The L2 Playoffs

[leedsvaliant]

We're a very fit team. Thought we looked less tired than Swindon the other night in extra time. If Proctor and Wilson are fit we have a really good chance. We're really struggling again with injuries at the wrong time but hopefully 8/9 days recovery will help.

 

[valefan16]

Not bad that for first day sales. Unfortunately, it clashes with the first day of half term, so a few people I have spoken to are away.

I fly Sunday… my original holiday to Bali was cancelled which would have had me away for the final… not many people who are glad their trip to Bali was cancelled but im certainly one of them!

 

[valefan16]

We're a very fit team. Thought we looked less tired than Swindon the other night in extra time. If Proctor and Wilson are fit we have a really good chance. We're really struggling again with injuries at the wrong time but hopefully 8/9 days recovery will help.

It’s hard to call, bookies have us slight favourites it’s that tight.

Gibbons being back is a massive boost and Jake Taylor was like Taylor of old after his lay off Tuesday.

Even Wozza looked more recovered. I do hope Proctor is fit though as Mansfield are a tougher nut to crack defensively than Swindon and more physical so think he would be crucial.

It’s two well run, well matched sides so should be a good tie. Let’s just hope the moments of magic aren’t ruined by VAR delaying any celebrations!

 

[leedsvaliant]

It’s hard to call, bookies have us slight favourites it’s that tight.

Gibbons being back is a massive boost and Jake Taylor was like Taylor of old after his lay off Tuesday.

Even Wozza looked more recovered. I do hope Proctor is fit though as Mansfield are a tougher nut to crack defensively than Swindon and more physical so think he would be crucial.

It’s two well run, well matched sides so should be a good tie. Let’s just hope the moments of magic aren’t ruined by VAR delaying any celebrations!

VAR is the absolute pits. I don't know how they can stand it in the greedy league. Only experienced it once with Vale against Man City and it made 2 of their goals farcical, such was the wait to seems if it actually was. Get rid of it.

 

[leedsvaliant]

Again, Mansfield probably have the better players but our spirit and workrate and physicality is unreal. Swindon couldn't handle it at times.

Mansfield are good going forward but I have I've seen some of the goals they have conceded recently and they were awful.

Clough is a canny manager and will have them well drilled. I expect it will be tight.

 

[kieran_vale]

Again, Mansfield probably have the better players but our spirit and workrate and physicality is unreal. Swindon couldn't handle it at times.

Mansfield are good going forward but I have I've seen some of the goals they have conceded recently and they were awful.

Clough is a canny manager and will have them well drilled. I expect it will be tight.

Mansfield have the better and more varied midfield for definite and McLaughlin is also a fantastic footballer. Personally I’d take our defence over theirs particularly the setup we had on Thursday with Gibbo at RCB. It’s a very evenly matched tie. Difference with the Swindon game is these are a lot better on the more physical parts of the game so it’s not going to be a case of just trying to outmuscle and outrun them.

 

[mozzavale]

I always thought the home team was the side who finished higher which obviously couldn’t have been us

Maybe it’s because we were the winner of the tie which involved northampton who finished highest of the playoff teams.

actually, who gives a fuck! haha

That makes sense

 

[AnotherStagsFan]

Mansfield have the better and more varied midfield for definite and McLaughlin is also a fantastic footballer. Personally I’d take our defence over theirs particularly the setup we had on Thursday with Gibbo at RCB. It’s a very evenly matched tie. Difference with the Swindon game is these are a lot better on the more physical parts of the game so it’s not going to be a case of just trying to outmuscle and outrun them.

We have failed to beat you both times this season!

 

[kieran_vale]

We have failed to beat you both times this season!

The game at your place to be honest you played us off the park and we were very lucky to escape with a point. None of those games have any bearing on Saturday though.

 

[AdamStag]

We have failed to beat you both times this season!

yeah, but ironically could have easily beaten them in both.

we drew 1-1 at home and absolutely battered them, it wasn’t even close.

away we were doing fine at 1-0 before bishop let a soft goal in and dominated before they went 2-1 up. however after that the result was fair.

I mean that’s how football works and we’ve done that to sides also this season.

That’s why you just have no idea what’s going to happen in one random game of football.

 

[AnotherStagsFan]

The game at your place to be honest you played us off the park and we were very lucky to escape with a point. None of those games have any bearing on Saturday though.

Oh I agree with both this and Adams post. I was just throwing that out there because when you compare the two sides, on paper, we have arguably the better squad but we haven’t managed to put it together against Vale this season for some reason.

Could be the nature of the games but could be the way Vale play. I went to both games and came away frustrated from both, I think a lot will depend how we manage Wilson and Garrity who have really impressed me when watching PV.

 

[leedsvaliant]

We got completely outplayed at Mansfield but I thought we deserved the win at home. Both been a bit patchy on the run in. As always, it's who turns up on the day.

Genuinely I'm not that arsed about winning or losing....just glad to finally have something to play for rather than avoiding relegation or playing for the midtable trophy.

 

[kieran_vale]

Oh I agree with both this and Adams post. I was just throwing that out there because when you compare the two sides, on paper, we have arguably the better squad but we haven’t managed to put it together against Vale this season for some reason.

Could be the nature of the games but could be the way Vale play. I went to both games and came away frustrated from both, I think a lot will depend how we manage Wilson and Garrity who have really impressed me when watching PV.

