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Live blog of Championship final day

Live blog of Championship final day
© PA Photos
Follow our live blog covering all the drama from the final day of the Championship season.

Good afternoon and welcome to Sports Mole's live blog covering all the drama from the final day of the Championship season.

West Ham United can still secure promotion to the Premier League with victory over Hull City, but would need a big favour from Coventry City who travel to Southampton.

Middlesbrough could also secure a spot in the playoffs with victory over Watford, but would need Crystal Palace to take points off Cardiff City, who currently occupy sixth spot in the table.

Follow all the action with us as the dramatic final day evolves.

(Please refresh this page for the latest updates)

14.32: So there we have it. Southampton's win over Coventry has promoted the Saints to the Premier League. The playoffs, meanwhile, will see West Ham, Birmingham, Blackpool and Cardiff fight for the remaining spot in the Premier League. Thanks for joining Sports Mole for the action.

14.31: The playoffs: West Ham vs. Cardiff, Birmingham vs. Blackpool.

14.30: Full-time: Birmingham 2-0 Reading, Crystal Palace 1-2 Cardiff, Millwall 2-2 Blackpool, West Ham 2-1 Hull.

14.26: Leicester have won it late on against Leeds with a strike from Panayiotou.

14.25: Troy Deeney has sent Watford 2-1 ahead against Middlesbrough. Meanwhile, Habib Beye, has one back for Doncaster but they are defeated 3-2 by Ipswich.

14.24: It's full time at Palace, with Cardiff securing a place in the playoffs with a 2-1 win.

14.22: The fans are on the pitch as the Saints celebrate their second promotion in as many years. Great scenes.

14.21: Southampton have been promoted to the Premier League following a 4-0 win against Coventry.

14.18: Hull's Richard Garcia has a diving header chalked off against West Ham. It remains 2-1 to the Hammers with moments remaining.

14.17: The party is well and truly underway at Southampton with the club moments away from celebrating promotion. Middlesbrough, meanwhile, have equalised at Watford via Emnes, but it will not be enough for the play-offs.

14.15: Leeds have equalised against Leicester with a strike from Danny Webber. Away from the Championship, Chelsea have announced that they will sign Werder Bremen midfielder Marko Marin in the summer.

14.13: Millwall have equalised against Blackpool with a strike from Kane, as it stands, the Seasiders will drop to fifth.

14.12: Bristol City have equalised against Burnley with an effort from Ryan Taylor, we have 10 minutes remaining on this final day in the Championship.

14.10: GOAL! Hull have a goal back at West Ham with a strike from Corry Evans. The Hammers remain in third, and look certain to face Cardiff in the playoffs. Peterborough, meanwhile, have equalised against Derby courtesy of David Ball.

14.09: Ipswich have moved 3-1 ahead against Doncaster with a penalty from Jason Scotland.

14.07: Birmingham have moved 2-0 ahead against Reading with a penalty from Wade Elliot. All fairly straightforward as we enter the final stages. Meanwhile, Burnley lead 1-0 against Bristol City with a goal from Danny Ings.

14.06: Sharp has been withdrawn for Southampton for the final 20 minutes in the match. He has had a fine impact on their promotion push since joining the club.

14.02: GOAL! Middlesbrough's playoff push has been all but ended with Chris Iwelumo giving Watford the lead with a clever finish.

14.01: Blackpool have taken the lead against Millwall with a strike from Nouha Dicko, meanwhile Nottingham Forest lead 1-0 against Portsmouth with a strike from Dexter Blackstock.

14.00: It's an unwelcome surprise for Bristol City against Burnley with goalkeeper David James leaving the field injured and defender Liam Fontaine has taken his place in goal.

13.58: No last-day surprises in the Championship as it stands.

13.56: Chance for Millwall against Blackpool as Harry Kane comes close, but it remains 1-1.

13.53: Cardiff could move as high as fourth if Millwall score against Blackpool and Reading turn it around against Birmingham - we have little over 25 minutes remaining.

13.51: GOAL! Adam Lallana makes it 4-0 to Southampton after wonderful work from Jack Cork. The Saints are heading for their second successive promotion.

13.50: GOAL! Cardiff have turned it around at Palace and now lead 2-1 with a volley from Don Cowie. As it stands, they are heading for the playoffs.

13.47: GOAL! Southampton lead 3-0 against Coventry courtesy of Jos Hooiveld. They have all but secured promotion with that strike.

13.46: Robson has twice come close for Middlesbrough in the past few moments at Watford.

13.44: The Hammers have withdrawn Cole from the action despite his double against Hull, the club obviously have the playoffs in mind. Southampton, meanwhile, come close to a third courtesy of Rickie Lambert.

13.41: Guily Do Prado so nearly makes it 3-0 to Southampton with a late run into the box, but he fires just wide of the target. It's West Ham, Birmingham, Blackpool and Cardiff for the playoffs as we stand.

13.40: GOAL! Peter Whittingham has levelled for Cardiff in their match at Palace. They will secure sixth if they avoid defeat.

