It was only a day when the Birmingham v Blackburn and Charlton v Bristol City games, alongside ours against Ipswich, counted for nothing as clubs fought for second place, then the next six and finally to avoid those two extra relegation places.
Able to sit relaxed watching the Clarets there was news coming through from grounds that saw the picture change time and again, and even up at the top where Watford never made second place during the day there was some real drama.
The game at Vicarage Road was delayed for almost 20 minutes because of an injury to goalkeeper Jonathan Bond. That meant that Hull, after missing a penalty and then conceding one, both in stoppage time, had a long wait knowing that Watford, who were drawing 1-1, would go up instead of them if they scored again.
As it happened they conceded after a shocking mistake from substitute goalkeeper Jack Bonham. It means it's the play-offs for the Udinese franchise and they'll play Leicester after another dramatic finish changed things.
Bolton were sitting on sixth place with a 2-2 draw against Blackpool. That was good enough as long as Nottingham Forest and Leicester drew at the City Ground. They were until Anthony Knockaert scored a dramatic winner to steer Leicester and their inspiring manager Nigel Pearson into the top six with Bolton resigned to another year in the Championship.
Another year in the Championship was music to the ears of the supporters of Barnsley, Huddersfield, Millwall and Wednesday. I'm not sure whether all of them spent time in the bottom three at some time during the afternoon, but there is every chance they did.
There was to be one last dramatic twist here. It didn't feature Wolves. According to their manager Dean Saunders they created eight good chances and missed the lot at Brighton. He said similar last week when we beat Wolves so I think that ensures we can dismiss his claims.
Wolves never threatened the miracle they needed but the last relegation place was in doubt right until the end. Peterborough must have thought they'd escaped when they led with 83 minutes gone at Crystal Palace with, as it turned out, only a draw needed, but they conceded two late goals, the second coming from a shocker of a free kick decision.
One Ferguson might be a Premier League winner again but the other was on his way down as Huddersfield and Barnsley celebrated by allowing one goalkeeper to keep hold of the ball for the last two or three minutes of the game knowing both were safe.
It's been a strange season and how things have changed since the turn of the year. Since New Year's Day a league table would show Middlesbrough bottom with only 12 points; Bristol City and Millwall next with 19 points.
Brighton, with 41, have four points more than next best Watford and up towards the top are Charlton (4th), Barnsley (6th), Sheffield Wednesday (7th) and Peterborough (8th).
We are 13th but two of the teams in the play-offs, Crystal Palace and Leicester, are below us so that should surely leave Watford and Brighton as the favourites to challenge for the one remaining Premier League place.
The police state operation will come into force for the Palace v Brighton semi-final; a simply shocking state of play when football supporters are required to carry id with them to go and watch their team. It stinks almost of the Thatcher idea of the 1980s.
I don't know what's going to happen there. I know the FSF are getting involved and I hope the supporters of the two clubs fight this shocking nonsense vehemently.
So, 19 of next season's Championship clubs are confirmed. Three of the play-off contenders will be added to that with one more to come from each of the Premier League and League One.
That's it for another season, a season that has seen us bring in an average attendance of 12,928. Only Barnsley (10,207), Millwall (10,559) and Peterborough (8,215) have attracted less.
Those last results and all the stats are below along with the league's leading goalscorers, each club's disciplinary record and the highest and lowest attendances with three of the top ten coming on the last weekend.
The Results Tuesday 30th April Millwall 0 Crystal Palace 0 Saturday 4th May Birmingham City 1 Blackburn Rovers 1 Derby County 1 Millwall 0 Bolton Wanderers 2 Blackpool 2 Huddersfield Town 2 Barnsley 2 Brighton & Hove Albion 2 Wolverhampton Wanderers 0 Hull City 2 Cardiff City 2 Burnley 2 Ipswich Town 0 Nottingham Forest 2 Leicester City 3 Charlton Athletic 4 Bristol City 1 Sheffield Wednesday 2 Middlesbrough 0 Crystal Palace 3 Peterborough United 2 Watford 1 Leeds United 2The Stats Biggest Win Charlton Athletic 4-1 v Bristol City (home) Total Goals Scored 39 (24 home - 15 away)
