Rob Edwards called for Luton not to get carried away as they chase promotion in Saturday’s Sky Bet Championship play-off final against Coventry at Wembley.

Luton eye promotion to the Premier League for the first time and a win over Coventry would round off their fourth promotion in 10 seasons.

Manager Edwards refused to romanticise the club’s journey and highlighted the importance of a grounded mentality ahead of Saturday’s all-or-nothing showdown.

“I try and keep a clear head but I know the magnitude of the game and we all do, there’s no point in not talking about it, there’s nothing wrong with dreaming and aiming for (promotion), Edwards said.

“We are there now, in touching distance. It’s one game, we know we are capable.

“But the one thing we need to do is make sure we are the best version of us and prepare as normally as possible. We have to work as hard as we usually do, organise the same and if we get those bits right you stand a chance – the basics.

“If we get carried away then you have got no chance in a game like this so my job is to make sure we concentrate on the stuff we can control and we have to work as hard as we always do.”

Edwards heaped praise on Coventry, whose 22 clean sheets this season were the most of any Sky Bet Championship side.

The two sides met twice over the course of the season, drawing 2-2 in September and 1-1 in February.

“We have a decent idea of them and they have a decent idea of us as well, we’ve looked at each other twice during the season and watched countless numbers of games as well so there won’t be too many surprises on the day, said Edwards, adding that his side cannot just focus on Coventry’s star men Gustavo Hamer and Viktor Gyokeres.

“They have some more good players than just those two – who are excellent, they are top individuals.

“But they have got quality all over the pitch and really well coached by Mark (Robins) and Adi (Viveash) so they have got a real clear way of playing and that helps you over the course of a season.

“They’ve been building over a good few years and it’s served them well so of course they are more than two players, but you need outstanding individuals to make the difference and those two lads are the key ones this year.”

Edwards admitted the playoff final is the biggest occasion in his seven-year managerial career and understands the importance of victory.

“There’s not a comparable game I’ve been a part of with this level of interest and what it is worth financially and people watching, it is a new experience for me,” he said.

“I am pleased to have been involved in big games at big stadiums and our players have as well but me stood on the touchline, it will be a great experience.”

Coventry boss Mark Robins will be proud of his players whatever happens at Wembley after seeing them book a Sky Bet Championship play-off final with Luton.

Robins agreed a new four-year deal with the club he took over in 2017 on the eve of Wednesday night’s 1-0 semi-final, second-leg victory at Middlesbrough which kept alive their hopes of making it all the way from League Two to the Premier League.

A thrilled Robins said: “We’ve beaten Middlesbrough over two games to get to Wembley and the final, I’m really proud of the players regardless of what happens.

“They’ve all worked as hard as they possibly can, they all try their best every day, so for that, I’ll always be proud. That’s all you can do.

“Whatever happens next happens, but it won’t be for the want of trying, that’s for sure.”

Victory was sealed by the only goal of a tense 180-minute shoot-out when Gustavo Hamer fired into the top corner after City had pounced on a loose pass by Ryan Giles and Viktor Gyokeres had rounded keeper Zack Steffen.

Boro belatedly launched an all-out assault, during which substitute Matt Crooks headed home from an offside position and Cameron Archer stabbed over the crossbar, but the visitors, who have spent 22 long years outside the top division, held firm to extend their fairytale season.

Asked about Hamer’s contribution, Robins revealed he had undergone a painkilling injection before the game.

He said: “He was phenomenal. I’m surprised he didn’t faint – he had an injection in his knee before the game so he could play. I don’t know what was worse, whether it was the injury or the needle going in.

“He was brilliant. When Vik’s gone through and he’s taken it round the goalkeeper and it falls then to Gustavo, you just breathe out because he just does it every day.”

For Boro head coach Michael Carrick, an evening which promised so much ended in bitter disappointment, although he urged his players to learn from the experience.

Carrick said: “Hopefully it’s the start of something. That’s up to us to make the next step, as hard as it is right now. It’s a tough one to take, it’s a tough experience for some of the boys.

“Most of the time I’ve felt through my career in life in general the tough moments are the ones that you end up learning from and coming back stronger when you come through it, so as tough as it is now and horrible to go through – and we’ve got a lot of time to think about it over the summer – we’ve got to come back stronger.”

Gustavo Hamer fired Coventry to within one game of the Premier League as they scrapped their way past Middlesbrough into the Sky Bet Championship play-off final.

The Brazil-born midfielder’s sweet 57th-minute strike clinched a 1-0 aggregate victory in a desperately tight second leg at the Riverside Stadium.

Mark Robins’ side will meet Luton at Wembley on May 27 with a return to the top flight for the first time since 2001 up for grabs.

It proved the perfect ending to a day on which the Sky Blues announced their manager had agreed a new four-year contract, but an intensely disappointing one for opposite number Michael Carrick, whose side will spend a seventh year in the second tier as a result.

Boro started in confident mood with left-back Ryan Giles threatening repeatedly, although they almost shot themselves in the foot after eight minutes when Viktor Gyokeres picked off Tommy Smith’s ill-judged back-pass, but goalkeeper Zack Steffen came to the rescue with a fine save as the striker attempted to round him.

