May is the month neutral fans of the Championship look forward to every year.
Indeed, for many, when May hits the calendar, it means their normal team's season has concluded, so they can strap in for the drama of the second tier playoffs, from a distance.
For those actually involved, which is Southampton's reality right now, it is a horribly tense ride, with a failure to win promotion via this dramatic route a bleak fate to come to terms with.
On the other hand, sealing promotion courtesy of this lottery is an indescribable ecstasy, worthy of the painstaking toil to get there.
The playoffs aren't always the most goal-filled contests, due to the amount that is on the line, with the clashes often becoming chess matches, as opposed to free-flowing showdowns.
The nervy history of the Championship playoffs
Last year's iteration did see some entertaining ties take place, however.
Sheffield United trounced Bristol City 6-0 over two legs to reach the final at Wembley, having gone for an unusual gung-ho approach, while Sunderland - who eventually sealed promotion despite the Blades' goalscoring prowess - would put three past Coventry City, over two open contests, to clinch their spot in the final.
But, in 2024 when Southampton last competed in this daunting lottery, the goals really didn't flow in the first legs.
For the neutral, the first legs were a dull watch, with Southampton drawing 0-0 with West Bromwich Albion, while Leeds United also stumbled to a goalless draw on their travels to Norfolk, to play Norwich City.
Thankfully, the second legs saw the handbrake come off, as Leeds won 4-0, and the Saints won 3-1, but this might well be an indicator of what is to come on Saturday, as both Boro and Tonda Eckert's men potentially operate with caution.
In particular, Southampton won't want to go out all guns blazing at the Riverside, as a second leg at home is the perfect setting to go full throttle, after a steady first leg performance.
Speaking to the media in the build-up to this first leg meeting in Teesside, Boro boss Kim Hellberg reckons the two playoff games will be full to the brim with entertainment, despite these end-of-the-season showdowns often being cagey and edgy.
Hellberg's comments ahead of the first leg
Eckert's side has been one of the most entertaining teams in the division to watch this campaign, with 82 goals scored during the 46-game marathon, even more than second-placed Ipswich Town.
Hellberg and Co. have 72 strikes next to their name, too, and with Boro pummelling the Saints 4-0 during their match-up in January, the neutral watching on will be hoping for the goals to flow, again.
The popular Swede certainly thinks these will be memorable playoff games to look back on, with the one-time Hammarby boss very complimentary of Eckert's side, pre-match: "It will be two very good games of football, I'm really looking forward to it.
"It's between two attack-minded teams and two teams who want to press and play. It will be two great games of football.
"Absolutely, they have more confidence [than they did during a 4-0 defeat to Boro in January] in the moment from doing good things.
"But there are always similarities with the same players and the same coach. It will be a good game. They have confidence, and us also."
Of course, while Hellberg is likely genuine about wanting the games to be easy-on-the-eye, he will want his Boro team to ultimately reign supreme, no matter what.
It will be up to Eckert to see how he sets up his attack-minded side over the two legs, with an uncharacteristic defence-first approach perhaps drilled into his players in Teesside.
Or, attack might be seen as the best form of defence over the two enthralling legs to follow, as we are now only a few days away from the end-of-season fireworks finally being set off.
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