I think our style of play can be very awkward to play against when we are at it as Swindon found out. We play a direct style and being aggressive with our pressing (not hoofing it as Swindon's captain suggested before the 2nd leg). Technically I wouldn't say many of our players are the most technically gifted in the division but just as an all round well drilled unit I put us up there against anyone really. If it's any consolation it's not just Mansfield as well (yet). FGR didn't beat us and neither could Exeter so we're doing something right.

As with both playoff semi-finals I expect the tie will be settled by one or two key moments with not much to choose otherwise.

 

[GEORGE]

sunderland and wycombe both played in home kits although not sure what eithers away options are.

Its not " Home " kits -- It is there club colours which you should always try and play in. What is this home & away kit ? I just don't get it.

 

[valefan16]

Its not " Home " kits -- It is there club colours which you should always try and play in. What is this home & away kit ? I just don't get it.

You could argue we don’t play in our club colours this season with our all white and gold kit and not a spec on black on there!

Do like it though.

Anyway it looks like there may be thousands of inflatable pigs at Wembley on Saturday judging by social media after Gibbons tweet about the pigs going to Wembley our fans seem to have decided to back the banter!

 

[valefan16]

I think our style of play can be very awkward to play against when we are at it as Swindon found out. We play a direct style and being aggressive with our pressing (not hoofing it as Swindon's captain suggested before the 2nd leg). Technically I wouldn't say many of our players are the most technically gifted in the division but just as an all round well drilled unit I put us up there against anyone really. If it's any consolation it's not just Mansfield as well (yet). FGR didn't beat us and neither could Exeter so we're doing something right.

As with both playoff semi-finals I expect the tie will be settled by one or two key moments with not much to choose otherwise.

I don’t think we do ourselves justice a bit. We’ve got some decent footballers and technical players, Conlon, Wilson, Gibbons, Walker and Pett for instance but we are built on high fitness and best at a higher pressing game.

I imagine the reason we’ve done well against your FGR for instance and the other night is teams knocking it about when we high press it forces the errors, teams who knock it long and don’t bother with that have been the main problem. For all the Swindon talk of us being this big physical mean side some of our poorer results were against sides who just lump it into the box.

Away at Mansfield we completely got the set up wrong and to this day have no idea why we just decided to sit deep for. We were flying and they were struggling at the time, it was a bit like the Swindon home performance in the league when they outplayed us… compare that to Thursday and it was chalk and cheese!

That said none of it matters on Saturday, the last play off final we faced a WBA side we had done the double over and lost 3-0. It’s two evenly matched sides, both with plenty of experienced heads and two decent managers so will be whos better on the day.

 

[Gassy]

You could argue we don’t play in our club colours this season with our all white and gold kit and not a spec on black on there!

Do like it though.

Anyway it looks like there may be thousands of inflatable pigs at Wembley on Saturday judging by social media after Gibbons tweet about the pigs going to Wembley our fans seem to have decided to back the banter!

It’s great banter if you win…

 

[Gassy]

Got my ticket in the Vale end for next week.

Any songs I should learn? Apart from DC's barmy army

 

[kieran_vale]

Got my ticket in the Vale end for next week.

Any songs I should learn? Apart from DC's barmy army

Wonder Of You is our equivalent to your Irene song. Join us in belting that one out you won’t go far wrong.

Hopefully if we get to choose a couple of songs on the playlist for the stadium PA we can also add on Penny Arcade. That got VP bouncing before the teams came out Thursday and also in the break before the shootout.

 

[Soz]

the wonder of you by elvis is our song although our fans do sing it wrong all the time, easy to join in with the chorus

On the elvis theme, we usually get only fools rush in going but sing "only fools go stoke" and then immediately just shout SHIT as loud as you can

super vale away is easy enough as it's only got them 3 words + a few oles

 

[northstandexile]

The Stags have the wonder of you song but change the words to Amber and blue instead of wonder of you.

 

[AdamStag]

14,000 cleared

 

[Richard Cranium]

The Stags have the wonder of you song but change the words to Amber and blue instead of wonder of you.

And then all the thick c*** chant yellows. The worst football song I've ever heard

 

[Richard Cranium]

A Sunderland fan I know says Police were taking drinks off people on Wembley way yesterday. Fucking jobsworths

 

[valefan16]

14,000 cleared

Looks like two even followings likely which is good. Should make a decent atmosphere.

 

[valefan16]

Wonder Of You is our equivalent to your Irene song. Join us in belting that one out you won’t go far wrong.

Hopefully if we get to choose a couple of songs on the playlist for the stadium PA we can also add on Penny Arcade. That got VP bouncing before the teams came out Thursday and also in the break before the shootout.

Penny Arcade has really taken off, obviously it was a fan who passed away who did a lot of help at the club so great for him that we’ve got where we have with it.

 

[valefan16]

Do they sing abide with me as well at these finals? I know it’s FA cup but recall them doing it at the LDV final.

 

[Richard Cranium]

Do they sing abide with me as well at these finals? I know it’s FA cup but recall them doing it at the LDV final.

Reckon for L2 it should be Chelsea dagger being as though half the clubs still play the fucker when they score

 

[valefan16]

A Sunderland fan I know says Police were taking drinks off people on Wembley way yesterday. Fucking jobsworths

It says they will, recall at England v Germany they let it pass for an hour or so until deciding to break it up for covid… but was allowed in the concourse to cram in drinking!

 

[northstandexile]

And then all the thick c*** chant yellows. The worst football song I've ever heard

Just because you were not invited to the original recording in the Civic Centre, Jake.