Football League And Nationwide Conference League Playoffs Preview

While the Premier League continues to rumble on, the Football League regular season came to a close at the weekend, with a large number of promotions, playoff places and relegation places all being decide on the final day.

There was plenty of drama as teams that held Playoff Spots were demoted out of them, while other teams moved up to clinch a spot in the playoffs.

Similarly teams in danger of relegation found a win to move themselves out of the drop zone and thus a team dropped into the relegation places, as MK Dons did in League One.

In this article, we are going to round up what has happened across the three divisions of the Football League and then give you the breakdown of the Playoffs that will begin later this week.

Any odds shown are courtesy of bet365 Sport and were correct at the time of writing but may change in the time thereafter.

So let’s begin our round up of the different divisions starting with the Championship and a look at which two teams have already confirmed their place in the Premier League next season and which other team out of four possible in the playoffs, will seek to join them.

The Championship Round Up 2022/23

• Promoted – Burnley, Sheffield United
• Playoffs – Luton Town, Middlesbrough, Coventry City, Sunderland
• Relegated – Reading, Blackpool, Wigan Athletic
• Leading Goalscorer – Chuba Akpom (Middlesbrough) – 28 goals

Championship Team Of The Year 2022/23

• GK – Ben Wilson (Coventry City)
• DR – Connor Roberts (Burnley)
• DL – Anel Ahmedhodzic (Sheffield United)
• DC – Tom Lockyer (Luton Town)
• DC – Ian Maatsen (Burnley)
• MC – Alex Scott (Bristol City)
• MC – Josh Brownhill (Burnley)
• MC – Nathan Teller (Burnley)
• AMR – Ilman Ddiaye (Sheffield United)
• AML – Chuba Akpom (Middlesbrough)
• AC – Viktor Gyokeres (Coventry City)
• Manager – Vincent Kompany (Burnley)

Championship Playoff Semi Finals

1^st Leg Ties

Saturday 13^th May

• Sunderland v Luton Town (5.30pm)

Sunday 14^th May

• Coventry City v Middlesbrough (12pm)

2^nd Leg Ties

Tuesday 16^th May

• Luton Town v Sunderland (8pm)

Wednesday 17^th May

• Middlesbrough v Coventry City (8pm)

Championship Playoff Final

Saturday 28^th May 2023 at Wembley Stadium at 4.45pm

• Luton/Sunderland v Middlesbrough/Coventry

Championship Playoff Winner Odds From Bet365 Sport

• Middlesbrough – 13/8 fav.
• Luton Town – 11/4
• Sunderland – 11/4
• Coventry City – 7/2

How Do We See The Championship Playoffs Going?

With Burnley and Sheffield United already confirmed as promoted, who will most likely join them from the four playoff teams? The first semi final pits Middlesbrough against Coventry City and by a quirk of fate, the two played at the Riverside on the final day of the season, drawing 1-1. Coventry won the other league game between the two 1-0 back in October and I think that the Sky Blues can spring a surprise here and reach the final ahead of ‘Boro.

The other playoff sees Luton Town taking on Sunderland in what is a big surprise to see both these teams in the playoffs. Luton’s remarkable rise through the divisions has been largely overlooked. The Hatters are unbeaten in 14 games and both games between them and Sunderland have finished 1-1 in the Championship this season. This could be a close one and it may even take extra time and/or penalties to decide the winner in the second leg here.

My gut feeling is for a Coventry City v Luton Town playoff final and I’d back the outsiders Coventry City to land the win here at 7/2.

