Match Thoughts…
Well, after what seems like forever since that fateful night just over 10 days ago, City can finally look forward to the Championship Playoff Final (who thought we’d be saying that 9 months ago?).
It’s been a hectic week-and-a-half since City won at The Den, with ‘Spygate 2.0’ looming over the playoffs as a whole, but the issues have been resolved (for now), and the Tigers can finally focus on the game ahead, after the EFL decided to expel the Saints and reinstate Middlesbrough.
City have been left largely in the dark for the most part, not knowing for certain who their Wembley opponent was going to be, while preparing ahead of the game, for a team that is no longer in the competition.
Now that the decision has been finalised, everything has started to get that little bit more real, especially for the fans, who can finally get excited and pumped-up for what is City’s biggest game in a decade…

The Opponents
Boro have had an interesting season to say the least. After looking like an absolute shoo-in to finish in the top 2 alongside eventual champions Coventry City for the vast majority of the season, they found themselves on a slippery slope ever since getting beaten by the Sky Blues back in February.
Not helped by injuries, with their star man and Championship Player of the Season, Hayden Hackney, missing a large portion of the latter stage of the Season, sidelined with a calf issue.
Their run-in was a favourable one, especially if they were to push their way back into the top 2. Still, they only managed to pick up 4 wins in their last 15 games, with the same problems consistently arising: dominating the game, having a wealth of opportunities on goal, but ultimately failing to put their chances away, aside from a couple of rare occasions where they made the most of them.
Fortunately, Boro were solidified inside the top 6 with games to spare, so theoretically it didn’t really matter too much because they had a decent amount of room between themselves and Wrexham, who finished in 9 points behind Boro in 7th.
Like City, Boro are still not without their injury setbacks going into the final, with Hayden Hackney looking likely to be fit enough to make a cameo, whether he starts is another question after so long out injured. Tommy Conway is set to miss out after he picked up a knock in the second leg of their semi-final against Southampton, which takes away a massive threat up top, with the Scotsman contributing 13 goals for Boro this season.

City’s Wembley History
City have a great history when it comes to playing under the famous Wembley arch, visiting on 4 separate occasions, only losing once, which was unfortunately in the FA Cup Final of all games…
It will be almost exactly a decade since the Tigers last took to the pitch at the home of football when they face Boro on Saturday, with their last appearance in their second of now 3 playoff final appearances, against Yorkshire rivals Sheffield Wednesday, winning that one 1-0 thanks to a Mo Diame wonder-goal, making their second ever appearance in the Premier League.
In the playoffs, specifically, City have a 100% record, winning on both previous occasions: in 2008 against Bristol City and again in 2016. Can they make it one of the greatest hat-tricks of all time?…

Predictions
Starting Lineup
Goalkeeper: Ivor Pandur
Left Back: Ryan Giles
Centre Back: John Egan
Centre Back: Charlie Hughes
Right Back: Lewie Coyle
Midfield: Regan Slater
Midfield: Matt Crooks
Attacking Midfield: Joe Gelhardt

Left Wing: Liam Millar
Striker: Oli McBurnie
Right Wing: Mohamed Belloumi

Scoreline
It’s so hard to call this one, especially considering the magnitude of the game at hand, but I have confidence in the team that they know what they need to do. The group is so tight-knit and ready to ‘run through a brick wall’ for each other, I think they will leave everything that they have on that pitch come the final whistle.
For those reasons exactly, I’m going for a 1-0 City win, it’s going to be a tough, tight, tense affair between 2 sides who will be desperate to take the most golden of opportunities, but I think City have what it takes to come out on top.
For one final time this season, UP THE TIGERS!!!
See you all at Wembley ;)