Wolves could be back in the Championship on Saturday
Wolves moved to within four points of promotion last night – but a win on Saturday at Crewe will effectively see them up.
Third-placed Rotherham's surprise 1-0 defeat at FA Cup semi-finalists Sheffield United means the Millers can now only reach 93 points with five games left – three more than Wolves' current total.
Rotherham, whose defeat – which was watched by Wolves head coach Kenny Jackett – ended their 16-match unbeaten run, host Bradford on Friday night, but if they lose that, victory for Wolves at Gresty Road would see the League One leaders up.
Rotherham could then only match Wolves on goal difference and only then if Jackett's side lost all five games – and the Millers would still require a 22-goal swing in their favour.
Whatever Rotherham do on Friday, Wolves still need to win at Crewe to effectively finish the job this weekend as Leyton Orient can reach 92 points.
Should Wolves get the win they need on Saturday, it would give them a new club record points total of 93, one more than Graham Turner's Third Division champions of 1988-89.
It would also be a club record-equalling 13th away win, matching the winning streak of Stan Cullis' top-flight champions from 1958-59.
Even if Wolves were to lose at Gresty Road, if Jackett's side beat Rotherham at Molineux in their next game on Good Friday, April 18, they will be promoted – whatever the Millers or Orient do.
The only other team that can catch Wolves is fifth-placed Preston, but that can happen only if Jackett's side lose all five games and North End win all theirs.
But while the race to secure one of the top two places required for automatic promotion is close to a conclusion, the battle for the title looks like going on longer, after Brentford's 1-0 win against Crawley took them to within three points of leaders Wolves.
All the teams involved in the battle to go up have five games left, with the League One season ending on May 3.
The race for automatic promotion:
Wolves will go up if . . .
Rotherham drop points on Friday and Wolves beat Crewe on Saturday
If Rotherham beat Bradford, then Wolves still need another four points to beabsolutely certain of promotion
