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Birmingham sealed promotion to the Premier League as they won 2-1 at Reading, whilst Norwich City were relegated to League One.
The only other question that needed answering was the play-off picture, and the final spots were claimed by Burnley and Preston, as Cardiff City missed out.
The undoubted game of the day was at The Madejski Stadium as both Reading and Birmingham went into the game looking for the last automatic promotion spot.
But it was Alex McLeish's side who kept their nerve as they claimed the win and booked their passage straight back into the top-flight.
Birmingham went ahead on 19 minutes as Irish midfielder Keith Fahey curled in a shot from the edge of the box, but Reading goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann will have been desperately disappointed with his own effort as he almost dived over the ball.
The second and crucial goal came on the hour and it was a goal of pure quality and deserved to seal the promotion. The impressive Fahey played a brilliant ball through Reading's defence and Kevin Phillips raced onto the ball and stoked the ball into the corner.
But Birmingham's nerves were soon back on edge as Reading were back in the game within 60 seconds as Czech star Matej Matejovskey curled home a lovely finish to give Reading some hope - but it was not be the visitors celebrated.
Even if Birmingham had been held, they still would have gone up as Sheffield United played out a goalless draw at Crystal Palace.
The Blades were backed by thousands of hopeful fans in South London, but they disappointed on the day and created little as they were denied by their former boss Neil Warnock.
The play-off picture went down to the wire and it was Cardiff - who just a month ago were still in contention for the top-two - missed out as they were defeated at Sheffield Wednesday, whilst Burnley and Preston both won to book their play-off spots.
Cardiff only needed a point at Hillsborough - but that was beyond Dave Jones's men as they lost 1-0.
The only goal arrived 19 minutes from time and it was a spectacular effort as Jermaine Johnson unleashed an unstoppable half-volley from the edge of the box to deny The Bluebirds.
The team to deny Cardiff were Preston, who finished above the Welsh side on goals scored and indeed the 6-0 drubbing handed out to City by North End just a few weeks ago has come back to haunt them.
But Preston did what they needed as they beat Queens Park Rangers at Deepdale, but it was a dramatic finale.
Jon Parkin had given Preston the lead just before half-time as he latched onto a poor back pass from Kaspars Gorkss before firing home.
QPR, though, played their part and levelled on 57 minutes when former Preston forward Patrick Agyemang scored his first goal of 2009 as he drilled the ball home.
Preston then threw everything they had at Rangers and grabbed the crucial goal which gave them their win and their play-off spot as Sean St Ledger rose to head home with just 16 minutes left.
Preston join Lancashire rivals Burnley in the play-offs as they eased past Bristol City at Turf Moor with a 3-0 win.
City had held firm for much of the first-half but they went ahead just before half-time as Graham Alexander slotted home a penalty after Wade Elliot was brought down in the box.
Elliott was soon back in the action as just moments later he drilled the ball home from the edge of the box.
The second-half saw Burnley double their winning margin as Alexander slotted home another penalty before Joey Gudjonsson scored with just minites remaining.
Relegation issue
The relegation issue was decided early on as Norwich capitulated 4-2 at The Valley against Charlton, to condemn themselves to League One next season.
Nothing but victory would have done for Norwich, and even then that would not have been enough - but they gave themselves no hope as they found themselves three down after just half-an-hour.
Charlton Player of the Year Nicky Bailey headed Charlton ahead just nine minutes in, before Dean Burton was on hand to fire home two goals (25 & 30) in the space of five minutes.
Norwich were given a very small glimmer of hope when Alan Lee scrambled home as Charlton failed to clear a corner, but then just after the break Burton scrambled home his hat-trick.
Sammy Clingan pulled another back on the hour, but that was a mere consolation as Bryan Gunn's men said their farewell to the Championship.
A win for Norwich would have been futile anyway - as things transpired - as Barnsley came from behind to beat Plymouth 2-1 at Home Park.
The Tykes started badly on the South Coast as they went behind after just 12 minutes when Gary Sawyer scored.
But Barnsley were level on 34 minutes when Adam Hamill slotted home after good work from Jon Macken.
Macken was Plymouth's tormentor in chief as he created the second and winning goal just after the break when he set-up Jamal Campbell-Ryce to score.
The win actually took Barnsley above Plymouth into 20th - but neither will be too bothered as they both look forward to another season in the Championship next season.
Elsewhere, Wolverhampton signed off as champions in winning fashion as they claimed a 1-0 win over Doncaster at Molineux.
The only goal of the game arrived in injury-time as Richard Stearmen headed home to the delight of the home fans.
Southampton were also bidding farewell to the Championship at the City Ground, but they dropped in League One in miserable fashion as they lost 3-1 to Nottingham Forest.
The Saints had gone ahead through Bradley Wright-Phillips after just 16-minutes - but they could not hold on.
Substitute Joe Garner levelled with just 13 minutes left a he lopped the ball over the keeper. But Southampton capitulated as Luke Chambers and Rob Earnshaw scored in the final minutes to seal the win for Forest.
Roy Keane's unbeaten start to life as Ipswich Town boss continued as they finished the campaign with a 2-1 win over Coventry.
Giovani (24) and Pablo Counago (26) put Town in control as they scored two goals in two minutes.
Clinton Morrison (79) pulled one back late on for Coventy, but they ended on a low note with defeat.
Swansea's excellent season ended in poor fashion as they lost 1-0 at home to Blackpool.
The only goal of the game came from DJ Campbell as he slotted home after just 13 minutes.
And finally, Watford finished the season in mid-table as they signed off with a 3-1 win over Derby County at Vicarage Road.
Jobi McAnuff put the home side ahead after 14 minutes before former Rams star Grzegorz Rasiak pounced twice to seal the win.