Player Scoring Most Goals2
Yann Kermogant - Charlton Athletic v Bristol CityKazenga LuaLua - Brighton & Hove Albion v Wolverhampton Wanderers Highest Attendance 31,375 - Sheffield Wednesday v Middlesbrough Lowest Attendance 12,745 - Millwall v Crystal Palace Total Yellow Cards 43 Total Red Cards 2 Most Cards in a Game Bolton Wanderers v Blackpool (7Y) Ref: Roger EastLeading Goalscorers (League Only) 30 Glenn Murray (Crystal Palace) - includes 8 penalties 29 Jordan Rhodes (Blackburn Rovers) - includes 4 penalties, 2 with Huddersfield Town 25 Charlie Austin (Burnley) - includes 4 penalties 20 Matej Vydra (Watford) - includes 2 penaltiesChris Wood (Leicester City) - includes 1 penalty, 11 with Millwall 19 Troy Deeney (Watford) - includes 2 penalties 18 Tom Ince (Blackpool) - includes 3 penalties 15 Luciano Becchio (Leeds United) - includes 4 penalties 14 Sylvan Ebanks-Blake (Wolverhampton Wanderers) - includes 3 penaltiesDavid Nugent (Leicester City) - includes 1 penaltyJames Vaughan (Huddersfield Town) 13 Steven Davies (Bristol City) - includes 2 penaltiesDwight Gayle (Peterborough United)Marlon King (Birmingham City) - includes 3 penalties 12 Almen Abdi (Watford) - includes 2 penaltiesCraig Davies (Bolton Wanderers) - includes 2 penalties, 8 with BarnsleyChris Eagles (Bolton Wanderers)Johnnie Jackson (Charlton Athletic) - includes 1 penaltyYann Kermogant (Charlton Athletic) - includes 1 penaltyScott McDonald (Middlesbrough)Jamie Ward (Derby County) - includes 4 penalties
Hat Tricks Date Player & Game 01/09/12 3: Pete Whittingham - CARDIFF CITY v Wolverhampton Wanderers 15/09/12 3: Charlie Austin - BURNLEY v Peterborough United 22/09/12 3: Glenn Murray - CRYSTAL PALACE v Cardiff City 22/09/12 4: Craig Davies - Birmingham City v BARNSLEY 23/09/12 3: David Nugent - LEICESTER CITY v Hull City 29/09/12 3: Emile Sinclair - Hull City v PETERBOROUGH UNITED 02/10/12 3: Charlie Austin - BURNLEY v Sheffield Wednesday 23/10/12 3: Marlon King - Millwall v BIRMINGHAM CITY 06/11/12 3: Glenn Murray - CRYSTAL PALACE v Ipswich Town 17/11/12 3: Jordan Rhodes - Peterborough United v BLACKBURN ROVERS 12/01/13 3: Chris Wood - Bristol City v LEICESTER CITY 19/02/13 3: Radoslaw Majewski - NOTTINGHAM FOREST v Huddersfield Town 02/03/13 3: Dwight Gayle - Blackburn Rovers v PETERBOROUGH UNITED 02/03/13 3: Leonardo Ulloa - BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION v Huddersfield Town 05/03/13 3: Kevin Phillips - CRYSTAL PALACE v Hull City 28/04/13 3: James Vaughan - Bristol City v HUDDERSFIELD TOWN
Disciplinary Record (League and Cup) Club Y R Y R Club Y R Y R League Total League Total Barnsley 68 3 77 4 Huddersfield Town 92 5 101 5 Birmingham City 63 3 67 3 Hull City 59 1 62 2 Blackburn Rovers 76 1 90 1 Ipswich Town 54 2 57 2 Blackpool 63 3 65 3 Leeds United 71 5 81 5 Bolton Wanderers 85 4 88 4 Leicester City 52 2 56 2 Brighton & Hove Albion 66 4 71 4 Middlesbrough 58 2 68 2 Bristol City 50 0 53 0 Millwall 93 3 108 3 Burnley 89 4 97 5 Nottingham Forest 81 5 81 6 Cardiff City 76 3 79 3 Peterborough United 55 1 58 1 Charlton Athletic 61 2 62 3 Sheffield Wednesday 95 2 101 2 Crystal Palace 65 2 76 2 Watford 77 6 80 6 Derby County 61 3 62 3 Wolverhampton Wanderers 64 3 68 3
Highest and Lowest Attendances Highest Lowest Att Fixture Att Fixture 33,010 Derby County v Nottingham Forest (19/01) 5,435 Peterborough United v Bristol City (18/09) 31,375 Sheffield Wednesday v Middlesbrough (04/05) 5,633 Peterborough United v Blackpool (01/12) 30,003 Brighton & HA v Wolverhampton W (04/05) 5,997 Peterborough Utd v Blackburn Rovers (17/11) 29,697 Sheffield Wednesday v Barnsley (30/03) 6,050 Peterborough Utd v Charlton Athletic (05/03) 28,707 Nottingham Forest v Derby County (30/09) 6,188 Peterborough United v Millwall (21/08) 28,646 Nottingham Forest v Leicester City (04/05) 6,214 Peterborough United v Hull City (19/01) 28,595 Wolverhampton W v Ipswich Town (29/12) 6,348 Peterborough Utd v Huddersfield Town(23/10) 28,582 Sheffield Wednesday v Leeds United (19/10) 6,600 Peterborough Utd v Bolton Wand (23/12) 28,499 Brighton & HA v Crystal Palace (17/03) 6,612 Peterborough Utd v Middlesbrough (08/12) 28,499 Brighton & HA v Blackpool (20/04) 6,648 Peterborough Utd v Burnley (02/02)
Source: Clarets Mad
Source: FOOTYMAD
