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The race for Championship football next season is intensifying

Former England international Carlton Palmer has weighed in on the debate surrounding the League One play-off race, with the climax of the third tier season in sight.

The division has gained plenty of interest throughout the season, in no small part down to developments at St Andrew's @ Knighthead Park and the Stok Cae Ras as Birmingham City and Wrexham's American ownership groups look to gain promotion to the Championship at the first time of asking amid very differing circumstances.

Both they and Wycombe Wanderers are set to be embroiled in a fascinating race for automatic promotion, with Phil Parkinson's side currently three points behind the Chairboys at this moment in time, although one of the sides directly below Birmingham will have to face the post-season frenzy of a two-legged semi-final before a potential date at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, May 25th.

However, only eight points currently separate Stockport County in fourth and Barnsley in 10th, and with either 12 or 13 games to go for the sides involved in the play-off race, a compelling and dramatic end to the season is in store, with Palmer issuing his final predictions to Football League World.

Speaking exclusively to FLW, the former Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds United man name-dropped the likes of Huddersfield Town and Bolton Wanderers - two clubs with big stature at League One level - within these predictions, despite the contrasting predicaments at the John Smith's Stadium and Toughsheet Community Stadium in recent weeks.

However, Palmer began by stating who he thinks would miss out on automatic promotion by the time the regular season concludes on May 3rd.

He said: "It's very, very tight at the top of the table in League One, it's very, very tight!

"Birmingham City, of course, are up and out as far as I'm concerned, it's only a matter of time before they get promoted," the pundit added.

"Wycombe Wanderers are in second place on 64 points, with Wrexham chasing them down - only three points behind them.

"So, what is for sure is it will be either Wrexham or Wycombe Wanderers automatically promoted. I think Wrexham will overturn Wycombe Wanderers, and it will be Birmingham City and Wrexham who occupy the top two," Palmer claimed.

"Wycombe Wanderers would then be guaranteed a play-off spot."

The 59-year-old then turned his attention to those from fourth downwards, with a plethora of clubs still in the mix.

"Stockport are on 57 points, I think they will be guaranteed a play-off place," he continued.

"I think Huddersfield will be guaranteed a play-off place, I know they've lost a couple of games, and then, for the last spot, you're looking at Charlton, Leyton Orient or Bolton Wanderers, who've come with a tremendous run since they changed manager, and they could well seal a play-off place.

"I am actually going to go for Bolton Wanderers, I really am," the pundit added.

"So I'm going for Wycombe Wanderers, Stockport County, Huddersfield Town and Bolton Wanderers to occupy the four play-off spots."

The play-off race is set to heat up in League One

With so many of the division's big-hitters, as well as clubs such as Stockport and Leyton Orient vying for a return to the second tier in very differing runs of form, the play-off race looks set to go the distance.

Since the turn of the year, the O's, Charlton, Stockport and Bolton are all in the top six in terms of points accumulated, with the Whites turning a corner following the appointment of Steven Schumacher on January 30th.

It looked as if Huddersfield would potentially run the likes of Wycombe and Wrexham close in the race for automatic promotion, but a run of two wins in nine has put immense pressure on Michael Duff, with the Terriers now just two points inside the play-off positions.

However, the next two sets of fixtures could prove to be defining, with Bolton facing Wrexham and Birmingham, Huddersfield hosting the Red Dragons on Tuesday, whilst Orient and Charlton face off in East London on Saturday ahead of the Addicks' home clash with Barnsley, who are far from out of the picture at this moment in time.