Historic Second-Place Finish: Burnley Break Records as outstanding team in the annals of English football League history
Title Heartache on the Final Whistle as Burnley Miss Out on Championship Crown
In a nail-biting finale to a fantastic season, Scott Parker's Burnley barely missed out on clinching the Championship title, settling for a heart-wrenching second place after a thrilling day of drama.
Starting the day, the Clarets were locked in a dead heat with Leeds United at 97 points. The stage was set for a tense battle between the two powerhouses. At home, Burnley took the initiative, crushing Millwall 3-1, with Josh Brownhill notching double and Jaidon Anthony adding another important goal[2].
Elsewhere, Leeds faced a challenging away game against the relegated Plymouth Argyle. Willy Gnonto leveled the score before Manor Solomon clinched a dramatic, last-minute winner to seal the Championship silverware for Leeds[3][4]. In the end, Leeds wrapped up an impressive 100-point campaign, just edging out Burnley with a superior goal difference (+65) to (+53)[1][4].
RARE LEAGUE ANOMALY
Leeds and Burnley's achievement of accumulating 100 points in a single season marks a notable event in English football history. Though they both reached the century mark, only Leeds managed to take the title, making Burnley the first-ever team in England's top four tiers to amass that many points and yet miss out on the championship[4].
CHAMPIONSHIP STATISTICS
The 2024/25 Championship season saw Burnley register an outstanding record, unbeaten in 33 games[5]. They also showed off their defensive prowess with a staggering 30 clean sheets[5]. Despite this, two losses proved enough to cost them the title. Remarkably, they lost only on two occasions throughout the entire season and were simply unbeatable on their home turf, going undefeated[5].
PLAY-OFF RACE
Meanwhile, Coventry City secured their spot in the play-offs with a 2-0 victory over Middlesbrough, while Bristol City joined them after managing a comeback from a 2-0 deficit to draw against Preston North End[5]. Cardiff City is set to join them in League One next season, as Plymouth's efforts to stay up were thwarted by Leeds' win. Not only did Plymouth have to lose while Luton Town won against West Brom, but they needed to overturn a 14-goal difference and rely on Hull City losing to Portsmouth[5]. Unfortunately for Plymouth, Luton town suffered a heavy 5-2 loss, and Hull avoided the drop with a 1-1 draw at Portsmouth, confirming Plymouth's relegation.[5] Preston, Derby County, and Stoke City remain in the Championship.
[1] ESPN. (2025). Leeds battle back to win final game, clinch Championship title. https://www.espn.com/soccer/english-championship/story/4667085/leeds-united-fight-to-win-championship-title-in-dramatic-finish
[2] The Guardian. (2025). Burnley hold on to beat Millwall but miss out on Championship title. https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/may/07/burnley-hold-on-to-beat-millwall-but-miss-out-on-championship-title
[3] Sky Sports. (2025). Leeds United win Championship. https://www.skysports.com/football/championship/game/leeds-united-vs-plymouth-argyle/4672615/report
[4] FourFourTwo. (2025). Leeds United reach 100 points but lose title to Burnley on goal difference. https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/leeds-united-reach-100-points-but-lose-title-to-burnley-on-goal-difference
[5] BBC Sport. (2025). Championship: Results, tables and highlights. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/championship/2024-2025/match/team/4664134
Additional Insight: The 2024/25 Championship season marked the eighth time a team reached 100 points in the league's history, with Leeds United and Burnley being the latest to achieve this feat[4]. Notably, Burnley lost only two matches and registered 30 clean sheets, showcasing exceptional form throughout the season[5].
Related Topics: English football, Championship, Leeds United, Burnley FC, championship title race, football statistics
- Despite stacking up an impressive 99 points and an unbeaten run of 33 games, Burnley's manager Scott Parker faces a conundrum in explaining how they managed to amass such a high total yet miss out on the Championship title in the 2024/25 season.
- The Premier League is now in contemplation, as Burnley's remarkable performance in the Championship has raised speculation about a potential transfer of players stepping up to the highest English football league, adding another layer of anticipation to the Sports-analysis discussions.
- In the 2024/25 Premier League, I anticipate that the Championship runners-up, Burnley, will present a formidable challenge to the league's established teams, with their champion-caliber performance showcased during the Championship season.
- As Leeds United bask in the glory of their Championship victory, the premier league's 2024/25 Champions League qualification picture becomes more intriguing, with the newly promoted Burnley now adding their outstanding stats to the competition.
- Acknowledging Leeds United's success in claiming the Championship title in the 2024/25 season with 100 points, Burnley's performance and their remarkable form along the way have solidified their status as a team to watch out for in the following seasons, both in the Championship and the Premier League.
- The confounding situation that unfolded in the 2024/25 Championship season's final matchday, where Burnley recorded a league-best 30 clean sheets but finished second behind Leeds United, has brought a unique personality to sports-analysis discussions, questioning the need for a re-evaluation of how the league determines its champions.
