Sheffield United miss out on title; Spygate reunion for Leeds United; Middlesbrough fail to gatecrash play-offs

Sheffield United's promotion to the Premier League has not come with a Championship title after they were held to a 2-2 draw on the final day of the season by Stoke City.
Enda Stevens of Sheffield United has a shot on goal at Stoke.Enda Stevens of Sheffield United has a shot on goal at Stoke.
Enda Stevens of Sheffield United has a shot on goal at Stoke.

That, coupled with a win for Norwich City at Aston Villa means the Canaries go up as champions.

Leeds United head into the play-offs on the back four games without a win, Marcelo Bielsa's side ending the regular season with a 3-2 defeat at Ipswich Town.

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Leeds will meet Derby County in the play-off semi-final (first leg at Pride Park next Saturday at 5.15pm). That game is a renewal of the rivalry borne out of the Spygate controversy back in January when Bielsa was found to have sent a member of staff to spy on Derby's training session.

Derby pipped Middlesbrough to the final play-off spot, Boro having to settle for seventh despite a 2-1 win at already-relegated Rotherham United on Sunday.

Elsewhere, Sheffield Wednesday ended the season by losing in injury time to QPR, 2-1, while Hull City drew 1-1 with Bristol City.

Enda Stevens' late equaliser earned promoted Sheffield United a final day 2-2 draw at Stoke.

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Already assured of automatic promotion from the Sky Bet Championship, United had to settle for a point and the runners-up spot behind Norwich, who won at Aston Villa.

Forward Sam Vokes opened the scoring for Stoke with a well-struck volley after 19 minutes before substitute Kieran Dowell equalised three minutes into the second half.

Ryan Shawcross' put Stoke back in front from close-range prior to Stevens' late leveller which saw Chris Wilder's promoted Blades end their stellar season with a point.

Collin Quaner's last-gasp strike earned 10-man Ipswich a morale-boosting 3-2 win over Leeds, who head into the play-offs in dire form.

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Marcelo Bielsa's side go into the first game of a two-legged tie with Derby having thrown away automatic promotion after successive defeats to Wigan and Brentford were followed by a draw against Aston Villa and the latest setback in Suffolk.

It was only a fifth win of the season for the relegated Tractor Boys, with Flynn Downes and Andre Dozzell their other scorers.

Leeds had levelled twice through Mateusz Klich and Stuart Dallas, while Kemar Roofe missed a penalty which had been awarded following a professional foul on him by Luke Chambers, who was sent off.

Middlesbrough claimed a 2-1 win at Rotherham but it was not enough for them to snatch the final Sky Bet Championship play-off spot.?

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First-half goals from Britt Assombalonga and John Obi Mikel put the visitors in a commanding position before Rotherham pulled one back through Michael Smith late on.

Boro held on for the victory but Derby's win over West Brom meant Tony Pulis' men finished outside of the top six, a point behind the Rams.