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Football Discussion => Other English Football => Topic started by: DC76 on March 20, 2007, 12:16:37 AM

Title: Football League + National League
Post by: DC76 on March 20, 2007, 12:16:37 AM
Do you guys have any soft-spot teams in Championship, Div One or Div 2? Have a particular team you want to see get promoted or relegated? Or just want to talk about the higher levels of non-Prems English football? Post it here! :D


I'll get the ball rolling with some stats from RSSSF and my take:

CHAMPIONSHIP

 1.Derby County            39  22  7 10  54-39  73
 2.Birmingham City         38  21  8  9  55-35  71
--------------------------------------------------
 3.Sunderland              39  21  7 11  60-39  70
 4.Preston North End       38  20  8 10  56-41  68
 5.Wolverhampton Wanderers 39  19  9 11  45-41  66
 6.West Bromwich Albion    39  18 10 11  66-46  64
 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 7.Cardiff City            39  17 12 10  54-42  63
 8.Southampton             39  16 12 11  61-48  60
 9.Stoke City              39  15 13 11  47-33  58
10.Colchester United       39  16  8 15  57-48  56
11.Crystal Palace          39  15 10 14  48-43  55
12.Sheffield Wednesday     39  14 11 14  58-59  53
13.Plymouth Argyle         38  12 16 10  51-50  52
14.Coventry City           39  15  7 17  43-49  52
15.Norwich City            38  14  8 16  48-56  50
16.Ipswich Town            39  14  6 19  49-52  48
17.Leicester City          38  11 13 14  41-48  46
18.Burnley                 37  10 11 16  36-41  41
19.Hull City               39  11  8 20  41-58  41
20.Barnsley                39  12  5 22  45-69  41
21.Queens Park Rangers     38  10 10 18  45-59  40
--------------------------------------------------
22.Southend United         39   9 12 18  40-59  39
23.Luton Town              39   9  9 21  47-67  36
24.Leeds United            39  10  6 23  39-64  36

- It seems Birmingham and Derby are the favourites for the auto-spots, but it's a tight pack on top. Everyone all the way down to seventh-place Cardiff has a chance, IMO.

- Although I don't think their chances of auto-promotion are that great, Southampton and Stoke have decent playoff chances. Colchester, Palace and Wednesday have a chance, too, but they're fading fast.

- a bit of a log jam at the bottom. I hope QPR passes Barnsley and stays up, not so much because of Marc Bircham (Canadian national team guy) but because I HATE Barnsley. On another note, if Burnley makes the most of their two games in hand, they could be out of trouble in no time. I kinda feel bad for Leeds.

- seems the only team with Canadians on it that is doing any good is Derby!  Paul Peschisolido is something of a fan favourite in Ramsville. :D Although he's usually confined to the role of substitute, the Rams' site says, "when they need to nick a goal out of somewhere, he's usually the man to do it." Ipswich, QPR, Leicester, and Sheff W, on the other hand, are kinda bad. (The Sheff W guy plays for the U18 side)

DIVISION ONE

 1.S****horpe United       38  21 12  5  59-28  75
 2.Bristol City            38  21  8  9  53-34  71
--------------------------------------------------
 3.Nottingham Forest       38  19 10  9  50-35  67
 4.Yeovil Town             38  18 10 10  48-34  64
 5.Oldham Athletic         38  18  9 11  60-38  63
 6.Blackpool               37  16 11 10  51-38  59
 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 7.Tranmere Rovers         38  16 11 11  48-39  59
 8.Swansea City            38  16 10 12  55-40  58
 9.Doncaster Rovers        38  14 12 12  42-39  54
10.Carlisle United         38  14 11 13  39-46  53
11.Millwall                38  15  7 16  47-51  52
12.Port Vale               38  15  5 18  50-50  50
13.Crewe Alexandra         38  14  7 17  57-62  49
14.Huddersfield Town       38  12 13 13  49-58  49
15.Northampton Town        38  12 12 14  38-39  48
16.Brighton & Hove Albion  38  13  9 16  43-48  48
17.Leyton Orient           38  11 13 14  52-62  46
18.Gillingham              38  13  7 18  46-63  46
19.AFC Bournemouth         38  11 10 17  40-52  43
20.Bradford City           38  10 11 17  41-51  41
--------------------------------------------------
21.Cheltenham Town         38  11  7 20  37-52  40
22.Chesterfield            38  10  9 19  39-47  39
23.Brentford               38   7 12 19  29-57  33
24.Rotherham United        37  11  8 18  50-60  31

- does anyone know what's up with Rotherham? Because they were docked ten for "financial problems."
- S****horpe looks to be running away with this league. Bristol City may have second looking locked down, but they still have three teams that could easily overtake them down the stretch.
- that sixth position in the tables is going to be hard as hell to lock down. In all fairness, Blackpool does have a game in hand on Tranmere, but look at the logjam right there. It's going to make for some exciting stretch-run football! GOD I wish I lived in England :D
- Rotherham would still be in the red even without the 10-point deduction, but they'd have a far better chance of getting out of it. I could see Bradford, Bournemouth, Chesterfield and Cheltenham really having a good go at each other to stay in Div One. Brentford's chances are fading fast, and despite having five more points than Rotherham, they have the worst record in Division One. Seven wins just ain't gon' cut it!

- there's only one Canadian in the entire division, that being Yeovil's D/M Gavin McCallum, who's spent the season on loan to Tamworth and later Crawley. So he's not much of a factor in Yeovil's success.

DIVISION TWO

 1.Hartlepool United       38  22  9  7  54-33  75
 2.Walsall                 38  20 12  6  55-27  72
 3.Milton Keynes Dons      38  21  7 10  65-51  70
--------------------------------------------------
 4.Lincoln City            38  20  7 11  65-50  67
 5.Swindon Town            37  20  7 10  47-32  67
 6.Stockport County        38  19  6 13  55-42  63
 7.Wycombe Wanderers       37  16 10 11  43-32  58
 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 8.Darlington              38  15 12 11  45-41  57
 9.Shrewsbury Town         35  13 14  8  54-35  53
10.Peterborough United     38  15  7 16  53-50  52
11.Bristol Rovers          37  14 10 13  40-39  52
12.Grimsby Town            38  15  5 18  45-60  50
13.Mansfield Town          38  13 10 15  53-52  49
14.Hereford United         38  13 10 15  42-46  49
15.Notts County            38  12 12 14  46-48  48
16.Chester City            38  12 11 15  36-38  47
17.Rochdale                36  12 10 14  48-39  46
18.Barnet                  38  12 10 16  45-57  46
19.Bury                    37  10  9 18  40-54  39
20.Accrington Stanley      38   9 11 18  54-67  38
21.Macclesfield Town       38   9 11 18  45-62  38
22.Boston United           38  10  8 20  44-69  38
--------------------------------------------------
23.Wrexham                 37   8 11 18  34-60  35
24.Torquay United          38   6 11 21  31-55  29

- it's way closer at the top here than it is in Division One, although probably not as close as in Championship. Good to see Milton Keynes finally on the rebound. From the looks of this they're one of 4 legit title contenders atm, although one still can't really tell with 10 or so games left.

- I'm happy to see Walsall doing so well, mostly because it's where my great-grandmother was born and raised, maybe in small part because of their acquisition of Canadian D/M Geordie Lyall from the Vancouver Whitecaps (the closest thing to a "big local club" I have at this point).

- Torquay have gotten third-string Lincoln G Simon Rayner (another Canook) on loan in desperation, trying to turn their p*ss-poor season around. They also have M Michal Misiewicz (yet another Canadian) in their U18 squad. A lot of good it's doing them lol.

- looks like quite the logjam at the bottom, but it's pretty defined - Rochdale are five up on Bury with a game in hand, then you have Bury, Macclesfield, Accrington (another Canadian, Thom MacLean, plays for their reserve team), Wrexham and Boston all within three of each other.

- on the flip side, the playoff race is looking like it isn't going to be too exciting. Maybe a couple of teams who are currently out of it that have a chance of getting back in, like Darlington and Peterborough. Swindon, Lincoln and Stockport are almost locks at this point. It's Wycombe that really needs to watch their back.

Some Conference stuff later.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: Rob on March 20, 2007, 01:41:28 AM
I hope Sunderland do well.

keano, evans, simpson , yorke and others there. Adore them guys. I hope they get promotion ;) :D
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on March 20, 2007, 01:46:16 AM
Somehow I doubt they'll go lower than seventh in the tables. ;) I'd love to see someone knock Preston North End out of the playoffs, though. I've hated them since my days as a Latics supporter. Hate the team, hate the club, and above all, hate their hard-core fans. Only Gooners are lower in my opinion lol
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: Biggs on March 20, 2007, 08:52:05 AM
Yeah i really want Sunderland to come up
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: SpursLad on March 20, 2007, 05:07:51 PM
My 2nd team are Brighton, I live close and go to a few games now and then.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on March 20, 2007, 06:12:12 PM
Quote from: SpursLad;190
My 2nd team are Brighton, I live close and go to a few games now and then.

If it's any consolation, Brighton still has an outside chance of making the Division One playoffs. The league is close enough that a cold streak by one of the higher-up teams or a hot streak by one of the mid-table teams could seriously change the table's complexion. ;)

Now as promised, some Conference stats.

CONFERENCE NATIONAL

1 0 Dagenham & Redbridge 39 24 10 5 80 38 42 82
2 0 Oxford United (R) 40 19 14 7 58 30 28 71
3 0 York City 39 19 10 10 58 40 18 67
 4 +1 Burton Albion 38 19 7 12 42 40 2 64
5 -1 Exeter City 38 17 11 10 54 41 13 62
6 0 Morecambe 38 17 11 10 48 40 8 62
  7 +1 Gravesend & Northfleet 37 16 10 11 48 45 3 58
  8 +1 Weymouth (P) 38 17 7 14 50 53 -3 58  
9 -2 Stevenage Borough 36 17 6 13 62 52 10 57  
10 0 Kidderminster Harriers 36 15 8 13 39 42 -3 53  
11 0 Aldershot Town 37 14 9 14 53 53 0 51  
12 0 Rushden & Diamonds (R) 36 13 10 13 43 40 3 49  
13 +5 Altrincham 39 12 11 16 46 56 -10 47  
14 +1 Woking 39 12 10 17 48 52 -4 46  
15 +1 Stafford Rangers (P) 38 12 9 17 43 58 -15 45  
16 -3 Forest Green Rovers 38 10 14 14 46 53 -7 44  
17 -3 Crawley Town (-10) 38 15 8 15 45 45 0 43  
18 +2 Cambridge United 40 11 10 19 44 61 -17 43  
19 -2 Halifax Town 36 11 9 16 47 49 -2 42  
20 +1 Northwich Victoria (P) 33 13 3 17 41 53 -12 42  
21 -2 Tamworth 38 11 8 19 39 51 -12 41  
22 0 Grays Athletic 37 9 11 17 48 49 -1 38  
23 0 St Albans City (P) 39 9 9 21 52 74 -22 36  
24 0 Southport 39 7 13 19 40 59 -19 34

- Dags & Reds look like they're running away with first place, although Oxford and York are both making a strong case for promotion. Should be an interesting fight for the other two playoff spots. Gravesend & Northfleet, featuring Canadian midfielder Ross Smith, are still very much alive in the race.

- Rushden & Diamonds appear to be doing better than they were when I last checked, when they were in the red zone.

- The fact that Crawley got dinged ten and are still in the mid-table speaks volumes. If they hadn't been dinged, they'd be in the playoff race, albeit barely.

CONFERENCE NORTH

1 0 Droylsden 35 19 7 9 77 52 25 64 Promoted  
2 +1 Kettering Town 35 17 11 7 67 51 16 62 Playoff  
3 -1 Harrogate Town 35 16 10 9 51 33 18 58 Playoff  
4 0 Workington 35 17 7 11 52 39 13 58 Playoff  
5 0 Hyde United 36 15 10 11 69 52 17 55 Playoff  
6 0 Hinckley United 33 15 10 8 53 44 9 55  
7 0 Moor Green 36 15 8 13 48 45 3 53  
8 0 Farsley Celtic (P) 34 14 10 10 40 40 0 52  
9 +1 Worcester City 36 13 12 11 59 50 9 51  
10 -1 Blyth Spartans (P) 35 14 9 12 46 43 3 51  
11 +2 Hucknall Town 36 14 7 15 65 62 3 49  
12 +2 Alfreton Town 35 13 10 12 41 43 -2 49  
13 -2 Nuneaton Borough 35 11 13 11 45 40 5 46  
14 -2 Barrow 35 11 12 12 43 40 3 45  
15 0 Worksop Town 35 12 8 15 40 51 -11 44  
16 +2 Vauxhall Motors 35 10 12 13 52 56 -4 42  
17 0 Gainsborough Trinity 34 11 8 15 41 51 -10 41  
18 -2 Stalybridge Celtic 35 11 8 16 57 73 -16 41  
19 +1 Redditch United 34 10 9 15 51 56 -5 39  
20 +1 Scarborough (R) (-10) 36 11 15 10 44 36 8 38 Relegated  
21 -2 Leigh RMI 35 11 5 19 40 56 -16 38 Relegated  
22 0 Lancaster City (-10) 33 2 3 28 23 91 -68 -1 Relegated

- I could see this one going right down to the wire. Only six points separating second from ninth. Tenth-place Worcester City, with Canadian striker Justin Thompson, is slipping out of contention quickly. Relegation ought to be a close one, too, although Lancaster (holy crap, what happened with them?) are officially toast. Scarborough wouldn't be much better off without the 10-point ding. :P

CONFERENCE SOUTH

1 +1 Histon 32 22 3 7 66 35 31 69  
2 -1 Salisbury City (P) 32 18 8 6 55 27 28 62  
3 0 Havant & Waterlooville 33 17 8 8 59 37 22 59  
4 0 Bishop's Stortford 33 17 7 9 57 50 7 58
5 0 Welling United 31 18 3 10 56 39 17 57  
6 0 Braintree Town (P) 32 15 10 7 38 29 9 55  
7 0 Lewes 35 13 13 9 62 47 15 52  
8 +1 Eastbourne Borough 31 13 12 6 43 27 16 51  
9 -1 Newport County 30 15 3 12 59 41 18 48  
10 0 Fisher Athletic (P) 33 12 10 11 62 58 4 46  
11 0 Sutton United 34 13 7 14 52 52 0 46  
12 0 Yeading 34 12 8 14 51 58 -7 44  
13 +1 Cambridge City 34 12 7 15 34 43 -9 43  
14 -1 Farnborough Town (-10) 34 14 8 12 48 45 3 40  
15 +1 Bognor Regis Town 33 10 10 13 43 51 -8 40  
16 -1 Dorchester Town 34 10 9 15 40 59 -19 39  
17 0 Eastleigh 33 9 10 14 34 42 -8 37  
18 0 Thurrock 34 8 9 17 48 68 -20 33  
19 0 Weston-super-Mare 35 7 10 18 35 59 -24 31  
20 +1 Basingstoke Town 33 5 14 14 39 53 -14 29
 21 -1 Hayes 34 7 8 19 36 64 -28 29  
22 0 Bedford Town (P) 34 6 5 23 32 65 -33 23

- an interesting league, this. I see a three-way dogfight for championship standing opening up at the top. Farnborough would be right in the thick of the playoff race if not for that ten-point ding. It's pretty close at the bottom, too - a Basingstoke hot streak could get them out of trouble, while a Bognor Regis cold streak could really put them in jeopardy. Lewes  is in trouble because most of the teams ahead of them have three or four games in hand on them.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: theospurs on March 22, 2007, 02:23:58 PM
i hope barnsley survive my mates a big fan.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: Powerage on March 26, 2007, 02:16:31 PM
Come on Basingstoke too beat the drop! If Everton can do it every year since 1990 then you lads can!

I want Palace too come up to the Prem as I used too watch Wimbldeon a bit when I was younger and I love Selhurst Park. Under any circumstances Cardiff must not be allowed into the Premiership.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on March 26, 2007, 08:03:52 PM
I'd prefer Southampton over Cardiff and West Brom anyway. ;)
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: Powerage on March 26, 2007, 08:16:30 PM
Yeah Southampton, Crystal Palace and Birmingham would suit me.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on March 26, 2007, 08:40:44 PM
Some results:

CHAMPIONSHIP (from RSSSF)

[Mar 16]
Southampton                1-2 Colchester United
[Mar 17]
Coventry City              4-1 Barnsley
Derby County               3-1 Cardiff City (bet Powerage is happy with this :D)
Leicester City             1-3 Queens Park Rangers (Iain Hume scored Leicester's only goal :p)
Luton Town                 0-2 Ipswich Town (Peters was on international duty)
Norwich City               1-0 Stoke City
Plymouth Argyle            1-0 Crystal Palace
Preston North End          2-0 Burnley (PERKELE!!:angry:)
Sheffield Wednesday        2-2 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Southend United            1-1 Leeds United
Sunderland                 2-0 Hull City
[Mar 18]
West Bromwich Albion       1-1 Birmingham City

DIVISION ONE (from Soccerway)

Mar 25, 07     Brentford      2 - 2      Oldham      
Mar 24, 07     Port Vale     2 - 0     Millwall    
Mar 24, 07     Doncaster     0 - 1     Bristol City    
Mar 24, 07     Brighton     0 - 0     Huddersfield    
Mar 24, 07     Bournemouth     2 - 0     Tranmere    
Mar 24, 07     Swansea     2 - 1     Northampton    
Mar 24, 07     Leyton Orient     2 - 2     S****horpe    
Mar 24, 07     Carlisle     5 - 0     Gillingham    
Mar 24, 07     Bradford     1 - 3     Blackpool    
Mar 24, 07     Yeovil         1 - 0     Chesterfield

DIVISION TWO (from Soccerway)

Mar 25, 07     Milton Keynes  1 - 1      Walsall      
Mar 25, 07     Lincoln C        2 - 3     Swindon Town    
Mar 25, 07     Darlington       0 - 3     Hartlepool    
Mar 24, 07     Bristol Rovers  0 - 1     Wrexham    
Mar 24, 07     Grimsby     0 - 2     Peterborough    
Mar 24, 07     Bury         0 - 1     Notts County    
Mar 24, 07     Shrewsbury     1 - 0     Torquay    
Mar 24, 07     Chester     2 - 0     Barnet        
Mar 24, 07     Accrington     2 - 0     Hereford    
Mar 24, 07     Stockport     2 - 7     Rochdale  (ZOINKS!:Green_Colorz_PDT_40)

Conference stats from Soccerway later.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on March 27, 2007, 08:18:26 PM
CONFERENCE NATIONAL

Mar 26, 07      Oxford Utd 2 - 2 Dag & Red    
Mar 25, 07     Northwich 0 - 4 Cambridge U    
Mar 24, 07     Stevenage 0 - 1 Altrincham
Mar 24, 07     Burton     2 - 1 Morecambe
Mar 24, 07     Weymouth 3 - 1 Tamworth
Mar 24, 07     St Albans 1 - 1 Kidderminster
Mar 24, 07     Woking     1 - 1     Southport
Mar 24, 07     Stafford Rangers 4 - 2 Grays
Mar 24, 07     Exeter     1 - 1 York
Mar 23, 07     Rushden & D 1 - 1 Crawley

CONFERENCE NORTH

Mar 25, 07      Hyde 3 - 5 Kettering      
Mar 24, 07     Lancaster City     0 - 2 Alfreton
Mar 24, 07     Hinckley United 2 - 1 Gainsborough
Mar 24, 07     Blyth 1 - 2 Redditch
Mar 24, 07     Hucknall 2 - 1     Stalybridge
Mar 24, 07     Droylsden 4 - 1 Farsley
Mar 24, 07     Harrogate Town 1 - 1 Moor Green
Mar 23, 07     Worcester 3 - 0 Barrow
Mar 23, 07     Workington 2 - 0 Nuneaton
Mar 23, 07     Leigh 0 - 3 Vauxhall Motors

CONFERENCE SOUTH

Mar 24, 07      Weston-super-Mare 1 - 2 Welling
Mar 24, 07     Farnborough 1 - 1 Dorchester
Mar 24, 07     Bishops Stortford 0 - 1 Bognor Regis
Mar 24, 07     Yeading 2 - 5 Eastbourne
Mar 24, 07     Sutton United 0 - 0 Braintree
Mar 24, 07     Histon 5 - 0 Hayes
Mar 24, 07     Cambridge City 3 - 0 Havant & Waterloville
Mar 23, 07     Newport County 4 - 2 Fisher Athletic
Mar 23, 07     Thurrock 2 - 2     Basingstoke
Mar 23, 07     Lewes 1 - 0 Salisbury
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 01, 2007, 09:39:53 PM
More results:

CHAMPIONSHIP

Apr 1, 07      Birmingham      3 - 0      Coventry
Mar 31, 07     Wolverhampton     0 - 6     Southampton (I'll bet THAT sent a message!) :D
Mar 31, 07     Crystal Palace     1 - 2     Sheffield W
Mar 31, 07     Burnley     0 - 0     Luton
Mar 31, 07     Queens PR     1 - 2     West Bromwich
Mar 31, 07     Hull     4 - 0     Southend
Mar 31, 07     Cardiff     0 - 1     Sunderland
Mar 31, 07     Barnsley     1 - 2     Derby
Mar 31, 07     Stoke     4 - 2     Leicester
Mar 31, 07     Ipswich     3 - 0     Plymouth

DIVISION ONE

Mar 31, 07     Oldham      1 - 0      Yeovil
Mar 31, 07     Huddersfield     2 - 2     Port Vale
Mar 31, 07     Cheltenham     2 - 1     Leyton Orient
Mar 31, 07     Rotherham     0 - 2     Bournemouth
Mar 31, 07     Millwall     2 - 0     Swansea
Mar 31, 07     Blackpool     2 - 1     Crewe
Mar 31, 07     S****horpe     2 - 0     Bradford
Mar 31, 07     Northampton     0 - 2     Brighton
Mar 31, 07     Gillingham     2 - 1     Brentford
Mar 31, 07     Bristol City     1 - 1     Nottingham Forest

DIVISION TWO

Mar 31, 07     Walsall      3 - 2      Accrington
Mar 31, 07     Rochdale     2 - 0     Lincoln C
Mar 31, 07     Hereford     0 - 0     Milton Keynes
Mar 31, 07     Barnet         2 - 1     Darlington
Mar 31, 07     Wrexham     0 - 0     Mansfield
Mar 31, 07     Swindon Town     2 - 1     Shrewsbury
Mar 31, 07     Notts County     2 - 0     Grimsby
Mar 31, 07     Boston         0 - 1     Bury
Mar 31, 07     Torquay     1 - 0     Stockport (WOW! TORQUAY ACTUALLY WON A GAME! :Green_Colorz_PDT_16 Perhaps Rayner was worth getting on loan after all :p He got the clean sheet :D)
Mar 31, 07     Peterborough     3 - 3     Wycombe
Mar 30, 07     Hartlepool     3 - 0     Chester (looks like Hartlepool is getting harder and harder to catch!)