League One Round Up 2022/23

• Promoted – Plymouth Argyle, Ipswich Town
• Playoffs – Sheffield Wednesday, Barnsley, Bolton, Peterborough United
• Relegated – MK Dons, Morecambe, Accrington Stanley, Forest Green Rovers
• Leading Goalscorer – Conor Chaplin (Ipswich), Jonson Clarke-Harris (Peterborough) – 26 goals

League One Team Of The Year 2022/23

• GK – Michael Cooper (Plymouth Argyle)
• DR – Bali Mumba (Plymouth Argyle)
• DL – Leif Davis (Ipswich Town)
• DC – Mads Andersen (Barnsley)
• DC – Ricardo Santos (Bolton)
• MC – Barry Bannan (Sheffield Wednesday)
• MC – Aaron Collins (Bristol Rovers)
• MC – Conor Hourihane (Derby County)
• AMR – Josh Windass (Sheffield Wednesday)
• AML – Jonson Clarke-Harris (Peterborough Utd)
• AC – Conor Chaplin (Ipswich Town)
• Manager – Steven Schumacher (Ipswich Town)

League One Playoff Semi Finals

1^st Leg Ties

Friday 12^th May

• Peterborough United v Sheffield Wednesday (8pm)

Saturday 13^th May

• Bolton Wanderers v Barnsley (3pm)

2^nd Leg Ties

Thursday 18^th May

• Sheffield Wednesday v Peterborough (8pm)

Friday 19^th May

• Barnsley v Bolton Wanderers (8pm)

League One Playoff Final

Monday 29^th May – 3.00pm at Wembley Stadium

• Sheff Wed/Peterborough v Bolton/Barnsley

League One Playoff Winner Odds From Bet365 Sport

• Sheffield Wednesday – 6/4 fav.
• Barnsley – 5/2
• Bolton Wanderers – 7/2
• Peterborough United – 4/1

How Do We See The League One Playoffs Going?

For me, Sheffield Wednesday are the class team of this quartet and I’d expect them to come through their semifinal tie whereas the other tie I think is a toss up between Bolton and Barnsley but I do feel Wednesday’s near neighbours Barnsley may just squeak through to the final.

That would leave an all-Yorkshire final where Barnsley would feel confident having beaten the Owls 2-0 at Hillsborough and 4-2 at Oakwell over the course of the season, which means that I think the Tykes could spring an upset win in the final here. Take Barnsley at 5/2 to win the playoffs in League One.

League Two Round Up 2022/23

• Promoted – Leyton Orient, Stevenage, Northampton Town
• Playoffs – Stockport County, Carlisle United, Bradford City, Salford City
• Relegated – Rochdale, Hartlepool United
• Leading Goalscorer – Andy Cook (Bradford City) – 28 goals

League Two Team Of The Year 2022/23

• GK – Laurence Vigouroux (Leyton Orient)
• DR – Junior Tchamadeu (Colchester United)
• DL – Ibou Touray (Salford City)
• DC – Carl Piergianni (Stevenage)
• DC – Omar Beckles (Leyton Orient)
• MC – Elliot Watt (Salford City)
• MC – Owen Moxon (Carlisle United)
• AC – Idris El Mizouni (Leyton Orient)
• AC – Andy Cook (Bradford City)
• AMR – Sam Hoskins (Northampton Town)
• AML – Mitch Pinnock (Northampton Town)
• Manager – Richie Wellens (Leyton Orient)

League Two Playoff Semi Finals

1^st Leg Ties

Saturday 13^th May

• Salford City v Stockport United (7.45pm)

Sunday 14^th May

• Bradford City v Carlisle United (7pm)

2^nd Leg Ties

Saturday 20^th May

• Stockport County v Salford City (12.30pm)
• Carlisle United v Bradford City (3pm)

League Two Playoff Final

Sunday 28^th May – 1.30pm at Wembley Stadium

• Stockport/Salford v Carlisle/Bradford

League Two Playoff Winner Odds From Bet365 Sport

• Stockport County – 7/4 fav.
• Carlisle United – 11/4
• Bradford City – 3/1
• Salford City – 10/3

How Do We See The League Two Playoffs Going?

This is no doubt the most open of the playoff competitions in the three divisions and you can make a case for either of the four teams to win it. That first semi final is intriguing and I think Salford may well spring a surprise on Stockport to clinch a spot at Wembley, while in the second semi-final, I think Bradford’s greater edge in front of goal should be just enough for them to reach Wembley.

If it is a Bradford v Salford final then my money would be on the Bantams to claim the win here over their less experienced rivals. Take Bradford to win the playoffs at 3/1.