The L2 Playoffs

[AdamStag]

That is guaranteed. Can see it being 1-0 before the 10 minute mark, we will crumble

Glad it’s not just me then!

We’ve got to be careful as they’ll fall over for anything wednesday, we’ve got to be smart and hope we get a strong ref

 

[valefan16]

VAR in the final will be a nightmare for a L2.

If we got to the final, Hawkins will probably get about 15 penalties due to his shirt being pulled but O’Toole will probably concede about that many penos too!

If they use a Prem ref on VAR (because I assume EFL ones are not trained) then it will be a mess.

 

[AnotherStagsFan]

Glad it’s not just me then!

We’ve got to be careful as they’ll fall over for anything wednesday, we’ve got to be smart and hope we get a strong ref

Don’t get me wrong I’m excited for Wednesday but it’s inevitable I’ll be seeing a Northampton centre back powering the ball into the back of net within 5 mins

 

[valefan16]

We have, most recently against Oldham where we came out swinging and threatened to blow them away before a couple of mental errors at the back (that more than anything has been the pattern lately). I think playing the longer game is the better option. We can’t win it in the opening of the game but we can go a long way to losing it.

I’d be tempted to drop Martin and move Smith to the middle and then Gibbo at RCB or switch to a back four. This is one team we don’t need big lumps at the back. Bring in Benning too. A lot of the issue is how much if at all can we get out of Proctor. I’m thinking have him on the bench as an option deeper into the game and extra time. Swindon to me were starting to visibly fade physically at the end of that game and that might be the time to go hell for leather on them.

Not a bad option Gibbo at RCB to give us a ball player and add pace there.

 

[EricSabin]

Personally I think VAR won’t be a bad thing. The standard of officiating is garbage and VAR would certainly benefitted us in the first leg with the offside goal and late penalty shout.

However, I do also worry about the shirt pulling bonanza at corners. Both teams were bad for it on Saturday, we could probably have got 6 pens and given away 6.

 

[AnotherStagsFan]

Personally I think VAR won’t be a bad thing. The standard of officiating is garbage and VAR would certainly benefitted us in the first leg with the offside goal and late penalty shout.

However, I do also worry about the shirt pulling bonanza at corners. Both teams were bad for it on Saturday, we could probably have got 6 pens and given away 6.

From what we’ve seen in the Prem, only the offside would have been overturned. Most ‘pen shouts’ or ‘shirt pulling’ is just left for the refs to decide unless its something ridiculous.

 

[Conker]

Feels like wrong decision to me, obviously it could affect any of us negatively but It almost feels like a different game at times with VAR.

Shirt pulling is given a free ride in every L2 game, Hawkins gets his shirt about pulled off him every Saturday.

 

[Indian Dan]

Seems wrong. Either all the games or none of the games.

Who refs the finals? Another useless gump from the L2 pool or a PL ref?

 

[Big Bird]

My opinion hasn't really changed. Vale Swindon will go to extra time minimum i think.

Expect us to be 2 down at the break then scramble a late goal second half because that's what play-offs throw up. Red cards, pens and shocking decisions will all be present. Just hope we come out of it with a ticket to Wembley.

Quite enjoyed yesterday but thought we were really poor second half. Goal and Davison chance aside we struggled to put anything together which has been the story for most of the season at home. Fully expect us to be better on Thursday.

Have an inkling Northampton will edge through 2-0 on Wednesday.

 

[kieran_vale]

To me if we are going to have VAR it should be for the whole playoffs not just the final. We should not be having one game being done under different playing conditions to the semi finals. I understand all clubs have agreed to it though no doubt with some coercion from the EFL.

 

[Indian Dan]

Someone on your forum reckons you’re only likely to shift between 7-8,000 tickets. Surely that can’t be true.

 

[AnotherStagsFan]

My opinion hasn't really changed. Vale Swindon will go to extra time minimum i think.

Expect us to be 2 down at the break then scramble a late goal second half because that's what play-offs throw up. Red cards, pens and shocking decisions will all be present. Just hope we come out of it with a ticket to Wembley.

Quite enjoyed yesterday but thought we were really poor second half. Goal and Davison chance aside we struggled to put anything together which has been the story for most of the season at home. Fully expect us to be better on Thursday.

