Five final day Championship relegation escapes to give Sheffield Wednesday fans hope

In four of the last five seasons alone the battle to avoid the drop has also gone to the last day.

The Owls must beat Derby County on Saturday and hope neighbours Rotherham United drop points against Cardiff City, who have nothing to play for.

While their team’s fate is out of their hands, Sheffield Wednesday supporters can take hope from examples of other clubs in a similar situation who survived as recently as last season.

And they don’t have to look far.

Barnsley 2019/20

South Yorkshire neighbours Barnsley won in injury time on the final day to stay up, having started the afternoon in the relegation zone.

They also needed teams above them to drop points and were helped by Leeds United, who despite having nothing to play for thrashed Charlton Athletic 4-0.

The Tykes were, however, aided enormously by Wigan Athletic’s 12-point deduction for entering administration.

Bolton Wanderers 2017/18

Bolton Wanderers also pulled off a famous last-day escape thanks to a eighty-eighth minute winner. They went into their last match twenty-third in the table with a significantly worse goal difference than those teams above them.

But, Barnsley were again involved in final-day drama, although on the wrong side of it this time. A heavy 4-1 defeat to Derby, who had already qualified for the play-offs, meant they swapped places with the Trotters.

Birmingham City 2013/14

The Blues were one point adrift of safety at kick-off and would have been relegated had it not been for a ninety-third minute winner, which saw them leapfrog Doncaster Rovers to safety.

Rovers lost their final match 1-0 to league champions Leicester City – another team with nothing riding on their final match, having already won the division.

Barnsley (again) 2012/13

On this occasion the Tykes, who had been in the drop zone on goal difference, could only manage a draw. That was just about enough though as Peterborough, one place above them, conceded in the eighty-ninth minute in their defeat to Crystal Palace, who, again, had nothing to play for.

Southampton 2007/08

Held on with ten men to beat Sheffield United and preserve their Championship status at the expense of Leicester, who drew their last match.