I'll update the tables once they're up at RSSSF.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 01, 2007, 10:03:48 PM
CONFERENCE NATIONAL

Mar 31, 07     Tamworth      0 - 2      Dag & Red (Dags & Reds just one win away from clinching first place and automatic promotion into League football! :first:)
Mar 31, 07     Morecambe     2 - 0     Woking
Mar 31, 07     Forest Green     0 - 2     Rushden & D (MASSIVE match for Canadian Simeon Jackson, scoring one goal and drawing the foul that led to the other, garnering Man of the Match honours, and all off the bench :p Apparently he's footballconference.co.uk's Player of the Month for February, too!)
Mar 31, 07     Altrincham     1 - 2     Exeter (I'm having a good laugh at Altrincham now :rofl:)
Mar 31, 07     York     0 - 2     Gravesend
Mar 31, 07     Oxford Utd     0 - 0     Burton
Mar 31, 07     Grays     1 - 0     Halifax
Mar 31, 07     Cambridge U     7 - 0     Weymouth (ZOINKS!!)
Mar 31, 07     Southport     5 - 1     Stafford Rangers (DOUBLE ZOINKS!!)
Mar 31, 07     Kidderminster     0 - 1     Northwich

CONFERENCE NORTH

Mar 31, 07     Nuneaton      1 - 1      Worcester
Mar 31, 07     Gainsborough     3 - 1     Scarborough
Mar 31, 07     Alfreton     0 - 1     Hinckley United
Mar 31, 07     Worksop     0 - 0     Harrogate Town
Mar 31, 07     Redditch     0 - 0     Droylsden
Mar 31, 07     Kettering     0 - 0     Hucknall
Mar 31, 07     Barrow         0 - 2     Blyth
Mar 31, 07     Stalybridge     3 - 1     Lancaster City
Mar 31, 07     Moor Green     1 - 1     Hyde
Mar 31, 07     Farsley     1 - 1     Leigh

CONFERENCE SOUTH

Mar 31, 07     Welling          0 - 0      Lewes
Mar 31, 07     Havant & Waterloville     1 - 0     Sutton United
Mar 31, 07     Dorchester         1 - 5     Weston-super-Mare
Mar 31, 07     Bedford         0 - 2     Histon
Mar 31, 07     Hayes             2 - 1     Eastleigh
Mar 31, 07     Bognor Regis         3 - 1     Yeading
Mar 31, 07     Salisbury         0 - 1     Farnborough
Mar 31, 07     Fisher Athletic     0 - 1     Bishops Stortford
Mar 31, 07     Braintree         2 - 1     Cambridge City
Mar 31, 07     Basingstoke         0 - 1     Newport County

Table update later.
Title: New tables, new thoughts - League Footy
Post by: DC76 on April 03, 2007, 04:15:54 AM
CHAMPIONSHIP

1 0 Derby County 40 23 7 10 56 40 16 76
2 0 Birmingham City (R) 39 22 8 9 58 35 23 74
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 0 Sunderland (R) 40 22 7 11 61 39 22 73
4 0 Preston North End 39 20 8 11 57 43 14 68  
5 +1 West Bromwich Albion (R) 40 19 10 11 68 47 21 67  
6 -1 Wolverhampton Wanderers 40 19 9 12 45 47 -2 66
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
7 +1 Southampton 40 17 12 11 67 48 19 63  
8 -1 Cardiff City 40 17 12 11 54 43 11 63  
9 0 Stoke City 40 16 13 11 51 35 16 61  
10 0 Colchester United (P) 40 17 8 15 60 48 12 59  
11 +1 Sheffield Wednesday 40 15 11 14 60 60 0 56  
12 -1 Crystal Palace 40 15 10 15 49 45 4 55  
13 0 Plymouth Argyle 39 12 16 11 51 53 -2 52  
14 0 Coventry City 40 15 7 18 43 52 -9 52  
15 +1 Ipswich Town 40 15 6 19 52 52 0 51  
16 -1 Norwich City 39 14 8 17 48 59 -11 50
17 0 Leicester City 39 11 13 15 43 52 -9 46  
18 +1 Hull City 40 12 8 20 45 58 -13 44  
19 -1 Burnley 38 10 12 16 36 41 -5 42  
20 0 Barnsley (P) 40 12 5 23 46 71 -25 41  
21 0 Queens Park Rangers 39 10 10 19 46 61 -15 40
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
22 0 Southend United (P) 40 9 12 19 40 63 -23 39
23 +1 Leeds United 40 11 6 23 41 65 -24 39
24 -1 Luton Town 40 9 10 21 47 67 -20 37

- things starting to loosen up a little at the top. Although there are six matches left, and mathematically, anyone as low as Colchester has a chance at top, I can only see one of Derby, Birmingham or Sunderland pulling it off. Something tells me it'll be two of those three going up automatically.

- I think that the other three current playoff spot holders (Preston Gimps End, West Bumwich Albion and Wolverhampton) will have to have eyes in the backs of their heads for the rest of the season. Southampton are three back of Wolves, but they absolutely clobbered the same this past weekend in what was a real statement match for Southampton. They sure mean business! Cardiff is also lurking, but the momentum is against them now as they've just come off dropping the Sunderland match.

- if you do the math, only the three red-zone teams, as well as Hull, Barnsley and QPR, are mathematically out of reach of a playoff spot, although Burnley is pretty well hooped as well. On the flip side, everyone from tenth up is mathematically safe from relegation.

- at the bottom, Burnley really need to take advantage of their two games in hand on the red-zoners. If they drop both, they're in serious trouble. Barnsley remains ahead of QPR by a point, but QPR has a game in hand. It's incredibly close. Any three of those last eight squads (Leics down) could go under. Leicester, though, is a long shot to drop, IMO.

DIVISION ONE

1 0 S****horpe United 40 22 13 5 63 30 33 79
2 0 Bristol City 40 22 9 9 55 35 20 75
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 0 Nottingham Forest 40 20 11 9 54 36 18 71
4 +1 Oldham Athletic 40 19 10 11 63 40 23 67
5 -1 Yeovil Town 40 19 10 11 49 35 14 67
6 0 Blackpool 40 18 11 11 56 41 15 65
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
7 0 Swansea City 40 17 10 13 57 43 14 61  
8 0 Tranmere Rovers 40 16 11 13 48 43 5 59  
9 +2 Carlisle United (P) 40 16 11 13 46 46 0 59  
10 -1 Doncaster Rovers 40 14 13 13 43 41 2 55  
11 +1 Millwall (R) 40 16 7 17 49 53 -4 55  
12 -2 Port Vale 40 16 6 18 54 52 2 54  
13 +3 Brighton & Hove Albion (R) 40 14 10 16 45 48 -3 52  
14 -1 Crewe Alexandra (R) 40 15 7 18 59 64 -5 52  
15 -1 Huddersfield Town 40 12 15 13 51 60 -9 51  
16 +2 AFC Bournemouth 40 13 10 17 44 52 -8 49  
17 +2 Gillingham 40 14 7 19 48 69 -21 49  
18 -3 Northampton Town (P) 40 12 12 16 39 43 -4 48  
19 -2 Leyton Orient (P) 40 11 14 15 55 66 -11 47  
20 +2 Cheltenham Town (P) 40 12 7 21 39 56 -17 43
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
21 -1 Bradford City 40 10 11 19 42 56 -14 41
22 -1 Chesterfield 40 10 10 20 40 49 -9 40  
23 +1 Rotherham United (-10) 40 12 8 20 51 63 -12 34
24 -1 Brentford 40 7 13 20 32 61 -29 34

- S****horpe, Bristol and Nottingham Forest seem to have kept pace with each other over the last couple of matches. Yeovil has slipped a little but are still fairly secure, six points ahead of the best non-playoff team (Swansea, as you can see :p). Carlisle has been charging hard, but Milwall and Port Vale have looked half-arsed and Doncaster is really starting to slide. Tranmere hasn't been particularly impressive, either. Neither have Swansea, but at least they've pulled into the rear-view mirrors of Blackpool:spoton:

- time for the math again. Everyone from Doncaster up is officially safe, while Leyton Orient down are screwed, with Northampton, Gillingham and Bournemouth all but out of contention at this point. Furthermore, Brighton, Huddersfield and Crewe aren't looking like they have too good a chance.

- my friend Kier must be loving Div 1 this season. Not only are Bradford City in the red, but Oldham Athletic are seeming to be firmly in playoff position. Although Cheltenham is the only non-red team really in a pickle, all the other teams that are eliminated from the playoffs need to be wary. Provided nobody else wins (a football impossibility) Brentford is only three losses away from total elimination from the division, but wins for Cheltenham will bring that about much sooner. Same for Rotherham. Someone stick a fork in those two.

DIVISION TWO

1 0 Hartlepool United (R) 40 24 9 7 60 33 27 81
2 0 Walsall (R) 40 21 13 6 59 30 29 76
3 +2 Swindon Town (R) 39 22 7 10 52 35 17 73
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 -1 Milton Keynes Dons (R) 40 21 9 10 66 52 14 72
5 -1 Lincoln City 40 20 7 13 67 55 12 67
6 0 Stockport County 40 19 6 15 57 50 7 63
7 0 Wycombe Wanderers 40 16 12 12 46 36 10 60
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
8 +1 Shrewsbury Town 38 15 14 9 59 37 22 59
9 -1 Darlington 40 15 12 13 46 46 0 57  
10 0 Peterborough United 40 16 8 16 58 53 5 56  
11 0 Bristol Rovers 39 15 10 14 41 40 1 55  
12 +4 Notts County 40 14 12 14 49 48 1 54  
13 +4 Rochdale 39 14 10 15 57 44 13 52  
14 0 Mansfield Town 40 13 11 16 54 54 0 50  
15 -3 Chester City 40 13 11 16 38 41 -3 50  
16 -1 Hereford United (P) 40 13 11 16 42 48 -6 50  
17 -4 Grimsby Town 40 15 5 20 45 64 -19 50  
18 0 Barnet 40 13 10 17 47 60 -13 49  
19 +1 Bury 39 11 9 19 41 55 -14 42  
20 +2 Accrington Stanley (P) 40 10 11 19 58 70 -12 41  
21 -2 Macclesfield Town 39 10 11 18 47 63 -16 41  
22 +1 Wrexham 39 9 12 18 35 60 -25 39
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
23 -2 Boston United 40 10 9 21 44 70 -26 39
24 0 Torquay United 40 7 11 22 32 56 -24 32

- Wycombe may be in the last playoff spot at the moment, but ya gotta like Shrewsbury's chances of bumping them out, with those two games at hand. Even if they only took two out of six possible points from those matches, they'd be in position. As you can see, the four teams relegated from Div One last season appear to be firmly cemented in at least a decent playoff position. Rochdale really seems determined to get into the playoffs, too, so watch out for them, especially considering that they have a game in hand on all of the playoff teams and all but Bristol and Shrewsbury ahead of them. Bristol Rovers could sneak in as well.

- however, despite all this, Rochdale are not mathematically safe from relegation... yet. The magic number is currently 57, although that'll drop to 54 should Boston and/or Wrexham lose their next outing. Oddly enough, while ASFC are out of contention, Macclesfield can still max out at 62, so they're still in, if only by the math. (That shouldn't last too long.)

- I don't think Torquay is going to survive, even after they somehow pulled a victory out of the bag last match. Boston, on the other hand, is still very much alive. Or, looking at it from the other side, Bury, Acc. Stanley, Wrexham and Macclesfield are still very much in danger! It should make for some exciting football down the stretch.
Title: New Tables, New Thoughts - Conference Footy
Post by: DC76 on April 03, 2007, 05:03:19 AM
CONFERENCE NATIONAL

1 0 Dagenham & Redbridge 40 25 10 5 82 38 44 85
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 0 Oxford United (R) 41 19 15 7 58 30 28 72
 3 +1 Morecambe 40 19 11 10 52 41 11 68
 4 -1 York City 41 19 10 12 58 43 15 67
 5 +1 Burton Albion 40 19 9 12 42 40 2 66
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 6 -1 Exeter City 40 18 11 11 57 44 13 65  
7 0 Gravesend & Northfleet 39 17 10 12 51 47 4 61  
8 +1 Stevenage Borough 38 18 6 14 63 55 8 60  
9 -1 Weymouth (P) 40 17 7 16 50 61 -11 58  
10 +1 Aldershot Town 39 16 9 14 56 53 3 57  
11 -1 Kidderminster Harriers 38 15 9 14 39 43 -4 54
12 0 Rushden & Diamonds (R) 38 13 11 14 46 44 2 50  
13 +1 Crawley Town (-10) 40 16 10 14 49 45 4 48  
14 +5 Stafford Rangers (P) 40 13 9 18 45 63 -18 48  
15 -2 Woking 41 12 11 18 48 54 -6 47  
16 -1 Forest Green Rovers 40 11 14 15 48 56 -8 47  
17 -1 Altrincham 41 12 11 18 47 59 -12 47  
18 +3 Cambridge United 41 12 10 19 51 61 -10 46  
19 -1 Northwich Victoria (P) 35 14 3 18 43 55 -12 45  
20 +2 Grays Athletic 39 11 11 17 52 50 2 44  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
21 -1 Tamworth 40 12 8 20 41 54 -13 44
22 -5 Halifax Town 38 11 10 17 48 51 -3 43

23 +1 Southport 41 8 14 19 46 61 -15 38
24 -1 St Albans City (P) 40 9 9 22 52 76 -24 36

- Dagenham & Redbridge need only take three points from their last six matches to move on. At this rate, they may well set a Conference point record! If they were to win all six of their remaining matches, they'd finish with 103, seven better than the previous record.

- despite being in Dags & Reds' wake, the playoff teams still have a lot to play for. Matter of fact, if you consider the 40-game points max for the two teams out of the playoffs with games in hand (Gravesend & Northfleet would be at 64, Stevenage at 66), we are probably going to have one HELL of a dogfight at the top of the table, with seven teams fighting for four playoff spots. Weymouth and Aldershot can't be counted out yet, either.

- such is also the case at the bottom. St. Albans and Southport may be losing ground in a hurry, but it's going to be a right free-for-all for the other two red-zone inhabitants with only seven points separating the best of the eleven teams bolded (Rushden & Diamonds) and the worst (Halifax)! Despite the amazing play of Canadian Simeon Jackson for them, R&D are still very much in danger and need to keep pushing forward to stay in the National. That being said, they have only played 38 games where most in the bold print have played 40 or 41. This also plays in Halifax's favour. And Northwich, for some reason, have had really screwy scheduling, but this could work in their favour, BIG TIME, with their five-six games in hand. Their 40-game max total is sixty, which, if they had it, would not only put them two points out of the safe zone (62 points would guarantee no relegation), but also right into the thick of the already-heated playoff race! If only higher-level football were this tight! :D

- Another thing Simeon Jackson's play did, besides removing R&D from the red zone, was keep them in playoff contention. The minimum point total to have a chance at this point for a team that has played 40 games is 48. R&D have 50 and have only played 38. Northwich isn't out of contention because they've only played 35 games, which as I said is because of screwy scheduling and probably some cancellations as well.


CONFERENCE NORTH

1 0 Droylsden 36 19 8 9 77 52 25 65
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 0 Kettering Town 36 17 12 7 67 51 16 63
3 +1 Harrogate Town 37 17 11 9 53 33 20 62
4 -1 Workington 36 18 7 11 54 40 14 61
5 +1 Hinckley United 35 16 10 9 54 46 8 58
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
6 -1 Hyde United 37 15 11 11 70 53 17 56  
7 +3 Blyth Spartans (P) 36 15 9 12 48 43 5 54  
8 -1 Moor Green 37 15 9 13 49 46 3 54  
9 +2 Hucknall Town 38 15 8 15 66 62 4 53  
10 -2 Farsley Celtic (P) 35 14 11 10 41 41 0 53  
11 -2 Worcester City 37 13 13 11 60 51 9 52  
12 +1 Nuneaton Borough 37 12 14 11 47 41 6 50  
13 -1 Alfreton Town 37 13 10 14 41 45 -4 49  
14 0 Barrow 36 11 12 13 43 42 1 45  
15 0 Worksop Town 37 12 9 16 42 54 -12 45  
16 +2 Gainsborough Trinity 35 12 8 15 44 52 -8 44  
17 0 Stalybridge Celtic 36 12 8 16 60 74 -14 44  
18 +3 Redditch United 36 11 10 15 54 58 -4 43  
19 -3 Vauxhall Motors 36 10 12 14 53 58 -5 42
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
20 0 Leigh RMI 36 11 6 19 41 57 -16 39
21 -2 Scarborough (R) (-10) 37 11 15 11 45 39 6 38
22 0 Lancaster City (-10) 35 2 3 30 24 95 -71 -1 Relegated

- let's face it, there are logjams at both ends of the tables. Lancaster has been mathematically eliminated and they've played the fewest games in the division! But other than them, nothing is certain. Only four points separating first from fourth. And only six separating fifth from eleventh. And I thought the eleven-team logjam in the National was potentially exciting! :D

- the math says that at this exact point in the season, you have to be in the playoffs to be safe from relegation and in the red-zone to be completely out of playoff contention. How feckin wacky is that?

- there's an eight-team logjam between Scarborough and Barrow, which could yet prove interesting as those teams battle to stay out of the two remaining drop spots. Basically, it's now like a 21-team league with two relegation spots, coz let's face it, Lancaster... two wins, three draws, and a ten-point ding. You do the math. PURE, UNMITIGATED CRAP.


CONFERENCE SOUTH

1 0 Histon 34 23 4 7 69 36 33 73
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 0 Salisbury City (P) 34 18 9 7 55 28 27 63
3 0 Havant & Waterlooville 35 18 9 8 61 38 23 63
4 0 Bishop's Stortford 34 18 7 9 58 50 8 61
5 +1 Braintree Town (P) 35 17 10 8 42 34 8 61
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
6 -1 Welling United 34 18 4 12 58 43 15 58  
7 0 Lewes 36 13 14 9 62 47 15 53  
8 +1 Newport County 32 16 4 12 61 42 19 52  
9 -1 Eastbourne Borough 32 13 13 6 44 28 16 52  
10 0 Fisher Athletic (P) 36 14 10 12 69 60 9 52  
11 0 Sutton United 36 13 8 15 52 53 -1 47  
12 +2 Farnborough Town (-10) 36 16 8 12 51 45 6 46  
13 -1 Yeading 36 12 9 15 53 62 -9 45  
14 +1 Bognor Regis Town 35 11 11 13 47 53 -6 44  
15 -2 Cambridge City 35 12 7 16 35 45 -10 43  
16 0 Dorchester Town 36 10 10 16 41 64 -23 40  
17 0 Eastleigh 34 9 10 15 35 44 -9 37  
18 0 Thurrock 35 9 9 17 50 69 -19 36  
19 0 Weston-super-Mare 36 8 10 18 40 60 -20 34  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 20 +1 Hayes 36 8 9 19 38 65 -27 33
21 -1 Basingstoke Town 35 5 14 16 39 56 -17 29
22 0 Bedford Town (P) 36 6 5 25 33 71 -38 23

- this division's a little more one-sided than its northern counterpart. Histon have opened up a 10-point lead and I think it would take a complete catastrophe for them to fall out of top spot. Obviously they're not Dags & Reds, who need three points to seal the whole damn show :p

- The playoff race could turn into a six-horse race if Lewes doesn't smarten up and Newport and/or Eastbourne take advantage of the games they have in hand on Welling and knot them up at 58, three back of the last playoff spot. Fisher is way behind. And Sutton? All but toast at this point. A win for Braintree would practically eliminate them from contention. The current contention basement is 43, but a Braintree win would make it 46. Poor Farnborough. If not for the 10-point ding, they'd be right in the thick of the race!

- it's a little closer at the other end of the table, with Weston, Eastleigh and Thurrock looking over their shoulders at Hayes and Basingstoke having a game in hand on the same. Bedford is all but out at this point. Relegation "danger ceiling" (where the current best team in the red can max out) is 51.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: Lew on April 03, 2007, 05:43:08 PM
I have a slight soft spot for Southend, because they are the most local team to me in the football league I suppose.

Also I support my local town Canvey Island, however we are only in the Ryman Division 1 North or something sh1tty like that though.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 03, 2007, 08:08:47 PM
Too bad Southend are in the red, eh? Oh well, they still have plenty of life. I'm hoping Barnsley goes under, myself, so perhaps SEU could do me a favour and knock them out :p
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: Lew on April 03, 2007, 08:37:18 PM
Yeah it's a shame to see Southend down there, hopefully they will survive though.

Then I can say to all my mate's next season, "hey, you going to watch West Ham play Southend on Saturday?"

