Playoffs.

[TimeyWimey]

Should be played at villa park or spurs new ground

Terrible idea. Just demeaning league teams achievements. Absolutely loved our two trips there in 2012 & 13. Would rather sit in an empty Wembley than be “treated” to a trip to another club’s ground.

 

[RLC]

Terrible idea. Just demeaning league teams achievements. Absolutely loved our two trips there in 2012 & 13. Would rather sit in an empty Wembley than be “treated” to a trip to another club’s ground.

Yes, I agree. I don't understand the hatred of Wembley of some northern fans.

 

[AdamStag]

Yes, I agree. I don't understand the hatred of Wembley of some northern fans.

League finals should be at Wembley, I think that the FA realised Wembley was too big for the playoff final in the conference which is why they tied it in with the vase also.

 

[denzel ecfc]

Not that we wi be there, but we would take about 12,000, like last time.

Great place to win, terrible place to lose. I couldnt care less if they moved it somewhere else, its about the winning not the occasion, unlike something like the Checkajoke or FA Vase.

 

[TimeyWimey]

Never had the experience of losing at Wembley but I’d imagine it’d be a hell of a lot more depressing losing at Villa Park. Why would anyone want their day hosted by another club. The days of the Conference play-offs beingplayed at the fooking Britannia was sickening. No wonder Wrexham have boycotted promotion.

And don’t get me started on the FA Cup semis and Spurs using Wembley as a holiday home. But the Premier League are cannibalistic twats so can’t be helped.

 

[Moomin]

If we got to Wembley this year (please God, no) I’d expect we’d struggle to take more than 10k

Of our four trips in the past 12 years we’ve taken:

28,000 in 2007
20,000 in 2008
17,000 in 2017
12,000 in 2018

I’ve been to all four but very much doubt I will go this season if we made it. I just couldn’t bare another insipid defeat.

 

[Si Robin]

Our trips to big one-off games has dropped markedly from our first one as well - it's quite odd.

1998 - FA Trophy Final - Wembley - 18,000
2002 - Div 3 Playoff Final - Millennium - 15,000
2006 - League 2 Playoff Final - Millennium - 12,000
2012 - League 2 Playoff Final - Wembley - 9,000

The odd thing about ours is that the first 3 were all wins, so it shows that the first couple of trips were all about the day trippers.

Agree with others as well - Wembley is the worst place possible to lose. I couldn't wait to get out of there in 2012. I preferred the Millennium Stadium anyway - city centre location, couple stops on the train, lovely stadium.

 

[Chris FGR]

So Tranmere now confirmed and Newport in the box seat after last night, if they win at Morecambe they're in. Would fancy them on current form. Whoever finishes 7th will have the advantage of playing a deflated loser from the MK - Mansfield shoot out.

 

[Spanishstag]

Yes, I agree. I don't understand the hatred of Wembley of some northern fans.

Must be honest i think the millenium stadium in cardiff was miles better than any wembley trip i ever had mind you all mine were at the old wembley

 

[TRFC_Fan]

Can actually look forward to the play offs this year. The last two years were horrendous because we were so desperate to get out non league.

Surely we are owed one against Forest Green by now.

 

[Boz]

So Tranmere now confirmed and Newport in the box seat after last night, if they win at Morecambe they're in. Would fancy them on current form. Whoever finishes 7th will have the advantage of playing a deflated loser from the MK - Mansfield shoot out.

Not necessarily. If Mansfield and Forest Green both win, then wouldn’t you be ahead of Milton Keynes in 4th?

 

[Moomin]

Pressure off us now and it will be interesting to see how Newport cope being the ones under the most pressure. Morecambe are pretty good at home so it won’t be easy.

Also, you’d expect FGR to rest a few key players for the play offs so we have a good chance of a win.

Knowing us, we will let in a last minute goal when Newport draw....

 

[Chris FGR]

Not necessarily. If Mansfield and Forest Green both win, then wouldn’t you be ahead of Milton Keynes in 4th?

Yeah we would be actually. All the more reason for us to rest players against Exeter. No offence but would rather play yourselves then Newport, they're on fire and have shown in the cup they've got a big game mentality.

 

[Tranmerewhite]

Not bothered who or where we play. We need to sort out recent poor finishing out either way.

Newport are the weakest side in the top 7 but they have the big advantage of their pitch and some yard dogs upfront making it hard.

 

[Boz]

Yeah we would be actually. All the more reason for us to rest players against Exeter. No offence but would rather play yourselves then Newport, they're on fire and have shown in the cup they've got a big game mentality.

Forest Green and Mansfield seem to have got our measure and Newport appear to be the form team, so perfectly understandable you'd want to play us again.

 

[Trapdoor]

The only reason we were even in the running in the first place was Stockley. After we sold him our inadequacies became much more apparent and our form collapsed.
Bowman is just starting to come good now but I still don't see us getting results against the other playoff teams.

 

[AdamStag]

So who’s going up out of tranmere forest green and Newport?

 

[Tranmerewhite]

So who’s going up out of tranmere forest green and Newport?

Mid table Exeter.

