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Richard Sutcliffe: 'Phantom' goal could be decisive in battle for Premier League
THE prize could not be greater, while the margin between success and failure could not be finer.
What the final day of the Championship season could also provide is a huge dollop of controversy to go with the inevitable drama that will be played out at Selhurst Park and the Madejski Stadium.
Wolves are, of course, already up but with the fight to claim runners-up spot being a three-way affair when this Sunday's climax to the regular campaign promises to be even more eventful than usual.
Throw into the pot Sheffield United being pitted against a Crystal Palace side led by their former manager Neil Warnock at the same time as the other two challengers will be going head-to-head and the race for a place among the elite becomes even more intriguing.
The bare facts are that a Birmingham win at Reading will be enough to seal automatic promotion for Alex McLeish's men regardless of how Sheffield United fare in south London.
Should the Blues draw, though, then the Blades will be able to clinch the second automatic promotion place – and the multi-million cash booty that goes with being a member of the Premier League – if they take all three points off the Eagles.
The third scenario is where the real potential for controversy comes with Reading able to stake their own claim by beating Birmingham. Should Steve Coppell's side do just that, they will be promoted on goal difference if the Blades either draw or lose
And this is when it will really get interesting because it would, effectively, mean that the Royals would be promoted ahead of Birmingham or, if they draw, United courtesy of the most controversial goal of the season.
Now, some of you may be scratching your head as to what I mean, so I will give you a little clue: Vicarage Road, Saturday September 20.
Still not sure, dear reader? Okay, how about if we mention the name Stuart Attwell?
Yes, that's right, it was the day that the rising star of the refereeing world committed the almightiest of blunders during Reading's tussle with Watford.
There were 13 minutes on the clock when Stephen Hunt swung in a corner that hit Hornets' midfielder John Eustace on the thigh and rolled towards the goalline.
Reading striker Noel Hunt, in a vain attempt to keep the ball in play, then scampered after the ball before trying to cut it back from the byline.
Linesman Nigel Bannister immediately waved his flag, indicating to the 14,761 supporters inside Vicarage Road and the 22 players that the ball had gone out for another corner.
What happened next, however, stunned everyone with Attwell, after consultation with his linesman, awarding an own goal.
It was not so much an argument in favour of goalline technology as a need for referees to undergo regular check-ups at the opticians but the joke could be on either Birmingham or Sheffield United as the 'phantom' goal helped Reading claim a point that day from a 2-2 draw.
Come the final reckoning shortly after 3pm on Sunday, that point might just be the one that earns the Royals a place in the top flight at the expense of their rivals from the Midlands and south Yorkshire.
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Sunday 12 February 2012
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