While the eyes of much of the country have been understandably fixated on Leicester City’s historic Premier League title win, there is something pretty special occurring at the top of the Championship. With the much-discussed new TV rights deal set to flood England’s top division with money, promotion to the top-flight this season could be worth in excess of £100 million.

With that kind of cash available, it is little wonder that the race for the Championship title has this season been among the tightest in living memory. Despite incredible runs of form which looked set to steer several teams out of reach of their rivals, the chasing pack has always succeeded in reeling them back in.

The final day of the season beckons this Saturday, and with all the matches kicking off at 12:30pm, the fans of three teams look set for a rollercoaster of an afternoon. Varsity takes a look at the three teams desperately vying for promotion and tries to predict how such a topsy-turvy season in the most unpredictable league in world football might end.

The Current State of Play

Burnley head down to Charlton knowing they have re-secured the top-flight status they lost last season, but will hope to be lifting the Championship trophy at The Valley come 2:15pm. A draw should see that ambition realised, and even a loss would not prove inhibitive depending on goal-difference.

More potently, Middlesbrough and Brighton go head-to-head in the ultimate play-off to see which team will join Burnley in the Premier League. A victory for either side clinches promotion, but Middlesbrough have the goal-difference advantage: a draw will be enough to see them up.

BURNLEY

Stadium: Turf Moor
Manager: Sean Dyche
Key Man: Joey Barton

For Burnley, a Championship title would represent the culmination of a hard-fought season, in which the Clarets demonstrated the ability to grind out gritty wins traditionally associated with champions. Sean Dyche – often lamenting the spending power of his rivals - has largely retained the squad that was relegated from last year, but the smart addition (on a free transfer) of Joey Barton has added Premier League class, while the reported club-record £9.3 million deal for Andre Gray imbued the Lancastrians with raw firepower; Gray has topped the Championship goal-scoring charts with 22 goals in 39 starts. At the back, Burnley have looked resolute and the efforts of goalkeeper Tom Heaton have earned him an England call-up.

The trip to Charlton represents a task more difficult than might usually be expected from a relegated team set to play in League 1 next season. A club mired by financial difficulties and currently facing the wrath of its fans, several top teams – including Middlesbrough – have slipped up at The Valley, where games are now typically subject to some sort of protest involving inflatable pitch invasions. But having finished as runners-up this time two years ago, Dyche’s men are likely to want to seize their chance to win the title and crown off a terrific season. They have a 17 match unbeaten run to extend after all.

Varsity Predicts:

Burnley 3 – Charlton 0

Burnley will not allow the elation of being promoted distract them from achieving the ultimate goal of the Championship title. Charlton have little to offer that Burnley will not be able to cope with.

MIDDLESBROUGH

Stadium: The Riverside
Manager: Aitor Karanka 
Key Man: Adam Clayton

In contrast to their rivals, Middlesbrough have spent big. A failure to achieve promotion after outlaying £9 million for perennially-prolific striker Jordan Rhodes, the £5 million return of local hero Stewart Downing and the expensive loan deal of Uruguayan international Gaston Ramirez would be a hammer-blow for a club so heavily reliant on investment from Teessider Steve Gibson.

Despite a mid-season bust-up between the manager and players, Aitor Karanka’s team have still conceded the fewest goals anywhere in England this season, relying heavily on their defensive prowess and grabbing the first goal to secure victory. The spine of the team – centre-backs Daniel Ayala and Ben Gibson alongside midfielders Grant Leadbitter and Clayton – allow for the creative front four to cut apart defences on the break. January signings Ramirez and Rhodes have brought international pedigree to the team, and the Boro are particularly liable to score goals in the dying minutes of games and have lost only two games at home all season.

BRIGHTON

Stadium: The AMEX Stadium
Manager: Chris Hughton
Key Man: Antony Knockaert

Brighton represents the surprise package of the Championship season. Having begun the season with an unbeaten run that lasted until mid-December (when, interestingly, it was ended at the AMEX Stadium by Middlesbrough) they have refused to fade away. Currently on an unbeaten run of 13 games, Chris Hughton’s side has epitomised how a team imbued with confidence and solidarity can match their larger-spending rivals; their biggest investment was a mere £2.6 million in Anthony Knockaert.

Israeli striker Tomar Hemed, local lad Bobby Zamora and on-loan Manchester United striker Wilson have kept the goals flowing – Brighton recently score nine goals in two games - and Lewis Dunk at centre-back and goalkeeper David Stockdale have anchored a stubborn defence that rarely concedes. While the fans of Burnley and Middlesbrough long for a return of what they perceive as a deserved Premier League status, Brighton are a smaller club; while by no means less ambitious, the pressure is off the Seagulls to clinch a promotion expected by few at the start of the season.

Varsity Predicts:

Middlesbrough 2 – Brighton 1

Middlesbrough’s strength at The Riverside must be qualified by their failure to break down teams who come to the North-East to defend and nick a result. Brighton, however, are known for their expansive, attacking football and know they must secure all three points to achieve promotion.

While the label of favourites has stacked the pressure on Middlesbrough who might succumb to nerves, it seems more likely the heartbreak of last year’s play-off and the home advantage (33,000 Teessiders look set to cheer their team towards the top-flight) will see Middlesbrough through. The loss of Lewis Dunk after his red-card against Derby on Monday could have major ramifications for the solidity of Brighton’s backline up against a Jordan Rhodes with five goals in his last seven.