The League One Promotion Thread 15/16

[Jockney]

We will beat you next week i sence a nice 2 nil away win and an absolutely cracking day out

yes, well, there is nothing i can really say to that is there. either you will be proven right or proven an idiot.

 

[Indian Dan]

Or a draw of course

 

[blademan89]

yes, well, there is nothing i can really say to that is there. either you will be proven right or proven an idiot.

More than likely proven an idiot

 

[blademan89]

Burton now all of a sudden are only a couple of results from being out the top 2. Gonna be a very interesting end to the season for those spots and the playoff spots. The walsall fans on here were right about s.o.d by the looks of it.

 

[Saddlerrad]

Massive, massive victory. Colchester and Shrewsbury at home next, IF (and it's a decade long IF) we can sort our home form out, we might just have a shot at doing something amazing given the massive fuck up and self-destruct job that absolute bumbling dullard did!!

 

[WFC]

Autos ain't over yet !!

 

[JJ1532]

Massive, massive victory. Colchester and Shrewsbury at home next, IF (and it's a decade long IF) we can sort our home form out, we might just have a shot at doing something amazing given the massive fuck up and self-destruct job that absolute bumbling dullard did!!

How much damage did he honestly do? Not that much from where I'm standing. I mean, before the 6 game winless run that got him fired, his league record was 5-2-1. Don't get me wrong, things were clearly off and you were obviously right to fire him, but I don't think he did all that much damage. A 6 game winless run is nothing major for most managers, if that happened under Smith I doubt you panic. You rightly sacked him before he took things beyond the point of recovery of course, but he really didn't have time to inflict too much damage.

Although, purely playing devils advocate here, but you could make the argument that he was harshly treated. The 6 game winless loss came against Millwall, Crewe(er, yeah, forget that one!), Wigan, Burton, Scunny and Barnsley. Thats 5 teams that you could easily have not beaten had Whitney been in charge. I know, the issues went far deeper than just results, but still, you could easily make the case for that same run happening under Smith or Whitney.

 

[JJ1532]

103 - Champions 2014
102
101 - Champions 2012
100
99 - Champions 2015
98
97
96 - Guaranteed Champions
95 - Champions 2011 Guaranteed Runners up
94 - Promotion 2014
93 - Promotion 2012
92 - Promotion 2011 Predicted Champions 2016
91 - Promotion 2016
90 -
89
88
87
86 - Guaranteed Play Offs
85 - Predicted Promotion 2016
84 - Champions 2013
83 - Promotion 2013
82
81
80
79
78
77
76
75
74 - Play-Offs 2013, 2014 Burton(37)
73 - Play-Offs 2012
72 - Predicted Play-Offs 2016
71 - Play-Offs 2011
70
69 - Play-Offs 2016
68 - Wigan(37), Walsall(37)
67
66
65
-----------------------------------------
64
63 - Gillingham(37)
62 - Millwall(37)
61
60
59
58 - Barnsley(37)
58 - Bradford(37)
--------------------------------------------
57
56 - Coventry(37)
55 - Southend(37), Port Vale(37)

Forthcoming Fixtures:

1st Burton(37) - 74 points. Oldham(H), Millwall(A), Bury(H), Scunthorpe(A), Barnsley(H), Wigan(H), Colchester(A), Gillingham(H), Doncaster(A)
2nd Wigan(37) - 68 points. Swindon(A), Rochdale(H), Shrewsbury(A), Coventry(H), Doncaster(A), Burton(A), Southend(H), Blackpool(A), Barnsley(H)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3rd Walsall(37) - 68 points. Sheff U(A), Oldham(A), Gillingham(A), Southend(H), Swindon(H), Bradford(A), Shrewsbury(H), Fleetwood(H), Port Vale(A)
4th Gillingham(37) - 63 points. Bury(A), Coventry(H), Sheff U(A), Walsall(H), Port Vale(H), Rochdale(A), Shrewsbury(H), Burton(A), Millwall(H)
5th Millwall(37) - 62 points. Bradford(A), Burton(H), Colchester(A), Shrewsbury(H), Coventry(A), Fleetwood(H), Bury(A), Oldham(H), Gillingham(A)
6th Barnsley(37) - 58 points. Scunthorpe(H), Port Vale(A), Chesterfield(H), Oldham(H), Burton(A), Peterborough(H), Sheff U(A), Colchester(H), Wigan(A)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7th Bradford(37) - 58 points. Millwall(H), Crewe(A), Scunthorpe(H), Swindon(H), Shrewsbury(A), Coventry(A), Walsall(H), Southend(A), Chesterfield(H)
7th Coventry(37) - 56 points. Peterborough(A), Colchester(H), Gillingham(A), Wigan(A), Millwall(H), Bradford(H), Doncaster(A), Sheff U(H), Oldham(A)
9th Southend(37) - 55 points. Rochdale(A), Sheff U(H), Blackpool(A), Fleetwood(H), Walsall(A), Oldham(H), Wigan(A), Bradford(H), Bury(A)
10th Port Vale(38) - 55 points. Shrewsbury(A), Barnsley(H), Chesterfield(A), Crewe(H), Gillingham(A), Rochdale(H), Scunthorpe(A), Walsall(H)

