Telford tickets

[andy]

My way is even better. Scrap play offs. They are unfair and were originally just money making/ TV deal games for the pro leagues. But like European competitions altered formats, and many other changes besides, it's all about money. I hate them.

[Josh1873]

My way is even better. Scrap play offs. They are unfair and were originally just money making/ TV deal games for the pro leagues. But like European competitions altered formats, and many other changes besides, it's all about money. I hate them.

I'll come and find you Monday when we're all drenched in champagne and ask if you still hate them

(I actually agree about the play-offs being unfair, btw).

[old git]

Not sure about play offs. In my youth with 2 points for a win the season for my beloved WBA and probably 10 others was often finished in February, and that was in most leagues.

[andy]

Using the Southern League Prem as an example, since playing offs were introduced, of the 21 teams promoted through them only 6 finished second. Sorry, but they are a farce. Always have been. But fear not, I'm sure FIFA or some other governing body will find something even more farcical to further trivialise 'the beautiful game' in due course.

[andy]

Using the Southern League Prem as an example, since playing offs were introduced, of the 21 teams promoted through them only 6 finished second. Sorry, but they are a farce. Always have been. But fear not, I'm sure FIFA or some other governing body will find something even more farcical to further trivialise 'the beautiful game' in due course.

.....though to beat the Champions (or anybody down to 5th place) League will take some doing.

[Laurel Lane Lamper]

Not sure about play offs. In my youth with 2 points for a win the season for my beloved WBA and probably 10 others was often finished in February, and that was in most leagues.

I’m sure about them. Home advantage and current league form often goes out of the window to provide some of the best drama and entertainment of the season. Not so enjoyable, of course, if you’re on the losing side.
If I remember correctly, when they were first introduced and as an example, it was 2 down and up between the Premiership and Championship. The playoff was between the next lowest Premiership and highest Championship teams.

[piearce9]

Back in my day, we had to do play off semi-finals on a Thursday night and then travel to a now-defunct University team to lose in the last minute.

I quite like the playoffs - I do agree with the point about them rushing them straight after the league season though. Puts a lot of strain on clubs to spin things around. It's OK at Step 5 or below, where you don't have to worry about policing, ticketing, and ground capacities - but there will be thousands there tonight. Big task!

Also, if people want to get one over on the bookies, then back the team that's finished 5th in each of the Step 3 leagues. I think all four playoffs were won by the team in 5th last year. I had a look at the bookies and they've done the obvious and made the team finishing in 2nd the favourite for promotion. Rookie error.

[Laurel Lane Lamper]

That Thursday playoff against Chips and Ham was following the abandonment during the first half of the original Tuesday fixture.

[Simons]

Yes and Team Bath had played their play off semi on the Monday night.

[Brightgoldenhaze]

Not that I'm still aggrieved or anything, but it's worth remembering that the then chairman of the Southern League, Ken Turner, said of us having to play twice in 48 hours (when Team Bath had been relaxing with their feet up for five days): "Tiredness? For goodness sake. Clubs used to play matches on Christmas Day and Boxing Day".