The Japan Times - Millwall eye 'fairytale' in Championship play-offs

After 46 rounds of matches in English football's second-tier regular season, four teams remain standing in the race for promotion as the play-off semi-finals kick off on Friday.

Championship winners Coventry and second-placed Ipswich secured automatic promotion, with Millwall finishing third, Southampton fourth, Middlesbrough fifth and Hull sixth.

In the 40th season of the Football League play-offs, the post-season battle should be as captivating as ever, capable of producing drama and heartache.

Hull will host Millwall in the first leg of their semi-final on Friday in a clash between two unexpected play-off participants.

Millwall have not played in the Premier League since it was founded in 1992 -- their only seasons in English football's top tier came in 1988/89 and 1989/90 when it was the First Division.

The south London club, who finished just one point behind Ipswich, are in the second-tier play-offs for the first time since 2002.

It has been a remarkably successful campaign, given their pay-roll this season ranks 15th among the 24 Championship teams.

Millwall boss Alex Neil, who led Norwich into the Premier League via the play-offs in 2015, believes taking the Lions up would be his greatest achievement.

"We're in the play-offs with an unbelievable season but there's still a lot to play for," Neil told BBC Radio London.

"For this group, what we've done, I think we deserve to have something for our efforts come the end of it, not just a pat on the back and a well done.

"We're hoping there is still a fairytale ending for us."

- 'A brilliant chance' -

Standing in Millwall's way are Hull, who defied the odds to make the play-offs just 12 months after they narrowly avoided relegation to the third tier on the last day of the season.

Hull last played in the Premier League in 2016/17 and are bidding to become the first team to go up from the Championship play-offs after finishing sixth since Blackpool 16 years ago.

Southampton, who travel to Middlesbrough for their first leg on Saturday, are the bookmakers' favourites to win the play-offs after a blistering end to the season.

Tonda Eckert's side were languishing in 15th place in January, before a 19-game unbeaten run in the league, featuring 14 wins, carried them into the top six.

The Saints also upset Premier League leaders Arsenal in the FA Cup quarter-finals before narrowly losing to Manchester City in the semi-finals at Wembley.

Southampton, relegated from the Premier League last season, aim to return to Wembley in the play-off final on May 23, having won promotion by the same route in 2024.

"No one cares in the end if you don't make it. We need to make that last step," Eckert said.

Middlesbrough haven't played in the Premier League for nine years, losing in the play-off semi-finals in 2018 and 2023.

Kim Hellberg's team won just two of their last 10 matches this season.

But like his managerial rivals in the play-offs, Hellberg is confident promotion glory lies in wait at the end of the nerve-shredding play-off finale.

"We are going into the play-offs. Four teams, 25 percent chance - a brilliant chance," he said.

H.Hayashi--JT