Ipswich secured an immediate return to the Premier League with victory over QPR on the final day of the Championship season.
It meant Millwall and Middlesbrough had to settle for a play-off spot, and are joined by Southampton and Hull.
The Tractor Boys came racing out of the traps and effectively put the game - and day - to bed inside 10 minutes.
George Hirst bundled home the opener after just three minutes, and then set Jaden Philogene for a second in the ninth minute.
The result means Kieran McKenna is the first Town manager to mastermind three promotions – two to the top flight.
News travelled quickly to Millwall and those Middlesbrough fans in Wrexham, with their hopes of second spot being all but extinguished so early on.
Femi Azeez scored both goals as Millwall had to settle for a place in play-offs despite finishing the regular season with a comfortable 2-0 victory over relegated Oxford.
Reaching the second-tier play-offs for the first time since 2002 represents a significant achievement for Millwall, who will face Hull in the semi-finals after they snatched sixth place on the final day.
It meant attentions turned to the play-off race, and who out of Hull, Wrexham and Derby would join Southampton and that disappointed duo.
Wrexham’s hopes of a historic fourth consecutive promotion were ended with a 2- Championship draw against Middlesbrough at the SToK Cae Ras.
Hull took advantage of Wrexham – who were playing National League football three years ago – dropping points to secure sixth spot with a 2-1 win over Norwich.
A brace from Oli McBurnie saw the Tigers seize their moment to regain a top-six finish – a position in which they have occupied for most of the season – after they came from behind at the MKM Stadium.
Sheffield United staged a second half comeback to win 2-1 at Pride Park and end Derby’s Championship play-off hopes.
Derby were in control at the break through Sam Szmodics early goal but the visitors came back strongly to dash the home side’s dream of a top-six finish.
Stevenage snatched the final play-off spot in League One with a stoppage-time winner to beat Wigan as Exeter were relegated following another dramatic ending to the regular season.
With other results going against them, Boro had looked set to be edged out of sixth place before Dan Sweeney bundled the ball in from close range in added time to secure a crucial 1-0 victory.
Luton had been hoping to capitalise on any dropped points – and dug deep to come from behind and win 3-2 at Bolton with a stoppage-time goal from Shayden Morris, before Nahki Wells also saw his late penalty saved.
Plymouth were also in the hunt for gatecrashing the top six and fought back from going 2-0 down early on to win 3-2 at bottom club Northampton, who finished with 10 men, but their efforts also came up just short.
Bradford finished fourth after a 2-1 victory at Exeter. Kayden Jackson and Antoni Sarcevic were on target for the visitors as the Grecians’ relegation was confirmed, with Josh Magennis hitting a late consolation.
Stockport – who had missed the chance to clinch a play-off spot when they lost to relegated Port Vale on Tuesday night – won 3-1 at Barnsley to secure third place.
Leyton Orient made sure of their League One status with a 2-2 home draw against Burton.
Champions Lincoln signed off with a 2-0 win at Port Vale, with goals in each half from Ben House and Rob Street, to finish on 103 points.
Promoted Cardiff ended their campaign with a 5-4 defeat at Mansfield. The Stags had been 3-0 up at half-time after a brace from Lucas Akins before the Bluebirds mounted a fightback, with Omari Kellyman scoring twice in an entertaining encounter.
Relegated Rotherham ended a forgettable campaign with a 3-2 defeat at Wycombe after Micah Olabiyi struck a stoppage-time winner.
Billy Sharp rolled back the years with a second-half hat-trick as Doncaster won 3-1 at Peterborough while Huddersfield were 4-0 winners at AFC Wimbledon and Blackpool won 1-0 at Reading.
Bromley secured the League Two title, with Cambridge also promoted, while Barrow and Harrogate were relegated.
The Ravens bounced back from two defeats in their last three games to beat Walsall 3-1 as they celebrated moving up into the third tier for the first time with the championship trophy.
MK Dons had to settle for the runners-up spot after being held to a 1-1 draw at Fleetwood.
Newport came from behind to win 2-1 at Barrow with late goals from Thomas Davies and Bobby Kamwa, while Harrogate slipped to a 2-1 home defeat against Barnet.
Cambridge made sure of third place with a goalless draw at Crewe, where Ben Knight had missed a first-half penalty.
A point was enough for the Us after Salford had to settle for a goalless draw at Crawley, who stayed up.
Tranmere, who had also been in the last-day relegation conundrum, battled to a 1-1 draw against Grimsby, who finished seventh and will face Salford in the play-offs.
Chesterfield secured sixth as they won 2-1 at Swindon, in a head-to-head fight for the one place still up for grabs.
Notts County finished a point behind Salford in fifth after a 1-1 draw with Bristol Rovers.
Gillingham hit a stoppage-time winner to beat Shrewsbury 1-0 while Colchester ran out 4-1 winners at Cheltenham and Oldham beat Accrington 3-0.
Additional reporting by Press Association.