Derby grabbed a late consolation when former Watford man John Eustace scored.
The only other question that needed answering was the play-off picture, and the final spots were claimed by Burnley and Preston, as Cardiff City missed out.
The undoubted game of the day was at The Madejski Stadium as both Reading and Birmingham went into the game looking for the last automatic promotion spot.
But it was Alex McLeish's side who kept their nerve as they claimed the win and booked their passage straight back into the top-flight.
Birmingham went ahead on 19 minutes as Irish midfielder Keith Fahey curled in a shot from the edge of the box, but Reading goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann will have been desperately disappointed with his own effort as he almost dived over the ball.
The second and crucial goal came on the hour and it was a goal of pure quality and deserved to seal the promotion. The impressive Fahey played a brilliant ball through Reading's defence and Kevin Phillips raced onto the ball and stoked the ball into the corner.
But Birmingham's nerves were soon back on edge as Reading were back in the game within 60 seconds as Czech star Matej Matejovskey curled home a lovely finish to give Reading some hope - but it was not be the visitors celebrated.
Even if Birmingham had been held, they still would have gone up as Sheffield United played out a goalless draw at Crystal Palace.
The Blades were backed by thousands of hopeful fans in South London, but they disappointed on the day and created little as they were denied by their former boss Neil Warnock.
The play-off picture went down to the wire and it was Cardiff - who just a month ago were still in contention for the top-two - missed out as they were defeated at Sheffield Wednesday, whilst Burnley and Preston both won to book their play-off spots.
Cardiff only needed a point at Hillsborough - but that was beyond Dave Jones's men as they lost 1-0.
The only goal arrived 19 minutes from time and it was a spectacular effort as Jermaine Johnson unleashed an unstoppable half-volley from the edge of the box to deny The Bluebirds.
The team to deny Cardiff were Preston, who finished above the Welsh side on goals scored and indeed the 6-0 drubbing handed out to City by North End just a few weeks ago has come back to haunt them.
But Preston did what they needed as they beat Queens Park Rangers at Deepdale, but it was a dramatic finale.
Jon Parkin had given Preston the lead just before half-time as he latched onto a poor back pass from Kaspars Gorkss before firing home.
QPR, though, played their part and levelled on 57 minutes when former Preston forward Patrick Agyemang scored his first goal of 2009 as he drilled the ball home.
Preston then threw everything they had at Rangers and grabbed the crucial goal which gave them their win and their play-off spot as Sean St Ledger rose to head home with just 16 minutes left.
Preston join Lancashire rivals Burnley in the play-offs as they eased past Bristol City at Turf Moor with a 3-0 win.
City had held firm for much of the first-half but they went ahead just before half-time as Graham Alexander slotted home a penalty after Wade Elliot was brought down in the box.
Elliott was soon back in the action as just moments later he drilled the ball home from the edge of the box.
The second-half saw Burnley double their winning margin as Alexander slotted home another penalty before Joey Gudjonsson scored with just minites remaining.
Relegation issue
The relegation issue was decided early on as Norwich capitulated 4-2 at The Valley against Charlton, to condemn themselves to League One next season.
Nothing but victory would have done for Norwich, and even then that would not have been enough - but they gave themselves no hope as they found themselves three down after just half-an-hour.
Charlton Player of the Year Nicky Bailey headed Charlton ahead just nine minutes in, before Dean Burton was on hand to fire home two goals (25 & 30) in the space of five minutes.
Norwich were given a very small glimmer of hope when Alan Lee scrambled home as Charlton failed to clear a corner, but then just after the break Burton scrambled home his hat-trick.
Sammy Clingan pulled another back on the hour, but that was a mere consolation as Bryan Gunn's men said their farewell to the Championship.
A win for Norwich would have been futile anyway - as things transpired - as Barnsley came from behind to beat Plymouth 2-1 at Home Park.
The Tykes started badly on the South Coast as they went behind after just 12 minutes when Gary Sawyer scored.
But Barnsley were level on 34 minutes when Adam Hamill slotted home after good work from Jon Macken.
Macken was Plymouth's tormentor in chief as he created the second and winning goal just after the break when he set-up Jamal Campbell-Ryce to score.
The win actually took Barnsley above Plymouth into 20th - but neither will be too bothered as they both look forward to another season in the Championship next season.
Elsewhere, Wolverhampton signed off as champions in winning fashion as they claimed a 1-0 win over Doncaster at Molineux.
The only goal of the game arrived in injury-time as Richard Stearmen headed home to the delight of the home fans.
Southampton were also bidding farewell to the Championship at the City Ground, but they dropped in League One in miserable fashion as they lost 3-1 to Nottingham Forest.
The Saints had gone ahead through Bradley Wright-Phillips after just 16-minutes - but they could not hold on.
Substitute Joe Garner levelled with just 13 minutes left a he lopped the ball over the keeper. But Southampton capitulated as Luke Chambers and Rob Earnshaw scored in the final minutes to seal the win for Forest.
Roy Keane's unbeaten start to life as Ipswich Town boss continued as they finished the campaign with a 2-1 win over Coventry.
Giovani (24) and Pablo Counago (26) put Town in control as they scored two goals in two minutes.
Clinton Morrison (79) pulled one back late on for Coventy, but they ended on a low note with defeat.
Swansea's excellent season ended in poor fashion as they lost 1-0 at home to Blackpool.
The only goal of the game came from DJ Campbell as he slotted home after just 13 minutes.
And finally, Watford finished the season in mid-table as they signed off with a 3-1 win over Derby County at Vicarage Road.
Jobi McAnuff put the home side ahead after 14 minutes before former Rams star Grzegorz Rasiak pounced twice to seal the win.
Derby grabbed a late consolation when former Watford man John Eustace scored.