Well, Burton have all but secured their spot in the play offs. 74 points, which is past the projected points that they should need to grab a top 6 spot. Smashed Port Vale today, promotion looking more and more likely for them. Wigan keep pace with them by beating Bradford, but they are probably just trying to keep Walsall at bay at this point. 4 of their next 6 games are on the road, so tricky few weeks for them.

Walsall are right in the automatic hunt after 3 wins from 3 since sacking O'Driscoll. They have 3 straight away games now. Their promotion mettle is about to be well and truly put to the test. Gillingham got a decent draw away at Southend. Need to get their injured stars back soon, they are slipping fast away from the autos and are seeing their play off buffer drop to just 5 points. They have a tough run in as well. Millwall got another home win against Sheff U, they could leapfrog Gillingham into 4th soon. That final game of the season could be a play off preview the way things are going. Barnsley jump back into the top 6 after spending a week out. Mixed bag of a run in, can they hold off the teams below them?

Well, Bradford are level on points with them, but have a tricky run in. They can't afford to let up at the race for that final spot heats up. Coventry only managed a 0-0 draw with Swindon, so clearly they still have issues. 2 winnable games next up followed by 3 straight play off teams. Still hope, but need to sort themselves out soon. Southend earned a decent home draw with Gillingham, but their home form has struggled in the last few weeks. They also have some winnable games in the next few weeks. Port Vale suffered a damaging defeat to Burton, that extra game played for them could be a killer come the end of the season.

Still everything to play for in all aspects of the promotion run in. An exciting 7 weeks left.

 

[joethegill]

We're going to miss out, I can see it now. Good point at Southend though.

 

[TicsMon22]

A good, solid and scrappy win for us against Bradford yesterday, who came to try and bully us and basically 's***house' their way to points. Stephen Warnock took a particular beating haha! We seem to struggle at home more these days to be honest, and with us being unbeaten away from home since September, I'm glad 4 of our next 6 are away! Bit unfortunate that Walsall grabbed two late goals as the gap could have opened back up but as long as we keep winning Walsall can't do anything!

 

[THE TERRACEMAN]

Looking at the predictions above we would only need 11 points from 9 games. We got through a minor wobble and look very confident at the moment. A lot can change very quickly in football but I will be very surprised if we don't go up automatically with one from Wigan and Walsall to join us. Hope its our local rivals the Saddlers personally.

 

[Fedora Dale]

Still under the radar.for.the.moment, it seems...

 

[Saddlerrad]

Pressures all on Wigan as far as I'm concerned. They are expected with budget, fan base and so on to do very well this year, massive spend compared to a lot of the divisions - including their rivals at the top - Burton, Walsall and Gillingham. They have a great team and a fanbase/media/general expectation to cruise to automatics at this point and so the pressure is all heaped on them. If we chase them down and take promotion from this point it's an amazing achievement, especially with their easier run in.

As I say, it's a free shot at chasing down for us from this point - no pressure and infact, much higher expectations virtually all around.

 

[LS Bantam]

Wigan's squad will get them through, whilst their football is nothing special they've got L1 quality in abundance to bring off the bench or tinker the starting 11, that for me will see them promoted

 

[Freethinker]

Wigan's squad will get them through, whilst their football is nothing special they've got L1 quality in abundance to bring off the bench or tinker the starting 11, that for me will see them promoted

Would tend to agree, but we all know that after a long unbeaten run a team tends to lose 2 or 3 games in short order. If that happens, it might leave them short of the top 2.

With my lot in the playoff picture, would rather they finished runner up and we get to play two of Walsall, Gillingham, Barnsley or Bradford in the playoffs.

 

[Indian Dan]

Pressures all on Wigan as far as I'm concerned. They are expected with budget, fan base and so on to do very well this year, massive spend compared to a lot of the divisions - including their rivals at the top - Burton, Walsall and Gillingham. They have a great team and a fanbase/media/general expectation to cruise to automatics at this point and so the pressure is all heaped on them. If we chase them down and take promotion from this point it's an amazing achievement, especially with their easier run in.

As I say, it's a free shot at chasing down for us from this point - no pressure and infact, much higher expectations virtually all around.

Wigan? Fan base?

 

[Saddlerrad]

Wigan? Fan base?

Don't question me on this..