 

[denzel ecfc]

Mid table Exeter.

Boring. I'm out of here.

 

[Agombar stool]

So who is everyone's fancies for the play-offs then? It's a really tricky one for me.

Mansfield - Never quite did enough for automatic promotion and how will they feel after losing out in the promotion shoot out at Franchise. I don't think they have it in them personally.

Newport - Ended the season strongly and have a recent pedigree as a cup specialist side. Will this give them an edge? I think they will beat Mansfield over 2 legs, Amond will be the difference, he has 7 goals in the FA Cup this season and I fancy him to add to his personal goal tally.

Tranmere - Have done superbly this season and went on a mammoth run that took them within touching distance of the play-offs. Norwood's goals have helped fire them up the league, but they are far from a one man side. The form has dipped and I sense they might fall short in the play-offs.

FGR - As with Amond in the other game, I fancy Doidge to be the difference. Certainly Tranmere will be backed by a bigger fanbase and Prenton Park will be rocking atmosphere wise, but it reminds me of when Forest played Yeovil a few years back in the play-offs when the bigger, better supported side was defeated. I think this may happen here.

FGR v Newport. FGR take the spoils for me.

 

[jbet]

So who is everyone's fancies for the play-offs then? It's a really tricky one for me.

Mansfield - Never quite did enough for automatic promotion and how will they feel after losing out in the promotion shoot out at Franchise. I don't think they have it in them personally.

Newport - Ended the season strongly and have a recent pedigree as a cup specialist side. Will this give them an edge? I think they will beat Mansfield over 2 legs, Amond will be the difference, he has 7 goals in the FA Cup this season and I fancy him to add to his personal goal tally.

Tranmere - Have done superbly this season and went on a mammoth run that took them within touching distance of the play-offs. Norwood's goals have helped fire them up the league, but they are far from a one man side. The form has dipped and I sense they might fall short in the play-offs.

FGR - As with Amond in the other game, I fancy Doidge to be the difference. Certainly Tranmere will be backed by a bigger fanbase and Prenton Park will be rocking atmosphere wise, but it reminds me of when Forest played Yeovil a few years back in the play-offs when the bigger, better supported side was defeated. I think this may happen here.

FGR v Newport. FGR take the spoils for me.

Agreed on all this apart from the outcome of the final.

 

[AdamStag]

We won’t go up.

That is all.

 

[Tranmerewhite]

We just stopped converting shots on goal.

Losing Ellis, McCullough and Perkins in quick succession was a hammer blow. At least Perkins is back for the playoffs, but we aren’t at full strength.

 

[RLC]

We just stopped converting shots on goal.

Losing Ellis, McCullough and Perkins in quick succession was a hammer blow. At least Perkins is back for the playoffs, but we aren’t at full strength.

We have not lost yet. They are only predictions, and could be b*ll*cks.

I agree to an extent about the injuries, but Perkins is back and Nelson has been decent as a replacement for Ellis. It is only really McCullough we are missing.

Our form in the last six games is not great on paper, but our run in was ridiculously hard and none of MK Dons, Bury and Lincoln beat us, even when we were seriously depleted by injuries.

 

[Boz]

We have not lost yet. They are only predictions, and could be b*ll*cks.

I agree to an extent about the injuries, but Perkins is back and Nelson has been decent as a replacement for Ellis. It is only really McCulloch we are missing.

Our form in the last six games is not great on paper, but our run in was ridiculously hard and none of MK Dons, Bury and Lincoln beat us, even when we were seriously depleted by injuries.

On the other hand, we've not mustered a win against any of the other 3 sides featuring in the play-offs. League results don't mean anything now, but need to find something different to get past our nemesis in Forest Green and steer clear of any injuries/sendings off as down to the bare bones. Agree the form book suggests a FGR v Newport final, but as the Chimps League semis have shown,football doesn't always do the expected.

 

[RLC]

As an aside, we will make history on Friday when we become the first club to have played in play off matches in the second, third, fourth and fifth tiers of English football.

In other news, we played both of the Champions League finalists this season. I doubt that will happen again.

 

[AnotherStagsFan]

If DF is defending his decision to play a fat macca at right wing back then I have no hope.

Realistically - it will be close. I can see extra time or penalties deciding the game on Sunday.

 

[The Jovial Forester]

BBC has some Euro Club Index rating us as least likely to get through; they fancy Newport: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48206295

 

[Franchisor]

Obviously going on form you'd have to back Newport. However anything can happen in the play-offs.

Don't think FGR will overcome Tranmere and think Mansfield will be too much for Newport over two legs. Tranmere v Mansfield final, 1-1 going into extra time, Mansfield to win on penalties.

 

[AdamStag]

Obviously going on form you'd have to back Newport. However anything can happen in the play-offs.

Don't think FGR will overcome Tranmere and think Mansfield will be too much for Newport over two legs. Tranmere v Mansfield final, 1-1 going into extra time, Mansfield to win on penalties.

If the side can overcome the choking flitcroft and his bizarre tactical decisions with the form we’re on then I’ll be pleasantly surprised. Will be a tough ask tonight