Sheffield Wednesday saw their hopes of returning to the Premier League blighted by Hull City in their playoff final defeat last season.
Mohamed Diame's second-half stunner guided the Tigers back to the top flight after an absence of just one term, leaving the Owls to battle out another campaign in the second tier.
However, Carlos Carvalhal's men have managed to maintain their impressive form of last season.
And although it was not quite good enough to guarantee an automatic spot in the Premier League, Wednesday have another opportunity to end their 17-year exodus from England's top division through the playoffs following their fourth-place finish.
The Owls will now battle it out over two legs against Huddersfield Town in their bid to reach the final for the second year on the spin. Carvalhal's men are backed in the latest football betting odds at 5/2 to get over the line at the second time of asking in the playoff race.
Following their disappointing defeat to Hull at Wembley, Wednesday made moves to bolster their forward line with the signing of Steven Fletcher on a free transfer along with deals for Almen Abdi and David Jones, while Daniel Pudil made his loan move permanent.
Carvalhal's men got their season off to the perfect start, with Fernando Forestieri scoring the only goal of the game in their opening-day victory over Aston Villa. Speculation emerged linking the 27-year-old away from the club, but the Owls managed to retain the services of the forward and then signed Adam Reach from Middlesbrough on transfer deadline day, adding further options for Carvalhal.
Wednesday meandered on the edge of the playoff places in the early stages of the campaign, but once they made their move with four wins in five in December, Carvalhal's men were not going to be easily displaced. Their run included a 1-0 win over Newcastle United on the road, with Glenn Loovens scoring the only goal of the game in the 53rd minute.
The club's owners made a statement of intent in January by splashing the cash to land Jordan Rhodes and Sam Winnall, but the form of Fletcher and Gary Hooper kept both players out of the line-up.
Although Newcastle and Brighton had the two automatic promotion places wrapped up, the Owls' form kept them on pace for a playoff place. Back-to-back defeats in March did put them under pressure, but Carvalhal's men responded by winning five matches on the bounce to secure fourth place, despite their final-day loss to Fulham.
Wednesday's form has been built on their defensive strength, with only the two automatically promoted teams boasting a superior record at the back. Tom Lees and Loovens have remained solid in their partnership, while Liam Palmer and Vincent Sasso have been reliable when called upon.
Their problem in their playoff final defeat was the lack of quality in the final third, with too much reliance placed on Forestieri. The 27-year-old has continued to lead the way with 12 goals this term, but Fletcher has offered support with his ten strikes.
Winnall and Rhodes have not lived up to expectation since January, but their perceived lack of impact will count for very little if they can produce the moment of magic off the bench to guide the Owls back into the Premier League.
Carvalhal's men have the quality and depth to get over the line this time and it's vital that they seize the opportunity as chances to regain their top-flight status will not present themselves on a consistent basis.
