Play-Off Final Tips: Who will be promoted from the Championship, League One and League Two?

There’s only one place to be this Bank Holiday weekend for thousands of football fans as they travel from far and wide to attend the English Football League play-offs. 

For Luton Town’s faithful, it’s just 30 miles down the road to Wembley for Saturday’s Championship Play-off final. But Carlisle United and their travelling audience face a near 11-hour round trip from the Great Border City for the League Two equivalent on Sunday.

Meanwhile, almost 80,000 people will make their way down the M1 for the first ever South Yorkshire derby play-off final as Sheffield Wednesday face Barnsley on Monday. Centre stage for a huge and meaningful encounter in League One.

Football expert Joe Crann is on hand to take a closer look at all three matches as a big weekend under the arch awaits.

Coventry City v Luton Town

Kick-off: 16.45pm Saturday

Neither of these sides were favorites to advance from their respective semi-finals, but either Coventry or Luton will have earned their place back in England’s top-flight come Sunday morning. The former haven’t played at the top level since the 2000/01 season, while the latter haven’t been there since before the birth of the Premier League. 

The Hatters, who lost just eight times during a tremendous campaign this season, are priced at 2.56 to secure victory in normal time and 1.67 to secure promotion. The Sky Blues are underdogs once again at 3.2 to win in 90 minutes. 

Carlton Morris got 20 goals in the Championship this season but wasn’t on the scoresheet in the semi-finals and will be desperate to change that (2.98 as anytime goalscorer). While 21-goal Viktor Gyökeres (2.88) is likely to be in the Prem next year regardless of what happens in this fixture.

It’s worth noting that both sides are below the division’s average in terms of both teams scoring, but I fancy Luton to come out on top.

Prediction: Luton Town to win @ 2.56 

Carlisle United v Stockport County

Kick-off: 13.30pm Sunday 

Stockport have had quite the season after being promoted from the National League, and now they head into this League Two play-off final as favourites (2.42 in 90 minutes) to make it back-to-back promotions.

Dave Challinor’s side scored a goal in 11 straight games during an unbeaten run heading into the play-offs this season, and grabbed two at home in the second leg of the semi-finals to book their spot at Wembley. 

They also boast the second-best defensive record in the division having conceded just 37 times all year, but Carlisle aren’t too far behind with 43 conceded. It points towards a tight affair in the final – both sides score and concede more in the second half, so that could be a way in.

Prediction: Second half highest-scoring @ 2.04

Barnsley v Sheffield Wednesday

Kick-off: 3pm Monday 

Wembley will host a huge South Yorkshire derby on Monday - bragging rights are at stake as well as a spot in the Championship. This is one of those games that will likely go down in history for both sets of supporters. 

The Reds, who are 3.5 to win in 90 minutes, did the double over their neighbours in the league, but it’s not often that Darren Moore’s Owls fail to score. There has not been a 0-0 between these two teams since 2008, and Wednesday have actually scored in all but seven of their 58 games across all competitions this season. Both teams to score (1.88) looks highly likely.

Michael Duff’s men kept it tight in the semis and won 2-1 on aggregate, while Wednesday did the opposite – they needed a miracle at Hillsborough and got it to win on penalties after a 5-5 two-leg thriller.  

Wednesday finished their season 10 points of their neighbours, which is why they are favourites to come out on top in this one (2.26 in 90 minutes). Hopefully it’s not as heart-stoppingly dramatic this time!

Prediction: Sheffield Wednesday to win and Over 1.5 goals @ 2.72

Play-Off Final Tips

Coventry v Luton: Luton to win @ 2.56
Carlisle v Stockport: Second half highest-scoring @ 2.04
Barnsley v Sheffield Wednesday: Sheffield Wednesday to win and Over 1.5 goals @ 2.72