City gradually worked their way into the game and forced a series of free-kicks with defender Kyle McFadzean heading high over from Hamer’s 17th-minute cross, and as Liam Kelly and Ben Sheaf started to make their mark in the middle of the field, there was little to choose between the teams.

Both Chuba Akpom and Cameron Archer felt the full force of Coventry’s rugged approach as Sheaf and then McFadzean clattered into them, and referee David Coote eventually lost patience and booked Callum Doyle for a clumsy challenge on Akpom.

Jake Bidwell bravely blocked Marcus Forss’ shot from Giles’ deep cross five minutes before the break and Darragh Lenihan headed an Alex Mowatt corner straight at Ben Wilson, but the tie remained finely poised when the half-time whistle sounded.

The Sky Blues returned reinvigorated with Jamie Allen conducting affairs menacingly behind lone striker Gyokeres, although the midfielder miskicked from just six yards out after Gyokeres and Sheaf had capitalised on Akpom’s 50th-minute error.

And it was the visitors who forced their way in front when Sheaf pounced on Giles’ loose pass to find Gyokeres, who evaded Steffen’s challenge before Hamer took over, stepped inside Forss and fired into the top corner.

He might have doubled his tally with 15 minutes remaining, but saw his free-kick crash back off the crossbar with Steffen beaten to preserve Boro’s fading hopes.

But despite a last-gasp flurry during which substitute Matt Crooks had the ball in the net from an offside position, Boro were unable to force extra-time.

Coventry boss Mark Robins has agreed a new four-year deal with the club.

The 53-year-old is set to sign a contract which will keep him at the Coventry Building Society Arena until 2027 later this week.

Robins joined the Sky Blues for his second spell in March 2017 and the new deal could therefore see him reach a decade of service with the Sky Bet Championship side.

He has achieved much with Coventry having won the Checkatrade Trophy in 2017 before guiding the club out of League Two via the play-offs in 2018. He earned another promotion in 2019-20 from League One into the Championship, finishing top of the table to win the title.

Robins will be hoping to toast more success with Coventry when they host Middlesbrough on Wednesday evening.

Should they come through their play-off second leg – the tie is poised at 0-0 after a stalemate at Boro – they will get the opportunity to face Luton in the final at Wembley on May 27, with a place in the Premier League up for grabs.

Robins told Coventry’s official website: “I am delighted to agree terms of a new contract with Coventry.

“While our focus is on tonight’s game, the journey that we have been on together as a club has been amazing so far.

“I look forward to continuing that work in the next four years and the improvement on and off the pitch of this great football club.

“This was an easy decision to make and I thank the club for their continued support.”

Coventry boss Mark Robins moved to pile the pressure on Middlesbrough ahead of their crunch play-off semi-final second leg.

The Sky Blues go to the Riverside on Wednesday locked at 0-0 from Sunday’s first leg.

Boro finished fourth in the Championship, five points and a place ahead of Coventry, and at the Riverside Robins feels Michael Carrick’s side hold the advantage.

He said: “They’re the favourites to go through so the pressure is on them. There’s no doubt about it. We’ll go out there and really give a good account of ourselves.

“For us, it’s about our preparation and what we can do. The betting companies have made them favourites to win promotion. So, by definition, that makes us least favourites so it is what it is. We just go and deal with what we’ve got in front of us.”

Coventry were not expected to make the play-offs this season, especially after playing seven of their first nine games away from home following the Rugby Sevens at the Commonwealth Games destroying the CBS Arena pitch.

Robins recognises their progress this term but still wants the glory at the end.

“It’s not really a great time to reflect because that time will be whenever this season comes to an end and we can sit back and have a look,” said the manager, who could be without Gustavo Hamer after he suffered a knee injury in the first leg.

“I say sit back, we’re not because we’ve got a busy period of recruitment coming up.

“Regardless of anything, I was asked at the start this season what success would look like and for us, really, you talk about finishing in the Championship, whatever happens.

“If you’re in the Championship it always gives you a chance of doing what we’ve done so far this season.

“Our season was blighted at the start with well-known factors and one of our players (Dominic Hyam to Blackburn) was sold early on which made things very difficult for us.

“Regardless of what happened, the players have responded unbelievably well to get us to this point so they’ve earned the right to go head-to-head against Middlesbrough.

“Whatever happens, yes, it’s been a brilliant progression for us but ultimately you want to try and come out successfully at the other end.”

Coventry have been preparing for their Premier League assault as popular Sky Blues kitman Chris Marsh fights sepsis.

The former Walsall defender was admitted to University Hospital Coventry this week with the infection which stemmed from a problem in his neck.

He missed Monday’s final day 1-1 draw at Middlesbrough but will be in the dressing room for Sunday’s Championship play-off semi-final first leg against the same opponents at the CBS Arena on Sunday, although cannot work as he recovers.

The effervescent Marsh credits club doctor Ganeshan Ramsamy for acting quickly and knows there could have been a very different outcome.

