EFL League One & League Two

League 1 and 2 Final Day: How it stands, permutations and odds

Richie Wellens, Leyton Orient boss
Richie Wellens has turned the O's fortunes around

Ste Tudor goes through the final-day permutations in League One and League Two including automatic promotion and the battle to reach the play-offs...


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League One

All eyes on Reading and Orient this Saturday

The past fortnight has determined almost all of the League One standings with a late charge by Burton hauling them out of the bottom four and beyond the reach of Crawley and Bristol Rovers. These two clubs join Cambridge and Shrewsbury in preparing for life in the fourth tier next term.

At the top, to the surprise of no-one, Birmingham confirmed their champions status earlier this month, going on to set a new EFL points tally record into the bargain.

They will be joined by Wrexham in the Championship next season, continuing their remarkable - if celebrity finance boosted - rise.

That leaves just the play-offs spots of which three have already been snagged, with Stockport, Wycombe and Charlton all bracing themselves for the lottery to come.

The last place, however, is well and truly up for grabs and all eyes will be on Leyton Orient's visit to Huddersfield at the weekend along with Reading hosting Barnsley.


Goal difference makes the O's favourites

After overcoming a difficult first third to their campaign, Leyton Orient go into the final day on 75 points, having picked up 2.4 points per game since mid-March. On the back of five consecutive wins they are the in-form side of the two contenders to claim the final play-off place.

Reading are also on 75 points but crucially have an inferior goal difference - 21 to 13. It is chiefly for this reason that the Royals are priced at 5/42.25 compared to 8/131.61 for Orient.

Certainly their respective opponents this Saturday are barely a consideration. Huddersfield have lost five on the bounce. Barnsley have failed to win in their last five away trips.

League One Top Six Odds: Orient 8/131.61 Reading 5/42.25

Key fixtures: Huddersfield v Orient Reading v Barnsley


League Two

Vale value in title bout

A 2-1 win over Bradford last weekend guaranteed promotion for Doncaster Rovers, ending a three-season stint in the bottom tier. Now they have the title in their sights, looking to fend off Port Vale who are just a point behind.

It could be argued, however, that Doncaster's point advantage is doing a lot of heavy lifting when it comes to Rovers' 8/131.61 odds to be crowned champions on Saturday.

The Yorkshire side head to Notts County who are competing for a play-off place. Their corresponding meeting earlier this season ended 1-1.

darren moore.jpg

Darren Moore's men, meanwhile, host Gillingham who are simply playing out their campaign, one that has seem them win only three times on their travels.

League One Title Odds: Doncaster 8/131.61 Port Vale 5/42.25

Key fixtures: Notts County v Doncaster Port Vale v Gillingham


Three-way scrap for last automatic promotion spot

Bradford, Walsall and Notts County are all in contention to secure the last remaining automatic promotion spot and the fascinating thing about this final-day fight is that all three are out-of-sorts.

The Bantams have won only two of their last 10, shipping in 11 goals in their last four outings. Having resided top from early December to the start of April, Walsall have unraveled and are winless in 13.

Notts County, meanwhile, have won only one of their last five, slipping out of the top six as a consequence.

It is Bradford who are slender 1/41.25 favourites to go up this weekend, being a point ahead of Walsall and three ahead of the Magpies. It could be reasoned too that Bradford have the easiest test ahead, at home to mid-table Fleetwood.

Walsall are 3/14.00 and head to Crewe. Boasting a superior goal difference to Bradford, County will be hoping both rivals slip up but they must entertain champions Doncaster.

League Two Top 3 Odds: Bradford 1/41.25 Walsall 3/14.00 Notts County 25/126.00

Key fixtures: Bradford v Fleetwood Crewe v Walsall Notts County v Doncaster


Five teams chasing play-off spot

Two play-off places are still to be competed for and AFC Wimbledon at 4/111.36 look nailed on to secure one of them. With a points advantage over the chasing pack, the Dons could conceivably lose at Grimsby on Saturday and still be okay if results elsewhere go their way.

Speaking of Grimsby, they are just two points adrift of the Dons and are level with Salford who currently inhabit the last play-off spot. A minus goal difference might prove costly for the Mariners and subsequently their odds are 5/42.25 to Salford's 1/21.50.

Salford is the only club that can be caught by Chesterfield and Colchester. Each face lower half of the table opposition and are expected to do their part, most probably to no avail.

Key fixtures:


League Two Top 7 odds:

League Two table as it stands

Teams P W D L GF GA PTS xGF xGA xGD EXP FCST
1 Accrington 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2 Barnet 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 Bristol R 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 Cheltenham 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 Chesterfield 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6 Colchester 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7 Crawley 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
8 Crewe 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
9 Exeter 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10 Fleetwood 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
11 Gillingham 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
12 Grimsby 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
13 Newport 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
14 Northampton 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
15 Oldham 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
16 Port Vale 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
17 Rochdale 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
18 Rotherham 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
19 Salford 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
20 Shrewsbury 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
21 Swindon 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
22 Tranmere 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
23 Walsall 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
24 York 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
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Stephen Tudor avatar

Stephen Tudor

Stephen Tudor has written extensively about football and sports betting for well over a decade.

Prices quoted in copy are correct at time of publication but liable to change.

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