Have an inkling Northampton will edge through 2-0 on Wednesday.

We’ll score, it’s the other end where our issues lie.

 

[Big Bird]

We’ll score, it’s the other end where our issues lie.

Fair enough. Revised prediction of 3-1 then!

 

[Bartonyellow]

Wait until they appoint Trevor Kettle for the final. This will last longer than some NFL games.

Please don’t mention that walloper on this forum. He has ruined many an afternoon at the Pirelli. Absolute melt.

 

[leedsvaliant]

My opinion hasn't really changed. Vale Swindon will go to extra time minimum i think.

Expect us to be 2 down at the break then scramble a late goal second half because that's what play-offs throw up. Red cards, pens and shocking decisions will all be present. Just hope we come out of it with a ticket to Wembley.

Quite enjoyed yesterday but thought we were really poor second half. Goal and Davison chance aside we struggled to put anything together which has been the story for most of the season at home. Fully expect us to be better on Thursday.

Have an inkling Northampton will edge through 2-0 on Wednesday.

I've watched a lot of the game again and actually away from the heat of the moment, we didn't do too badly away from home. Couple of really poor bits of defending for the goals (particularly the first which was inexcusable) but we actually had more of the ball than I remember and Swindon really only had the goal and that one on one second half. The manager was right in the fact that we need to be much better with the ball...we got into a few decent positions and then the final ball let us down. Benning made a difference with a couple of good deliveries and Garrity pushed further up.

Swindon had a couple of good passing moves interspersed with a lot of that pointless passing it around the back and second half started punting it long. You can see that on a really good day they are capable of ripping teams apart but as I said before I'm not sure whether they've got many battlers. They certainly haven't got a Coutts who dominated us physically. In fact McKirdy was one of the few who potentially risked injury by putting himself about and ultimately was the only player that stood out (apart from Payne in flashes). It's all about applying pressure in the right way. If we go too much they could play around us and leave us short but if we press them sensibly I think we can force mistakes, particularly the full backs who looked to be struggling.

I don't think Gibbons has ever had such a poor game, but he won't be that poor again. Plenty of concerns, particularly our lapses in concentration but plenty to be hopeful about.

 

[kieran_vale]

Someone on your forum reckons you’re only likely to shift between 7-8,000 tickets. Surely that can’t be true.

Just tweeted by the club on current sales. Based on our ticket office record a total crowd announced of 6000 incoming…

https://twitter.com/x/status/1526250192906997760

 

[Indian Dan]

That sums up perfectly why we have struggled at home all season yet have chalked up 13 away wins. To come away from the first leg with a win was massive. My only worry is that if we get into the second half still 2-1 up and we start shutting up shop. We aren’t too good at that.

 

[valefan16]

Someone on your forum reckons you’re only likely to shift between 7-8,000 tickets. Surely that can’t be true.

Shouldn’t be no, the online ticket system has been crap and many couldn’t select their season ticket seats as planned (I picked another in the end) and they were held until last night, mixed in with a lot wanting to go in the usual away end most only got manually added back into the booking system today (plus it’s unclear if you can sit in any seat but the limited capacity means it will be full when a certain number is sold.

Basically our ticketing system isn’t fit for purpose.

I expect around 12000-13000 especially if sales on the night as if you don’t have an online account prior to May 2022 you have to purchase in person with proof of address.

 

[leedsvaliant]

Someone on your forum reckons you’re only likely to shift between 7-8,000 tickets. Surely that can’t be true.

It's a strange one because I know of at least 5 people who don't usually go that are going and a lot of casual fans who only go to a handful are going.

There's numerous reasons why it might be the case, from finance to school night to it being on sky but ultimately who cares? There's a number of clubs who are one or even two leagues above us that could only dream of getting 8000 home fans but I bet they don't give a shit.

We're in a small, two team city with Manchester and liverpool up the road and the lardies round the corner having just spent 10 seasons in the premier league. I think we do extraordinarily well to attract an average of 6000 fans for fourth division football and 30 years of failure barring one season.

