We look back at some of the most memorable moments that the Second Tier has thrown up at the end of the season…
It’s going to be a final day to remember in the Championship on Sunday, with automatic, play-off and relegation places all to be decided. We could be set for a memorable 90 minutes, and to get ourselves in the mood we trawled through previous years to find some of the most memorable moments of final days gone by. Strap yourselves in…
Paul Caddis saves Birmingham City, 2014
It looked like Birmingham were relegated to League One when they trailed 2-0 at Bolton with 15 minutes to go. Knowing that a draw would be enough as Doncaster lost away at champions Leicester, the Blues poured forward and got a goal back through Nikola Zigic. But the real drama was to come. In the 93rd minute, Zigic had a header cleared off the line, the ball dropped to Caddis… and the rest is history. Just look at those limbs in the away end, and that rendition of 'Keep Right On' afterwards…
Paul Caddis' goal for Birmingham City against Bolton in the 93rd minute of the final day of the 2013/14 season to secure their Championship status, not only a wonderful goal sound but the rendition of 'Keep Right On' that follows is spine tingling #bcfc #birminghamcity pic.twitter.com/vJf2toAxxw
— Best Goal Sounds (@bestgoalsounds) March 25, 2018
Leicester snatch 6th amid other craziness, 2013
If the 2014 season end was dramatic, it’s still got nothing on 2013. Coming into the last games, Cardiff were Champions and Bristol City were relegated: Everything else was yet to be decided. Wolves completed their precursor to Sunderland this year by going down again, Peterborough managed to go down with 54 points after conceding a last-minute goal to Palace. Hull went up despite missing AND conceding a penalty in stoppage time.
Despite all this, it was the City Ground where the real essence of last day unpredictability could have been bottled. Forest could have made the play-offs if they won, Leicester would make it if they won. Bolton would have made it if the two teams drew, which led to a situation in the 90th minute where both teams had ‘All-Out Atatck’ mode switched on with the score level. It led to a 4-on-1 counter which gave Anthony Knoackaert a chance to seal his places in Foxes history.
Anthony Knockaert vs Forest (2013) #LCFC pic.twitter.com/nyufB16EHi
— Leicester Goals (@leicestergoals_) February 14, 2018
Crystal Palace send Sheffield Wednesday down at Hillsborough, 2010
A one-game, winner-take-all match live on TV: Crystal Palace v Sheffield Wednesday was massive. Palace were in crippling debt and a relegation to League One could well have been the final nail in the coffin. Wednesday meanwhile were (and still are) a huge club, with the cavernous 40,000 seater Hillsbrough stadium unthinkable in the depths of the Third Tier. In front of a sell-out crowd, Wednesday had to win, any other result would see the Eagles safe. Alan lee sent Palace in front, but Leon Clarke equalised to the delight of the home crowd.
Darren Ambrose struck a dagger midway through the second-half and although Darren Purse got one goal back three minutes from time, the winner never came and Palace survived by the skin of their teeth. Just three years later they got promoted to the Premier League, where they have been ever since.
BONUS: Deeeeeeeeeneeeeeeeeyyyyyy!!!!!!!!
There’s not much to say about this one, other than it’s always good to watch if you ever start to fall out of love with Football.
Deeney's last minute goal against Leicester. This saw Watford through to the play-off final! #watfordfc #LCFC pic.twitter.com/MFlNP0qnW3
— FL72 Goals (@FL72Goals) March 17, 2017