Hahah :D
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 03, 2007, 09:06:06 PM
:rofl: Lew... well, given my hatred for the Spammers (second only to the Abominations Causing Football Desolation), that would make ME a happy camper, too :D
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: Lew on April 04, 2007, 08:45:47 AM
Most of my mates (shameful to call them mates) support West Ham down here, and it would be a great honour to be able to say that to them. All I can do is hope I suppose.. :)
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 09, 2007, 09:21:32 PM
I've got some catching up to do :p

CHAMPIONSHIP

Apr 9, 07     Southampton  1 - 2 Sunderland
Apr 9, 07     Stoke 2 - 1 Crystal Palace
Apr 9, 07     Queens PR 3 - 2 Luton
Apr 9, 07     Norwich 1 - 2 West Bromwich
Apr 9, 07     Burnley 2 - 0 Cardiff
Apr 9, 07     Wolverhampton 3 - 1 Hull
Apr 9, 07     Sheffield W 2 - 0 Ipswich
Apr 9, 07     Plymouth 3 - 0     Leicester
Apr 9, 07     Colchester 2 - 1 Leeds
Apr 9, 07     Preston 2 - 3     Southend
Apr 9, 07     Derby 1 - 1 Coventry
Apr 9, 07     Barnsley 1 - 0     Birmingham
Apr 7, 07     Sunderland 2 - 1 Wolverhampton
Apr 7, 07     Cardiff 1 - 2 Sheffield W
Apr 7, 07     West Bromwich 1 - 3 Stoke
Apr 7, 07     Luton     0 - 2  Southampton
Apr 7, 07     Ipswich 5 - 1 Barnsley
Apr 7, 07     Coventry 0 - 1     Queens PR
Apr 7, 07     Leeds     2 - 1     Plymouth
Apr 7, 07     Crystal Palace     3 - 0     Preston
Apr 7, 07     Birmingham 0 - 1 Burnley
Apr 6, 07     Hull 1 - 2 Norwich
Apr 6, 07     Leicester 1 - 1 Derby
Apr 6, 07     Southend 0 - 3     Colchester
Apr 3, 07     Queens PR 1 - 0 Preston
Apr 3, 07     Burnley 4 - 0     Plymouth
Apr 1, 07     Birmingham 3 - 0 Coventry

And the tables:

1 +2 Sunderland (R) 42 24 7 11 65 41 24 79
2 -1 Derby County 42 23 9 10 58 42 16 78
3 -1 Birmingham City (R) 41 22 8 11 58 37 21 74
4 +1 West Bromwich Albion (R) 42 20 10 12 71 51 20 70
5 +1 Wolverhampton Wanderers 42 20 9 13 49 50 -1 69
6 -2 Preston North End 42 20 8 14 59 50 9 68
7 +2 Stoke City 42 18 13 11 56 37 19 67  
8 -1 Southampton 42 18 12 12 70 50 20 66  
9 +1 Colchester United (P) 42 19 8 15 65 49 16 65  
10 -2 Cardiff City 42 17 12 13 55 47 8 63  
11 0 Sheffield Wednesday 42 17 11 14 64 61 3 62  
12 0 Crystal Palace 42 16 10 16 53 47 6 58  
13 0 Plymouth Argyle 42 13 16 13 55 59 -4 55  
14 +1 Ipswich Town 42 16 6 20 57 55 2 54  
15 -1 Coventry City 42 15 8 19 44 54 -10 53  
16 0 Norwich City 41 15 8 18 51 62 -11 53  
17 +2 Burnley 41 13 12 16 43 41 2 51  
18 +3 Queens Park Rangers 42 13 10 19 51 63 -12 49  
19 -2 Leicester City 41 11 14 16 44 56 -12 47  
20 -2 Hull City 42 12 8 22 47 63 -16 44  
21 -1 Barnsley (P) 42 13 5 24 48 76 -28 44  
22 +1 Leeds United 42 12 6 24 44 68 -24 42
23 -1 Southend United (P) 42 10 12 20 43 68 -25 42
24 0 Luton Town 42 9 10 23 49 72 -23 37

Notes:

- Both Jaime Peters and Jason DeVos were in the lineup for Ipswich's 5-1 decimation of Barnsley. Peters even assisted on two goals! Yay for Canadians! :D

Who's hot:

Burnley - outscored opposition 7-0 in the last three matches
Queens Park Rangers - 3 straight 1-goal victories send QPR flying out of the immediate danger zone.
Sunderland - in the last two or three weeks, they've leapfrogged both Birmingham and Derby to claim top spot

Who's not:

Preston North End - Much to my delight, the Northenders have taken a massive tumble - they have yet to win in April, although the month is still young, but more importantly, they let the slipping Stoke and Southampton right back into the playoff hunt!
Cardiff - their chances of Premiership football took a huge nosedive with two losses in three days, as they were outscored 4-1 over that stretch

Playoff hunt minimum: 56
Relegation danger ceiling: 54

(I'll bet Plymouth's pretty bored :D)
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 09, 2007, 09:31:26 PM
DIVISION ONE

Apr 9, 07      Yeovil      2 - 1      Leyton Orient
Apr 9, 07     Nottingham Forest     1 - 1     Rotherham
Apr 9, 07     Gillingham     1 - 0     Bristol City
Apr 9, 07     Cheltenham     0 - 0     Chesterfield
Apr 9, 07     Swansea     3 - 0     Port Vale
Apr 9, 07     Huddersfield     0 - 2     Blackpool
Apr 9, 07     Crewe     3 - 1     Brentford
Apr 9, 07     Bradford     1 - 1     Oldham
Apr 9, 07     Tranmere     2 - 1     Brighton
Apr 9, 07     Northampton     2 - 1     S****horpe
Apr 9, 07     Doncaster     1 - 2     Millwall
Apr 9, 07     Carlisle     3 - 1     Bournemouth
Apr 7, 07     Oldham     1 - 1     Huddersfield
Apr 7, 07     Chesterfield     2 - 1     Crewe
Apr 7, 07     Brentford     0 - 2     Cheltenham
Apr 7, 07     Port Vale     0 - 2     Carlisle
Apr 7, 07     Leyton Orient     0 - 2     Northampton
Apr 7, 07     Brighton     0 - 2     Doncaster
Apr 7, 07     Blackpool     3 - 2     Tranmere
Apr 7, 07     Rotherham     3 - 2     Gillingham
Apr 7, 07     Millwall     1 - 0     Nottingham Forest
Apr 7, 07     Bristol City     0 - 0     Swansea
Apr 7, 07     Bournemouth     1 - 1     Bradford
Apr 6, 07     S****horpe     1 - 0     Yeovil

And the tables:

1 0 S****horpe United 42 23 13 6 65 32 33 82  
2 0 Bristol City 42 22 10 10 55 36 19 76  
3 0 Nottingham Forest 42 20 12 10 55 38 17 72  
4 +2 Blackpool 42 20 11 11 61 43 18 71  
5 0 Yeovil Town 42 20 10 12 51 37 14 70  
6 -2 Oldham Athletic 42 19 12 11 65 42 23 69  
7 0 Swansea City 42 18 11 13 60 43 17 65  
8 +1 Carlisle United (P) 42 18 11 13 51 47 4 65  
9 -1 Tranmere Rovers 42 17 11 14 52 47 5 62  
10 +1 Millwall (R) 42 18 7 17 52 54 -2 61  
11 -1 Doncaster Rovers 42 15 13 14 46 43 3 58  
12 +2 Crewe Alexandra (R) 42 16 7 19 63 67 -4 55  
13 +5 Northampton Town (P) 42 14 12 16 43 44 -1 54  
14 -2 Port Vale 42 16 6 20 54 57 -3 54  
15 -2 Brighton & Hove Albion (R) 42 14 10 18 46 52 -6 52  
16 -1 Huddersfield Town 42 12 16 14 52 63 -11 52  
17 0 Gillingham 42 15 7 20 51 72 -21 52  
18 -2 AFC Bournemouth 42 13 11 18 46 56 -10 50  
19 0 Leyton Orient (P) 42 11 14 17 56 70 -14 47  
20 0 Cheltenham Town (P) 42 13 8 21 41 56 -15 47  
21 +1 Chesterfield 42 11 11 20 42 50 -8 44  
22 -1 Bradford City 42 10 13 19 44 58 -14 43  
23 0 Rotherham United (-10) 42 13 9 20 55 66 -11 38
24 0 Brentford 42 7 13 22 33 66 -33 34

Notes:

- a win for S****horpe or a loss for Nottingham Forest and S****horpe have clinched promotion

- a win for S****horpe and a loss for Bristol and S****horpe have pretty much clinched first place

Who's hot: Milwall, Blackpool, Northampton, Carlisle
Who's not: PORT VALE (outscored 5 to ZEE-ro in the last two), Brighton, Bristol City

Playoff race minimum: 57
Relegation danger ceiling: 56
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 09, 2007, 09:58:21 PM
Apr 9, 07      Wrexham      0 - 1      Notts County
Apr 9, 07     Stockport     2 - 0     Chester
Apr 9, 07     Peterborough     2 - 0     Mansfield
Apr 9, 07     Darlington     1 - 1     Lincoln C
Apr 9, 07     Swindon Town     2 - 1     Torquay
Apr 9, 07     Rochdale     0 - 2     Barnet
Apr 9, 07     Grimsby     2 - 2     Wycombe
Apr 9, 07     Boston     4 - 1     Macclesfield
Apr 9, 07     Walsall     1 - 0     Hereford
Apr 9, 07     Shrewsbury     2 - 1     Milton Keynes
Apr 9, 07     Hartlepool     1 - 0     Accrington
Apr 9, 07     Bristol Rovers     2 - 0     Bury
Apr 7, 07     Wycombe     1 - 1     Shrewsbury
Apr 7, 07     Milton Keynes     1 - 2     Grimsby
Apr 7, 07     Lincoln C     0 - 0     Stockport
Apr 7, 07     Bury     0 - 1     Rochdale
Apr 7, 07     Notts County     2 - 0     Boston
Apr 7, 07     Macclesfield     2 - 0     Wrexham
Apr 7, 07     Accrington     3 - 2     Peterborough
Apr 7, 07     Torquay     1 - 2     Walsall
Apr 7, 07     Mansfield     0 - 1     Bristol Rovers
Apr 7, 07     Hereford     0 - 0     Swindon Town
Apr 7, 07     Barnet     2 - 1     Hartlepool
Apr 6, 07     Chester     1 - 1     Darlington
Apr 3, 07     Rochdale     0 - 0     Swindon Town
Apr 3, 07     Shrewsbury     1 - 3     Bury

And the tables:

1 0 Hartlepool United (R) 42 25 9 8 62 35 27 84
2 0 Walsall (R) 42 23 13 6 62 31 31 82
3 0 Swindon Town (R) 42 23 9 10 54 36 18 78
4 0 Milton Keynes Dons (R) 42 21 9 12 68 56 12 72
5 0 Lincoln City 42 20 9 13 68 56 12 69
6 0 Stockport County 42 20 7 15 59 50 9 67
7 +1 Shrewsbury Town 41 16 15 10 63 42 21 63
8 -1 Wycombe Wanderers 42 16 14 12 49 39 10 62  
9 +2 Bristol Rovers 41 17 10 14 44 40 4 61  
10 +2 Notts County 42 16 12 14 52 48 4 60  
11 -1 Peterborough United 42 17 8 17 62 56 6 59  
12 -3 Darlington 42 15 14 13 48 48 0 59  
13 0 Rochdale 42 15 11 16 58 46 12 56  
14 +4 Barnet 42 15 10 17 51 61 -10 55  
15 +2 Grimsby Town 42 16 6 20 49 67 -18 54  
16 -1 Chester City 42 13 12 17 39 44 -5 51  
17 -1 Hereford United (P) 42 13 12 17 42 49 -7 51  
18 -4 Mansfield Town 42 13 11 18 54 57 -3 50  
19 0 Bury 42 12 9 21 44 59 -15 45  
20 0 Accrington Stanley (P) 42 11 11 20 61 73 -12 44  
21 0 Macclesfield Town 41 11 11 19 50 67 -17 44  
22 +1 Boston United 42 11 9 22 48 73 -25 42  
23 -1 Wrexham 41 9 12 20 35 63 -28 39
24 0 Torquay United 42 7 11 24 34 60 -26 32

Notes:

- Hartlepool have all but clinched promotion (need a point or a Milton Keynes loss or draw) and Walsall can join them with a win.
- A loss or draw will eliminate Torquay from the League

Who's hot: Walsall (who have closed the gap between them and Hartlepool to a deuce), Barnet, Bristol Rovers
Who's not: Torquay (that goes without saying :th_lolsign: ), Mansfield, Wrexham (both of these outscored 3-0 in the last two)

Playoff race minimum: 51 (it will go up to 54 if Shrewsbury wins their game in hand)
Relegation danger ceiling: also 51 :p
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: keane on berbatov on April 09, 2007, 10:01:17 PM
YOrk City for promotion from the playoffs :spoton:
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 11, 2007, 07:51:18 PM
You can only hope, eh? ;)

I'll put the Conference stats up when I get home - I'm in Victoria right now to have a grad photo taken of our UVic Linguistics gang :D
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 12, 2007, 12:20:00 AM
CONFERENCE NATIONAL

Apr 11, 07      Northwich      2 - 0      Dag & Red
Apr 10, 07     York     3 - 1     Rushden & D
Apr 9, 07     Morecambe     4 - 0     Halifax
Apr 9, 07     Cambridge U     4 - 2     Dag & Red
Apr 9, 07     Kidderminster     0 - 1     Woking
Apr 9, 07     Altrincham     0 - 2     Gravesend
Apr 9, 07     Tamworth     1 - 1     St Albans
Apr 9, 07     Grays     1 - 0     Northwich
Apr 9, 07     Aldershot     4 - 2     Stafford Rangers
Apr 9, 07     Southport     3 - 1     Burton
Apr 9, 07     Forest Green     4 - 4     Stevenage
Apr 9, 07     Oxford Utd     4 - 1     Weymouth
Apr 9, 07     Crawley     0 - 3     Exeter
Apr 7, 07     Stevenage     3 - 3     Morecambe
Apr 7, 07     Halifax     1 - 0     Cambridge U
Apr 7, 07     Stafford Rangers     0 - 1     Crawley
Apr 7, 07     Gravesend     1 - 1     Forest Green
Apr 7, 07     St Albans     1 - 5     Altrincham
Apr 7, 07     Exeter     1 - 0     Tamworth
Apr 7, 07     Woking     1 - 0     Grays
Apr 7, 07     Rushden & D     2 - 3     Southport
Apr 7, 07     Dag & Red     2 - 1     Aldershot
Apr 7, 07     Weymouth     1 - 1     Kidderminster
Apr 7, 07     Northwich     1 - 0     Oxford Utd
Apr 7, 07     Burton     1 - 2     York
Apr 3, 07     Stevenage     1 - 2     Kidderminster
Apr 3, 07     Tamworth     0 - 1     Northwich
Apr 3, 07     Aldershot     3 - 2     Exeter
Apr 3, 07     Forest Green     0 - 0     Grays
Apr 3, 07     Gravesend     2 - 0     Halifax
Apr 3, 07     Rushden & D     4 - 1     Weymouth
Apr 3, 07     St Albans     0 - 2     Morecambe

Table:

1 0 Dagenham & Redbridge 43 26 10 7 86 45 41 88
2 0 Oxford United (R) 43 20 15 8 62 32 30 75
3 0 Morecambe 43 21 12 10 61 44 17 75
 4 0 York City 43 21 10 12 63 45 18 73
 5 +1 Exeter City 43 20 11 12 63 47 16 71
 6 +1 Gravesend & Northfleet 42 19 11 12 56 48 8 68  
7 -2 Burton Albion 42 19 9 14 44 45 -1 66  
8 +1 Aldershot Town 42 18 9 15 64 59 5 63  
9 -1 Stevenage Borough 41 18 8 15 71 64 7 62  
10 0 Weymouth (P) 43 17 8 18 53 70 -17 59  
11 0 Kidderminster Harriers 41 16 10 15 42 46 -4 58  
12 +3 Northwich Victoria (P) 39 17 3 19 47 56 -9 54  
13 -1 Rushden & Diamonds (R) 41 14 11 16 53 51 2 53  
14 +3 Woking 43 14 11 18 50 54 -4 53  
15 -2 Crawley Town (-10) 42 17 10 15 50 48 2 51  
16 -2 Forest Green Rovers 43 11 17 15 53 61 -8 50  
17 +1 Altrincham 43 13 11 19 52 62 -10 50  
18 +1 Cambridge United 43 13 10 20 55 64 -9 49  
19 +1 Grays Athletic 42 12 12 18 53 51 2 48  
20 -4 Stafford Rangers (P) 42 13 9 20 47 68 -21 48  
21 +1 Halifax Town 41 12 10 19 49 57 -8 46  
22 -1 Tamworth 43 12 9 22 42 57 -15 45  
23 0 Southport 43 10 14 19 52 64 -12 44  
24 0 St Albans City (P) 43 9 10 24 54 84 -30 37

Notes:

- Dags & Reds have clinched first place and a spot in the League next season.

- St. Albans is all but officially relegated as Halifax has two games in hand on them and are nine up. One more point will seal the deal.

Who's hot: Morecambe, Gravesend & Northfleet, York
Who's not: St. Albans, Tamworth

The Canuck Files:

- Despite being on a two-game losing streak, R&D continues to get great play from Canadian M Simeon Jackson, who tallied in both of said losses. He has been a bastion of consistency in an otherwise mostly streaky lineup for the Diamonds. (Michael Rankine's been money of late, too)

- Canadian M Ross Smith scored his second goal of the season against Halifax in the 2-0 victory there.

Playoff race minimum: 62
Relegation danger ceiling: 58
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: COYS on April 14, 2007, 02:44:48 PM
Being from Essex i would love to see Southend keep clear of relegation and Col u hopefully get into the play offs. It would be great to see an essex club in the premiership at long last. Although i don't think it will happen.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 15, 2007, 03:45:41 AM
The latest...

CHAMPIONSHIP

Apr 14, 07      Sunderland      2 - 1      Queens PR
Apr 14, 07     Leicester     1 - 2     Norwich
Apr 14, 07     Hull     1 - 1     Colchester
Apr 14, 07     Cardiff     1 - 1     Stoke
Apr 14, 07     Luton     1 - 2     Plymouth
Apr 14, 07     Ipswich     2 - 1     Derby
Apr 14, 07     Coventry     0 - 4     Preston
Apr 14, 07     Southend     1 - 3     Barnsley
Apr 14, 07     Leeds     1 - 0     Burnley
Apr 14, 07     Crystal Palace     2 - 2     Wolverhampton
Apr 14, 07     Birmingham     2 - 1     Southampton
Apr 13, 07     West Bromwich     0 - 1     Sheffield W

DIVISION ONE

Apr 14, 07      S****horpe      2 - 0      Huddersfield
Apr 14, 07     Oldham     0 - 2     Cheltenham
Apr 14, 07     Chesterfield     0 - 1     Gillingham
Apr 14, 07     Brentford     2 - 4     Nottingham Forest
Apr 14, 07     Port Vale     3 - 0     Crewe
Apr 14, 07     Leyton Orient     1 - 1     Doncaster
Apr 14, 07     Brighton     0 - 1     Bradford
Apr 14, 07     Blackpool     4 - 1     Northampton
Apr 14, 07     Rotherham     0 - 1     Carlisle
Apr 14, 07     Millwall     2 - 2     Tranmere
Apr 14, 07     Bristol City     2 - 0     Yeovil
Apr 14, 07     Bournemouth     2 - 2     Swansea

DIVISION TWO

Apr 14, 07      Notts County      1 - 2      Walsall
Apr 14, 07     Macclesfield     2 - 0     Stockport
Apr 14, 07     Bury     0 - 1     Swindon Town
Apr 14, 07     Torquay     1 - 1     Peterborough
Apr 14, 07     Mansfield     1 - 2     Rochdale
Apr 14, 07     Hereford     3 - 0     Boston
Apr 14, 07     Accrington     4 - 1     Grimsby
Apr 14, 07     Wycombe     0 - 1     Hartlepool
Apr 14, 07     Milton Keynes     1 - 0     Darlington
Apr 14, 07     Lincoln C     0 - 3     Wrexham
Apr 14, 07     Barnet     1 - 1     Bristol Rovers

CONFERENCE NATIONAL

Apr 14, 07      Woking      3 - 3      Forest Green
Apr 14, 07     Stafford Rangers 0 - 0     York
Apr 14, 07     Northwich     2 - 1     Crawley
Apr 14, 07     Exeter     2 - 0     Cambridge U
Apr 14, 07     Stevenage     3 - 0     Tamworth
Apr 14, 07     Rushden & D     0 - 1     Kidderminster
Apr 14, 07     Gravesend     0 - 4     Southport
Apr 14, 07     Burton     3 - 0     Grays
Apr 14, 07     Weymouth     2 - 1     Morecambe
Apr 14, 07     St Albans     0 - 2     Oxford Utd
Apr 14, 07     Halifax     2 - 0     Aldershot
Apr 14, 07     Dag & Red     4 - 1     Altrincham

CONFERENCE NORTH

Apr 14, 07      Workington      1 - 2      Gainsborough
Apr 14, 07     Leigh     1 - 0     Nuneaton
Apr 14, 07     Hucknall     2 - 2     Redditch
Apr 14, 07     Droylsden     1 - 0     Moor Green
Apr 14, 07     Scarborough     0 - 1     Stalybridge
Apr 14, 07     Hyde     2 - 1     Alfreton
Apr 14, 07     Harrogate Town     1 - 1     Barrow
Apr 14, 07     Worcester     2 - 1     Worksop
Apr 14, 07     Lancaster City     1 - 2     Farsley
Apr 14, 07     Hinckley United     3 - 1     Kettering
Apr 14, 07     Blyth     1 - 2     Vauxhall Motors
Apr 9, 07     Vauxhall Motors     4 - 1     Lancaster City
Apr 9, 07     Nuneaton     2 - 1     Hucknall
Apr 9, 07     Gainsborough     0 - 0     Leigh
Apr 9, 07     Alfreton     0 - 2     Worcester
Apr 9, 07     Worksop     0 - 2     Droylsden
Apr 9, 07     Kettering     3 - 1     Harrogate Town
Apr 9, 07     Barrow     1 - 2     Hyde
Apr 9, 07     Stalybridge     1 - 2     Workington
Apr 9, 07     Moor Green     1 - 2     Scarborough
Apr 9, 07     Farsley     3 - 0     Blyth
Apr 7, 07     Scarborough     1 - 3     Nuneaton
Apr 7, 07     Harrogate Town     2 - 2     Redditch
Apr 7, 07     Worcester     1 - 1     Gainsborough
Apr 7, 07     Lancaster City     0 - 1     Kettering
Apr 7, 07     Hinckley United     1 - 1     Vauxhall Motors
Apr 7, 07     Blyth     1 - 0     Stalybridge
Apr 7, 07     Workington     1 - 1     Alfreton
Apr 7, 07     Leigh     2 - 2     Moor Green
Apr 7, 07     Droylsden     2 - 1     Barrow
Apr 6, 07     Hyde     3 - 4     Farsley
Apr 3, 07     Kettering     3 - 2     Farsley
Apr 3, 07     Lancaster City     0 - 0     Leigh
Apr 3, 07     Stalybridge     2 - 2     Hinckley United

CONFERENCE SOUTH

Apr 14, 07      Yeading      0 - 1      Braintree
Apr 14, 07     Sutton United     3 - 1     Eastbourne
Apr 14, 07     Histon     1 - 0     Welling
Apr 14, 07     Thurrock     1 - 1     Bognor Regis
Apr 14, 07     Lewes     2 - 0     Hayes
Apr 14, 07     Eastleigh     1 - 0     Dorchester
Apr 14, 07     Weston-super-Mare     1 - 3     Basingstoke
Apr 14, 07     Newport County     4 - 3     Salisbury
Apr 14, 07     Farnborough     2 - 1     Havant & Waterloville
Apr 14, 07     Bishops Stortford     2 - 2     Bedford
Apr 11, 07     Eastleigh     1 - 1     Eastbourne
Apr 11, 07     Bishops Stortford     0 - 2     Braintree
Apr 11, 07     Welling     1 - 0     Cambridge City
Apr 11, 07     Hayes     0 - 1     Newport County
Apr 9, 07     Salisbury     0 - 3     Histon
Apr 9, 07     Fisher Athletic     2 - 1     Sutton United
Apr 9, 07     Braintree     0 - 1     Thurrock
Apr 9, 07     Basingstoke     1 - 0     Bishops Stortford
Apr 9, 07     Welling     1 - 0     Farnborough
Apr 9, 07     Havant & Waterloville     1 - 1     Eastleigh
Apr 9, 07     Dorchester     3 - 2     Yeading
Apr 9, 07     Bedford     2 - 1     Weston-super-Mare
Apr 9, 07     Eastbourne     2 - 1     Cambridge City
Apr 9, 07     Bognor Regis     1 - 1     Lewes
Apr 7, 07     Thurrock     0 - 1     Hayes
Apr 7, 07     Lewes     1 - 1     Havant & Waterloville
Apr 7, 07     Eastleigh     4 - 0     Fisher Athletic
Apr 7, 07     Weston-super-Mare     2 - 4     Eastbourne
Apr 7, 07     Newport County     2 - 0     Bedford
Apr 7, 07     Farnborough     2 - 1     Braintree
Apr 7, 07     Bishops Stortford     4 - 3     Dorchester
Apr 7, 07     Yeading     0 - 1     Welling
Apr 7, 07     Sutton United     0 - 1     Salisbury
Apr 7, 07     Histon     2 - 1     Bognor Regis
Apr 7, 07     Cambridge City     0 - 1     Basingstoke
Apr 4, 07     Welling     1 - 2     Salisbury
Apr 3, 07     Basingstoke     0 - 0     Lewes
Apr 3, 07     Histon     2 - 1     Cambridge City
Apr 3, 07     Dorchester     0 - 0     Eastbourne
Apr 3, 07     Hayes     3 - 1     Bedford
Apr 3, 07     Bishops Stortford     2 - 2     Newport County
Apr 2, 07     Fisher Athletic     3 - 0     Braintree
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 15, 2007, 04:32:25 AM
Some table notes:

CHAMPIONSHIP

- Sunderland are now four clear of Derby and five clear of Birmingham.
- With three matches remaining, Derby has clinched at least a playoff spot and Birmingham need only a point or for Stoke to drop points (lose or draw, IOW) to do so as well.
- with their surprise win over the Rams, Ipswich are now safe from relegation. The current danger ceiling is 54 points, and they now have 57, while Norwich County has 56 and a game in hand on the Tractor Boys.
- Hull has slipped into a points draw with Leeds, and are only out of the red zone by goal differential, thanks to Leeds and Barnsley both registering wins while Hull managed a mere draw. (Seeing red again...)
- Luton is still not mathematically eliminated, but they must win all three of their remaining games to even have a chance.
- The current playoff race minimum is up to 61, meaning Crystal Palace has been eliminated.