 

[kieran_vale]

I've watched a lot of the game again and actually away from the heat of the moment, we didn't do too badly away from home. Couple of really poor bits of defending for the goals (particularly the first which was inexcusable) but we actually had more of the ball than I remember and Swindon really only had the goal and that one on one second half. The manager was right in the fact that we need to be much better with the ball...we got into a few decent positions and then the final ball let us down. Benning made a difference with a couple of good deliveries and Garrity pushed further up.

Swindon had a couple of good passing moves interspersed with a lot of that pointless passing it around the back and second half started punting it long. You can see that on a really good day they are capable of ripping teams apart but as I said before I'm not sure whether they've got many battlers. They certainly haven't got a Coutts who dominated us physically. In fact McKirdy was one of the few who potentially risked injury by putting himself about and ultimately was the only player that stood out (apart from Payne in flashes). It's all about applying pressure in the right way. If we go too much they could play around us and leave us short but if we press them sensibly I think we can force mistakes, particularly the full backs who looked to be struggling.

I don't think Gibbons has ever had such a poor game, but he won't be that poor again. Plenty of concerns, particularly our lapses in concentration but plenty to be hopeful about.

To me with Swindon for all the talk of McKirdy and Williams it’s really Reed we need to be careful with at VP. From what I’ve seen of them most of the good stuff Swindon do tends to be as a result of his involvement.

The fullbacks defensively can be got at which to me could it be the case for one game only going 4-4-2 and push them back that way. Obviously that leaves concerns about the middle of the field but it does also remove the Nathan Smith being asked to show footballing ability issue at RCB.

 

[leedsvaliant]

To me with Swindon for all the talk of McKirdy and Williams it’s really Reed we need to be careful with at VP. From what I’ve seen of them most of the good stuff Swindon do tends to be as a result of his involvement.

The fullbacks defensively can be got at which to me could it be the case for one game only going 4-4-2 and push them back that way. Obviously that leaves concerns about the middle of the field but it does also remove the Nathan Smith being asked to show footballing ability issue at RCB.

They're like any team in league 2 really, like us. There's maybe 2 or 3 players capable of playing higher and the rest are just filling in the gaps really. If either team stops the good players from playing then they win the game basically.

 

[Indian Dan]

Prepare for ultimate shithousery!

 

[kieran_vale]

Shouldn’t be no, the online ticket system has been crap and many couldn’t select their season ticket seats as planned (I picked another in the end) and they were held until last night, mixed in with a lot wanting to go in the usual away end most only got manually added back into the booking system today (plus it’s unclear if you can sit in any seat but the limited capacity means it will be full when a certain number is sold.

Basically our ticketing system isn’t fit for purpose.

I expect around 12000-13000 especially if sales on the night as if you don’t have an online account prior to May 2022 you have to purchase in person with proof of address.

Over 3000 tickets sold already for the Hamil so I’m expecting to be full or close to it by the time the game kicks off. Give the club credit the change of home ends has worked. Actually having a full end behind the goal is going to be a huge boost in getting the atmosphere going on Thursday.

 

[valefan16]

It's a strange one because I know of at least 5 people who don't usually go that are going and a lot of casual fans who only go to a handful are going.

There's numerous reasons why it might be the case, from finance to school night to it being on sky but ultimately who cares? There's a number of clubs who are one or even two leagues above us that could only dream of getting 8000 home fans but I bet they don't give a shit.

We're in a small, two team city with Manchester and liverpool up the road and the lardies round the corner having just spent 10 seasons in the premier league. I think we do extraordinarily well to attract an average of 6000 fans for fourth division football and 30 years of failure barring one season.

The away game is a strange one, Swindon is probably our least popular away game, nothing personal against Swindon but it’s a horrific away day, it’s a pain to get to, we’ve played there loads and more often than not get battered there so we usually take less than half what we do places like FGR, Cheltenham or Oxford in the region but I expected a sell out Sunday, considering we sold 1300 for Exeter in 90 minutes to take 300 more to Swindon for a first play off semi in 3 decades was surprising. We’d sold out 5 previous away trips including three really long hauls so maybe money comes into it especially if you throw in a potential for Wembley as well.

