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SHEFFIELD UNITED looked set to fight Leeds and Burnley all the way for the Sky Bet Championship title until three defeats in eight April days effectively ended their automatic promotion hopes
Chris Wilder's side bounced back well enough to finish with 90 points, a joint-record high for third place.
Over the past 20 seasons 80% of third-placed finishers have reached Wembley, with 45% reaching the Premier League. Having finished so far clear of Sunderland, Coventry and semi-final opponents Bristol City, the Blades should be backed to continue the second tier's play-off trend.
CHARLTON collected 61 points from their final 27 League One matches (W19 D4 L4) a per game average that equates to 104 points for a full season. Semi-final opponents Wycombe have struggled to adapt since Matt Bloomfield left for Luton, with Mike Dodds taking just 25 points from 17 matches and losing all six games against fellow top-seven clubs.
Stockport and Leyton Orient both head into the play-offs in terrific form, with the Hatters only narrowly missing out on automatic promotion. With that tie much tougher to call, Nathan Jones' Addicks are the team to side with.
CHESTERFIELD's superb end to the season (W8 D4 L1) saw them sneak into League Two's top seven. They'll now meet Walsall, whose final-day win was their first in 14 matches, and only their third in 21 games - collapsing from being 12 points clear at the top, a run triggered by Stoke's recalling of Nathan Lowe.
Chesterfield were antepost favourites for the title despite being in the National League last term; perhaps Paul Cook just needed a little while to adjust his squad to the rigours of the EFL. With clubs in the fourth tier difficult to trust all season, Wimbledon and Notts County included, the Spireites are the ones to back in the play-offs.
Odds correct at 1600 BST (06/05/25)
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