20/21 Matchday Thread

[Super_horns]

I agree Swansea and Brentford have definitely bottled it whilst Bournemouth only really started playing about 6 weeks ago.

 

[CCFC_Charlie]

When was the last time all three relegated sides went straight back up? Would be surprised if it didn’t happen this season

 

[Super_horns]

Not happened before.

Probably will now but looked unlikely a few weeks ago.

What we have seen is the potential of the teams who have come down now they have decided to start performing whilst others struggled.

Mind you we still throw in a Luton type display !

 

[chicowintry]

When was the last time all three relegated sides went straight back up? Would be surprised if it didn’t happen this season

Never three.

Times *all* relegated sides went straight back up (since 1898–1899 when automatic promotion/relegation was introduced):

1899–1900: The Wednesday (Sheff Wed), Bolton Wanderers
1902–1903: Manchester City, Small Heath (Birmingham)
1914–1915: Derby County, Preston North End**
1919–1920: Tottenham Hotspur*

*when football fully returned in 1919–20, the top flight expanded so only Tottenham were technically relegated in 1915 (Chelsea retained their place) and they won the second division in 1920 so I guess this counts.
**Arsenal finished fifth this season but because of the top flight's expansion (mentioned above) were promoted when football returned - pretty dodgy if you ask me!

From 1898–99 to 1972–73 (mostly two up, two down):
0/2 promoted - 39 times
1/2 promoted - 20 times
2/2 promoted - 3 times
1/1 promoted - 1 time (1914–15 one relegation due to league resizing)
0/0 promoted - 1 time (1904–05 no relegation due to league resizing)

From 1973–74 to present (mostly three up, three down):
1/3 promoted - 21 times
0/3 promoted - 16 times
2/3 promoted - 6 times
1/4* promoted - 2 times
0/2** promoted - 1 time
3/3 promoted - 0 times

*1987–88 - 4th from bottom Chelsea relegated via play-offs with 3rd-5th second division sides
*1994–95 - four down, two up
**1990–91 - two down, four up

 

[oakroader]

there should be a stepping-stone league before the premiership for the likes of WBA,twatford,fulham etc...called the yo-yoship...

 

[SF_]

Them three going straight back up looked so obvious in the summer, the players they retained were laughable.

That Bournemouth squad is easily the best of the three imo, they just had a really shocking manager at the start of the season. They're now flying under Woodgate who is also pretty crap but not incompetent it seems, any Average Joe could get that lot promoted.

I think Sheff Utd will struggle without Wilder but I expect West Brom & Fulham to get promoted next season.

 

[SF_]

Coventry next, they were pretty tidy at Deepdale but had nothing up front and were a bit comedic at the back. Seems they've found their scoring touch now though and the defence is settled, i'd expect them to win this one.

Can't see McAvoy playing any of the fringe players, he'll be trying to secure as many points as possible to get the job full time.

Same team I expect.

Iversen
VDB, Storey, Lindsay, Hughes, Cunningham
Whiteman, Ledson
Browne
Barkhuizen, Evans​

 

[chicowintry]

there should be a stepping-stone league before the premiership for the likes of WBA,twatford,fulham etc...called the yo-yoship...

I know this is tongue in cheek but would it change anything? Sure a different team might win the Championship but surely they wouldn't make it to the Premier League having to go through a league solely containing "yo-yo" teams? Or is it a division just for recently relegated teams? So a Brentford or a Barnsley would go straight up, while a Norwich, a Watford or a Bournemouth would have to prove themselves first. Sounds fun, if complicated.

Ideally the money situation in football is dealt with. That way you can get rid of parachute payments. And in general it'd be more of a level playing field - go back to the days when just about anyone could get promoted and win the top flight the following season. Although I guess even back then titles were decided by who had the most money, there was just less of it in the game.

Unfortunately the money men will make sure a level playing field never happens - I mean just look at this "Super League" business... they're not even pretending to care about football anymore. It's staggering that their solution to "look how much debt the big clubs are in" is lets give more money to the "big" clubs. How about you spend within your means? How about accept a few years of mediocrity while you rebuild? It's bloody ridiculous. It's also funny seeing FIFA, UEFA, the FA, the Premier League, etc acting like they're the good guys in this... hypocrites.

 

[Super_horns]

Well tbf last time we got promoted us and Bournemouth stayed up for 5 years and probably went down down with the best squad we had in that game too.

I do think the teams with the top players ( Sarr is really our only proven top Premier league player I’d say though with others having potential to be ) still need to have the right mindset and attitude to succeed.

As the Luton CEO said about Saturday it’s ok having all the money and expectations but a team with more desire and will to win can beat you.

 

[BelizeHatter]

I think the divide is multiples larger than five years ago. You will need to do exceptional business in the summer in quality, teamspirit and mindset and that is very very hard to buy and instantly get, especially with the foreign mercenaries you will have to recruit.

 

[thewwfc]

I think the divide is multiples larger than five years ago. You will need to do exceptional business in the summer in quality, teamspirit and mindset and that is very very hard to buy and instantly get, especially with the foreign mercenaries you will have to recruit.

I always think of the season Wigan went up to the top tier, and were struggling to get *anyone* to sign for them for a while, which is crazy when you consider they must have been paying decent wedge.

And then they ended up with the likes of Chimbonda, who literally handed in a transfer request the minute he walked off the pitch in his final game of his first season there.

Nothing like having a squad full of players for whom you’re just a glorified shop window.

 

[Kenneth E End]

The redistribution simply has to change. The clubs can retain this talent can do so because they have a £40m head start! To put that in perspective, the EFL TV deal is worth £119m a season, so the three relegated sides in theory are taking more than 100% of the EFL TV deal for themselves.

