Southampton didn't have much to look forward to at the end of last season.
Rather, Saints supporters would have been counting down the days, until their miserable Premier League campaign was finally taken off life support, as the South Coast side ended the season on a dire 12 points.
Now, this time around, Southampton fans are caught up in the head rush of watching their side go toe-to-toe with the very best in the Championship, as they sit in the final playoff position in the very competitive division.
Nothing is set in stone, yet, but Tonda Eckert's men are standing out as a force to be reckoned with, having last lost in the second tier back in mid-January, to fellow playoff battlers Hull City.
You would likely forgive Southampton supporters for getting carried away, as well, having had to put up with all those depressing performances last season.
An eager few here and there might have even looked at the calendar for May for when their beloved side could be possibly featuring in the playoffs.
A magical revisit to Wembley could be on the cards, if everything goes to plan, with Eckert wanting to repeat Russell Martin's heroics in guiding the South Coast side to the Premier League, via the most dramatic route possible.
The long break in Championship action, with the international break in full flow, has coincided with the EFL finally revealing when the intense playoff matches will happen in the second tier, League One and League Two.
Southampton will be desperate to get there, to make all their hard work worthwhile.
Southampton's possible playoff fixture schedule
The final day of the regular season falls on the 2nd of May, as Southampton face Preston North End away from home, in a game that could be considered a must-win affair.
If they were to progress past this hurdle, and finish in their current sixth position, they would only have a week's break before they played third in the league (which is currently Ipswich Town) in the first showdown of two legs.
Of course, they could finish in fifth position as well, with that tie, between the fifth-placed side and fourth-placed side, taking place the day after.
📅 The @SkyBet #EFL end of season schedule has now been confirmed!
— EFL (@EFL) March 24, 2026
Then, the dramatic second legs take place on the 11th and 12th of May respectively, with Southampton needing to have their heads firmly screwed on to come out the other side of this lottery victorious.
The Saints' possible trip back to Wembley in the Championship playoff final would then fall on the May Bank Holiday Weekend, the 23rd of May to be precise, as a sea of red and white potentially fills the 90,000 capacity stadium.
The playoffs are so exciting to be a part of, and Southampton's determination to push into the top six under Eckert warrants a place in the famous knockout format.
They need to hold their nerve and get here, though, before Saints fans start booking hotels in London, with seven enthralling clashes left of the regular season.