 

[THE TERRACEMAN]

Pressures all on Wigan as far as I'm concerned. They are expected with budget, fan base and so on to do very well this year, massive spend compared to a lot of the divisions - including their rivals at the top - Burton, Walsall and Gillingham. They have a great team and a fanbase/media/general expectation to cruise to automatics at this point and so the pressure is all heaped on them. If we chase them down and take promotion from this point it's an amazing achievement, especially with their easier run in.

As I say, it's a free shot at chasing down for us from this point - no pressure and infact, much higher expectations virtually all around.

I would have to agree with that, the pressure is all on Wigan, we are definitely in the driving seat. Our attitude is the same as it was on the way to the league 2 title. Concentrate on your own games and don't worry about what happens to those rivals around you, your destiny is in your own hands.

 

[JoshBCFC]

I would have to agree with that, the pressure is all on Wigan, we are definitely in the driving seat. Our attitude is the same as it was on the way to the league 2 title. Concentrate on your own games and don't worry about what happens to those rivals around you, your destiny is in your own hands.

You've had an amazing rise, fair play. Hopefully you don't do a Yeovil.

 

[THE TERRACEMAN]

The club is too well run and the chairman far too shrewd for us to do a Yeovil.

 

[valefan16]

The club is too well run and the chairman far too shrewd for us to do a Yeovil.

To be fair to Yeovil if I recall they decided not to risk the long term stability of the club by overspending (although I could be wrong).

 

[Indian Dan]

The club is too well run and the chairman far too shrewd for us to do a Yeovil.

What, get relegated?

Twice?

 

[THE TERRACEMAN]

What, get relegated?

Twice?

I think anything other than relegation would be an achievement for us, If you look at how we have always done things then it is certain we won't put the clubs long standing future in jeopardy. We will operate within our means as usual. Obviously if we manage to get to the championship the gap is a massive one to span for a club our size.

 

[Indian Dan]

Any club getting promoted to the Championship will struggle next season irrespective of 'size'.

 

[Jockney]

Any club getting promoted to the Championship will struggle next season irrespective of 'size'.

likely, even in a good year but not exactly a foregone conclusion either. this year's experience will stand sides in good stead and of course some teams adapt better to the change in tactics.

 

[Ciderup]

Any club getting promoted to the Championship will struggle next season irrespective of 'size'.

Watcha fellas, hope you're all well.
I am in the strange position of agreeing with Dan, the Championship is brutal! We were only down here for 2 seasons yet the standard of the Championship has moved on massively. It's essentially a Prem 2 now.
Given how we fared at this level last season, I agree with Dan, the step up is quite big and any promoted side will do well to survive, irrespective of their size.
As my esteemed fellow red stated, fair play to Burton, an outstanding rise which should be applauded. Wether they can survive in the 2nd tier remains to be seen but most clubs are paying their players daft money upstairs and it's been a real eye opener!
All the best and, WTGR, I hope we aren't back too soon. Brutal as the Championship is, it's a great league to play in.

 

[SF_]

I honestly don't think the Championship has improved at all in our four year absence, certainly not in terms of entertainment as the majoirty of teams employ 'safety first' tactics. The standard of players is exactly the same as it was 10 years ago, the transfer fees are just vastly inflated. It's certainly no better than when the ITV Digital money was in full flow.

Burton might struggle because of their lack of finances and unproven players at that level but it's not a foregone conclusion they will come straight back down. Our back five consists of two players released by Huddersfield, a free from Yeovil, a youth player and a free from Bristol City, with various loan keepers behind them...

 

[Saddlerrad]

IF we ever got promoted, it would be a much much bigger achievement staying up than getting up. I'd expect us to go with minimal budget and try our best to scrap 50 points - ensuring that we were left in a good financial position for relegation.

 

[TomPNE94]

I have not seen one team this season where I've thought "Jesus, they're a bit too good for us" the only team that have comfortably beaten us were Hull away (and Huddersfield away but we were just utterly shite that day) but then Hull were crap at Deepdale. It's really not that hard a step-up, Bristol City just had a complete **** in charge and since appointing a better manager are now finding it much easier.

 

[Ciderup]

I honestly don't think the Championship has improved at all in our four year absence, certainly not in terms of entertainment as the majoirty of teams employ 'safety first' tactics. The standard of players is exactly the same as it was 10 years ago, the transfer fees are just vastly inflated. It's certainly no better than when the ITV Digital money was in full flow.

Burton might struggle because of their lack of finances and unproven players at that level but it's not a foregone conclusion they will come straight back down. Our back five consists of two players released by Huddersfield, a free from Yeovil, a youth player and a free from Bristol City, with various loan keepers behind them...

Interesting as I think it's changed a lot in the 2 seasons we were away.