He told the PA news agency: “I thought it was a wasp sting but I had a really bad night’s sleep so when I came into the training ground the next day (Sunday), I saw the club doctor and he said ‘we need to rush you to A&E’.

“He was worried it was Mastoiditis (a serious infection that affects the mastoid bone behind the ear).

“I was in overnight and they released me so I watched the Boro game on TV before the doc asked me to send him a picture of my neck.

“He told me I was still in trouble – my neck was blistering – and I needed to go back to hospital. I went back and they’d given me the wrong medication so kept me in and it was sepsis.

“They got to it quickly. If I had left it which I probably would have done, it would have been serious. The club doctor was outstanding. He is top-drawer. He cares and I’ve got a lot of time for him, he’s brilliant.

“I’m back home and feeling better. My appetite returned on Wednesday so that tells you you’re on the mend. I can’t work for the next week but they want me in the dressing room on Sunday which is great.”

It is not the first time Marsh has survived a traumatic experience having suffered a slow bleed on the brain on Christmas Day in 2016.

Three days later wife Sabina took him to a walk-in centre where – after she demanded treatment – his blood pressure was found to be dangerously high and he was rushed to hospital. It was a decision which saved his life.

“I was in hospital for a week and on the fifth or sixth day when I was better the consultant sat on my bed,” said Marsh.

“He said ‘I’ve heard all the stories, heard off your wife that she kicked up a fuss at the walk-in clinic and you wanted to go home. Categorically, had you gone home that night and slept like you wanted to do, you weren’t waking up’.

“The bleed was that bad, I would have been gone.

“I’ve always said my wife saved me then. They always know, right? She sensed there was something wrong and she acted upon it right away.”

Soon after his recovery, and unable to do his day job as a driver, the ex-Northampton man joined the Sky Blues as kit man having played with manager Mark Robins and assistant Adi Viveash at Walsall.

There, he was a key part of promotion squads, including the Saddlers’ famous 1998-99 season when they finished runners-up behind Fulham and ahead of Manchester City in the old Second Division.

Coventry are now seeking to end their 22-year exile from the Premier League.

They have never been closer since their 2001 relegation, despite playing seven of their opening nine games away because the Commonwealth Games’ Rugby Sevens wrecked the CBS Arena pitch.

“One thing with this management team, not just Robbo, it’s Adi, Dennis Lawrence, everyone, they don’t take anyone for granted,” said Marsh, who has been a restaurateur and sandwich shop owner since retiring from playing.

“The players are not allowed to take the foot off the gas. Especially with the start we had, we were bottom, the pitch, we had to play so many away games at the start.

“To climb the table and be consistent, every single member of that team has played a part, every single one.

“Talk about David v Goliath or whatever analogy you want. We haven’t just swum The Channel, we’ve swum the Atlantic already – there and back.”

Coventry have agreed a five-year deal with Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group to play at the CBS Arena.

The Sky Blues were initially given an eviction notice in December after failing to agree a new lease when Frasers Group bought the stadium in November following the collapse of Wasps.

The club did strike a deal to be able to play until the end of the season but have now secured a long-term agreement.

Owner Doug King said: “We are delighted to sign this agreement, which we know will be welcomed by Sky Blues fans.

“This agreement will help to provide a period of further stability whilst we continue to build a positive future for Coventry City Football Club.

“The licence will enable us to play at our home, the Coventry Building Society Arena, for a minimum of five years and we will continue to positively engage with Frasers Group with regard to the longer term at the Arena.”

Coventry were forced to play at Northampton in 2013-14 and spent two seasons in Birmingham between 2019 and 2021 after being unable to find agreements with previous owners Arena Coventry Ltd and Wasps.

It is a further boost for the Sky Blues who are fifth in the Sky Bet Championship with two games left.

Mark Robins’ side are looking to end a 22-year exile from the Premier League and host Birmingham on Saturday.

Michael Murray, CEO of Frasers Group, said: “Following our recent acquisition of Coventry Building Society Arena, we are committed to investing into the Arena and the local community, and therefore supporting its future growth.”

Vincent Kompany's reign as Burnley manager will start with a difficult test on the road against Huddersfield Town.

The Championship fixtures for the 2022-23 season were released on Thursday and Kompany's first game with the Clarets, who were relegated from the Premier League last season, comes against defeated play-off finalists Huddersfield.

Burnley's relegation from the top-flight was confirmed on the final day of the season after defeat at home to Newcastle United to bring an end to a six-year spell in the Premier League, with Leeds United surviving following victory at Brentford.

Huddersfield, meanwhile, saw off Luton Town in the Championship play-off semi-finals but lost to Nottingham Forest at Wembley, denying them a return to the Premier League for the first time since the 2018-19 season.

Elsewhere, Watford's first game back in the Championship following relegation comes at home to Sheffield United, while Norwich City are on the road against Cardiff City.

Sunderland, after a four-year stint in League One, mark their return to the second tier against Coventry City, while League One champions Wigan Athletic face Preston North End.

The new season begins on July 29 with Huddersfield's hosting of Burnley and marks the start of a challenging campaign for the 24 teams in the division, who face disruption due to the World Cup in Qatar midway through the season.