Sheffield United had to settle for a place in the Coca-Cola Championship play-offs after failing to beat Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

The Blades arrived in south-east London still harbouring hopes of automatic promotion, but only a victory would have given them a chance of joining champions Wolves in the Barclays Premier League next season.

Even then, the Yorkshire club had to hope that Reading would take something from their home game against Birmingham.

Conspiracy theorists had been hard at work in the build-up to the game, playing on the fact that Crystal Palace manager Neil Warnock is the former Blades boss, a self-confessed life-long Sheffield United fan and long-time friend of current Blades manager Kevin Blackwell.

But in the end it was all immaterial as Birmingham won 2-1 at the Madejski Stadium to seal an immediate return to the top flight.

Sheffield United will face Preston in the play-off semi-finals.

The game itself saw Sheffield United create the better chances in the first half with the roles reverse after the break - except for a superb point-blank block from Julian Speroni to deny Jamie Ward just after the hour mark.

The Blades' first opportunity came after 11 minutes. A clearance from Paddy Kenny released David Cotterill down the right-hand side.

He cut infield and sent an arrow-like cross to the far post where Darius Henderson was arriving unmarked.

But the pace of the ball was just too much for the Blades striker and, at full stretch, he powered his header wide.

At the other end, Neil Danns volleyed wide after the ball dropped to him on the edge of the area following a corner.

The latest of several long throws into the box from Kyle Walker ricocheted into Cotterill's path midway through the first half, but the former Bristol City striker snatched at the chance and blazed his shot over the crossbar from the edge of the six yard box.

United continued to apply pressure and only a fine save from Speroni to push Chris Morgan's downward header over the crossbar kept the Blades at bay just after the half-hour mark.

Soon afterwards, Cotterill's shot from the right-hand side of the box had Speroni scrambling across his goal.

Two minutes into the second half Victor Moses broke clear but, with two defenders in tow, shot straight at Kenny.

Danns was guilty of a glaring miss after 57 minutes when Nick Carle poked the ball past the Blades' backline.

With just Kenny to beat the former Colchester midfielder dragged his shot wide from 15 yards.

Arguably the game's best chance came after 62 minutes.

Ward created space for himself in a crowded area with a neat piece of control on his chest.

But just as the 7,465 travelling Blades fans were poised to celebrate, Speroni rushed from his line to block the ball six yards out.

Immediately afterwards, Speroni then tipped Greg Halford's far post header over the crossbar.

Morgan striking a post with a header in injury-time confirmed that it was not to be Sheffield United's day.

Teams

Crystal Palace Speroni, Lawrence, McCarthy, Jose Fonte, Hill,Ertl, Danns (Scowcroft 90), Carle, Moses (Rui Fonte 55), Kuqi,Stokes (Hills 72).

Subs Not Used: Clyne, Cadogan.

Booked: Lawrence, Ertl.

Sheff Utd Kenny, Walker, Kilgallon, Morgan, Naughton, Halford,Montgomery, Stephen Quinn (Webber 89), Cotterill,Henderson (Beattie 74), Ward (Lupoli 74).

Subs Not Used: Hendrie, O'Toole.

Att: 22,824

Ref: Chris Foy (Merseyside).