Good Friday Drama Across the EFL: Promotion, Play-Offs and Relegation on the Line

The Easter weekend always delivers a bumper fixture list across the EFL, and this year’s Good Friday promises to be an absolute belter.

Whether it’s automatic promotion on the line, a desperate push for the play-offs, or fighting tooth and nail to avoid the drop, there’s barely a game on the schedule that doesn’t mean something.

Here’s how the day’s shaping up across League One and League Two, where nothing is quite settled—and everything could change.

Who’s Going Up? Wrexham or Wycombe?

In League One, Birmingham are already popping champagne with the title wrapped up. But the race for that second automatic promotion slot? That’s just heating up.

Wrexham currently hold it, but only just. A costly stumble last time out opened the door for Wycombe, who are now just a point behind with a better goal difference in the bag. It’s neck and neck.

The North Wales club will be hoping Jay Rodriguez can dig deep and lead the line once again when they host Bristol Rovers—a side with plenty of problems of their own. Meanwhile, Wycombe face a tough trip to Bolton, who are chasing a very different goal (more on that later).

And don’t discount Stockport or Charlton either. They’ll need results to swing their way, but they’re close enough to strike if either of the top two wobble.

Promotion six-pointers:

• Wrexham vs Bristol Rovers

• Bolton vs Wycombe

• Charlton vs Northampton

• Peterborough vs Stockport

Play-Off Pressure: Can Reading Keep Their Nerve?

Reading’s off-field troubles have dominated headlines all season—but somehow, against the odds, they’re still clinging to sixth. Just.

They’ve got 69 points with four games left, but breathing down their necks are Leyton Orient and Bolton on 66, and Huddersfield just behind on 64. It’s going to be tight.

This weekend could make or break it. Reading welcome Lincoln in a must-win match, while Orient host Barnsley in a game they simply can’t afford to drop points in. Bolton, trying to juggle a promotion push and a play-off plan, have the trickiest tie of the lot against Wycombe. Huddersfield, lurking quietly in ninth, could leap back into the mix with a win over Cambridge.

Play-off battlegrounds:

• Reading vs Lincoln

• Leyton Orient vs Barnsley

• Bolton vs Wycombe

• Huddersfield vs Cambridge

Burton’s Last Stand: Great Escape Incoming?

Down at the other end of League One, Burton Albion looked doomed earlier in the campaign. But somehow, some way, they’ve clawed their way out of the relegation zone—and they’ve got a game in hand on their rivals too.

They sit 20th, level on 42 points with Bristol Rovers. Only goal difference separates them, and Rovers have the misfortune of travelling to Wrexham on Friday. That’s a tall order.

Burton kick off earlier at Exeter and will be desperate to set the tone with a result that heaps pressure on the Gas. It’s increasingly looking like a two-way scrap for survival, with Crawley, Cambridge and Shrewsbury all in freefall below.

Relegation drama:

• Exeter vs Burton (1pm kick-off)

• Wrexham vs Bristol Rovers (3pm)

Port Vale Take the League Two Reins

Up in League Two, it’s Port Vale who have timed their charge to perfection. They now top the table with 76 points, a three-point cushion over both Bradford and Walsall.

Their Good Friday task is anything but straightforward, though: a trip to Carlisle, who are fighting for their lives. Bradford, meanwhile, play the night before against fellow play-off chasers Notts County. A win there could crank up the pressure on Vale before they even take to the pitch.

Doncaster are level with Walsall and ready to pounce should either slip. There’s no room for error with so much at stake.

Key promotion matchups:

• Carlisle vs Port Vale

• Tranmere vs Doncaster

• Walsall vs Harrogate

• Bradford vs Notts County (Thursday night)

Colchester Charging for the Top Seven

The race for League Two’s final play-off places is anything but settled. Notts County and Grimsby currently hold sixth and seventh, but Colchester are right there—just a point off—and they’re flying.

They face Crewe on Friday, a perfect opportunity to keep their momentum rolling. Grimsby face a potentially tricky Swindon side, while Salford and Chesterfield—both still mathematically alive—are lurking just behind.

If form holds, Colchester could be inside the play-off spots by Friday night.

Play-off push matches:

• Colchester vs Crewe

• Grimsby vs Swindon

• Salford vs Accrington

• AFC Wimbledon vs Chesterfield

Trouble at the Bottom: Carlisle Hanging On by a Thread

At the wrong end of League Two, time’s running out for Carlisle. They’re six points from safety with a brutal goal difference—and they face the league leaders on Friday. It’s the sort of storyline you’d script for a final twist: the desperate hosts against the promotion favourites.

Morecambe are even worse off, seven points adrift and circling the drain after nearly two decades in the league. Barring a miracle, they’re gone.

Tranmere and Accrington are still nervously looking over their shoulders, too. Accrington’s trip to Salford could be pivotal in deciding who stays and who goes.

Survival showdowns:

• Carlisle vs Port Vale

• Salford vs Accrington

• Bromley vs Morecambe

One Day. Everything to Play For.

Good Friday might be a bank holiday, but in the EFL, it’s anything but restful. Every division has something on the line—titles, promotions, dreams of Wembley, and the fear of the drop.

It’s not just another matchday. It’s the day the season could tip on its axis. Expect fireworks. Expect heartbreak. Expect heroes.