Burnley's class act prevents a Leeds clean sweep in the Championship

The regular season of the EFL concluded in typically dramatic fashion on Saturday as fates were decided at both ends of the table.

In the Championship, Leeds and Burnley reached the 100-point mark but it was Manor Solomon’s injury-time strike that ensured the title would be heading to Elland Road on goal difference.

At the bottom, Plymouth and Luton were confirmed to join Cardiff in being relegated, while Coventry and Bristol City nabbed the final two play-off spots.

Much was already decided in League One, yet Leyton Orient made it six wins on the trot to edge out Reading in the race for sixth place.

Over at Valley Parade there was the biggest spectacle of all though as Antoni Sarcevic’s 96th minute goal secured Bradford’s return to League One at the expense of Walsall after six years away, while it also made it six career promotions from League Two for the midfielder.

The play-offs will provide us with our fix of EFL football over the next three weeks, but in light of the league campaign coming to a close, Mail Sport has decided to hand out our seasonal awards.

Championship

Manager of the Season - Daniel Farke (Leeds United)

Given the pressure, outside noise and continuing speculation surrounding his future, Daniel Farke narrowly pips Burnley’s Scott Parker to this accolade.

The German has an incredible 190 points across the past two seasons at a rate of 2.07 per game, highlighting his status as one of the best EFL bosses out there as he notched up a third Championship title of his career.

As well as reaching 100 points, Leeds struck 95 goals, which was 24 more than the second top scorers - and Farke’s ability to inspire his side following double heartache last year deserves credit.

Farke used his experiences from Norwich to guide Leeds through tense periods and six successive wins to close out the campaign adds credence to the argument that he deserves backing next season.

Signing of the Season - Ao Tanaka (Leeds United)

Plucked from Bundesliga 2 side Fortuna Dusseldorf last summer for £2.9million, there’s a reason why Ao Tanaka has been dubbed as one of the best bargains in Leeds’ history.

The Japanese midfielder has controlled games on his own, while his passing and football IQ sets him apart from others in the Championship.

The Elland Road faithful have taken Tanaka to their hearts and he has also chipped in with five crucial goals, including a late strike at Sheffield United in February.

The 26-year-old’s popularity was highlighted when he picked up Leeds’ Players’ Player award - and he is capable of shining in the Premier League.

Player of the Season - Maxime Esteve (Burnley)

Burnley’s defence has rightfully received plaudits after conceding only 16 goals and keeping an incredible 30 clean sheets, but it is Maxime Esteve who edges out James Trafford and CJ Egan-Riley to this gong.

Trafford and Egan-Riley can count themselves unlucky but Esteve, who started every match, is simply a class act.

The Frenchman, 22, has so many facets to his game but his intelligence and anticipation stand out, while his quality on the ball means it is no surprise he has been linked with top flight clubs.

In truth, several Burnley stars could have taken this prize, but the fact Esteve won the Clarets’ Player of the Year award - having also been recognised in the EFL’s Championship Team of the Year - takes him over the line.

Overachievers - Bristol City

After a highest finish of eighth in their previous 15 seasons in the Championship, Bristol City finally took that extra step to secure a play-off spot for the first time since 2007-08.

Liam Manning has developed an exciting and high-pressing team, all the while establishing himself as one of the best young English managers in the game as the Robins aim to reach the Premier League for the first time.

A run of two defeats in 16 matches parachuted Bristol City into contention and their achievement is all the more impressive given they were one of only two second tier sides not to make a signing in January.

Manning also had to deal with the tragic loss of his newborn son earlier this season and his ability to galvanise a team during a time of personal strife was inspirational.

Flops - Luton Town

Luton gained plaudits for their attempts to stay up during their sole Premier League campaign in 2023-24, but a second successive relegation was unforgivable.

While Ross Barkley, Chiedozie Ogbene and Arsenal loanee Albert Sambi Lokonga departed last year, the Hatters kept much of their squad together and had the benefit of parachute payments.

Several stars crucial in their recent success badly underperformed and replacing Rob Edwards with Matt Bloomfield failed to have the desired impact despite a recent upturn in form.

An embarrassing final day performance saw Luton lose 5-3 at West Brom, a side who had won one of their previous nine games, and it summed up the grim nature of the season as they became just the fourth club in the Premier League era to experience successive relegations.

League One

Manager of the Season - Gary Bowyer (Burton Albion)

Chris Davies, Phil Parkinson and Richie Wellens may feel hard done-by but it is hard to ignore the gargantuan rescue act Gary Bowyer performed at Burton Albion.

Appointed in December, the Brewers were nine points from safety in League One following two wins and 11 defeats from their first 19 games.

Bowyer, who himself had a point to prove in his first EFL job for 18 months, transformed the mood around the club and won nine of his 27 matches in charge.

A points haul of 35 during that time at a rate of 1.30 per-game - up from 0.42 before his arrival - saw Bowyer’s side secure safety with one game to spare in one of the best, and perhaps under-appreciated, jobs of 2024-25.

Signing of the Season - Charlie Kelman (Leyton Orient)

Leyton Orient’s use of the loan market is an example to fellow third tier clubs with Jamie Donley and Josh Keeley (both Tottenham), Jack Currie (Oxford) and Dilan Markanday (Blackburn) having all impressed, but the impact of Charlie Kelman tops the lot.

