Matt Maher: Rooney’s Rams set to provide some welcome final day drama
One can only imagine how many prayers of thanks have been thrown in Derby County’s direction from inside the offices of Sky Sports this week.
Were it not for the implosion which has seen Wayne Rooney’s Rams lose six straight to remain slap bang in relegation trouble, the broadcaster would be faced with the nightmare scenario of screening a non-event this weekend. Instead they are blessed with a three-way shootout to avoid the drop, involving England’s greatest international goalscorer.
Lose at home to Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday and Derby, just two years on from losing to Villa in the Championship play-off final, will be relegated to League One. Even a draw won’t be good enough if Rotherham win at Cardiff, a result which would also send Wednesday down to the third tier.
Had the Rams held on to beat Swansea last Saturday there would have been nothing of any great consequence on the line anywhere on the Championship’s final day. Granted, three of the four teams already confirmed in the play-offs might have changed positions. But good luck to any broadcaster trying to sell that.
The relative paucity of last day drama isn’t only confined to the Championship. In League One the only remaining question is who snags the last play-off place with automatic promotion and relegation already decided. The only division with most things still up for grabs is League Two where the title, automatic promotion and the final play-off places are all still to be determined.
In the Premier League, which still has a relative age to run compared to the EFL, issues at the very top and bottom of the division are pretty much resolved. Manchester City have long turned the title race into procession, while Fulham, Albion and already relegated Sheffield United will, barring a miracle, finish in the bottom three places which have been theirs for most of the campaign.
Hats off then to David Moyes and West Ham, who refuse to go away in the race for the top four finish. Broadcasters will be keeping everything crossed the scramble to qualify for Europe remains live right up until the top flight season’s final day on May 23.
Otherwise, this is a campaign which has failed to live up to its early promise when Everton and Villa flew out of the blocks and Southampton and Tottenham topped the table as late as November and December respectively.
A season unlike any other will always have its place in history due to the unusual circumstances it has taken place. Yet in terms of entertainment, you’d never claim it a classic.