DIVISION ONE

- S****horpe U is only a win away from clinching first place. They've already sealed their entry into Championship next season with their 2-0 victory over Hudds Town.
- The worst Bristol City can do now is make the playoffs.
- playoff race minimum is 60 on the dot. Soz BRP, Brighton's out of the hunt.
- the relegation danger ceiling is 55, and it didn't help anyone that BHAFC lost to Bradford 1-buzz.
- with three matches left, Brentford and Rotherham are officially relegated from Division One.

DIVISION TWO

- Hartlepool and Walsall are officially promoted. Now all that's left to determine is placing and playoff positions.
- the worst Swindon and Milton Keynes can do now is a playoff spot.
- a Milton Keynes loss will all but assure Swindon of promotion.
- the current playoff minimum is 54, but keep in mind that Shrewsbury has only played 41 matches where most teams have played 43. A more realistic number at this point would probably be 58, which is against Stockport's 67.
- Torquay's elimination is all but official. One point from Boston will seal the deal.

CONFERENCE NATIONAL

- We all know about Dags & Reds :p
- If everyone had played the same 44 matches, we could say the playoff minimum is 68, but that's not quite the case.

1. Stevenage Borough only has 65 points, but has two games in hand on 5th-place York as well (for a 71-point max). So they're very much alive at this point.
2. Northwich has four games in hand and 57 points, so they'd be alive, albeit barely, if they had the 44-game max based on that total (69).

- the relegation danger ceiling is 58. Why not 57? Because while 4th-from-last Grays has 48 points, they also have this little thing called a game in hand :p So if Grays and Stafford were to both win their next match, Cambridge would be in the red zone, and they have 49 points.
- St. Albans is officially relegated and have been for a couple of weeks now. Tamworth will join them if they lose one more match.

CONFERENCE NORTH

- Droylsden and Kettering have clinched at least a berth in the playoffs.
- the minimum for playoffs at this point is 57, although Hinckley has two games in hand on the teams with the maximum number of games played, so a more conservative guess would be 58, going against Harrogate's 64.
- the danger ceiling for relegation is 51.
- Leigh is out of the red for now at Worksop's expense (um... who's not hot? WORKSOP! :D) but Worksop also has a game in hand on Leigh, who somehow managed to not beat Lancaster. So Leigh's still in big trouble.
- Lancaster is finally out of the hole. Their point total is no longer in the negative. Not that that matters at this point - they're going under one way or another
:th_lolsign:

CONFERENCE SOUTH

- no surprise here, Histon has clinched promotion.
- for most teams, the playoff minimum would be 57, but Lewes has 59 and they're out of the race, because they only have two matches left! The pace is set against Bishop's Stortford's 66 points.
- Basingstoke is out of the red, but also have a game in hand on Hayes so they can put distance between themselves and that red line with a win.
- danger ceiling is 45.
- Bedford is toast, and a loss for Weston combined with a Basingstoke win and at least a draw by Thurrock would be enough to put that side ten feet under.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: keane on berbatov on April 21, 2007, 05:43:34 PM
York City winning today all but guarantees them a playoff spot.

Shame Clayton Donaldson wont be here next season though, he's signed a pre contract agreement with hibs :fyou:
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: Georginho on April 21, 2007, 06:49:06 PM
:third: DAGENHAM AND REDBRIDGE FC! I go to some of their matches......they are awesome. I'm forever a Spurs supporter but Daggers are kinda local so I support them a bit ( not as much as the mighty Spurs! ). Going into League 2 aswell so it should be good for them.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: keane on berbatov on April 21, 2007, 07:03:34 PM
Haven't dagenham finished first and not third though? :taunt:

Might be York that gets to finish third this year.

Hopefully see you next year in league 2 :third:
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: Georginho on April 21, 2007, 11:08:24 PM
Oh right sorry about that I meant first, it was just a trophy smile i picked out on the list. Yep they have won the conference already and are heading to the Football League! I saw York City play at Dagenham earlier this season aswell! Hopefully they will follow Dagenham into the Football League! Oh and by the way your manager really yells at his players.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 22, 2007, 12:01:36 AM
Quote from: keane on berbatov;4692
York City winning today all but guarantees them a playoff spot.

Still tight at the moment, but a draw should suffice. They're playing Oxford, though, so they should also be rooting for Rushden & Diamonds to beat Burton and/or for an impossible victory for Southport over Exeter. ;)

I'll wait until Monday to update the Championship table notes. By then WBA should have played their game in hand. Yes, it's worth delaying. :p

DIVISION ONE
(Two Matches Remain)

- a win or a Nott. Forest loss will put Bristol City into the Championship for next season.

- in the meantime, Forest and Blackpool have clinched playoff spots. Yeovil's looking good to make the playoffs, but it still isn't official yet. Oldham, Swansea and Carlisle are in for a nice 3-way dogfight! :D

- Chesterfield's not officially out yet, but it'd take a miracle for them to stay up at this point. Bradford pretty much has to win both games as well. Although the danger ceiling is 52 for relegation, I'd bet money on anyone above 50 staying up, especially given that a Bradford loss will mean another year in Division One for anyone with 51 or more points ;)

DIVISION TWO
(two matches remain for all but four teams)

- Hartlepool, Walsall and Swindon (well, pretty much :p) are all movin' on up, and all that's left to play for for those three is the division title. It's quite close, too.

- Milton Keynes and Lincoln have clinched playoff spots. Bristol Rovers actually have a better chance of promotion than Peterborough because of their game in hand, so keep your eyes on them! Rochdale, Darlington, Wycombe and Notts County still have a slim mathematical chance, beyond the math I can't see them doing anything.

- Torquay's hooped :p The danger ceiling is 51, so Bury, Accrington Stanley, Mansfield, Macclesfield and especially Wrexham are still in danger of going under.

CONFERENCE NATIONAL

- still some games in hand in important positions to be made up here, so I'll give it until Wednesday to update. DON'T LET ME FORGET THIS!

CONFERENCE NORTH

- Blyth and Hyde are finished their season and are out of the playoffs.
- Droylsden has clinched promotion.
- Workington and Hinckley have clinched playoff spots
- Whoever wins the Worcester-Harrogate match can take a playoff spot if Redditch beats Farsley. If Farsley draws with Redditch, Worcester's out but Harrogate can still get a spot if they win. If Farsley wins... well... you get the picture. :D

CONFERENCE SOUTH

- this week is going to be nuts for Eastbourne and Newport - three matches in six days! :wacko: But Newport mathematically can still finish as high as second.

- Lewes' schedule came back to bite them in the arse and they're out of playoff contention.

- Good news for Basingstoke and Hayes fans. Thurrock, the team in the last red-zone spot who is trying to catch you, plays first-place Histon on Tuesday ;) Weston is hooped, too. Bad news for Basingstoke fans, though - their last match is against 2nd-place Salisbury and Thurrock's is against mid-table Sutton. So the odds aren't in your favour, but you can still pull through :D
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: Georginho on April 22, 2007, 10:08:00 PM
I'm gutted to see Craig Mackail-Smith score again for Peterborough as he left Dagenham for them in January. I saw him at Dagenham and he was class. I bet he could play well in the Championship. If we could have kept him until the summer we could have got a lot more money for him. Anyway I'm going to Dagenham on Saturday and it's going to be a party and the club have hired an open top bus!
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 23, 2007, 10:56:10 PM
So the games in hand are aside in Championship now, so here's the update:

- Birmingham went top again yesterday with a win against Wolverhampton, but there are only two points separating first from third, so it's going to be a FRANTIC finish to the Championship. ME LIKEY!! :D

- the playoff race is also going to be frantic, as places 4-10 could all end up in position. So any three of Preston, West Brom, Wolverhampton, Southampton, Stoke, Colchester or Sheffield Wednesday can make the playoffs. Cardiff's not officially out, but their chances are worse than me getting a date with Leelee Sobieski :p

- Hull didn't do much to help their cause back on Saturday, all they got was a draw, so they're only one clear of Leeds, meaning they have to keep pace with them EXACTLY if they're going to stay up.

More updates tomorrow. :D (League Two, Conference National, North and South)
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 24, 2007, 10:39:11 PM
Update time :D

DIVISION TWO

HUGE wins by Bristol and Wrexham today. By no means are the latter out of danger, but it gives them a step on Macclesfield and Accrington Stanley, and more importantly, on Boston.

For Bristol, it was huge because they are now keeping the pressure on Shrewsbury and Stockport, and to a lesser degree, on Lincoln.
The playoff race should heat up in these last two games!

CONFERENCE NATIONAL

Today's results drastically changed the face of the table as both Grays and Halifax recorded wins, pushing Altrincham into the red zone (YEEEEEEEAH! :D) In a lesser result, Rushden & Diamonds beat Northwich 1-0.

So here's the deal:

- Northwich and Stevenage have a match tomorrow after which the game-at-hand worries are over. Stevenage MUST win this to stay alive in the playoff race. And even if they do win, they have Gravesend & Northfleet and Burton Albion ahead of them.

- only one team has officially clinched a playoff spot, and that's Oxford. In certain circumstances, any three of Morecambe, York, Exeter, Burton, Gravesend, and Stevenage can end up in the other three spots.

- after the last set of games, Southport and Tamworth are officially relegated. Obviously with one left, Altrincham a) has to win and b) is probably hoping that someone loses along the way.

CONFERENCE NORTH

- I was wrong about Hinckley having clinched before, but it's true now after they destroyed Lancaster 5-0. :p

- Workington on the other hand had indeed clinched, but they padded said berth with a draw against first-place Droylsden.

- Redditch are still in danger, albeit not by very much with only a game left. All they have to do is make sure their goal diff is higher than Worksop's and they're fine.

- forgot to mention that Scarborough's hooped :p

CONFERENCE SOUTH

- a few matches today, some with real importance - Eastbourne beat Newport to keep their playoff hopes afloat, while Bishop's Stortford squandered a chance to pull further away from those outside-looking-in teams, managing only a draw against Eastleigh, and Histon whooped Thurrock, which is good news for Basingstoke and Hayes fans. Havant & Waterlooville could have clinched a playoff spot with a win, but they only got a draw.

- Eastbourne and Newport both play their "evening-up" matches on Thursday.

And now for some even lower news - Hampton & Richmond are only a win away from automatic promotion!! EEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! :D
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 27, 2007, 01:47:33 AM
Well, Bishop's Stortford have paid for not putting a playoff spot in the bag as Newport have momentarily bumped them from the fourth and final playoff spot in the Conference South. Eastbourne are very much alive, too, as they up-ended Bognor Regis 2-0.

Matches to pay attention to this Saturday (last day of Conference regular-season matches):

CONFERENCE NATIONAL

Playoff hopefuls:

-> York City vs. Oxford - huge match for York, time to seal the playoff deal! If they lose, they can still be ousted.
-> Morecambe vs. Grays - Morecambe only needs a draw to clinch a playoff spot, but Grays needs a win to stay clear of relegation!
-> Exeter vs. Southport - you'd think Exeter would win against already-relegated Southport, eh? :p If they don't, that leaves the door open for two teams behind them!
-> Dags 'n' Reds vs. G 'n' N - the champs against the most desperate playoff hunters. This should prove interesting. :D
-> Burton Albion vs. Rushden & Diamonds - if Burton wins this, they could topple both Exeter and York, depending on how everyone else does.

Bottom-feeders:

-> Altrincham vs. Aldershot - Altrincham MUST win to stay in the Conference National. That said, GO ALDERSHOT!!:gun1:
-> Crawley vs. Kidderminster - if not for the 10-point ding on Crawley, this would be a match of teams with identical win-draw-loss records, but Crawley needs to win this to be sure to stay up.
-> Stafford vs. Forest Green - the Rangers are only two points behind FGFC, but the fact is, they're the one with more to lose from this match as they could easily go under if they lose or even draw - their goal differential is worse than Altrincham, and in a league where that's the determining factor, they ought to be worried, especially after their collapse of late.
-> Cambridge vs. Tamworth - this has to be a win for Cambridge U or they're hooped. But unless Stafford does something huge, if these two get the same result, they're safe.
-> Halifax vs. Stevenage - Halifax needs to win just like the rest, and they probably have the toughest opponent of the five.

(you saw the Grays match earlier ;)

The combination of results is endless, but of the six teams at the bottom, only one is going to go down. Of course, anything less than a win from Altrincham and they're history.

Saturday's gonna be great :D

CONFERENCE NORTH

Playoff hunters:

-> Worcester vs. Harrogate - Worcester has to hope everyone else loses to get in, and they have to win their match against playoff hunt rivals Harrogate. Their goal differential is superior to Farsley's, which is all that matters to them besides the final outcome of the other squads' matches.
-> Droylsden vs. Hyde - Hyde have superior goal-diff to Worcester, but they also have a far tougher opponent in top-side Droylsden, who are already going up to the Conference National. Hyde needs to play desperate football to even draw this match, let alone to win it (which is what they have to do to make the playoffs)
-> Blyth Spartans vs. Hinckley - another match against a superior opponent, albeit not by as much. This match is winnable, and a win will knock out Worcester and Hyde immediately, regardless of how anyone else does.
-> Farsley vs. Redditch - the side with the lowest goal-diff just happens to have the easiest opponent on paper. Given that they won't be relegated regardless of the result because Leigh and Worksop can't both win, Redditch may well just play dead. But they might not, either ;)

Bottom-feeders:

Worksop vs. Leigh - perhaps Redditch doesn't need to worry quite so much given that the result of this determines what the relegation picture looks like. If there's a loser, the loser goes down. If there isn't, Worksop goes down. Simple as that.

CONFERENCE SOUTH

Playoff-hunters:

-> Havant & Waterlooville vs. Fisher - H&W only really need a draw to get the playoff spot, lest Newport and Braintree both win and Bishop's Stortford win by an impossible score :p If they lose to Fisher, on the other hand, the race opens WAY up and they could well be KO-ed by the same three teams.

-> Braintree vs. Eastbourne - if there's a winner to this match, then surely the winner will be in the playoffs. That said, a draw could well eliminate both teams. It's that close! A Braintree win means a definite playoff spot, while an Eastbourne win has all these subject-tos attached :p

-> Newport vs. Cambridge City - Newport has a good chance here, but they have to take advantage or they're going to be on the outside looking in if Bishop's Stortford registers points! Nothing really in this for CCFC.

-> Bishop's Stortford vs. Lewes - they sit back of the final playoff spot by mere goal differential, so these guys have their work cut out for them against Lewes, who, while being eight points back, could still play party-poopers. A draw will only be good enough if Newport loses.

-> Welling vs. Hayes - they're the ultimate long-shot, but Welling can still make the playoffs if Newport, Bishop's Stortford, and Eastbourne all lose, which would also clinch Braintree and H&W their playoff spots. Hayes has its own agenda, though - they have inferior goal diff to Basingstoke, so if Thurrock wins their match, guess this - who's first in line if Hayes and Basingstoke both lose?

Bottom-feeders:

-> Basingstoke vs. Salisbury - a must-win for Basingstoke, but they're on the road, and against the only team that has actually clinched a playoff spot. Again, desperate football is needed. No messing around, no foul trouble, just good, quick football.

-> Thurrock vs. Sutton - all Thurrock needs a draw should Hayes lose against Welling, which given Welling's potential for a last-gasp playoff push, will probably happen. But just to be on the safe side, they should go for the win. Because if they lose or draw, and Hayes wins, their season's toast because of Basingstoke's superior goal differential. The only way Basingstoke can be eliminated is if both Hayes and Thurrock get superior results.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: Georginho on April 28, 2007, 09:42:05 PM
Daggers 2-1 Fleet. Two goals from Ben Strevens ended a terrific year for Dagenham. I went and there was a big party at the ground afterward for the Champions! Bring on League Two!
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 04, 2007, 09:03:32 PM
The rundown on Conference:

CONFERENCE NATIONAL:

Promoted: Dagenham & Redbridge FC
Playoff: Oxford United, Morecambe FC, York City, Exeter City
Relegated: Altrincham, Tamworth, Southport, St. Albans

CONFERENCE NORTH:

Promoted: Droylsden FC
Playoffs: Kettering Town, Workington FC, Hinckley United, Farsley Celtic
Relegated: Scarborough FC, Worksop Town, Lancaster City

CONFERENCE SOUTH

Promoted: Histon FC
Playoffs: Salisbury City, Braintree Town, Havant & Waterlooville, Bishop's Stortford
Relegated: Hayes FC, Weston-super-Mare, Bedford Town

Some playoff first leg results, too!

NORTH

Farsley 1 Kettering 1
Hinckley 0 Workington 0

SOUTH

Stortford 1 Salisbury 1
H&W 1 Braintree 1

I'm waiting until tomorrow for the League to wrap up before I do anything else :p
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 06, 2007, 08:40:51 PM
Final results rundown from The Football League:

CHAMPIONSHIP

Promoted to Premiership: Sunderland (champs), Birmingham
Playoffs: Derby, West Bromwich, Wolverhampton, Southampton (and NOT PRESTON NORTH END!!:rock: )
Relegated: Leeds (who went into administration and were dinged 10 points right at the last minute, not that it mattered), Southend U, Luton


DIVISION ONE

Promoted: S****horpe (champs), Bristol City
Playoffs: Blackpool, Nott. Forest, Yeovil, Oldham Ath. (Kier'll be happy about this :D)
Relegated: Chesterfield, Bradford, Rotherham, Brentford

DIVISION TWO

Promoted: Walsall (champs!! :cool::yeeha:), Hartlepool, Swindon
Playoffs: Milton Keynes, Lincoln, Bristol Rovers, Shrewsbury (man oh man, Stockport must be feeling like they got shafted - if the first tie-breaker was wins instead of goal-diff, they'd be through!)
Relegated: Torquay, Boston
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 18, 2007, 04:27:48 AM
CONFERENCE PLAYOFF RESULTS:

NORTH: Farsley Celtic promoted, def. Hinckley 4-3
SOUTH: Salisbury promoted, def. Braintree 1-0
NATIONAL: Exeter plays Morecambe on Sunday (my birthday :p)
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 19, 2007, 09:28:11 PM
LEAGUE PLAYOFF FINALS:

CHAMPIONSHIP: Derby vs. West Brom (COME ON YOU RAMS!!!)
DIVISION ONE: Blackpool vs. Yeovil
DIVISION TWO: Bristol Rovers vs. Shrewsbury
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 23, 2007, 02:25:21 AM
Just a quick update, Morecambe is in League next season as they beat Exeter 2-1 in the final.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 28, 2007, 07:03:31 PM
Playoff Finals:

CHAMPIONSHIP: Derby 1 WBA 0 :hyper:

DIVISION ONE: Blackpool 2 Yeovil 0 :dry:

DIVISION TWO: Bristol Rovers 3 Shrewsbury 1
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: Dj Frisky on May 28, 2007, 07:07:22 PM
I wanted West Brom to win that damn it.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 28, 2007, 08:11:39 PM
:nerner:

The only Birmingham area team I'll be caught dead rooting for is Walsall. And I especially hate West Brom, after Ellington sold out to them from Wigan and they hung Pesch out to dry when they last made the Prems.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on August 26, 2007, 10:39:09 PM
Let's get this party started again!

It seems Preston North End is in a jam in the Championship, while Ipswich are off to a sensational start!
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on August 29, 2007, 07:40:15 PM
CHAMPIONSHIP

Who's Hot: Coventry, Ipswich, Colchester, Bristol (all have yet to lose)
Who's Not: QPR, Preston :lolabove: :evil: , Sheff Wednesday

LEAGUE ONE

Who's Hot: Leyton Orient, Carlisle U, Leeds (despite the 15-point penalty)
Who's Not: Forest, Northampton, Doncaster, Walsall, Port Vale, Gillingham

LEAGUE TWO

Who's Hot: Darlington, Shrewsbury, Chester, Lincoln
Who's Not: Barnet, Rochdale, Dags & Reds, Mansfield :sad:

CONFERENCE PREMIER

Who's Hot: Torquay, Cambridge, Exeter, Salisbury
Who's Not: Droylsden, Altrincham, Northwich, Stafford

CONFERENCE NORTH

Who's Hot: Kettering, Harrogate (both have won all five to start the season! :shok: )
Who's Not: Hinckley, Hucknall

CONFERENCE SOUTH

Who's Hot: Lewes, Bath, Eastleigh, Bishop's Stortford, Eastbourne
Who's Not: Hayes & Yeading United, Sutton, St. Albans
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on October 22, 2007, 06:12:52 AM
Update:

CHAMPIONSHIP

Watford is absolutely tearing it up at the moment, dropping only 7 points in their first eleven games. The big surprise this season so far is who's six points behind them in second place. I never thought Bristol City had that in them! :shok: Third place is Charlton, fourth is Wolverhampton, and then you have a four-way draw for fifth in the points, including the best team with a Canadian, Plymouth Argyle (granted, Michal Misiewicz is the goalkeeper for their youth team :p).

