Hull vs. Middlesbrough LIVE: Minute-by-minute updates from Championship playoff final

Hello and welcome to FootballWhispers' live minute-by-minute commentary of the Championship playoff final between Hull City and Middlesbrough at Wembley Stadium!

What a ride it has been for Boro to get here; this time last week, Kim Hellberg's men were preparing for their summer holidays, but now they are contesting the richest game in football following Southampton's incredible expulsion.

Middlesbrough are now bidding for a return to the Premier League for the first time in a decade against the Tigers, who have also not competed in a top flight since being relegated alongside their opponents in the 2016-17 season.

Make sure you do not miss a beat with our dedicated live blog below!

Hull vs. Middlesbrough road to the Championship playoff final

Going into the final day of the Championship season, Hull were among a cluster of clubs vying for sixth spot in the division, as the Tigers were involved in a fascinating three-way fight with Wrexham and Derby County for the coveted spot in the playoffs.

Hull's 2-1 success over Norwich City coupled with Wrexham's 2-2 draw with Middlesbrough on matchday 46 punched the Tigers' ticket to the playoffs, where they would have to crush Millwall's Premier League dream in order to earn a trip to Wembley.

Sergej Jakirovic's men found themselves up against it when they were held to a 0-0 stalemate by Millwall in the home leg, but a 2-0 triumph at the Den sent Hull to the richest game in football, where they were expecting to come up against Southampton.

However, the unprecedented Spygate drama that has gripped English football for the past few weeks came to a head on Tuesday evening, when the EFL officially expelled the Saints from the playoff final after the South Coast side admitted multiple breaches in relation to the unauthorised filming of opponents.

Southampton's appeal was expected to be futile, and it was; thus, Middlesbrough – who finished fifth in the Championship regular season with 80 points on the board – were handed a golden ticket to the playoff final after coming up short in their semi-final against the Saints.