Who will hit the Premier jackpot?

Nails will be chewed, radios will be tuned in, frantic texts will be exchanged and,ultimately, tears will be shed on an afternoon of stomachchurning drama.

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Potential Premiership stars such as Preston's David Nugent, Southampton's Gareth Bale and West Bromwich's Curtis Davies are likely to discover whether next season they will be expected to perform against world-class opposition with their present teams or join the summer transfer scramble.

This afternoon the Championship stages its final day of the regular season with six clubs battling for the right to join third-placed Derby County in the play-offs that will decide who is promoted to the Premiership alongside Birmingham and Sunderland.

The dreams of three of those clubs will live on at today's final whistle, while three others will know that their season is over. West Bromwich and Wolves will qualify if they win.

Southampton need to win by a margin as big as Stoke to be certain, while the latter, Preston and Colchester require those above them to falter to have a chance.

Excitement levels are rising in Southampton, with the club possibly on the brink of a new era.

Talk of an American takeover by Microsoft billionaire Paul Allen, the 19th richest man in the world, and the opportunity to return to the Premiership two seasons after relegation ended a 27-year stay in the top flight, could put an end to the turbulence of recent times.

George Burley, the last manager to win a play-off final at the old Wembley, wants to keep a lid on expectations but remains upbeat about his side's chances of reaching the play-off final at the new Wembley.

"I don't believe that the money or talk of a takeover comes into play at all with the players," said Burley. "For them, individually and as a team, there's so much at stake. There are not many times in a career when you get the chance to be promoted to the Premiership and play at Wembley.

"That's enormous and it's the only thing on their minds. I have a good feeling about the end of the season, the way the players are performing."

Victory over Southend would be the Saints' third win in succession, their fifth in seven, and take them into the play-offs with significant momentum.

After nine seasons in the Premiership, serving under 10 managers in 11 years, club skipper Claus Lundekvam feels the present crop of youngsters — with six regulars aged 22 or under — can bring back the good times.

"We'll never have a better chance with the players we've got," said the 34-yearold Norwegian. "If you ask the other clubs in the Championship they will say that Southampton are the best side, certainly the best footballing side.

"We fancy our chances in the playoffs, even if we have to play Derby. We outplayed them twice and took a point, that's been part of our problem. But now we're looking very solid."

He needs no reminding about concentrating on today's game, in which failure would bring a level of misery that Wolves manager Mick McCarthy knows only too well.

"If we don't get in the play-offs,I'll feel I've let people down," said the ex- Republic of Ireland boss, whose team face a tricky visit to Leicester. "I'm not being hard on myself. That's the way it is.

"I remember when we lost in the playoffs with Sunderland, we'd cut £16m off the wage bill, spent nothing, finished third and reached the semi-finals of the Cup. But after losing to Palace, I went away for the summer and had the very worst holiday in years."

While McCarthy has overachieved at doom-laden Molineux, Tony Mowbray is in danger of being accused of ruining West Bromwich's season if his team fail to clinch their play-off place by beating Barnsley at The Hawthorns.

Striker Kevin Phillips revealed that the former Hibernian manager's arrival led to initial difficulties. "I joined West Brom because they were most people's favourites for promotion," said Phillips.

"A lot of things soon changed. Bryan Robson was sacked and when the new manager was installed there was a bit of unrest. He came in for criticism and it was a difficult start.

"There were injuries and suspensions and I still think he did a good job.He's good enough to get us promoted, and hopefully it will be this season."

Tony Pulis is keen to cheer up some of his critics, too. His fast-finishing Stoke side find their fate in the lap of the gods at QPR where win, lose or draw, they could reach the top six — or not — depending on other results.

"There's a feel-good factor around the place," said Pulis. "And I'm hoping we can get in the play-offs for everyone associated with the club — including those fans who don't like me!"

Colchester, with goal difference against them, need a miracle to take the most extraordinary fairy story of the year on to the next stage, while Preston not only have to stop Birmingham winning the title with victory at Deepdale, but hope against hope that other results go their way.

After six defeats in their last seven matches, the proud Lancastrians appear to have blown it. And to make matters worse, their new England international Nugent,their best player, will almost certainly be on his way.

"Maybe all the adrenaline has taken it out of my body since I returned from England duty. I've totally hit the wall," he said. "Hopefully, I can regain it now and fire Preston into the Premiership."