Football Programmes Centre

slightfold · Joined: 13 Oct 2009 Posts: 607

This year the teams finishing 2 to 7 are involved in order to find who will be joining the Champions, Macclesfield Town, in the League.

2/5 5 v 6 Aldershot Town v Ebbsfleet A
3/5 4 v 7 Boreham Wood v Fylde B
5/5 2 v A Tranmere Rovers v A Semi 1
6/5 3 v B Sutton United v B Semi 2

All the first mentioned teams get home advantage in one off games. As usual the final will be at Wembley, unless it has been sold off by then and being used for something else!
Interested to hear if members like this arrangement and wonder if they might take it up in the Football League?

Pete’s Picture Palace · Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2018 5:12 pm Post subject:

Thank you posting that, as a part-time Sutton fan I need to get my act in gear for 6th May. I was wondering how that would all pan out so thanks for the explanation.

gatfb · Joined: 05 Nov 2011 Posts: 333

I' m liking it and was wondering if it was a trial for big play offs. It does give second and third an advantage which they probably deserve.

Kick offs in the week are at 7 and are being shown live on BT.

Dorking · Joined: 05 Feb 2010 Posts: 2511

When Palace were serial mid table fodder in the Championship, our Managing Director, Phil Alexander proposed that the football League playoffs could include the next 2 teams as well, but they would have to play off with each other before they even got involved or something.

It didn't get off the ground!

This would be seriously harsh on the team in 2nd if they lose out to a team who finished 7th! But that's football. I think Ipswich once lost out to a team about 20 pts below them in the final table.

Two in, two out is a bit rubbish to be honest, it should be 3 up 3 down.

Obviously it's a massive thing being relegated from the league, hence it is only 2 teams, but it could equally be argued it is a bigger thing being relegated from the Premier League and they manage to do it for 3 teams.

gatfb · Joined: 05 Nov 2011 Posts: 333

Talking of harsh the terrible 87/88 season when Chelsea became the only team to be relegated from the top division via a play off springs to mind.

Four teams in each divisional play-off comprised 3 clubs from the lower division who were competing for promotion plus one from the higher division who were aiming to avoid relegation.

I believe they dropped that format the season after.

Pete’s Picture Palace · Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2018 6:10 pm Post subject:

In the Scottish divisions they play off with the second bottom in the higher division and second, third & fourth from the division below. Hence this season if Premiership Partick finish second bottom, which looks likely, they will play off against Championship 2nd, 3rd & 4th Livingston, Dundee Utd & Dunfermline for the right to be in the Prem next season.

That's how it started in England in the 80's, hence Chelsea's sad demise in 87/8.

bluefatnose · Joined: 18 Sep 2017 Posts: 42

In the 6th tier yesterday (National League North), Stockport County had an attendance of 6163 (411 from Darlo), against Darlington which broke the record for the highest ever attendance for a 6th tier fixture.
(Incidentally, Stockport held the previous record).
What was surprising was it was an end of season game with little on it as Stockport had already qualified for the play-offs and Darlo were comfortable in mid-table.
Prepare for that record to go again this Wednesday when Stockport play Chorley at home in the play-offs!

Dorking · Joined: 05 Feb 2010 Posts: 2511

gatfb - Charlton managed to stay up in the play offs the previous year with a marathon set of games against (Leeds?)

Chelsea was against Middlesboro, and there was loads of crowd trouble at Stamford Bridge, they never did that format again!

gatfb · Joined: 05 Nov 2011 Posts: 333

Yes, I was there. As I was when the terraces were closed for the first 6 games the following season and we had a dreadful start. Thankfully once the ban was over we went on a run and stormed the division.

Brem75 · Joined: 08 May 2011 Posts: 51 Location: Poynton, Cheshire

bluefatnose wrote:

In the 6th tier yesterday (National League North), Stockport County had an attendance of 6163 (411 from Darlo), against Darlington which broke the record for the highest ever attendance for a 6th tier fixture.
(Incidentally, Stockport held the previous record).
What was surprising was it was an end of season game with little on it as Stockport had already qualified for the play-offs and Darlo were comfortable in mid-table.
Prepare for that record to go again this Wednesday when Stockport play Chorley at home in the play-offs!

Ive got my ticket!! Come on County!!
Also went to the County fair today. Thanks to all that made it happen. It was mostly County stuff so pleased me. I could have spent a fortune but had to hold back!!

evelynhoward · Joined: 10 May 2018 Posts: 1

Thanks for posting this thread! I am going to follow this amazing forum, since it seems to be a great portal for learning new things!

backtobackchamps · Joined: 14 Jul 2011 Posts: 74

bluefatnose wrote:

In the 6th tier yesterday (National League North), Stockport County had an attendance of 6163 (411 from Darlo), against Darlington which broke the record for the highest ever attendance for a 6th tier fixture.
(Incidentally, Stockport held the previous record).
What was surprising was it was an end of season game with little on it as Stockport had already qualified for the play-offs and Darlo were comfortable in mid-table.
Prepare for that record to go again this Wednesday when Stockport play Chorley at home in the play-offs!

Halifax v chorley 2016/7 is the highest if you're counting the playoffs.