The home game we should pull in a big crowd; some will have waited to see the state of play from the first leg but anyone who’s Vale should do all they can to get to it, could be 29 years until we have a play off again, they’ve let down the last two big home crowds with poor performances I get that but it’s the biggest home game since 2013, we’ve got a good squad, great owners so get behind it and make it a special night under the lights and get the place rocking like the glory nights of the 90s.

Anything less than 12000-13000 would be poor effort Thursday. Understand the kids thing with extra time (im not taking mine but I travel so it would be potentially gone midnight for her) possible but these times are rare so let’s get behind the boys.

 

[valefan16]

Over 3000 tickets sold already for the Hamil so I’m expecting to be full or close to it by the time the game kicks off. Give the club credit the change of home ends has worked. Actually having a full end behind the goal is going to be a huge boost in getting the atmosphere going on Thursday.

Yeah looking forward to that as we’ve had like 50 Crawley fans make a better atmosphere in that end. Only we’d give away fans the best acoustics so no excuse now the place not to be booming.

 

[kieran_vale]

Yeah looking forward to that as we’ve had like 50 Crawley fans make a better atmosphere in that end. Only we’d give away fans the best acoustics so no excuse now the place not to be booming.

What did it for me was that Bristol Rovers home game. They had officially 2200 or thereabouts (I still maintain the club under reported both home and away attendances that day but never mind) but made it sound like 10000 with that Irene song of theirs. Walked out thinking why the hell we are extending that courtesy to visiting teams and am glad the club listened. No excuse not to have it bouncing on Thursday.

 

[valefan16]

The best atmosphere I can recall was that night against Burton in the promotion season. 10k of us in, under the lights, the 94 promotion team and Rudge paraded at half time.

Had those bloody clappers and the team actually responded to it for once!

 

[Agombar stool]

I've watched a lot of the game again and actually away from the heat of the moment, we didn't do too badly away from home. Couple of really poor bits of defending for the goals (particularly the first which was inexcusable) but we actually had more of the ball than I remember and Swindon really only had the goal and that one on one second half. The manager was right in the fact that we need to be much better with the ball...we got into a few decent positions and then the final ball let us down. Benning made a difference with a couple of good deliveries and Garrity pushed further up.

Swindon had a couple of good passing moves interspersed with a lot of that pointless passing it around the back and second half started punting it long. You can see that on a really good day they are capable of ripping teams apart but as I said before I'm not sure whether they've got many battlers. They certainly haven't got a Coutts who dominated us physically. In fact McKirdy was one of the few who potentially risked injury by putting himself about and ultimately was the only player that stood out (apart from Payne in flashes). It's all about applying pressure in the right way. If we go too much they could play around us and leave us short but if we press them sensibly I think we can force mistakes, particularly the full backs who looked to be struggling.

I don't think Gibbons has ever had such a poor game, but he won't be that poor again. Plenty of concerns, particularly our lapses in concentration but plenty to be hopeful about.

I actually think that the 2 midfields nullified each other. Worrall and Garrity were relatively anonymous and Jack Payne who was OK in the first half had his poorest game for us in a while. Louis Reed wasn't able to pull the strings either. I guess the energy of Jonny Williams was probably where we were able to edge it.

At the end of the day the 2 teams' talismen came up with the goods, Mckirdy for us and Wilson for Vale.

Thursday is going to be fascinating. In theory Vale will need to attack and it will be interesting to see how aggressive they press us. If we can beat that press, with the pace of Barry and Mckirdy and the accuracy of Reed and Payne to feed them we could exploit the big pitch. I hope we don't try and soak up pressure from the start as I don't think we are good enough to do it for a full 90/120

 

[PuB]

The best atmosphere I can recall was that night against Burton in the promotion season. 10k of us in, under the lights, the 94 promotion team and Rudge paraded at half time.

Had those bloody clappers and the team actually responded to it for once!

I remember that game, was it on tv? You guys were superb. 5-0?

 

[kieran_vale]

I remember that game, was it on tv? You guys were superb. 5-0?

It finished up 7-1 to us in the end. Don’t think it was on TV but safe to say it was a happy season for Vale and Gillingham (and all the Bradford fans on here too). Even included the lesser spotted Vale penalty awarded.

Bartonyellow feel free to scroll past this