13.40: Middlesbrough are pushing for the opener at Watford, but still nothing from Tony Mowbray's men.

13.37: GOAL! West Ham lead 2-0 against Hull courtesy of Cole's second of the match, but with Southampton winning, it still doesn't mean an awful lot in terms of the promotion race.

13.33: The fight for the final spot in the play-offs is fascinating, as it stands, Cardiff are ok, but a goal for Middlesbrough would turn it on its head.

13.30: We are underway in the second period of today's Championship games.

HALF-TIME: As it stands, Southampton will secure the final spot in the Premier League as they lead 2-0 against Coventry. While West Ham, who lead 1-0 against Hull, will have to settle for a spot in the play-offs. Their opponents, as it stands, will be Cardiff, while Birmingham and Blackpool will also seemingly face off in the other half of the draw.

13.12: Leicester City lead against Leeds United with a strike from Martyn Waghorn. Cardiff, meanwhile, had a wonderful chance to level against Palace but Mark Hudson missed from close range.

13.10: Will West Ham boss Sam Allardyce consider resting his key players for the second period with the club almost certainly facing the playoffs?

13.06: GOAL! West Ham lead at Upton Park with a header from Carlton Cole, but it isn't enough with Southampton winning. Doncaster, meanwhile, have one back against Ipswich with Fabien Rovert cutting the score to 2-1.

13.06: Middlesbrough are really going for it against Watford, with Marvin Emnes leading the charge. Meanwhile, Matthew Taylor has rattled the crossbar for West Ham.

13.03: Southampton are looking ever so comfortable against Coventry this afternoon, popping the ball around in midfield. West Ham, meanwhile, are struggling for invention.

13.00: Ryan Stevenson has sent Ipswich 2-0 ahead against Doncaster - who have already been relegated from the division. Cardiff, meanwhile, are in real trouble at Palace.

12.59: Birmingham lead Reading 1-0 with a strike from Adam Rooney, as it stands, they will secure fourth spot in the table. Blackpool, meanwhile, have equalised against Millwall with a header from Ian Evatt.

12.57: With Southampton leading 2-0, the club's fans have spared a moment to ask if relegated neighbours Portsmouth are watching.

12.55: Not a great deal happening at Upton Park, it seems as if West Ham will have to settle for a spot in the play-offs, but Kevin Nolan has twice come close in the past few moments.

12.53: Goal for Derby County against Peterborough United as Theo Robinson sends the Rams into the lead.

12.52: Still nothing from Middlesbrough in their meeting with Watford.

12.50: As it stands, Southampton are heading for the Premier League, while Birmingham City have moved above Blackpool into fourth spot in the table.

12.48: GOAL! 2-0 Southampton! The Saints move closer to the Premier League with a header from Fonte.

12.46: GOAL! Southampton lead against Coventry as Billy Sharp sends the Saints 1-0 ahead. As it stands, they will secure second spot in the Championship.

12.44: GOAL! Palace lead against Cardiff as Wilfried Zaha opens the scoring, their playoff hopes could be in danger here.

12.43: Andrew Keogh has put Millwall 1-0 ahead against Blackpool, who could drop to sixth with a loss.

12.42: The first goal of the afternoon has come for Ipswich Town in their meeting with Doncaster Rovers, with Tommy Smith opening the scoring.

12.41: Another chance for Coventry via Gary McSheffrey, as the away side begin to probe the Saints, but it's a smart save from Kelvin Davies to keep the score at 0-0.

12.40: Despite a bright start from Southampton, they might have gone behind after a mistake from Jose Fonte, but the Saints resisted the pressure.

12.37: Middlesbrough have made a bright start at Watford, with Barry Robson pulling the strings, but we remain 0-0.

12.36: Cardiff have made a strong start against Palace, meanwhile, and perhaps should have been ahead with an effort from Joe Mason, but it remains 0-0.

12.36: The Saints have made a really strong start at home with Adam Lallana probing around the Coventry box. West Ham, meanwhile, might have taken the lead via Ricardo Vaz Te, but the former Bolton Wanderers man somehow missed from close range.

12.33: Still no goals in the early stages of the Championship action, but Southampton and West Ham have both started brightly in their key encounters.

12.30: We are underway on this exciting final day of the Championship season. Reading have already been confirmed as champions, but who will join them in the Premier League next season?

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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool119112161528
2Manchester CityMan City117222213923
3Chelsea115422113819
4Arsenal115421812619
5Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest115421510519
6Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton115421915419
7Fulham115331613318
8Newcastle UnitedNewcastle115331311218
9Aston Villa115331717018
10Tottenham HotspurSpurs1151523131016
11Brentford115152222016
12Bournemouth114341515015
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd114341212015
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham113351319-612
15Leicester CityLeicester112451421-710
16Everton112451017-710
17Ipswich TownIpswich111551222-108
18Crystal Palace11146815-77
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves111371627-116
20Southampton11119721-144


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