If the clubs in the "Big 20" gave up 20% of their TV money (fat chance) - i.e. reduce down to £80m from around £100m and parachute payments were cancelled, you could increase payments to other EFL clubs by 2-3x. Championship clubs could take out £20m a season rather than just £7m and £4-5m in L1 and £2-3m in L2. It would make a massive difference. The original plan was supposed to be a 50-25-12.5-12.5 split between the four divisions in 1992... what has resulted is 91% of cash goes to the PL.

I'd argue that there should be a central body to distribute cash - including for cup competitions. It is ridiculous that the winner of the League Cup takes £50k and there is no prize money before the semis! It should be a £5m bonus for winning it and tiered prize money with £25m on offer for the winner of the FA Cup; £1m for the winner of the EFL Trophy and £250k for the winner of the FA Trophy. Offer weighted prize money based on season performance, with nothing for relegation.

Teams outside the league get £0 too - why? They are all mostly professional... give them £1m each and £250k for the teams in the Conference Regional leagues.

 

[Kenneth E End]

On a similar note, see Gary Sweet's programme notes from last night. Bravo 2020. We are fortunate to have them at the helm.

Read | Gary Sweet's Boardroom notes from Wednesday's Reading programme - Luton Town FC

As we warmly welcome the players and staff of our opponents from Reading tonight, you, our cherished supporters, should be here!

www.lutontown.co.uk

 

[Millerbri]

Unbelievable, Morris 4 arm smashes Johansen into the net and gets the goal.
Darren Ward truly THE WANKER amongst wankers.

 

[Atavistic]

Well, it's not exactly a conventional finish, but Quintilla proves that you have to shoot to score. That's one the QPR keeper won't want to be seeing again, that's for sure.

Now, if Millwall could do us a favour and get an equaliser against Watford, that would be nice.

EDIT: And Aarons with our second. Some unconventional goalscorers for us today, that second coming just moments after Krul saved a penalty. Great finish that, too. Hopefully adds another £10 million to his transfer fee.

 

[Atavistic]

Well, we got our three points, but Watford did too to secure their own promotion. That means the title isn't ours just yet, but being five points clear with two games left means it's all but inevitable now.

 

[CCFC_Charlie]

One of the worst football matches I’ve ever watched that. Deserved win for Preston on the basis that they should have had two pens thanks to Wilson being a prat. Ched Evans is an absolute embarrassment mind.

 

[thewwfc]

well, barring us thumping in about 20 goals in our last couple of games (and hoping Rotherham don't win too many), that is that. Ah well.

I've seen us play worse in relegation seasons before, I've seen some relegation campaigns where heads dropped the minute the first opposition goal went in. We gave it our best shot but weren't good enough, no complaints.

 

[Super_horns]

Shame for Wycombe - even today battled so well.

Not a great performance today but got the job done and well you cannot complain about our run since February.

Well done to Munoz and the players for getting together and putting in all the work to achieve this.

No-one cares how it's done so long as the aim is achieved.

 

[oakroader]

Shame for Wycombe - even today battled so well.

Not a great performance today but got the job done and well you cannot complain about our run since February.

Well done to Munoz and the players for getting together and putting in all the work to achieve this.

No-one cares how it's done so long as the aim is achieved.

Congratulations S_h...

 

[SF_]

Didn't bother watching our game, McAvoy has done really well with this group of plodders.

 

[Super_horns]

Congratulations S_h...

Thanks!

 

[Kenneth E End]

It’s a bit easier with a £40m head start.

 

[Super_horns]

Like last week when we lost 1/0 to someone .

 

[Kenneth E End]

Which makes last weeks loss even more ridiculous. What are the odds of 3/3 going back up despite Bournemouth’s wobble yesterday? I’d say pretty high. And probably 2/3 promoted clubs to go back to League One. There must be a decent chance at least 2/3 relegated clubs from last season will return too.

The economics of elite football are just stupid. How £250m every year goes to a select few in parachute payments, more than all of other EFL clubs put together.

I know I’m like a broken record, but I saw yesterday’s Bournemouth side cost £145m for the 12 used players, which includes a loan for Carter-Vickers. A lot of people can spout off about the ESL but the other members of the “G20” are hardly angels either.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Anyway, we have Bristol City in a few hours time. Again, another team that is underperforming and on a bad run of form.

We actually have taken 20 points from our last dozen games, which is very much play off form and bloody good for a team like ours. They’ve only won once in 10 games.

Being played today due to rugby at Ashton Gate and Covid protocols... one of the most meaningless games we will have but not complaining. I’d be surprised if we actually didn’t get something out of this having beaten them earlier in the season.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Unbelievable, Morris 4 arm smashes Johansen into the net and gets the goal.
Darren Ward truly THE WANKER amongst wankers.

Just saw this incident. Wow - truely a shocking decision with big ramifications for yourselves.

You deserve some explanation for how that’s stood at the least

 

[Atavistic]

Reading's defeat to Swansea means that the four teams competing in this season's play-offs are now confirmed: Barnsley, Bournemouth, Brentford and Swansea. Just a matter of who ends up playing who now, with just one point separating the sides.

Very impressive by Barnsley in particular after only just surviving at this level last season. Would love to see them or even Brentford win the play-offs, but Bournemouth will be overwhelming favourites I imagine (they're the only ones I don't want to win them too).

 

[SF_]

Pearson has done worse at Bristol City than the previous guy, I think he'll be gone in the summer.

Could see Alex Neil rocking up there.

 

[Super_horns]

I think the deal was only till the end of the season anyway?

They certainly need some sort of re-build.

One team that appear to under perform or rather start well then fade away each season.