Northern Ireland duo Rebbeca McKenna and Rebecca Holloway will be playing their football in Women’s Super League 1 next season.
The defensive pair are celebrating Birmingham City Women clinched promotion from WSL 2 following a 2-0 win over Charlton Athletic at The Valley at the weekend.
In a high stakes winner-takes-all season finale, the Blues leapfrogged their opponents thanks to a clinical brace from their Swedish midfielder Wilma Leidhammar, who scored a goal in each half, to cap off a remarkable campaign and secure promotion as champions back to the Barclays Women’s Super League after four years away.
Following the heartbreak of a final day defeat to Birmingham City, Ellie Mason and Charlton Athletic Women must now reset for a high stakes relegation-promotion play-off against Leicester City on Saturday 23 May.
Meanwhile, Chesterfield striker Lee Bonis scored his 17th goal of the season as the Spireites sealed their place in the League Two play-offs with a 2-1 success away to Swindon Town.
Chesterfield will now face Notts County in a two-legged semi-final play-off on 10 and 15 May, with the winner heading to Wembley for a play-off final.
Striker Josh Magennis came off the substitutes' bench to score a late consolation goal for Exeter City, and his ninth of the season, as the Grecians’ relegation to League Two was confirmed following a 2-1 home defeat to Bradford City.
In the Premier League, Sunderland’s Daniel Ballard was red-carded in the 24th minute of the Black Cats' 1-1 draw at relegated Wolves, and Justin Devenny made his first league start of 2026 as Crystal Palace went down 3-0 to AFC Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.
Paddy McNair and Shea Charles will be participating in the Championship play-offs later this month as both Hull City and Southampton confirmed their places with victories over Norwich City and Preston North End respectively.
And Eoin Toal will be competing in the League One semi-final play-off for Bolton Wanderers against Bradford City, while striker Jamie Reid will be lining out for Stevenage, who have been paired with Stockport County.
It has been a fantastic first season at Barnsley for Patrick Kelly, who has been named the Tykes’ young player of the season. This recognition, chosen by head coach Conor Hourihane, caps off a breakthrough year for the 21-year-old midfielder following his permanent move from West Ham United last summer.
Eighteen-year-old Braiden Graham continues to stake his claim for a first team chance at Everton after taking his goal tally for the Toffees’ U21 side this season to an incredible 22 in 30 appearances following a brace in a 3-2 win over Brentford.
Elsewhere at youth level Sean Corry was on target for Derby County U18s, Broghan Sewell and Luke Hawe were both on the scoresheet for Southampton’s U18 side, and Jamal Kellyman scored twice for Aston Villa’s U18s in a 7-2 victory at Reading.