Other teams with Canuck content are ranging from doing good (Ipswich) to just "okay" (Blackpool, Leicester). And as for the Canadian players themselves, well, I'd have to say D Jason De Vos (Ipswich) has probably been the best of my country's guys in Championship.

Oh yes, and Pikeys North End are stinking it up at the moment :evil: They're only one place out of the red zone atm. Amazingly enough, two teams I thought were way better - Sheffield Wednesday and Norwich City - are behind them :huh:

LEAGUE ONE

This league is much closer, although that has everything to do with Leeds' 15-point penalty. If not for that, Leeds would be top by nine points - they've only dropped four all season! Leyton Orient are top by a point over Southend, two over Carlisle, and three over Nott. Forest, Swansea, and Tranmere. Only two teams with Canucks - Yeovil, who aren't doing half bad (and their "Canadian" isn't really Canadian :dry: ) and Luton, who aren't doing that well. And neither player has done anything worth mentioning.

Leeds may catch the top pack, if they can keep up at this pace!

LEAGUE TWO

Once again, Wrexham find themselves in the toilet, but unfortunately, Mansfield, who had played quite well last season, are behind them. Up top it's Milton Keynes by four over Chester, with Darlington, Chesterfield, Barnet, Heresford, Peterborough, and Wycombe all within striking distance.

The aforementioned Posh have a Canadian in their youth system - Octavio Maginnis-Castro - but the other two teams with Canucks have been rather average so far. Matter of fact, they both have the same number of points at present!

One of the feel-good stories of the season, though, is from one of those two Canadians. Vancouverite and former Man City prospect Terry Dunfield, who at one point thought his career was over because of chronic injuries, has started every league match for Macclesfield, and even got a goal in a 2-1 loss against Chester. He also has an assist and four bookings (:p) to his credit.

CONFERENCE PREMIER

Nice to see an English team with Canadians do something big for a change, even if it is only in Conference ;) Torquay United are tops, thanks in part to goalkeeping from 6'4", 210-pound, Langley, British Columbia native Simon Rayner. Big Si has 5 clean sheets so far.

Aldershot isn't far behind, and Burton, Stevenage, Cambridge and Forest Green have been solid as well. The other two teams with Canadians aren't doing quite so well, but both - Weymouth and Rushden & Diamonds - are well clear of relegation.

As Rushden goes, Simeon Jackson (Canadian) really needs to leave that dive. Here he is, a top-ten Conference goal scorer (joint-eighth with 9 goals), but he has no support. Zero. Zip. Zilch. Nada. Nolla. NOTHING! He has quite literally scored as many goals as the rest of the team put together (not counting own goals). As for Weymouth's resident Maple Leaf, Gavin McCallum, I'm happy, if just a wee bit surprised, that he has two goals this season - not bad for a holding mid as young as he is.

The relegation teams are really stinking it up at the moment. Altrincham has been bad, Stafford even worse, and Droylsden and Northwich have been nothing short of disgustingly abysmal.

CONFERENCE NORTH

Harrogate has the almost the same record Leeds does. The difference? No 15-point penalty! They sit top of the table with 32 points. Second place is held by Hyde, but Kettering and Southport are within a win and Burscough, Stalybridge Celtic and Telford looming in the shadows. Boston U have a long road to recovery, but they have a reasonably positive Conf. North start to kick it off.

Hucknall and Hinckley have been pure crap.

CONFERENCE SOUTH

I'll bet Powerage is a happy camper :D Basingstoke is pretty much exactly mid-table (much better than they finished last season where they barely squeaked out of relegation) and only four back of 5th place, occupied by Bath on goal diff over Hampton & Richmond (with Torontonian Elliott Godfrey as one of the strikers) and Bromley. Seems the teams up from the feeder leagues are doing quite well! But Eastbourne is tops, with Lewes a win off the pace. Only 5 points separate third (Bishop's Stortford) from twelfth (Basingstoke).

God I love English football ;)
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on December 06, 2007, 03:31:15 AM
Update:

CHAMPIONSHIP

Watford's lost ground. They're now only four on top. :p But there's a real battle opening up in the upper table. West Brom, Charlton, Bristol City, Stoke, and Wolverhampton have only two points separating the best of them from the worst, and there are only a further six separating sixth from fourteenth, which at the moment is Southampton.

Jason DeVos still has the slack picked up for Ipswich and for the Canadian contingent in the Championship. Iain Hume's doing his share for Leicester (who aren't looking too hot at the moment, but whatever) as he's in a three-way draw for top scorer in League competitions and for overall goals this season, with - hardy har har - three goals.

But things could be worse. He could play for Preston North End, who have since dropped into the red zone, with Sheff W gaining at their expense. What the hell happened to Norwich? They were in Premiership a couple seasons ago and now they're on the verge of dropping to League One! Only team worse off than they are is QPR. You shouldn't have sent Bircham away, ya tools! :p

LEAGUE ONE

If Leeds didn't have that 15-point penalty, they'd be first by a whopping ten points! They've been absolutely phenomenal this season, dropping only 10 points from a possible 54. Jermaine Beckford has led the way with 11 goals, which is first-place by a country mile in terms of League-only play.

First place, though, belongs to Swansea at the moment. If this keeps up, we'll see a Welsh Derby in Championship next season! Following is a five-point logjam comprising eight teams - Carlisle United, Leyton Orient, Nottingham Forest, the aforementioned Leeds, Southend, Doncaster, Walsall, and Brighton & Hove Albion.

At the bottom end, Luton appears to be in all sorts of trouble with money and have thus been docked ten points and are now in the red zone with Cheltenham, Bournemouth, and Port Vale. There are only three points separating 21st from 24th, but the more important stat is that Millwall is 4 clear of 21st-place Cheltenham, so there's work to be done by the teams in the red.

There's a third team with a Canuck now in League One - Cheltenham decided, in their desperation, to borrow Mike D'Agostino off Blackpool, however the "fast, direct right winger" (in the words of Cheltenham's official site) has yet to have played. The Italo-Canadian from Vancouver represented Canada at their (rather disappointing) U20 World Cup home campaign and had a pretty solid NCAA career, but it's unsure how he'll fare in international football.

LEAGUE TWO

Peterborough's Aaron McLean and Chesterfield's Jack Lester are lighting it up in the Two! 13 goals apiece in League play, with McLean only being ranked first by virtue of having one more cup goal - 16 to 15 overall. Oddly enough, though, neither of those teams is even in the auto-promotion zone. Milton Keynes leads by a pair over Darlington and Rotherham, who in turn are only 2 ahead of Peterborough, 3 up on Hereford, 4 up on Chester and half a dozen up on Chesterfield. So things are tightening up up top.

Much the same at the bottom, too. Although if the tourney ended today, Dag & Red and Mansfield would be going under, Grimsby, Lincoln, and Wrexham are also in a real funk at the moment.

Terry Dunfield continues to press on as he's started 15 of 18 for Macclesfield and now leads the team with five yellow cards :lol:

CONFERENCE PREMIER

All three Canadians in this division seem to be performing. Gavin McCallum was named November's Player of the Month for Weymouth. Simon Rayner continues to have a strong campaign as Torquay's starter. And Simeon Jackson is second in Conference in scoring with an even dozen.

Too bad only Rayner's team is actually performing :p Torquay is second to Aldershot by four with a game in hand.

The other two teams are fighting to stay out of the red zone! :ph34r: Even though Weymouth is seven clear of 21st-place Altrincham, and Rushden & Diamonds eight clear, they both need to smarten up. And it seems to me that R&D is a one-man team. Take Jackson out of the equation (and I hope someone does) and the Diamonds are hooped.

From third to seventh is a bit of a logjam at the moment, with Cambridge two up on Stevenage, three up on Histon, and four up on both Burton and Forest Green. Eighth-place Ebbsfleet is losing it a little, but at this point in the season, five points is easily made up in the space of a couple matches.

And the bottom-feeders? Well, the fact that Weymouth is two places out of the red zone and yet seven points clear should say everything. The teams in the red zone this season belong there. And then some. Altrincham is still only two points back of Farsley Celtic, but the teams behind the Mancs - Stafford, Droylsden, and especially Northwich - have absoultely blown this season. For crying out loud - Northwich isn't even in double figures in the points yet and have a pathetic -30 goal diff!

FACT: nobody in Conference has a negative double-figures goal differential, until you get to the last spot outside the red zone.

CONFERENCE NORTH

This is as close as it gets. The top four are separated (from 1st to 4th) by only a measly 3 points! Harrogate, Hyde, Southport and Kettering all seem to be hungry enough to win it all. And don't count Telford out either - they're only four behind Kettering and seven behind 1st-place Harrogate, in 5th. Burscough appears to be not doing half-bad, but they've also played an extra match relative to the team they're chasing short-term, Nuneaton. On the flip side, you have Workington, who have played two fewer matches than four of the five teams ahead of them (three fewer than Burscough) and if they were to max out those matches, they could easily be up to within striking distance of a playoff spot.

The nether ranks seem to be quite close, as well. Barrow and Gainsborough have only played sixteen, so they aren't as bad off as they would be if they had only gotten the 18 and 17 points respectively out of eighteen matches, but they're still only four and three points out of the red respectively. Leigh is bottom with 11, with Hinckley being at 13 and Solihull wrapping up the red zone at 14, then Blyth Spartans have 15 and Vauxhall Motors 16. Gonna be a season-long fight down there! ME LIKEY! ;)

CONFERENCE SOUTH

This appears to be a two-horse race early on, with Lewes having a one-point lead on Eastbourne. Then eight points back starts a log jam. In the same margin of points separating surprising Hampton & Richmond from second-place Eastbourne, you have H&R, Newport, Bath City, Eastleigh, Bishop's Stortford, Bromley, Basingstoke, and Braintree, with Havant & Waterlooville being behind on its games, so it could fit into this list as well. However, H&R happen to have a game in hand on the first three after them in the standings and two games in hand on the remainder of the above-mentioned. If Elliott Godfrey plays like he did against Weston-super-Mare, and Lawrence Yaku continues his solid form (Yaku's first on the team with 8 goals, while Godfrey has 7 including three in the last three matches and two against WsM, and both are in the top 10 plus draws in Conf South scoring) - something tells me the Beavers are going to challenge for top spot or at least consolidate a place in the playoffs - pretty good for a team that only won the Isthmian Premier League title by 2 points last season :p

At the bottom, St. Albans, who were relegated from the Conference Premier last season, are on the verge of going down to whatever feeder league they would usually haunt (forgot whether it was Isthmian or Southern), but Bognor Regis and Maidenhead in particular have to be mindful of both St. Albans and Dorchester. Sutton, on the other hand, is pretty much a write-off. Welling are in marginal danger, while Thurrock are behind in their games so they don't need to worry too much unless they go on a really bad losing streak ;)

Oh yes, and did I mention I LOVED it when Staines beat Stockport in the FA Cup? :D I love to see the underdogs like those win big matches!
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on January 05, 2008, 10:13:57 PM
Update time!

CHAMPIONSHIP

Hell must have frozen over, because Bristol City are actually in a three-way logjam in the points atop the division! :shok: West Brom and Watford are ahead of them by virtue of more wins, and West Brom are the official leaders because of goal differential. Championship is actually pretty close at the moment, with only a dozen points separating the playoff zone from the relegation zone. Stoke, Charlton, and (much to my delight) Ipswich hold the other three playoff spots at the moment, with the next five teams in the table (Plymouth, Crystal Palace, Hull, Wolverhampton, Cardiff) all within a win of Ipswich.

And guess who's last! :evil: PRESTON NORTH END!! AAAHAHAHAHAHA!! :haha: :haha: :haha: QPR have surged out of the red zone and now have 30 points (6 more than PNE). Colchester and S****horpe are in the other two red zone spots.

Now for Canadian content news:

Cheltenham has extended the loan for Canadian Mike D'Agostino, who has made five appearances (2 starts, 3 subs) for them on loan from Blackpool. And y'know what? Cheltenham might like him so much that they could make that deal permanent. I'll be keeping my eyes on this situation for sure.

Ipswich's Jason DeVos is playing for the best team out of any of the four Canucks owned by Championship sides, but Jaime Peters has yet to make an appearance this season, something to do with his mindset according to the people at the Voyageurs website. Shame really. He's a good player when he's on, and Ipswich fans know that, but apparently he's really just been bad this season.

Iain Hume is rumoured to be on his way out of Leicester, and there are rumours that Everton and Fulham are interested in him. Can't say I blame him if he leaves that club. Leicester are stinking it up at the moment and are only one spot out of relegation, only because they've allowed ten fewer goals than S****horpe.

LEAGUE ONE

Swansea have a two point lead over Carlisle at the moment for top, with Forest, Leeds, Doncaster and Walsall in the remaining playoff spots. Good thing Leeds has that 15-point penalty, though, or they'd be running away with the title this season! Walsall has one eye over their shoulder, I'd imagine. Leyton Orient are only behind them on goal differential, and Yeovil and Tranmere are within a win.

On the other side of things, Port Vale are really stinking it up at the moment - they're nine behind Millwall, who are the last side clear of the red zone. Bournemouth, Cheltenham, and Luton are in the other three red zone spots, and unfortunately, two of these clubs have Canadians atm. Luton's in a whole world of trouble financially despite selling players, hence the ten-point penalty that has them in the red.

Which brings me to the CanCon part of my report.

Paul Peschisolido has yet to play a match for Luton despite having been one of the big reasons Derby (who are now struggling) made it to the Premiership in the first place. Something tells me Pesch isn't far removed from retirement tbh. He is 35 after all.

You've already heard about the D'Agostino situation, and I have the feeling that Cheltenham may be inclined to play him more out of desperation for points. They aren't as bad off as Port Vale, but they're still five behind Millwall.

Marc Bircham (who isn't really Canadian) has only played once for Yeovil this season and that was as a sub. Most Voyageurs have as big a problem (if not bigger) with him playing for Canada as they do with Hargreaves playing for England.

LEAGUE TWO

MK Dons are destroying this league. Seriously. Last time I updated, they only led by two. Now they lead by eleven. Hereford and Rotherham are second with 46. You do the math :p Chesterfield, Peterborough, Darlington, and Wycombe are holding down playoff spots, with Morecambe within striking distance... I can't believe I just said that :lol:

At the other end, it looks like Mansfield and Wrexham are speeding towards relegation, being five and six back of Dag & Red respectively. Bury, Notts County, Macclesfield, and Lincoln aren't doing so hot, either.

Unfortunately, not all teams with Canadians can be Ipswich :p Macclesfield and Dag & Red aren't so hot, and the team with a Canadian that is doing something doesn't have the Canadian in the senior team (he's in the youth side - he's only 18 after all).

Family man Ross Smith from Dag & Red has made 11 appearances and picked up a booking, plus his shot couldn't hit the side of a barn. Good thing he's a defender, eh?

Terry Dunfield, on the other hand, has been a right terror this season for Macclesfield, picking up seven yellows in his return to play after a long injury-based hiatus. He does, however, have a goal and an assist, and has been a regular in Macclesfield's lineup with 22 appearances. He's not afraid to put the ball on target, just that he only does so 30% of the time (7 on target, 13 off, and a team leading 3 shots off the woodwork). Not bad for a guy who's been out with injury for the past two or three seasons!

CONFERENCE PREMIER

Aldershot seems to be the team to beat at the moment. They have 61 points, seven-clear of second-place Torquay. Stevenage also seems well on its way to a playoff spot. The next two spots are contested by six teams, though - Burton and Cambridge have a distinct advantage as they have only played 24 matches, where Histon (6th place) have played 27, Forest Green (7th place) have played 25, and Ebbsfleet (8th place) have played 26. Games in hand could also come back to bite Aldershot in the ass, if Torquay wins both of its games in hand!

Speaking of Forest Green, Stuart Fleetwood is slaying the opposition goalkeepers with his astonishing 28 goals, of which 22 are in Conference.

At the other end, Stafford Rangers and Droylsden look like hopeless cases, being ten points in the hole (aka ten points behind Farsley) and with the former only having won once all season! Northwich aren't much better off, only three points ahead of those two. Altrincham actually has a chance. I still hope they don't make it, though. Farsley and Weymouth are still very much in danger.

Canadian Content?

Well, Torquay's starting goalkeeper is Canadian. Big man Simon Rayner (6'4", 15st) has started in goal for 3 of every 4 Torquay matches and has 5 clean sheets. Not to take anything away from his partner, who has three clean sheets to his credit in eight matches played.

Simeon Jackson's position has slipped from second to fourth in Conference scoring, but for once I'm actually happy - it shows the rest of the team has finally decided to pick up the slack to help him! Still, fifteen goals is nothing to sneeze at! He's not Fleetwood, but he is decent enough for League football and I think someone ought to pick him up in the summer. R&D are thirteen clear of relegation and not as low in the table as they were (they've been 19th and 18th at points this season) but they still have a fight ahead of them.

Weymouth just needs to smarten up. Gavin McCallum hasn't scored since October (he's a holding mid, can you blame him?) but that's not the point. The point is, they're 18th and only five clear of Altrincham HOWEVER they have a game in hand, so that five could easily become eight.

CONFERENCE NORTH

I'll bet Kettering is liking where they are. They're five clear of Southport for top and they have a game in hand. If I were them, I'd be more worried about third-place Harrogate, who also have a game in hand on Southport. Telford and Hyde have the other two playoff spots, and Nuneaton is in striking distance of the fourth and final spot. Nuneaton has to be careful, though. Stalybridge Celtic is only three back and has two games in hand on them.

Leigh is bottom, six behind Solihull, five behind Vauxhall Motors, and three behind Hinckley. Hinckley may be second-from-bottom, but they also have games in hand on the other teams in their immediate area of the table - two on Vauxhall and Leigh and three on Solihull, to be exact. Blyth Spartans, who are two up on Solihull and three up on Vauxhall, have a game in hand on Vauxhall, two on Solihull and three on Blyth Spartans, who are two ahead of them. Tamworth isn't out of the woods yet, either. This wacky scheduling could make for some interesting football at the southern end of the table :p

No Canadians in Conference North.

CONFERENCE SOUTH

I wouldn't be getting too cocky if I were Lewes. Sure, they're nine clear up top, but they've also played two more games than second-place Eastbourne, who IMO are the biggest threat to their title. Surprising Hampton and Richmond Borough are stubbornly holding third down thanks to the second-highest goals-for total in the division. Canadian Elliott Godfrey has seven goals, but he's just one of several who have contributed to the 47 goals the H&R Block have scored this season. Nigerian Lawrence Yaku leads the way with eight. They have a game in hand on 4th-place Bath, who aren't doing too shabby in their own right, only a point back of H&R. Newport County rounds out the playoff lot, three back of Bath, but only goal diff is keeping them ahead of Eastleigh, with Bromley, Basingstoke, Fisher, and Bishop's Stortford all within a win.

The relegation race (or the race to stay out of relegation) is pretty tight. St. Albans is bottom, but they also have a game in hand on both Sutton (who have the same number of points) and 19th-place Bognor Regis, and two games in hand on 18th-place Welling United. Dorchester, two points ahead of St. Albans, also have the same number of games in hand. A bit of advice to those teams - USE THEM!!
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on February 06, 2008, 09:59:07 PM
Update time again...

CHAMPIONSHIP

Bristol's taken a tumble out of the top pairing but are still only a point back. West Brom and Watford hold down the top two with 54 and 52 respectively. Stoke, Charlton, and IPSWICH :hyper: have the playoff spots at the moment, but Crystal Palace is only behind the Tractor Boys by one goal's worth of goal differential. Hull, Cardiff, Burnley and Wolverhampton are also within striking distance.

Preston aren't last anymore, but last-place Colchester has a game in hand on them and are behind them by three. S****horpe is also in the red. Sheffield Wednesday is also in real trouble - only one point out of the red - but they too have a game in hand. Leicester is four points out.

Canadian content went down in the transfer window with Peters leaving Ipswich for Yeovil. Iain Hume leads Leicester with six goals. Jason DeVos continues providing veteran leadership and good defending for surging Ipswich. As for the third Canadian, he's in the U18s of Plymouth Argyle :p Michal Misiewicz seems to be having a grand ol' time. :D

LEAGUE ONE

Leeds finally blinked. They've slipped out of the playoff position after a very strong start to the season and they're no longer in the place where they'd be tops if they didn't have the 15-point penalty thanks to a Swansea hot streak that has them ten clear at the top! Still, there're only six points separating second-place Doncaster from eighth-place Leeds, with Carlisle, Nottingham Forest, Walsall, Tranmere, and Leyton Orient sandwiched in between.

At the other end, Luton continues to struggle on and off the pitch, and although they aren't last, their prospects of staying up are bleak at best. Last place is Port Vale, with Bournemouth and Crewe also occupying the red zone with 30 each. Milwall also has 30 points but they have two games in hand on the teams behind them. Cheltenham and Gillingham both have one game in hand on the top red-zoners.

Canadian content - Peschisolido is finally healthy and has an FA Cup goal to his credit, not that that helps Luton much :p. Mike D'Agostino continues to see action for Cheltenham - he has an assist after seven starts and four further appearances as a sub. Simeon Jackson made his first appearance for Gillingham in a scoreless draw against Cheltenham, and here's what the Gills website had to say about him:

Quote
Simeon Jackson is looking a snip at
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: craigavonyid on February 06, 2008, 11:19:11 PM
i follow the fortunes of walton and hersham doing ok this season
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on March 02, 2008, 08:44:02 PM
Update time! :p

CHAMPIONSHIP

I can't believe my eyes. Bristol feckin City are top. This after just having been promoted from Div One. They also have a game in hand on 2nd-place Stoke (as also do 3rd-place Watford), so they have a distinct advantage here. West Bromwich have a game in hand on Watford and Bristol, too, so things are starting to get interesting as we gear up for the home stretch (aka the last ten games of the season). Not only do we have this four-way race for the top of the heap, but right behind that we have seven teams fighting for the third and fourth playoff spots, and that's not ruling Charlton out of a late hot streak to go up without the playoffs altogether! Ipswich, Plymouth, Burnley, Hull, Wolverhampton, and Crystal Palace are all jammed together in a 3-point squeeze.

