With their season effectively over, the Millwall squad was just waiting for the summer holidays.
There was no point risking injury in a dead rubber.
As a result, the game petered out into a gentle conclusion.
The full-time whistle confirmed a narrow 1-0 victory for the hosts. Meanwhile, news filtered through that Norwich had thrashed Birmingham 6-0 at Carrow Road.
The stage was set.
On May 2nd, Aston Villa would host Norwich.
Only a victory would secure the Championship title for Dean Smith's men.
Across the UK, the sports media machine kicked into overdrive, hyping up the final-day showdown.
The Daily Mail: "The Fiercest Title Race Ever. Aston Villa vs. Norwich. The final round showdown is set to unfold at Villa Park."
The Times: "The Championship title battle goes down to the wire. Norwich and Aston Villa clash on May 2nd. Who will be crowned champions?"
On Twitter, fans were counting down the hours.
[Dean Smith's team has been on a tear since February. Since Theo broke into the first team, they haven't lost.]
[Can Villa actually pull this off and beat Norwich at home?]
[Theo vs Buendia is going to be the midfield battle of the season. I can't wait.]
Over at the Sky Sports studios, presenter Kelly Cates and renowned pundit Gary Neville were preparing for the trip to Birmingham.
With Villa's final match offering a chance to clinch the title, the network directors wanted Neville on live commentary duty, while Cates would handle the post-match interviews with Theodore and the squad.
If Aston Villa defeated Norwich to win the league, the young playmaker's profile would skyrocket, and Sky Sports wanted to be right in the middle of it.
Before long, May 1st arrived, and both managers faced the media at the pre-match press conference.
First to the microphone was Norwich's head coach, Daniel Farke.
The German tactician had begun his managerial career in the amateur leagues before managing Borussia Dortmund's reserve side.
Taking over Norwich in 2017, his resume had been relatively modest, yet he had guided the Canaries to the top of the table this season with an attractive brand of football.
"Even though it's an away game, I'm confident Norwich will defeat their opponents at Villa Park," Farke declared with a calm, assured smile.
"Villa's form has been exceptional, of course. Beating Manchester City in the FA Cup is an incredible achievement. But we focus on ourselves, and we are ready for the challenge."
"We've been studying Aston Villa's tactics extensively," Farke continued. "There's no denying they have many exceptionally talented players in their squad, such as Jack Grealish and striker Tammy Abraham."
"Abraham has already scored 31 goals in the Championship this season, putting him in scorching form. Stopping him from scoring won't be easy."
"Personally, I believe Aston Villa's offensive core is Theodore Bjorn. The young Norwegian has recorded 30 assists and 5 goals in the league this season. So much of Aston Villa's attack is initiated by him. For Norwich, the most crucial task is to neutralize their number 33."
After Farke concluded his press conference, Aston Villa's manager, Dean Smith, took the stage.
Smith remained remarkably composed throughout the barrage of questions from the press.
In a deep, steady voice, he replied, "Aston Villa is fully prepared. We have no injuries in the squad, and all players are available for tomorrow's match. The significance of this game is clear to everyone, so I won't belabor the point. As Villa's manager, I have just one thing to say."
"We will fight for our fans. We'll give our all to secure the Championship title here at Villa Park."
....
The next day dawned bright and sunny in Birmingham, setting the stage for a perfect afternoon of football.
By 5 PM, Villa Park was already swarming with supporters.
Looking around the concourse, it was clear the vast majority were wearing Theodore Bjorn's number 33 jersey.
A Sky Sports reporter grabbed a few fans for a quick pre-match interview.
"Excuse me, do you think Aston Villa can defeat league leaders Norwich today?"
"No doubt about it," a teenage boy grinned, pointing proudly to the 33 on his back before speaking into the microphone.
"Theo will lead us to the Championship title. And he'll guide us to the FA Cup, too. Villa are doing the double this season."
His friend leaned into the shot, adding with equal enthusiasm, "As long as Theo starts, we can't lose. He's been massive for us. We just don't lose when he's pulling the strings."
The interviews made it clear: the Villa faithful were brimming with confidence ahead of the top-of-the-table clash!
Just after six o'clock, the Aston Villa and Norwich squads took to the pitch for their warm-ups.
The atmosphere among the players was noticeably tense and quiet.
Even Jack Grealish, usually known for his playful banter, was subdued, mirroring his intense focus from the Manchester City cup tie.
In contrast, Theodore occasionally cracked a light smile and shared a quiet word with his teammates, doing his best to ease the heavy tension settling over the squad.
After half an hour of drills, the players headed back down the tunnel to their locker rooms.
The decisive battle was looming.
Up in the Sky Sports gantry, Peter Drury and Jim Beglin prepared to guide millions of viewers through the championship-deciding fixture.
"Welcome, football fans, to this monumental final-day clash in the Championship," Drury announced smoothly.
"Aston Villa hosts Norwich City here at a rocking Villa Park."
"Aston Villa sit second in the table, just two points behind the leaders, Norwich," Beglin added.
"That means if Villa can secure a win at home tonight, they will leapfrog the Canaries at the death and claim the title."
"The team sheets are in," Drury continued. "Let's take a look at Dean Smith's Aston Villa. They line up in a 4-1-4-1 formation. Jed Steer is between the sticks. The back four consists of Alan Hutton, Tyrone Mings, Tommy Elphick, and Neil Taylor. Mile Jedinak anchors the midfield. Ahead of him are Theodore Bjorn, John McGinn, Conor Hourihane, and Jack Grealish. Tammy Abraham leads the line."
"It's worth noting that Villa's star striker, Abraham, has already bagged 31 league goals this season, leading Norwich's Teemu Pukki by two in the Golden Boot race," Beglin pointed out. "And, of course, the young Norwegian prodigy, Theodore Bjorn, has recorded a staggering 30 assists, surpassing second-place Joe Allen by thirteen. Villa will be hoping he can continue that exceptional form to secure the victory today."
"For the visitors, Daniel Farke has deployed his preferred 4-2-3-1," Peter Drury listed. "Tim Krul is in goal. Jamal Lewis, Ben Godfrey, Christoph Zimmermann, and Max Aarons make up the defense. Kenny McLean and Mario Vrancic sit deep. Onel Hernández, Marco Stiepermann, and Emi Buendía operate behind the lone striker, Teemu Pukki."
"With only two goals separating Pukki and Abraham, this isn't just a title decider," Beglin noted. "It's a direct shootout for the Golden Boot."
Down in the tunnel, the two squads stood shoulder to shoulder, the tension palpable.
Led by referee Peter Bankes and his officiating team, the players marched out onto the vibrant green pitch.
The final showdown of the Championship season was moments away.
On Twitter, the #AVFC timeline was moving at lightning speed.
Fans around the world were buzzing with nervous anticipation as the broadcast camera panned across the roaring crowd!
[This is it. 90 minutes for the title.]
[The atmosphere looks unreal. Come on you Villa boys!]
[Theo to Abraham one more time. Let's finish the job.]
"The noise inside this stadium is deafening," Peter Drury remarked, letting the sound of the crowd wash over the broadcast.
"Villa Park holds around 42,000, and there isn't an empty seat in the house. The atmosphere is electric. Let's get this epic battle underway."
Down on the pitch, the captains met in the center circle for the coin toss.
Norwich won the toss and elected to kick off.
Moments later, referee Bankes blew his whistle, and the Canaries got the title decider underway!
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