Brighton and Newcastle United may well have taken the Championship title decider to the final day but promotion was the aim at the start of the campaign and they both achieved it with something to spare.

Chris Hughton’s Seagulls ended their 34-year wait for a return to England’s top tier when they beat Wigan 2-1 on Easter Monday, while Rafa Benitez’s Newcastle needed slightly longer to book their place in the top-flight, thumping Preston 4-1 at St James’ Park on April 24.

The play-offs will be the usual tense affair with such riches for the victors, and Huddersfield will be eager to enjoy a first season as a Premier League club, although the likes of Reading, Sheffield Wednesday, and Fulham will have something to say about that as they all look to return to the promised land.

At the other end, Wigan have fallen to the third tier just four years after winning the FA Cup while Blackburn, Nottingham Forest and Birmingham would all have been hoping for more lucrative seasons.

So, after a thrilling month of second tier action, here are the Shoot! Championship Awards for the month of April…

Manager of the Month – Carlos Carvalhal (Sheffield Wednesday)

Sheffield Wednesday sealed a play-off place and the shot of a return to the promised land in April as Carvalhal’s Owls won six on the spin.

A near perfect month saw just two points dropped as they capitalised on an indifferent month from Leeds United.

Wednesday will go into the play-offs as one of the form teams and based on recent form, only a brave man would bet against Carvalhal managing them in the top-flight next season.

Player of the Month – Tammy Abraham (Bristol City)

Bristol City managed to steer themselves away from danger in April with Tammy Abraham being key to ensuring Championship football next season at Ashton Gate.

A brace against Wolves, the opener against struggling Blackburn and the opening goal in the win over Barnsley capped a superb month for the 19 year-old Chelsea loanee, that will have garnered the attention of other clubs in the Championship and Premier League.

Goal of the Month – JOTA – BRENTFORD V QPR

Dean Smith’s Brentford were comfortably lodged in mid-table when they hosted London rivals Queens Park Rangers at Griffin Park back on April 22.

The same couldn’t be said of Ian Holloway’s Hoops though, who lost 2-1 at home to Sheffield Wednesday the week before to stay just six points clear of the relegation zone with three games to go, and they endured a sixth straight league defeat as Jota inspired the Bees to a 3-1 win.

The hosts took the lead through Yoann Barbet after 31 minutes, before Jota doubled their advantage on the hour mark from the penalty spot.

But his second goal of the afternoon four minutes later, sandwiching a Joel Lynch response for QPR, was the pick of the bunch, brilliantly controlling a cross-field ball before finding the composure to slot past the on-rushing Alex Smithies.