If you think about it, Blackpool, Cardiff, Norwich, QPR, and even Barnsley aren't really that far back either, considering there are a dozen or fewer games left for the lot. HOWEVER, Barnsley is closer to the red zone than they are to the last playoff spot - they're only six out at the moment. Wednesday, S****horpe and Colchester occupy said red zone, however Wednesday have played fewer matches than any other Championship team and have two games in hand on the team directly in front of them, Preston North End. I'm hoping they make those up. Because I hate North End. Period. Southampton, Coventry, Leicester and Sheff U are also in trouble.

Canadian content - there are rumours going about that Jason DeVos will retire at the end of this season. Now he's going to be 34, so he's obviously no spring chicken, but maybe he has a season or two left in him. Who knows?

Iain Hume continues to be a bright spot for struggling Leicester, with seven goals this season to lead the team.

DIVISION ONE

Well, we know this much - it's now impossible for Luton or Port Vale to secure automatic promotion, and it's impossible for high-flying Swansea to be relegated :p

Seriously, despite Leeds' great start, they haven't been as consistently good as the Swans, who are now a whopping 14 points clear of 2nd-place Doncaster. The Dons will have their eyes over their shoulders at the two teams with a game in hand on them that are riding on their rear - Carlisle and Nottingham Forest are both in striking distance of second place and shouldn't be too worried about the other two playoff teams who have played two (Walsall) and three (Tranmere) more games respectively. Southend (WHO'S THE PIKEY IN MY SEAT?? :lol: ), Leeds, Leyton Orient, and even Oldham are looking like playoff contenders. Brighton and Bristol Rovers could easily be up there as well - Bristol in particular has only 31 games under their belt! If they'd played 34 games like most of the teams ahead of them, they could've had as many as 53 points, which would put them in the last playoff spot by a point.

The red zone hasn't changed much. The teams are exactly the same, and to be perfectly honest, Crewe is the only one of the four that looks like it has a chance of getting out of the red! Gillingham, Cheltenham, Millwall, and to a lesser extent Hartlepool and Yeovil, need to watch themselves, although Gills in particular has two games in hand on Crewe.

Canadian content - Michael D'Agostino's obviously impressed Cheltenham enough to become a fixture in the side. I kinda wonder if they're gonna make that loan deal permanent at this point. Blackpool might want him back at the rate he's going :p

Simeon Jackson has yet to get his first goal with Gillingham, but he's sure been trying! 3 shots on target and four off in four matches. He just has to keep plugging away, I think.

Poor Paul Peschisolido. How did he get stuck in a dive like Luton? :lol:

Yeovil hasn't exactly been getting much out of their Canadians, either. Jaime Peters, although he's only started four matches and been subbed in twice, hasn't really done too much, and Bircham (who's actually ENGLISH, not Canadian :p) has only been good for taking fouls.

In short - D'Agostino's the only Canadian who's actually really done anything in Div 1 this season!

DIVISION TWO

Close at the top here, too. MK Dons, Peterborough, Darlington and Hereford are in a nice 4-way dogfight (only five points separating MK from Hereford U) at the top, with 4 more worthy teams fighting over three playoff spots - Rotherham, Wycombe, and Stockport hold down spots, with Chesterfield on the outside looking in. Rochdale is a few games behind in their play, so they could easily be in the playoff hunt as well.

At the other end, there are five teams that aren't doing so well - Obviously Mansfield and Wrexham, who are in the red, but also Macclesfield, Bury, and Notts County really could use some improvement. Barnet? Not so much. They have three games in hand on Notts County, a team they're already four points ahead of. If they play their cards right, they'll be fine.

Canadian content - Ross Smith must be chuffed. Dagenham and Redbridge put forward a small hot streak and are now ten clear of relegation. He himself has been seeing regular action for the Daggers.

Octavio-Maginnis Castro is still with the youth team at Peterborough and turning heads with his skills.

Terrible Terry just can't stay out of the ref's little book! Dunfield now has 9 yellows, joint-top on the team with Luke Dimech and among the worst offenders in the division. :ph34r:

I'll put off doing Conference until Tony Kempster's site is back up to date.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: Dimitar B. on March 02, 2008, 10:22:23 PM
lol how weird Stoke and Bristol City in the Premiership, how weird would that be.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on March 02, 2008, 10:47:05 PM
Quote from: Dimitar B.;38333
lol how weird Stoke and Bristol City in the Premiership, how weird would that be.

Weirder than a Canadian Spurs fan with Asperger Syndrome? :p

Seriously, yeah, that would be pretty feckin weird.

And both of those would get their asses handed to them, I'm sure.
Title: spurs future stars out on loan
Post by: gilchristdm on March 03, 2008, 09:00:43 AM
Tottenham Hotspur youngster Jake Livermore has joined MK Dons on loan.
The promising midfielder has moved to Milton Keynes on loan for a month to gain some first team experience.
The 18 year old has been a regular for the Tottenham reserves this season as well as turning out several times for the Under 18's.
Livermore will now head north to join Paul Ince's side as they battle for promotion to League One

hope he plays well and if anyone go to the dons they will be able to give us an update
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on March 03, 2008, 09:17:39 AM
Hope Southend can get in the Playoff's this season.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on March 12, 2008, 08:59:32 PM
As promised...

CONFERENCE PREMIER

As we approach the home stretch of the season, it appears Aldershot is going to win the Conference championship. They're thirteen clear of 2nd-place Cambridge, and even if Torquay makes up their game in hand on Cambridge, they'd still be eleven back! It seems the playoff race is a five-horse race at the moment, too - Cambridge, Torquay, Stevenage, Burton, and Exeter have emerged thus far as the most likely candidates, considering surprising Salisbury are six points behind with one fewer game left to play in the season than four of those five (remember, Torquay has the game in hand).

That said, I'd give Ebbsfleet an outside shot at getting into the playoffs because they have two games in hand on all but Torquay, and if they were to max out on those, they'd only be three clear of Exeter, more than I could say for teams between them and Exeter in the table!

I have to give Rushden & Diamonds props. I didn't think they'd be able to stay afloat without Simeon Jackson, but they have proven me wrong, maintaining their mid-table position.

At the bottom end, it looks like Droylsden is hooped, and Stafford and Northwich aren't much better off. Weymouth has slipped into the red zone since turning Gavin McCallum loose, however this may have more to do with the fact that Altrincham and Farsley Celtic have played more matches than them. Altrincham in particular doesn't even have ten matches left this season! In other words, they need to make good use of their remaining matches to stay ahead of Weymouth, who has a whopping three games in hand on them!

Here's a chart of the potential points max total at season's end (note: a table such as this is impossible in real life - what I'm doing is showing the potential amount of points each team can max out at):

Aldershot - 113
Torquay - 102
Cambridge - 100
Stevenage - 97
Burton - 95
Exeter - 95
Ebbsfleet - 92
Forest Green - 88
Salisbury - 86
York - 86
Histon - 84
Grays - 84
Rushden & Diamonds - 83
Kidderminster - 83
Crawley - 83
Halifax - 79
Oxford - 77
Woking - 71
Weymouth - 67
Farsley - 65
Northwich - 61
Altrincham - 59
Stafford - 55
Droylsden - 52

This order should also give you an idea as to what the table ought to look like. This means that the red-zone teams are mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, a win for either Burton or Exeter will do likewise to Farsley, and two more wins for either (or both) will eliminate Weymouth.

Canadian Content - And then there were none :p With Gavin McCallum having been cut loose by Weymouth, he ended up in Havant & Waterlooville one division down.

CONFERENCE NORTH

Still very much a close race at both ends. Kettering only has four points on Telford, however, they could blow it wide open at any point given their two games in hand. The other three playoff spots are being fought over by five teams for the most part - Stalybridge, Harrogate, Nuneaton, Southport, and to a lesser extent Hyde - but Burscough and Barrow have games in hand so they should be counted as contenders for the time being as well.

At the other end, it seems that there are three teams fighting for one spot outside of the red zone - Hucknall, Hinckley, and Vauxhall Motors all have 27 points atm - and then Leigh RMI is just puttering along down at the bottom, not as hopelessly lost as Droylsden one level up, but still looking like being relegated nonetheless.

Canadian Content - Simon Rayner continues to play matches for Boston. He had two clean sheets in February and hasn't allowed more than a goal in the last six matches, but has been kind of unlucky to have a 3-0-4 record. Still, Boston hovers around mid-table and are a mere win away from a guaranteed reprieve from relegation.


CONFERENCE SOUTH


This has turned into a two-horse race between Lewes and Eastbourne. Eastbourne is ten clear of 3rd-place combatants Eastleigh and Hampton & Richmond and has a game in hand on first-place Lewes, whom they're only two points behind. The H&R Block has struggled a bit of late, and although Lawrence Yaku has picked his game up a little, Canadian Elliott Godfrey has gone on a bit of a cold streak, allowing other teams to catch up. 6th-place Bath is only 4 points behind them, and Newport has two games in hand on them. Aside from that, I'd count everyone down to 11th-place Havant and Waterlooville as a contender for the last playoff spot. If all teams had played at least 33 games and maxed out their points, Newport would be third and Havant and Waterlooville would be one point out of the playoffs, plus current 10th-place Bromley would be 11th and still only six points out! That's how close things are.

At the other end, nobody is hopelessly lost, but there are four teams that look more likely to be relegated than the rest - Welling, St. Albans, Dorchester and Sutton. With only three of these going down, it should prove interesting to see how this unfolds over the next 2 1/2 months or so. Weston-Super-Mare could join that group should they not make the most of their games in hand.

Canadian Content - like I said earlier, Elliott Godfrey's on a bit of a cold streak, but he still has a commendable 14 goals. As for the newest Canuck in the South, Gavin McCallum, he has yet to score in three matches for H&W.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 02, 2008, 11:17:42 PM
Was gonna do this yesterday, but then I realised that there were still matches outstanding.

:D

CHAMPIONSHIP

West Bromwich only drew last night, but they can still go top by making up their game in hand. There are only five points separating first from fifth, so this is going to be one exciting finish to the season! On top of that, there are only five separating the seven teams behind that pack, so the playoff race is going to be equally exciting! Seriously. Everyone from mid-table up has a legitimate chance at Premiership football at this point.

The other end is also going to come right down to the wire, if only because there are only two teams looking like definite relegation at the moment, those being S****horpe and the practically-eliminated-already Colchester United. Sheffield Wednesday got a HUGE point last night getting a draw against Coventry, however this still has them in a three-way points logjam with Southampton and Barnsley (if North End doesn't go down, I want them to :lol: ), with Leicester (Canadian Iain Hume and all) only a point ahead, Norwich and Coventry only three ahead, and Blackpool only four ahead. Despite their late surge, the North End Pikeys aren't mathematically safe, only seven clear of relegation. :D

Canadian Content - Ipswich might be planning to make a hard playoff push to give Jason DeVos one last hurrah as the former Captain Canada (who led Canada to the Gold Cup in 2000 :D) is hanging up his cleats after this season. As for Iain Hume in Leicester, I can only see him putting in a transfer request after this season ends, especially if Leicester gets relegated. He is tops on the team with seven goals - one of only four players with four or more goals this season for Leicester.

DIVISION ONE

Good news for Swansea City - they've clinched at least a playoff spot, as Leeds can only max out at 79 points. They currently sit seven clear of second-place Carlisle, and both have a game in hand on third-place Doncaster. Nottingham Forest and Southend U also do, but they sit a little too far back to make their point differential up in one game. Leeds and Brighton & Hove seem to be the biggest outside threats to Tranmere, who currently hold the fourth and final playoff spot, and they have a game in hand on the same. Also, Walsall have more hope of reaching the playoffs than Oldham Ath. or Leyton Orient because they have that game in hand.

Now here's something I don't get - why are Bristol Rovers so far behind on their games? :p

At the other end, the only team really holding out hope in staying up is Gillingham, and the other three red-zoners - Bournemouth, Luton, and Port Vale - are pretty much write-offs. Crewe and Millwall need to watch themselves, though. Simeon Jackson has caught fire after finally getting off the mark for Gillingham, so with any luck the Canadian will push his team just enough to get them out of trouble. Bristol Rovers will be in SERIOUS trouble if they can't make up their umpteen games in hand :D

Canadian Content - we have a new addition to Div 1, and we might have to start calling Yeovil the "Canucks" now because they seem to have taken more than a casual interest in Canadian players, having grabbed Asmir Begovic from Pompey's reserves on loan. And how did he do his first game? Three saves (of which two were absolute brilliance, I'm told) and a clean sheet! The tall, wiry Bosnian-Canadian from Edmonton, Alberta (6'6", 183 lbs.) made a giant first impression! Jaime Peters was also in on that match but had to be subbed off due to injury in the 84th minute.

As for Gillingham's Simeon Jackson, he has three goals in his last four games. He scored his first for Gillingham against Bournemouth, which turned out to be the game-winner, then scored both goals in a 2-1 victory over Luton, who were once again without Paul Peschisolido. Finally, Cheltenham's Mike D'Agostino continues to make regular appearances, mostly off the sub-bench but also starting some games as well. I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest should Cheltenham decide to make his loan-deal permanent in the summer. Town have been unbeaten in five (WWDWD) so things are looking up for the 21-year-old "fast, direct right winger" from Langley, British Columbia.

LEAGUE TWO

The scheduling for this league is wack. :p

Which is why Peterborough U is first and not second, which they would be if Milton Keynes had played the two games they had in hand on the Posh and won both. Still, both teams have clinched at least a playoff spot, and neither is that far from clinching automatic promotion, either - the magic number for this at this point is 90. I'd hate to be in Darlington's shoes right now, though - holding down the final auto-promo spot yet not even having my own destiny in my hands! Why, you ask? Because of the aforementioned wack scheduling. 3 of the 4 teams in the playoff spots behind them have two games in hand, and the fourth has one. What's worse is that one of the three has the exact same number of points as they do! That would be Hereford United.

It seems the playoff race is becoming harder to crack into. Why? Wack scheduling! Of the six teams that have only played 39 games this season, four of them are in the top seven!!! That's bad news for teams like Chesterfield, Morecambe and Grimsby, who are on the outside looking in.

Down at the bottom, things are looking up for some teams. Others, not so much. Wrexham are still bottom, and although they've only played 39 games, the games in hand aren't going to help them much if they don't start winning. Mansfield isn't much better off, with 37 points and 40 games played. Notts County has also not exactly done the best of jobs of late, as they're now the team these two are chasing, not Macclesfield. Speak of the devil, Macclesfield, after an abysmal February had a completely opposite March, winning four of six - and four of their last five. They aren't close to being out of the woods yet, but it's a start. Chester and Dag & Red are behind them now, and Shrewsbury is on par points-wise. If you're ahead of Accrington Stanley, you should be in the clear even though the "magic number" to completely avoid relegation is 55. (This'll go down :p)

Canadian Content - when I posted the last report, Dag & Red were ten clear of relegation. They are now only half that now. Poor Ross Smith might be one of the God knows how many players the Daggers have nursing injuries at the moment. Are they just unlucky or are people purposely trying to hurt them? :lol:

Terrible Terry has finally done something other than take a booking! :shock: Still, he has 11 yellows, top on the team, to go with the two assists he's added to his collection in the recent hot streak. :shifty:

Will work on Conference tomorrow night (which is early Thursday morning for you in all likelihood).
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on April 03, 2008, 06:44:32 AM
Come on Southend! Bristol rover's are behind as they got to the 1/4 finals of the fa cup, so there league game's got called off.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 03, 2008, 06:52:40 AM
Cheers for the info, SY :) Much appreciated.

For Southend at this point it's simply a matter of making the most of their game in hand, then holding down the fort for the last five matches of the season. Anything besides that is jockeying for position. Well, Carlisle are catchable, but barely so. If the number of points gained by Carlisle + the number dropped by Southend = 8, there's no way they're getting auto-promo. 8 points isn't exactly the hardest thing to pull in six games when a team is on a roll, either. Still, it seems just as unlikely that Southend will fall out of playoff position.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on April 03, 2008, 07:57:26 AM
Crewe away on Saturday, the game in hand is Brighton at home on tuesday then Northampton at home next Saturday. Still have Carlisle and Tranmere to play away then Port Vale last game of the season at home.

Going to be tight to stay/get in playoff's, something to look forward as it looks like Spurs season has been over for a while lol.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on April 05, 2008, 10:30:46 PM
Crewe 1 -3 Southend

Barnard got two of the goal's he doing great down here.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 05, 2008, 11:29:11 PM
Nice one :)
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on April 09, 2008, 08:47:23 AM
Southend won 2-0 last night up to 4th, 11 unbeaten, 4 wins in a row now. ;)
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 09, 2008, 09:26:45 PM
If my math is correct, Southend only needs one more win to clinch a playoff spot, or they need Tranmere and Walsall to both lose.

I guess I should do another update soon. I often start doing more frequent updates as the season draws to a close :p
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on April 12, 2008, 09:19:18 PM
Like us today, Southend drew 1-1 at home with Barney scoring again.

A lot happend in league 1 today, Swansea are going up not champions yet. Luton and port vale got sent down.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 12, 2008, 09:47:47 PM
I'll wait 'til Monday to do the whole report, but I think if Walsall loses, then Southend clinches a playoff spot. There are a couple minor blurbs I can report though.

Colchester is officially toast in Championship. A point for Sheff W against Plymouth (Monday) will do the same to S****horpe.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on April 20, 2008, 10:14:50 AM
Southend beat carilse 2-1 yesturday. ;)
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 20, 2008, 10:59:57 PM
Which reminds me that I'm overdue for another update :p I'll put the Canadian Content feature on the shelf (unless a Canadian does something drastic) until the season's over.

CHAMPIONSHIP

2 matches left!

Nothing is set in stone yet, but West Bromwich are one point away from clinching automatic promotion, although they have to fight it out to claim the Football League Championship with Stoke only two back. Bristol City has slid to fourth but can still attain auto promotion if they win both of their last two games, Hull doesn't get more than a win and a draw, and Stoke loses or draws both matches. Bristol has practically clinched a playoff spot too. Hull has definitely clinched a playoff spot! If Ipswich loses their next match, that means Watford has clinched as well. Crystal Palace is in the most danger of losing their playoff spot atm, at the hands of the same Ipswich. Sheffield United and Wolverhampton still have an outside shot at the playoffs.
 
The relegation race is still rather close. S****horpe and Colchester are condemned to the drop, however the highest-up team that's definitely out of danger is QPR in 14th. Preston North End (15th) should survive, much to my disgust, because the only thing that would get them relegated at this point is goal-diff. Blackpool, Coventry, Norwich, Barnsley, Leicester, Southampton, and Sheffield Wednesday (currently in the third and final red-zone slot) are still in danger, but not out of hope for staying up.

LEAGUE ONE

Swansea are officially champions of League One, with the Southend U victory over Carlisle putting the final nail in Carlisle's title chances, while securing Southend a definite playoff spot. Southend can still mathematically finish as high as second at this point, but they'll have to get past Carlisle, Doncaster, and Nottingham Forest to do it. So therein will lie a nice end-of-season dogfight! ;)

Leeds is holding down the final playoff spot but need a win or a Brighton & Hove loss to clinch.

At the other end, a recent run of good form has Bournemouth clinging to hope of getting out of the red, while Gillingham continues to try to catch Cheltenham. A win for Cheltenham, though, would eliminate Bournemouth and all but eliminate Gillingham. Luton and Port Vale were already screwed :p Millwall and Crewe are still technically in danger, as well. Yeovil is just clear.

LEAGUE TWO

Milton Keynes and Peterborough are definitely in League One next season. The question is, who will finish first? The Dons have a 4-point advantage over the Posh, so I'd put money on them.

As for playoffs though, the teams that will make it at least that far are already all decided. It's just a matter of who gets the third and final auto-promotion spot. Hereford, Rochdale and Stockport all sit within a point, with Darlington and Wycombe still technically in the race but four points back of third-place Hereford.

At the other end, Wrexham's not quite a write-off yet as they have a game in hand, but if they don't get at least seven points in their last three games, they're done like dinner. Dag & Red, Notts County, Chester, Macclesfield, Accrington Stanley, and Shrewsbury are all still in danger, although the latter three need only a Mansfield loss to stay up. Or Macclesfield needs a win and the other two teams a draw. Chester has an all-important game in hand that they need to win.

CONFERENCE PREMIER

Aldershot are the champeens, having 99 points (a Conference record, beating Yeovil's 02-03 mark of 97) and still two matches left. Torquay have clinched a playoff spot and all but locked up second-place. The only other outside team that stands a chance of making it in at this point is Stevenage, who sit three back of 5th-place Exeter and four back of Burton and Cambridge U.

At the other end, Weymouth aren't completely out of the woods yet but all they need is at least a point per game in their last two. Northwich and Altrincham are in more immediate danger, as Halifax are only two points and one point behind each respective team - and Altrincham only has one game left! COME ON YOU SHAYMEN!! Farsley Celtic also still has a chance of survival despite their recent bout of poor form. Wish I could say the same for those no-hopers from Stafford and Droylsden :lol:

CONFERENCE NORTH

One or two? That's the question that determines who's still alive in the races at both ends, as some teams have one match left and others two. Kettering is definitely Conference Premier-bound for next season, with a 14-point lead and two games left. It's five teams battling for four spots after Kettering - Telford, Stalybridge Celtic, Barrow, Harrogate, and Southport - as Nuneaton and Burscough only have a game left and have too much ground to make up.

The drop teams are decided - Hucknall Town, Vauxhall Motors, and Leigh RMI.

CONFERENCE SOUTH

Lewes has won, Eastbourne is locked into second, and the H&R Block (Hampton and Richmond) are grounded in a solid third. There is, however, going to be a heated battle for fourth and fifth! Fisher (4th, 68, 1 game left) and Eastleigh (5th, 67, 1 game left) hold those spots now, but Newport (66, 2 games left), Bath (65, 1 game left), Bromley (64, 1 game left), Havant & Waterlooville (64, 1 game left), Bishop's Stortford (63, 2 games left), and Braintree (63, 2 games left) are all still alive in the race. Newport is particularly dangerous as they have a game in hand on the two in-position teams. They can finish as high as 72 points, which, if Hampton & Richmond were to lose both their matches, would put Newport only a point behind.

