Championship Run Home: Clubs set to join PL next season... and the Aussies in shock promotion push

Much has been made of the thrilling title race at the top of the tree in the Premier League and rightly so.

So too of the fight for survival as Everton and Nottingham Forest attempt to stay afloat in the English top flight despite being hit with point deductions for breaching profit and sustainability (PSR) regulations.

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But cast your eyes towards the Championship and you might stumble upon a run home that could provide even more drama than the Premier League.

The Championship, one rung below the Premier League on the English football pyramid, is home to a host of fallen giants and teams looking to shake up the status quo.

At the top of the table is a four-horse race for automatic promotion, which is awarded to the teams that finish first and second.

This year’s push for promotion has a distinct Australian flavour to it too as a current and former Socceroo are leading a major underdogs’ return to the Premier League.

Whichever team finishes third will then drop into the playoffs which include the teams that finish fourth, fifth and sixth.

For fans of teams competing in the playoffs, it delivers a rollercoaster of emotions that only a penalty shootout can rival, but is box office entertainment for neutral observers.

Descend all the way down the ladder and the fight to avoid the drop into League One is staggering, with four points separating 17th-placed Stoke City from Birmingham City who sit in 22nd and, at time of writing, will be relegated.

Foxsports.com.au breaks down the scenarios that matter in the Championship Run Home!

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