With 18 goals in 134 league games before arriving for his second season-long loan spell in East London, QPR forward Kelman has found new levels under Wellens.

This included ten goals in a nine-game stretch during the run-in which helped Orient to secure a shock spot in the play-offs.

Such was Kelman’s form that he ended up nabbing the League One Golden Boot ahead of Jay Stansfield, Davis Keillor-Dunn, Richard Kone and Sam Smith after notching 21 times.

Player of the Season - Christoph Klarer (Birmingham City)

It would feel remiss not to include a Birmingham player after their incredible dominance of League One that saw them rack up an EFL record haul of 111 points.

But Austrian centre back Christoph Klarer takes the gong following several gigantic performances at the heart of a Blues defence that kept 21 clean sheets.

Klarer also captained the team in more than half of his appearances and cleaned up at Birmingham’s end of season awards.

The 24-year-old, once of Southampton’s youth system, is aggressive and dominant, but he is equally good on the ball and is likely to shine again in the second tier.

Overachievers - Reading

Given the turmoil Reading faced this season under the ruinous ownership of Dai Yongge, the Royals should not be too upset despite missing out on the play-offs on the final day.

Not only did they face the threat of extinction at points after different takeover deals fell through, but boss Ruben Selles was poached by Hull, Wrexham took top scorer Sam Smith in January and they were only able to sign three players across the campaign.

They didn’t just battle, but they thrived - and the slew of academy graduates that stepped up, coupled with the impressive impact of club legend Noel Hunt after replacing Selles in the dugout, was impressive.

And after former Wycombe owner Rob Couhig agreed a deal with Yongge last week, there is hope that following years of controversy and chaos, the good times will soon return to Berkshire.

Flops - Huddersfield

Six successive defeats to end the season capped what has been a miserable campaign for Huddersfield.

Backed by ambitious and outspoken American owner Kevin Nagle, there were high hopes the Terriers would bounce straight back to the Championship and, after a victory over promotion rivals Wycombe in January, they were six points off the top of the table.

But, the wheels well and truly fell off and despite a significant outlay on strikers Joe Taylor and Dion Charles that month, boss Michael Duff was sacked in March and Huddersfield ended the campaign 14 points adrift of the play-offs.

The club released 18 players earlier this week, highlighting what a vastly underwhelming season it was.

League Two

Manager of the Season - Grant McCann (Doncaster Rovers)

The automatic promotion race in League Two was the most dramatic of the lot as several teams slipped up just as they were gaining control.

But where Doncaster’s rivals erred, Grant McCann’s side seized the moment - and an 11-match unbeaten run to conclude the campaign saw them take the title by four points.

McCann ensured Rovers delivered when it mattered and back-to-back 3-0 triumphs over the Easter weekend were significant, while narrow wins over Bradford City and Notts County got them over the line.

McCann has brought the good times back to Doncaster while also rebuilding his reputation after sackings at Hull and Peterborough in his previous two jobs.

Signing of the Season - Lorent Tolaj (Port Vale)

Mainly for his impact during the run-in, Port Vale’s Swiss attacker Lorent Tolaj edges this award after 14 goals and eight assists across the campaign.

The former Brighton youngster was signed from Aldershot Town last summer and five goals in three crucial victories over Walsall, Bradford and Bromley in April put Vale in an extremely strong position.

Tolaj, a hard-working forward with a strong physical presence, also developed a formidable partnership with experienced striker Jayden Stockley.

He ended the season as Vale's top scorer and at 23, there is still plenty of room for development.

Player of the Season - Luke Molyneux (Doncaster Rovers)

A word for Michael Cheek after the Bromley striker took the League Two Golden Boot in his debut EFL season, but Doncaster’s Luke Molyneux just pips him.

The winger has always been a reliable player in the fourth tier, but he has taken his game to another level this season.

16 goals and 12 assists is an incredible return and Molyneux stepped up in several crucial games during the run-in to ensure his side returned to League One after three years away.

Molyneux scooped up five prizes at Doncaster’s end of season awards and his status as the best player for the best team in the league fits our criteria perfectly.

Overachievers - Bromley

In their first season in the EFL, Bromley narrowly missed out on the play-offs, but they have put themselves on the footballing map.

Driven by the impressive Andy Woodman, several players have thrived, while there seems to be a unique spirit among the squad that sees Woodman organise a team trip to Nando’s the night before away games.

Understandably, there were a few tough spells, but 30 points from the Ravens’ final 17 games showed they are at home at this level.

The mood around the club is hugely positive and Bromley could be an outside tip for promotion next year.

Flops - Carlisle

49 players, three managers and a second successive relegation tells you that 2024-25 was a disaster for Carlisle.

Despite the strong investment and ambition of American owners the Piatak family, this season has been described by many Carlisle fans as the worst in living memory.

Paul Simpson was sacked on deadline day in the summer having brought in 12 players, before Mike Williamson was dismissed on deadline day in February after adding 13 additions of his own.

By the time Mark Hughes arrived, it was too little too late, although a slight upturn in form, coupled with the size of the club and continued commitment from the Piataks, should ensure Carlisle's hiatus from the EFL isn’t a lengthy one.