Things can change quickly in the Championship and Preston North End are the perfect example at present.
All of a sudden, the Lilywhites are back on the hunt for a play-off place. Ryan Lowe's side head to Coventry City on Friday, having picked up 14 points from the last seven games. North End's results have left them just outside of the top six.
And with 13 games to go, the race appears to be on. Preston will be looking to stay in and around it until the very final stretch. Here, we take a look at those clubs also pushing to break into the play-off places come May.
1. West Brom - 5th
The Baggies marked the start of PNE's rancid run of form, with their Deepdale rout in late September. Since then, Carlos Corberan's side have emerged as leading contenders to finish fifth - without getting close to those any higher. Albion tend to win or lose, but the victories have been frequent enough to maintain their play-off position and it'd be as surprise to see them drop out. Free agent Yann M'Vila has been snapped up, after West Brom brought in Andreas Weimann, Callum Marshall and Mikey Johnston during the January transfer window. Under Corberan's guidance and with plenty of experience and potency in their ranks, Albion versus Ipswich Town - at this stage - looks a good bet for one of the play-off semi-finals.
2. Hull City - 6th
It's been an up and down couple of months for the Tigers, who did some eye-catching January business but appear to be missing ex-PNE loan man Liam Delap. The striker, who has netted seven goals, was ruled out for three months in mid-January. Not that they needed him on Tuesday night, though, as Hull went to high flying Southampton and won - a magnificent result. Their last 16 games have yielded nine wins and seven defeats, so consistency is the target for Liam Rosenior's team - as the season approaches its final stretch. If the likes of Fabio Carvalho and Anass Zaroury - both on the score sheet at St Mary's - can start to shine with more regularity, alongside key man Jaden Philogene, then it would be no surprise to see Hull secure a play-off place.
3. Coventry City - 7th
Mark Robins deserves all the praise he gets for the work being done at Coventry - who are in the play-off mix once again after last season's Wembley heartbreak. This time, they will have to do it without Gustavo Hamer and Viktor Gyokeres - who were sold for significant fees in the summer. Coventry have recruited strongly for another season running. It took some of their new recruits a bit of time to get going, but with Callum O'Hare back in the fray and current form impressive, sixth spot is theirs to lose. The Sky Blues have tasted defeat just once in their last 14 league games - winning eight. Midfield trio Ben Sheaf, Victor Torp and Jamie Allen are all sidelined at the moment, mind.
4. Norwich City - 8th
Not many people would've believed you, if you'd said Norwich and PNE would be in the play-off race after their goalless draw in early December. It was a forgettable game of football, but - in hindsight - perhaps provided a platform for both clubs to kick on. Norwich's form in 2024 is right up there, with it 17 points from the last eight games and their only defeat a narrow one - away to Leeds United. However, if Norwich are to maintain their top six push, they will have to do it without talisman and top scorer Jonathan Rowe - who is out for a couple of months with a hamstring injury. In his absence, though, Josh Sargent is back fit and firing in front of goal. And there is a lot to like about Norwich's midfield, with Gabriel Sara and Borja Sainz both capable of popping up with moments of magic.