The other end is a little more defined. Dorchester and Sutton are write-offs, and Weston can only catch Bognor Regis or St. Albans. If Basingstoke beats them in their next match, it's curtains. If not, they need Bognor Regis and St. Albans to keep to two points in their last two matches to have a chance. St. Albans has more pressure on them because they're a -26 to Weston's -30 in goal diff. Bognor Regis is -20. Now here's a dent in Weston's chances - they have to play Lewes in their last match. Granted, St. Al's gets stuck with H&R in theirs. Bognor Regis' sked is more manageable at this point.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 23, 2008, 10:53:16 PM
Some new developments since yesterday:

LEAGUE TWO

- Wrexham almost assured of relegation after losing 2-0 to Hereford.

CONFERENCE NATIONAL

- Aldershot becomes first-ever Conference team to reach 100 points after scoreless draw against Weymouth.
- playoff teams now in stone (Torquay, Cambridge, Exeter, Burton) after Stevenage lost 2-1 to Northwich.
- Weymouth and Northwich now safe from relegation, after loss by Farsley Celtic (plus Northwich win, Weymouth draw)
- Altrincham now in drop zone because of Halifax 4-0 win over Grays.

CONFERENCE NORTH

- Harrogate slips out of playoff position (goal diff) because of 1-1 draw against Tamworth.
- Southport moves into playoff position (by 1 point + goal diff) because of 2-0 win over dead-last Leigh RMI.

CONFERENCE SOUTH

- Newport's playoff push took a huge dent with a 4-1 loss to Thurrock.
- Braintree, in the meantime, revived their hopes with a 1-0 win against Dorchester
- Bognor Regis and St. Albans both got points, and Weston-super-Mare didn't beat Basingstoke (3-3 draw), so Weston are now officially screwed :p
- and not that this has much bearing, but I thought I'd share anyway - Hampton & Richmond raped Lewes 6-buzz yesterday :lol: Six goals from six different goalscorers!
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 29, 2008, 11:19:43 PM
Update time!

CHAMPIONSHIP

Is it down to the wire here or what? :D Although West Brom and Stoke are holding the auto-promotion spots, Hull could slip in with a win against Ipwsich if Stoke loses to Leicester and/or West Brom loses to QPR. If they both lose and Hull wins, Stoke will have to go through the playoffs because of their already-inferior goal differential relative to Hull.

But Ipswich still has a playoff spot to play for! The top 3 aside, Bristol is the only other team guaranteed at least a playoff spot - Watford and Crystal Palace aren't out of the woods yet with Wolverhampton, Ipswich, and Sheff U all still within range. It's going to be exciting football this Sunday! COME ON YOU TRACTOR BOYS!!

It's just as close at the other end. Southampton is only in the red by goal differential against Leicester, with Blackpool, Sheff W, and Coventry also still in danger. I'm hoping that either Leicester stays up or Iain Hume gets the feck outta there :p

LEAGUE ONE

The only battle that matters in the top half now is the three-way battle for second place between Doncaster, Nottingham Forest, and Carlisle United. There's another three-way battle for the last spot outside the red zone as well, with Cheltenham trying to fend off Gillingham and Bournemouth.

LEAGUE TWO

Who's doing what is set in stone. The question now is entirely to do with positioning.

Automatic promotion - Milton Keynes, Peterborough, Hereford
Playoffs home-pitch advantage - Rochdale, Stockport
Other playoffs - Darlington, Wycombe

Relegated - Mansfield, Wrexham

CONFERENCE PREMIER (FINISHED)

All said and done non-League side.

Aldershot is now the proud owner of the Conference single-season points record (101) while Cambridge plays Burton and Torquay plays Exeter in the semifinal round of the playoffs.

In the meantime, if Halifax survives this summer (financially) they will do so as a member of Conference as (from a football POV) they live to fight another day, at Altrincham's and Farsley Celtic's expense. Of course, we all already knew that Stafford Rangers and Droylsden were screwed :p

CONFERENCE NORTH (FINISHED)

We obviously already knew Kettering won, but the playoff picture's finally settled, and Harrogate obviously didn't recover from slipping down as they also drew Workington while Southport won their closer 2-1 and Barrow beat Worcester 1-0. So this means that it's Telford vs. Barrow and Stalybridge (who put an exclamation point on their season by throttling Redditch 6-scratch) vs. Southport.

As mentioned before, Hucknall, Vauxhall Motors, and Leigh RMI are goooooooooing unnnnnnnnderrrrrrr ;)

Conference North playoffs start tomorrow.

CONFERENCE SOUTH (FINISHED)

With Lewes the champion, it came down to who would make the playoffs. Eastbourne and the H&R Block were already in the mix going into the final game, but what a finish it turned out to be in the battle for the other two spots!

First off, Fisher Athletic beat Newport 2-1 in a veritable six-pointer.
Thurrock played spoilers yet again by destroying Eastleigh 4-1.
Had Braintree not beaten Eastbourne, Havant & Waterlooville could have taken the last spot with their 1-0 victory over Welling. That is, if Eastleigh had lost 12-1 :p
But the day belonged to Braintree, who upset 2nd-place Eastbourne to make the playoffs with a 1-0 victory of their own. So they now face Eastbourne in the playoffs. Hampton & Richmond face Fisher Athletic

Now at the other end, Weston-super-Mare, Dorchester, and Sutton are on their way down into the feeder leagues.

The playoffs for Conference South actually started today, with Eastbourne retaliating for their last-day loss with a 2-0 win in Braintree. Fisher and H&R drew 1-1 on Fisher's home pitch.

Now dipping lower for a sec, I'm gonna give you the rundown on who could be in Conference next season:

Ryman Isthmian League: Chelmsford City promoted, Staines Town (remember them from beating Stockport in the FA Cup?), AFC Wimbledon, AFC Hornchurch, and Ramsgate in playoffs.

BGB Southern League: Kings Lynn promoted, Team Bath, Halesowen Town, Chippenham Town, and Bashley in playoffs.

Unibond Northern Premier League: Fleetwood Town promoted, Witton Albion, Gateshead, Eastwood Town, and Buxton in playoffs.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on May 02, 2008, 08:09:56 AM
I hear Leeds didnt get there 15 points back yesturday..............Shame! :p
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 02, 2008, 06:36:55 PM
Probably because they left it until the season was over :p

Even if they had, Southend would still be in the playoffs ;) Except they'd be playing Doncaster instead of Carlisle :lol:
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on May 03, 2008, 08:00:27 PM
They are playing Doncaster, Notts forest came runners-up.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 04, 2008, 06:01:32 AM
Oh duh :p Forgot there was still a game left before today. Which brings me to the updates:

LEAGUE ONE

All said and done in League Number One ;) At least, the regular season is.

Promoted: Swansea (we knew this already), Nottingham Forest (after a 1-1 draw by Carlisle, a 2-1 loss by Doncaster (against Cheltenham :D), and a 3-2 nailbiter Forest win over Team Canada... I mean Yeovil :p)

Playoff picture:

Doncaster vs. Southend
Carlisle vs. Leeds (who'd be auto-promoted if they had their 15 points ditched :lol: )

Relegated: Gillingham, Bournemouth, Port Vale, Luton

DC76 Canuck of the Year, League One: Simeon Jackson. Started the year in Conference, basically did everything for Rushden and Diamonds, struggled a little bit early on in his League career after Gills picked him up in the January window, but then came forward with three goals in the late season, including one in the closing 2-1 loss against Leeds.

Runner-up: although he only played one game before being unceremoniously snatched back up into Pompey's reserves, Asmir Begovic. His lone game for Yeovil was outstanding.

LEAGUE TWO

Promoted: Milton Keynes, Peterborough, Hereford

Playoff Picture: Wycombe vs. Stockport, Rochdale vs. Darlington

Relegated: Mansfield, Wrexham

DC76 Canuck of the Year, League Two: Terry Dunfield. It was either him or Ross Smith, and Ross Smith did f**k all this season worth mentioning. At least Dunfield had a few assists. And umpteen yellow cards :p

CONFERENCE PREMIER

Torquay beat western rivals Exeter 2-1 in the first leg of playoff action while Cambridge and Burton played to a 2-2 draw. Return legs go Monday and Tuesday respectively.

Oh yes, and apparently Torquay decided they needed Simon Rayner back, so they recalled him from Boston in late March. :P

DC76 Canuck of the Year, Conference: again, Simeon Jackson.

CONFERENCE NORTH

The return leg of the Conference North playoff semis goes tomorrow. Barrow goes in with a surprising 2-0 advantage while Southport beat Stalybridge 1-scratch.

DC76 Canuck Of The Year, Conf North - Simon Rayner, in his stint with Boston.  There was no other Canadian in the CN. :p

CONFERENCE SOUTH

Well, it's down to Eastbourne vs. Hampton & Richmond. The H&R Block won it 1-0 on away goals as the aggregate score was 1-1 against Fisher. Godfrey and Co. will have to step up to the plate against an Eastbourne team that crushed Braintree, 5-buzz!

Canadian of the Year, Conf South: Without question, Elliott Godfrey. While he isn't the only reason for Hampton & Richmond's amazing run this season, he's one of the biggest with his 17 regular-season goals!

FEEDERS

The promotion playoffs are over.

Isthmian winner: AFC Wimbledon 2 Staines 1 (bummer :cry: )
Southern winner: Team Bath 2 Halesowen 1
Northern Premier winner: Gateshead 2 Buxton 0 (Gateshead met Buxton in the last game of the regular season and won 5-donut there, too!

So the promoted teams are:

King's Lynn (Southern)
Team Bath (Southern)
Fleetwood (Northern Prem.)
Gateshead (Northern Prem.)
Chelmsford (Isthmian)
AFC Wimbledon (Isthmian)

Who ends up playing where? Here's what should happen by how I understand English football:

To Conf North: Fleetwood, Gateshead, King's Lynn
To Conf South: Team Bath, Chelmsford, Wimbledon

Is this right, or is someone out of place there?
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on May 04, 2008, 08:34:07 AM
Championship end's today with a load of team that could still go down, plus West brom ,Stoke,Hull are all pushing to go up, with others in the play offs.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 04, 2008, 04:09:17 PM
COME ON IPSWICH!!

It should be interesting to see who joins West Brom in the Prem next season. It'll be someone weird either way because it looks like Stoke are on the up. :p
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 04, 2008, 08:26:16 PM
CHAMPIONSHIP

Promoted: West Brom, Stoke

Playoff picture: Hull vs. Watford, Bristol City vs. Crystal Palace

Relegated: Leicester (someone get Iain Hume outta there), S****horpe, Colchester

DC76 Canuck of the Year, Championship: Jason DeVos. He might not be the fastest defender around, but he has the defensive fundamentals down and provides Premiership-calibre veteran leadership. Only hours after Ipswich's last match, he announced his retirement from football and will be working with CBC Sports as a football colour guy.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on May 10, 2008, 08:04:01 AM
Southend drew 0-0 last night in there first leg vs Doncaster.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 10, 2008, 10:40:11 PM
VITTUSAATANAPERKELEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!!!

Stupid Eastbourne :dry: They beat Hampton & Richmond 2-0. Ah well, always next year.
Barrow is the other advancer to Conf. Prem. - they beat Stalybridge Celtic 1-scratch.

I hope Cambridge beats Exeter. I'm sore at Exeter for eliminating Torquay. :p
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on May 11, 2008, 08:14:52 AM
I do like watching the playoff's, there was a few game's yesturday -

1st Leg -
Crystal Palace 1-2 Bristol City
Darlington 2-1 Rochdale
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on May 12, 2008, 08:04:31 AM
1st leg's -

Watford 0-2 Hull
Wycombe 1-1 Stockport
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on May 13, 2008, 08:17:58 AM
Leeds lost 2-1 to Carilse in the 1st leg last night.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on May 14, 2008, 08:05:40 AM
Bristol C 2-1 C Palace (agg 4-2)

Watford vs Hull 2nd leg is tonight.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on May 15, 2008, 07:47:15 AM
Hull won 4-1 last night (6-1 agg)

So its Bristol city vs Hull city in the championship playoff final next Saturday.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on May 16, 2008, 08:16:36 AM
Leeds won 2-0 last night, 3-2 on both legs.

Southend are playing tonight. :p
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 16, 2008, 04:34:13 PM
Go Southend! ;)
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on May 17, 2008, 08:41:10 AM
Er........... they lost 5-1! :(
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 17, 2008, 08:40:23 PM
Well perkele, that sucks.

I hope Leeds beats the snot out of Doncaster. ;)
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on May 17, 2008, 08:47:42 PM
Rochdale beat darlo 5-4 on pen's (3-3)

Stockport beat wycombe 1-0 (2-1)
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 17, 2008, 10:40:07 PM
Quote from: Southend_Yid;41620
Rochdale beat darlo 5-4 on pen's (3-3)

Stockport beat wycombe 1-0 (2-1)

Kier's not gonna be happy. He HATES Rochdale :p

Conference Premier Playoff Final tomoz! :D COME ON CAMBRIDGE U!!

Also rooting for Hull, Leeds, and Stockport.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on May 19, 2008, 07:57:39 AM
Exeter city are back in the football league with there 1-0 win over cambridge yesturday.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 19, 2008, 04:13:41 PM
Grr... :dry: I hope they go right back down.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: Carlos on May 19, 2008, 04:59:58 PM
Ahh Exeter :) Trapped in the obscurity of non-league football for a while now, finall back in the football league. I have a soft spot for Leyton Orient, but that's because their my local team.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 25, 2008, 05:31:20 AM
It appears Halifax has gone under. And for the third straight season, Altrincham stays up because another team croaks. :rolleyes: If they do reform, Halifax will be in either the Northern Premier League Northern Division or in a feeder league. I think Altrincham should be relegated anyway and Stalybridge Celtic should get their spot. (As Altrincham would be Conference North, it would be kind of unfair if Hampton & Richmond did.)

Anyway, as a result, Hucknall Town is also spared relegation.

On a more positive note, Hull City beat Bristol City 1-0 and are in the Prems next season :D
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on May 26, 2008, 09:42:22 AM
Dirty Leeds lost 1-0! :p
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 26, 2008, 06:19:05 PM
Gimp. :p

With any luck they'll have their financial issues sorted by next season so they won't have to play with a points penalty.

Still pissed that Altrincham is staying up. They don't deserve to. :dry:

COME ON STOCKPORT!!
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on May 26, 2008, 10:12:19 PM
That was a great game, good ad for league 2.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 27, 2008, 05:15:15 AM
And more importantly, STOCKPORT WON!! :lol:

Agreed though. :)
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 29, 2008, 05:00:03 PM
Guess we have to wait a couple months now, then I can gravedig this thread :p
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on June 09, 2008, 09:34:54 AM
Luke McCormick (Plymouth) - Has been been -

Charged with two counts of causing death by dangerous driving.
One count of driving with excess alcohol.
One count of driving without insurance.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on June 09, 2008, 09:42:11 PM
Well, so much for his football career. If he gets convicted, which he probably will. Idiot. :rolleyes:
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on August 09, 2008, 08:05:48 PM
The football league started today and all you guys just need to know......... that Southend started off with a 1-0 win! ;)
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on October 06, 2008, 07:17:53 PM
Quote from: Southend_Yid;42812
Luke McCormick (Plymouth) - Has been been -

Charged with two counts of causing death by dangerous driving.
One count of driving with excess alcohol.
One count of driving without insurance.


 professional footballer has been jailed for seven years and four months for killing two children in a crash.

Former Plymouth Argyle goalkeeper Luke McCormick, 25, admitted causing the deaths of Arron Peak, 10, and Ben Peak, eight, and driving with excess alcohol.

The brothers, from Partington, Greater Manchester, died in a crash on the M6 in Staffordshire on 7 June.

Stoke Crown Court heard McCormick had driven "like an idiot". The boys' parents said they were scarred forever.

The court also heard McCormick, who was returning from a wedding, had ignored a plea from a friend to stop driving and pull over at services

Friends and relatives of the boys' family jeered McCormick as he arrived at court.

In a victim impact statement the boys' parents, Philip and Amanda Peak, said their lives had been shattered by the accident.

Philip Peak remains in a wheelchair and wears a neckbrace. He suffered spinal and lung injuries in the crash and may need further surgery.

Mr and Mrs Peak said they were disappointed McCormick would be eligible for parole in three-and-a-half years' time.

"In court, his barrister spoke of the effect this case has had on Luke. We find this offensive.

"Phil will carry the scars of the incident for life. We will both carry the emotional scars forever," they said.

The court heard that when breathalysed McCormick was found to have 74 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

The legal limit is 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.

The brothers and their father Philip Peak, 37, were in a Toyota Previa with friends, travelling to Silverstone racetrack, when the crash happened.

Their car was involved in a collision with McCormick's Range Rover at about 0545 BST on the southbound carriageway of the motorway between junctions 15 and 16, near Keele services.

Mr Peak, 37, who was driving, was seriously injured in the crash.

McCormick kept his head bowed and covered his face with his hand as the court heard he had told eyewitnesses at the crash scene: "I am so sorry, I'm sorry. I just fell asleep. I fell asleep, I'm sorry."

Before the accident other motorists noticed him "driving like an idiot" and estimated his speed at around 90mph (144km/h).

In mitigation, John Jones told the court he had been on his way to "sort out his love life," when the crash happened.

'Speed and alcohol'

He had been at a teammate David Norris's wedding in Bolton when he became upset about rumours of his fiancee's alleged infidelity which had been posted on the internet.

He was seen drinking beer and downing shots of sambuca before leaving the reception at 0200 BST. He got two hours sleep before getting up and leaving for Coventry.

The court heard he ignored a telephone plea from his room-mate to stop driving and pull over at services.

McCormick, a former England youth international, had his contract with Championship side Plymouth cancelled by mutual consent a month after the crash.

He was disqualified from driving for four years for causing death by dangerous driving.

Sgt Steve Robinson of the Central Motorway Police Group said McCormick had nearly collided with several people before the crash took place.

"I am shocked at the speed and the alcohol," he said.

"If he had only stopped, this tragedy could have been avoided."
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on October 06, 2008, 09:24:13 PM
Quote from: Southend_Yid;49477
professional footballer has been jailed for seven years and four months for killing two children in a crash.

Even if he pled guilty, I find that to be rather lenient.:mad:
Title: Update time!
Post by: DC76 on December 31, 2008, 01:35:14 AM
I guess we're far enough along in the season that I can start this again.

CHAMPIONSHIP

Wolves look destined for Premiership glory atm, while Reading and Birmingham are seven back and looking quite strong. Cardiff, Burnley, Preston, Crystal Palace, and QPR would be contenders if this were the stretch run.

On the other end, what the hell happened to Charlton? :shock: Absolute collapse. Otherwise, nobody is truly safe, but the most likely to be fighting for their lives (Charlton aside) are Southampton, Doncaster, Nottingham Forest, Norwich, Watford, and Derby.

Now for the Canadian picture.

Iain Hume may be forced to retire from football after sustaining a fractured skull and internal bleeding because of a blatant elbow by Sheffield United's Chris Morgan. Since the FA did jack all about it, Barnsley are considering legal action against Morgan.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/barnsley/7719713.stm

Also, Michael D'Agostino has been cut loose by Blackpool and Jaime Peters has yet to see action for Ipswich this season because of a knee injury.

Canadian of the season thus far: Hume, even though he may have to quit the game altogether :(

LEAGUE ONE

Leicester and MK Dons appear to be on the up with Millwall, Peterborough, Oldham, and S****horpe in playoff position. Stockport, Tranmere, Leeds, and Huddersfield are looking a little better than average as well. On the other hand, the bottom nine all look like there's a chance of them going down - Bristol Rovers, Carlisle, Yeovil, Brighton, Swindon, Leyton Orient, Cheltenham, Hereford, and Crewe, with the last three looking particularly bad.

There's no question who the best Canadian is thus far in this division - MK Dons striker Ali Gerba hands down. He seems to have found some form in Milton Keynes, scoring five goals this season, not bad at all considering how much bad luck our strikers have had at the club level lately :P

Yeovil has, once again, been Team Canada this season in terms of players. Marc Bircham is another player who is considering retiring, while Asmir Begovic started the season in Yeovil but was recalled to Pompey after fourteen games, leaving them with less-rated Canuck 'keeper Josh Wagenaar.

Comparative League records:

Wagenaar: 2W 3D 4L, 2CS
Begovic: 3W 6D 5L, 4CS (including all of his last 3 games, of which two were scoreless draws)

Anyway, that's the Canuck story. :P

LEAGUE TWO

Soaring Wycombe aside, League 2 is quite close - 5 points separate Wycombe from 2nd place Brentford, while seven separate Brentford from Gillingham and Aldershot, 10th and 11th respectively. In that 7-point space lie Brentford, Bradford, Dag & Red, Shrewsbury, Bury, Exeter, Darlington, Rochdale, Gillingham, and Aldershot.

The drop zone, for once, looks a little more clearcut. Poor Luton. They seem to be in a downward spiral. Bournemouth aren't faring so well either. If not for stifling point penalties, Grimsby and Barnet would probably be the bottom two. Rotherham are fighting like wounded dogs to stay up and would be in seventh place if not for their points penalty.

The Canadian story has smile-inducing abilities for Canadian fans in Div 2 this season, as Simeon Jackson, after splitting last season between Conference and Division One has found his form again after a slow start in Gillingham. In a tight scoring race, Jackson sits joint-fourth alongside Bradford's Peter Thorne with eleven goals.

Terry Dunfield still hasn't cleaned up his act, but he has produced more so far this season than he did in his comeback season last season with Macclesfield. 2 goals, 2 assists, and 4 yellow cards. :p

CONFERENCE PREMIER

Burton Albion appears to be running away with the title, but the next few spots in the table are a little closer, with Histon, Kidderminster, Crawley, Torquay, and Cambridge all jam-packed into a three-point space, and Wrexham right there behind them. Jackson's departure last season was the wakeup call Rushden & Diamonds needed and they appear to be playing much better football this season, in the upper-mid-table along with Stevenage, Kettering and :dry: Altrincham :dry:. Lewes and Northwich seem to be doing quite poorly, but Woking and Grays are at least trying to keep it close. The next dozen games or so should define things further.

Only one Canadian in Conference Prem this season, Crawley starter Simon Rayner, and since his team is so high up, that can only say how well he's doing!

CONFERENCE NORTH

No Canadians to be found here ;)

If the current trend keeps up, this season is gonna be a slugfest at the top, with Tamworth, Southport, and Telford all with their eyes on the prize. With the weird scheduling though, anything could happen right below them. Harrogate, Gateshead, Stalybridge, Hinckley, and Alfreton are all doing decently, while Farsley and Droylsden have enough games in hand to get into that race. Hyde, Burscough, Blyth and Hucknall seem the most likely relegation candidates although of course only three teams go down, and Solihull, Workington, Fleetwood, Redditch and even Vauxhall aren't realistically out of danger.

