends a counter, sliding into an empty net at the back post! Diaz has been wonderful second half, fniishing his spell at Ewood in fitting manner, and this has been a wonderful game; Blackburn are above Millwall now, only out of the playoffs on insurmountable goal difference. This is insane!

    Ben Brereton Diaz signs off his spell with Blackburn in style. Photograph: Alex Davidson/Getty Images

    Updated at 11.53 EDT

    Sorry, I’ve not done any emails this half because it’s been manic, but let’s try now. “Talking of London clubs Daniel, “ says Phil Rebbeck, “in 1974-75 there were relatively few 5 in the top flight-QPR, West Ham, Arsenal, Spurs and Chelsea. It was the last time that no team from the capital finished in the top ten, with QPR being highest placed in 11th. Hard to see that happening again.”

    Updated at 12.09 EDT

    GOAL! Birmingham 1-2 Sheffield United (Sanderson 79)

    Hannibal crosses to the back post, Roberts heads across, and Sanderson finishes with a lovely cushioned volley.

    GOAL! Fulham 5-2 Leicester (Maddison pen 81)

    Leicester must wish they could defend.

    ANOTHER PENALTY TO LEICESTER!

    Palhinha fouls Maddison and let’s see what happens this time…

    GOAL! Watford 2-0 Stoke (Davis 74)

    I didn’t see this one, but it happened.

    Absolute scenes at the Den, Diaz heading for the far corner only for Malone to somehow head off the line from under the bar! That is an astoundingly good piece of defending and keeps Millwall alive in this playoff chase!

    Updated at 11.36 EDT

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