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Leeds 6-4 for Championship playoff victory after Ipswich seal promotion to Premier League

Kieran McKenna's Tractor Boys are heading for the top flight as Leeds, Southampton, West Brom and Norwich target playoff success

Wes Burns helped Ipswich seal promotion with a win over Huddersfield
Wes Burns helped Ipswich seal promotion with a win over HuddersfieldCredit: Stephen Pond

Ipswich are back in the Premier League for the first time since 2002 after securing the Championship's second automatic-promotion spot with a 2-0 home win over Huddersfield on Saturday.

The Tractor Boys, last season's League One runners-up, had been 5-1 for promotion at the start of the season and they will join champions Leicester, 4-1 in the ante-post title betting, in the top flight next term.

Third-placed Leeds had been hoping for a final-day slip-up from Ipswich but Daniel Farke's men were beaten 2-1 at home by Southampton, who finished fourth.

Bookmakers expect those clubs to meet again in the playoff final as Leeds, who face Norwich in the semi-finals, are 6-4 to be promoted and Saints, who take on West Brom, are 13-8 to go up.

The Baggies ended a three-match losing streak with a 3-0 home victory over Preston and they are 11-2 to win the playoffs while Norwich, beaten 1-0 at Birmingham, are 5-1.

Birmingham's win was not enough to keep them in the second division as Plymouth, Sheffield Wednesday and Blackburn – the three teams they could have overtaken – also won their final-day matches.

Blues have been relegated alongside bottom club Rotherham and Huddersfield, while Plymouth's 1-0 victory over Hull ended the Tigers' playoff hopes. 

The top six clubs in the Championship were all in the top eight of the ante-post promotion betting and Rotherham were 15-8 favourites for relegation at the start of the season with Huddersfield 3-1 and Birmingham 4-1. 

There was a surprise in the Golden Boot market, however, as Blackburn's Sammie Szmodics finished with 27 goals, six clear of Southampton striker Adam Armstrong. Szmodics signed off the campaign in style, scoring both goals in Rovers' 2-0 victory at champions Leicester.


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James MiltonRacing Post Sport

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