CONFERENCE SOUTH

It would seem a little more defined if not for the fact that Chelmsford has played two more games than 2nd place Wimbledon :P The games played count is a little more uniform in this league with most having played 20 or 21 matches, and four teams (Chelmsford, Bromley, Eastleigh, Thurrock) having played 22. Wimbledon and Team Bath have a distinct advantage, with two of the top 5 having played 22 and them, sitting in 2nd and 5th respectively, only having played 20. The H&R Block are fourth with 37 in 21 games played, so they could easily catch Eastleigh for another 3rd-place finish, despite having lost top scorer (and Canadian) Elliott Godfrey. But by no means are these five the only contenders. Welling, Hayes and Yeading, and Maidenhead look strong, and Bath City has a game in hand on all three.

At the other end, Bognor Regis, Fisher Ath, Basingstoke (Powerage ain't gonna be happy), Bishop's Stortford (Storts either), and Newport County are playing rather poorly, although Basingstoke and Stortford also have a game in hand so a good run and they could bump the slump so to speak :p

Elliott Godfrey, the aforementioned Canadian coming off a career year with H&R, seems to be taking his sweet time getting adjusted to Wimbledon's style of play (and a position change from striker to attacking mid), although he has contributed three goals this season.
Title: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on February 06, 2009, 04:52:23 AM
Update time!

It's been about five weeks since I last updated this, so there are some significant changes.

CHAMPIONSHIP

It's a fair bit closer than it was when I last updated - Wolves are still top by five but they have played one more game than second-place Reading and the third-place Brummies, and two more than Cardiff, so the race for top could get real interesting real fast. The playoff race is also close, with :dry: Preston North End :dry: holding down the last spot but also having played one more game than the logjam of teams behind them - QPR in particular could pass them by goal differential with a single win, while Burnley, Swansea, Bristol, and Ipswich are close as well. Crystal Palace appears to be an outside favourite on top of these.

On the other end, it seems several former Prems teams are on the down. Charlton in particular are all but doomed with their form, with Southampton and Watford looking slightly more hopeful :P Because of scheduling, the games played vary, and Watford probably has a better chance of avoiding the drop as a result - if they can pass 29-gamers Doncaster that is :P - and Derby has a better chance of staying out of the red zone completely than the teams surrounding them. Barnsley have been on a slump since the injury to Iain Hume (who according to Barnsley's website is making very good progress from the head injury that could easily have ended his career or even his life) and are teetering on the brink of relegation. Norwich is probably in more danger, however, because they have played one more match. Plymouth and Forest need to watch themselves, too.

Canadian scene - see what I said about Barnsley :P

LEAGUE ONE

Leicester is MILES ahead. Even if Millwall were to win all three games they had in hand on them, they'd still be eight back, although they'd also be two up on second-place Milton Keynes. To be fair, if Peterborough and S****horpe could win their games in hand as well, they'd be pretty close in their own right. After the nailbiter between 2nd and 5th sits Oldham, who have played one more game than 7th-place Leeds but are only 4 ahead. A win in the game in hand and you'd have another close race. Also, with Tranmere having two in hand on Oldham, they too could jump right back into the thick of things with full points, leapfrogging disadvantaged Huddersfield who have played more matches than any other team in the division up to this point. Still, Hudds, as well as Colchester, are on the right side of a growing points chasm between the top half and the bottom half.

It would seem that this is more a result of scheduling and postponements than of form. Below the "chasm," only one team - red-zone occupying Leyton Orient - has played more than 28 games, while above it, five teams have. This could provide some solace to the fans of most of the teams outside the red zone in this lower half, with only 3 points separating 12th-place Walsall from 18th-place Carlisle, but not one of these teams is out of even immediate danger, with all but Orient in the red zone, as well as the two teams immediately above it (Swindon and Brighton/Hove Albion), having games in hand on this pack. Bristol Rovers could get themselves out of this in the short term by winning their game in hand. But in the meantime, although Cheltenham, Crewe, and Hereford seem doomed at the moment, a good run of form and they are very much alive.

As for the Canadian report, Ali Gerba has added another goal to his number with the Dons. However, the best Canadian of the last 5 weeks has been, surprisingly, goalkeeper Josh Wagenaar, who after letting four in in his first two matches of 2009, put together three very inspired clean sheets against Southend, Huddersfield, and Leyton Orient, all ending 1-0. One would think that he might have done the same against Crewe but for the fact that their match was postponed.

LEAGUE TWO

Way too close to call at this point. Sure, Wycombe has four more than 2nd-place Brentford, but at this time, only six separate Brentford from 10th-place Exeter. Translation: anyone's game. Bury, Rochdale, Darlington, Shrewsbury, Gillingham, Bradford, and Dags & Reds also all have a very good chance of making the playoffs or perhaps even getting into the three auto-promotion spots. Even Chesterfield and Aldershot have an outside shot. Lincoln is kinda just there. :P

With stiff points penalties against Bournemouth and Luton it looks highly unlikely that anyone else is going to be going under this season. Grimsby and Barnet better be thanking someone for those two clubs' misfortunes, or else it would be them in the red for sure, since Luton would have 32 points instead of 2, and Bournemouth 29 instead of 12, versus Grimsby's 21 and Barnet's 22. There's still no ruling out Bournemouth catching either of the two, either, although Luton is pretty much hooped. Now Rotherham is something else. Under the crushing weight of the same 17-point penalty that Bournemouth has, they have managed to soldier on and stay a fair distance out of the red, even being ahead of Grimsby, Barnet, and also Chester City. If not for the penalty, they'd be in position for a playoff run.

Canadians - Simeon Jackson is now joint third in the division with thirteen (with two more goals to his name since last update), only one behind co-leaders Jamie Ward and Grant Holt. Terrible Terry, on the other hand, has a red card from a cup competition to his name with no further points.

CONFERENCE PREMIER

Postponements have hit some teams hard in the standings. Not that it matters too much - Burton would still be 7 up on Histon even if that side did win all its games in hand, and the race for the playoffs is still very tight. Cambridge and Stevenage are at a disadvantage because while they have played 30 and 31 respectively, Torquay and Histon have only played 27, Kidderminster, 28, and Wrexham, 26, which could be problematic for them in a very close race. Oxford and Crawley have soldiered on with point penalties to their name, although they too have played more games than the above-mentioned.

The mid-table is interesting. If ever you wanted an example of .500 football, look no further than Rushden and Diamonds, who have won ten, drawn ten, and lost ten :P Eastbourne, Altrincham, Weymouth, and even Mansfield Town (despite a 4-point penalty) seem to be holding the fort in mid-table. I must say, though, that not one team has been as affected by cancellations as Kettering. They've only played 24 of their games. 7 GAMES IN HAND ON SOME TEAMS!! :lol: All they need is a good run and they're in playoff contention!

Lewes and Northwich seem to be going under already, but the race involving Grays Ath, Forest Green, Salisbury, Barrow, Woking, York City, and Ebbsfleet is going to be a doozy in the late season.

Only Canadian is still Simon Rayner. :P

CONFERENCE NORTH

This is just... weird. Tamworth is only on top by a point but it also has three games in hand on 2nd-place Gateshead. Then behind Gateshead is Southport, who have played two fewer games than Tamworth and could easily catch them, and the weirdness carries on from there. Looking at the points earned per game, one gets a different picture about who ought to be where:

Actual rank in parentheses, pace points (rounded to whole number) in square brackets

1. (1) Tamworth: 2.125 [89]
2. (3) Southport: 2.045 [86]
3. (4) Telford: 1.875 [79]
4. (2) Gateshead: 1.852 [78]
5. (7) Stalybridge: 1.739 [73]
6. (5) Alfreton: 1.640 [69]
7. (10) Droylsden: 1.591 [67]
8. (6) Harrogate: 1.577 [66]
9. (9) Hinckley: 1.522 [64]
10. (11) Vauxhall: 1.391 [58]
11. (13) Farsley: 1.292 [54]
12. (8) Gainsborough: 1.286 [54]
13. (15) Fleetwood: 1.261 [53]
14. (12) Stafford: 1.231 [52]
15. (16) Workington: 1.173 [49]
16. (14) Kings Lynn: 1.148 [48]
17. (17) Redditch: 1.083 [45]
18. (19) Blyth: 0.957 [40]
19. (18) Solihull: 0.889 [37]
20. (20) Hyde: 0.88 [37]
21. (21) Burscough: 0.84 [35]
22. (22) Hucknall: 0.769 [32]

Of course, because of the skewed schedules, it really could turn out any which way. But this is really how the division should be lining up. So as you can see, the only team that is really where it should be that is out of relegation danger is Hinckley. :P Well, and Tamworth of course.

CONFERENCE SOUTH

Far more uniform in the South. Like last season with the H&R Block (who currently sit a respectable third), the promoted teams from the feeder leagues were looking to make an impression and have done so, as AFC Wimbledon and Chelmsford City sit 1-2. H&R and Eastleigh are both six up on 5th-place Welling U, but H&R has a game in hand. The last playoff spot, occupied by the aforementioned Welling, is another story. Five teams have a clear crack at that at the moment, with the four on the outside looking in being Maidenhead, Hayes and Yeading, Team Bath, and Bath City. Methinks Braintree and Worcester will have a better chance at catching that pack than Bromley, who have played more matches than any other team thus far.

At the other end, Bognor Regis and Fisher Ath seem to be in a world of trouble, but for the third red-zone team, Basingstoke, things aren't quite so bleak as they are only five back of Thurrock and Havant/Waterlooville. In all fairness, Thurrock is the team that's really being chased as B'stoke, Stortford, and H&W all have two games in hand on them.

Elliott Godfrey still only has 3 goals to his name but he has participated in all but three matches this season for red-hot AFC Wimbledon.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on November 22, 2009, 09:43:55 PM
Well, this season, I'll be using S*ccerway and a couple other sites, since the man who ran probably the most thorough English football tables site on the Web, Tony Kempster, passed away not long after last season ended. :'(

CHAMPIONSHIP

Of the three Prems teams relegated after last season, two of them look on form to go right back up - that is, West Brom and Newcastle, who sit one and two thus far.

Promote Leicester City sits third and look hungry this season, with both Welsh clubs - Cardiff and Swansea - in playoff position and QPR, Blackpool, and Watford all even with them in the points. So it's going to be quite a battle unless one team goes wild... or one team goes down the hatch :P

Middlesbrough are living up to their name, sitting at mid-table :P but only two points back of the playoff spot log-jam. Nott Forest and Bristol City are a point ahead of them, and Preston North End (SCUUUUUUUUM) are one back, with Crystal Palace behind them.

Sheffield United and Barnsley sit at 21, which is interesting considering what happened between the two last year. Considering Sheffield's Chris Morgan got off Scot-free for his nasty elbow that nearly ended the career of - and could have killed - Barnsley's Canadian striker Iain Hume, there will likely be bad blood between these two. But there is good news. Hume recovered faster than expected from this potentially life-threatening injury, and has only missed one match this season, scoring two goals for the Tykes.

Which brings us to the bottom section. You've got one point separating 16th from 21st and Doncaster, Sheff W, Coventry, Derby, Reading, and Sc*nthorpe occupying that space. What the hell? Derby and Reading? What happened to them anyway? :P It's like Charlton, Southampton, and Norwich last season. How low the mighty have fallen...

Plymouth, Ipswich, and Peterborough are in the red at the moment.

Canadian picture - you already got half of the important part with the Hume news. Jaime Peters is struggling to live up to expectations with Ipswich, having just one assist this season. Asmir Begovic decided to play for Bosnia, but since he was born there and didn't live in Canada that long anyway, few Canadians harbour any ill will towards him. Still a Canadian in our books anyway :P He's on loan to Ipswich btw.

LEAGUE ONE

Leeds has made it very clear that they want out of League One, having lost only once this season (a recent shock loss against Millwall), and being six clear of second-place Charlton. At the moment there appear to be five contenders for the four playoff spots - Huddersfield, Colchester, Norwich, MK Dons, and Bristol Rovers, then a three-point drop-off to Millwall and Swindon (25).

Following them are Walsall (24) then Southend and Hartlepool (23), then Yeovil (22), Oldham and Exeter (21).

The low table could get close. It starts with Brentford and Leyton Orient (19) and Gillingham (18), all three being promoted clubs from last season (the fourth was Exeter). Carlisle and Brighton are lagging a little as well (17) but are still out of the red, with Stockport (14) having dropped five straight, Southampton (13) under the weight of a 10-point penalty, and Wycombe (11) and Tranmere (10) just flat-out sucking. :P

It's only mid-season, so anything can happen, but still.

Only one Canadian in League One, but a good one - 22-year-old Simeon Jackson is looking more and more like the next Alex Bunbury the more he plays and has been one of a couple of bright spots in an otherwise half-arsed Gillingham season, sitting joint seventh in League One in goals with eight.

LEAGUE TWO

Looks like usual League Two football :P Bournemouth is three up on a four-team logjam for second in the points - Rochdale (BOOOOOOO), Dag & Red, Rotherham, and Chesterfield, who all have 32.

A little ways behind are Notts County (28) and Shrewsbury (27), with Barnet, Bury, Burton, and Aldershot all within a win of the Shrews.

At the other end, it's pretty comfy for most teams, but Torquay, Cheltenham, and even Lincoln have their eyes over their shoulders at Grimsby, who sit second-last with 13 points. But even they have fared better than Darlington, whose only two wins of the season have come in the last five matches - a 2-1 stunner against Shrewsbury and a 1-0 nailbiter over Chesterfield.

As Canadians go, there are two in League Two this season, and neither has really stood out that much. Terry Dunfield has only played once this season for Shrewsbury, with the rough but apparently lovable Canadian (he has his own fansite - ILoveTerryDunfield.com :P) having been injured for most of the season. Hereford utility player Gavin McCallum has fared slightly better, scoring a goal and getting an assist in four matches for the Bulls.

CONFERENCE NATIONAL

Oxford sit five points clear atop the Conference, with a whopping 46. Stevenage Borough would be better off if not for all those accursed draws though, as they've only lost once this season in their 41-point campaign.

As for playoff picture, Kettering, Mansfield, and York are in position, with Luton's downward spiral seeming to have finally put on the emergency brake within striking distance of a Conference playoff spot. They'll be back in League eventually. ;)

Another team to watch for right now is Rushden & Diamonds. They may no longer have Simeon Jackson, but they're on fire at the moment, having won seven in a row. Kidderminster's a little further back but still in decent position.

At the other end, it's another case of the red-zoners lagging way the hell behind. :P Chester City have a 25-point penalty for insolvency issues, so they're in the negative in points, whereas if they didn't have the penalty they'd be three points out of the red as it would be in that situation - 18 points. Instead, the survival mark is at 18 points, with Forest Green, Grays, and Ebbsfleet all lagging behind. Hell, the Fleet has only won ONCE this season and that was all the way back in August. They have also lost six in a row.

Canadians: It would appear that neither Simon Rayner nor Elliott Godfrey has had that good a season :P But there is good news. Ross Smith, who had to retire in 2008 because of a previously undetected heart condition, was cleared to return to the game just recently, and was signed last week by Ebbsfleet United, a club he played for in the 06-07 season.

Conference North and South later. :P
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on January 03, 2010, 01:25:47 AM
I guess I oughta do a mid-season update, despite the goofy nature of the fixtures atm.

CHAMPIONSHIP

Since I last reported, Newcastle have basically gone nuts and sit six clear atop the table (51), with fellow relegated team WBA (45) right behind them and Forest (43) sitting a clear third. Perhaps they will be back in the Prems like they were when I began following football.

The other three playoff spots are a three-way points draw (37) between Cardiff, Leicester, and Swansea, with Sheffield United (35), Blackpool (34), and Crystal Palace (also 34) within one win, and QPR (33) within 4 points. Right behind them, another three-way logjam between Middlesbrough, Bristol City, and Watford.

At the other end, it's currently Plymouth Argyle (21), Sheffield Wednesday (19), and Peterborough (18) seeing red, with Sc*nthorpe and Reading only two clear and Ipswich (with their two Canadians) a win up. So something tells me it's going to be a tight battle.

Canadians - None of them are doing that hot right now, although you have to cut Barnsley's Iain Hume some slack, since he came back from a life threatening injury and has two goals this season. On a more positive note, Jaime Peters has added a goal to his collection.

LEAGUE ONE

Still just one loss for Leeds (56) this season, who are now eight clear of second with a game in hand on both Norwich and Charlton (48 each). Colchester is looking decent although the fact that the North End Scum mopped the floor with them, 7-0 in Cup action, isn't going to be good for their self-esteem. :P The next five places in the table (5th through 9th) are very close at the moment though, with only four points separating them:

5. Hudds - 38, +18, 23 GP
6. Swindon - 38, +2, 22 GP
7. Millwall - 36, +7, 24 GP
8. MK Dons - 36, E, 24 GP
9. Bristol Rovers - 34, -4, 23

Rovers have had a rocky go of late though, winning just two of their last five.

At the other end, the four-team red-zone has Leyton Orient (24) out by goals scored. Yes, you heard me correctly. Draw in the points, draw in goal differential, same number of games played, and the exact same record as the team "ahead" of them - all referring to Brighton and Hove Albion - but they are out on the strength of two fewer goals scored.

Way closer than the other three :P Those are Tranmere (21), Wycombe (18), and Stockport (14), who have lost nine in a row, and twelve League matches in a row. Ouchies.

More than half the table's within six points of the red zone, but the teams in immediate danger, besides the aforementioned Albion, are Oldham (25), and Exeter and Gillingham (26).

In spite of Gillingham's lowly form, their resident Canadian is still doing his country proud with 10 League goals and 3 Cup goals so far this season. Simeon Jackson is in a four-way draw in eight place in scoring in the league with his goals. On top of that, he also has four assists. I figure if you took him from Gills, they'd fall flat on their collective arse in no time. :P

LEAGUE TWO

My mate Kier ain't gonna be happy. Rochdale, a team he hates, currently sits top with 51, 5 clear of Bournemouth and a dozen clear of Rotherham. On the other hand, Rotherham (39) has only played 21 matches while the two ahead of them have played 24. The simple fact that they are still in third makes them an EPIC threat at the moment, especially considering the fact that they also have the fewest losses.

That said, only six points separate them from eleventh-place Accrington Stanley:

3. Rotherham - 39
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
4. Shrewsbury - 38
5. Notts County - 37
6. Dag & Red - 37
7. Aldershot - 36, +10
---------------------------------------------
8. Bury - 36, -1
9. Chesterfield - 35
10. Morecambe - 34
11. Accrington S. - 33

So as you can see, the playoff picture is hella close.

The other end sees two clear favourites for the drop. Darlington (8) might as well begin plans for Conference National play for next season, having won just twice this season (both in their last ten matches), and sitting fourteen points from safety. Grimsby (18) would be better off if they could just go the extra mile - they have nine draws, including eight of their last eleven League matches. They are only four back of Lincoln (22), but given the fact that they've not won since beating Hartlepool on 6 October, I'm not holding out hope :P

I'd imagine Hereford and Torquay (25) and Cheltenham (24) are also looking over their shoulders.

Canadians - Shrews mid Terry Dunfield appears to be back in the lineup, and has a goal in eight League appearances. But the better of the two Canucks is still Gavin McCallum despite his team's low standing, having added a League goal and a Cup assist to his collection.

CONFERENCE PREMIER

The sked's even more skewed here, with the teams varying from 22 matches played (less than halfway done) to 27 played.

Stevenage currently sits first by a point (57) but the people behind them all have games in hand, and this is bad news when the team right behind them, Oxford U (56), has three of 'em! Both they and third-place York (49) are on an absolute tear at the moment, with Oxford unbeaten in six Conference matches (4W 2D), and York on a seven-game Conference win streak. Mansfield (44) and Wimbledon (43) hold down the other two playoff spots, with Kettering just one point out and Luton (40) with a crapton of games in hand.

On the other side, it seems the return of Canadian Ross Smith to Ebbsfleet (21) has lit a fire under the team, winning four of their last six Conference matches to put them just one point from getting out of the red zone, and given how they they'd've been last place if not for Chester's insolvency and negative pointage (-3, after 25 points deducted), that's saying something! Presently, that burden would fall upon Grays Athletic (17). Forest Green are also in the red with 20.

Eastbourne (22), who have won just twice in their last twenty Conference matches (sad, eh?), Gateshead (22 with a 1-point penalty), and Salisbury (24) should be looking over their shoulders.

Simon Rayner seems to have been doing a little better with Crawley, while Elliot Godfrey added a goal to his collection in a 7-1 Wimbledon rout of Ash United in a trophy match.

Just for curiosity, here's how the table would look, with the averages pro-rated (points ÷ games played) to 27 games played, with all point penalties removed.

(2) Oxford - 63
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
(1) Stevenage - 57
(3) York - 53
(4) Mansfield - 48
(7) Luton - 47
-------------------------
(5) Wimbledon - 45
(6) Kettering - 45
(8 ) Rushden and Diamonds - 44
(9) Kidderminster - 39
(10) Crawley - 38
(11) Histon - 38
(13) Altrincham - 38
(12) Cambridge U - 34
(17) Wrexham - 33
(14) Hayes/Yeading - 33
(15) Tamworth - 32
(16) Barrow - 32
(18) Salisbury - 25
(19) Gateshead - 25
(24) Chester - 24
-------------------------
(20) Eastbourne - 23
(22) Forest Green - 22
(21) Ebbsfleet - 21
(23) Grays Ath. - 17

CONFERENCE NORTH

The schedule is really out of wack in this division. So I s'pose the best I can do is pro-rate this to 23 games to give you an idea of their form. By the way, Southport is tops with 48.

(1) Southport - 48
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
(7) Stalybridge - 46
(2) Fleetwood - 45
(3) Hinckley - 44
(4) Eastwood - 41
-----------------------------------
(5) Droylsden - 41
(6) Corby - 38
(8 ) Alfreton - 37
(10) Ilkeston - 34
(9) Telford - 33
(11) Workington - 29
(15) Spartans - 27
(12) Gloucester - 25
(14) Farsley - 25
(13) Redditch - 24
(17) Northwich - 24
(16) Stafford - 21
(20) Hyde - 21
(19) Gainsborough - 20, -14
------------------------------------------
(18) Solihull - 20, -15
(21) Harrogate - 15
(22) Vauxhall - 15

CONFERENCE SOUTH

Since this division has some semblance of sanity, here goes :P

Newport (56) pretty much appears predestined to win this. I mean come on, they're fourteen points clear AND they have a game in hand on second-place Woking (42). Second place is where it gets interesting. Only three points separate second from sixth. There's a drop-off afterwards, but all the teams immediately behind Thurrock have a game in hand on them:

2. Woking - 42
3. Dover - 41
4. Chelmsford - 41
5. Braintree - 39
--------------------------
6. Thurrock - 39
7. Eastleigh - 35
8. Bromley - 35
9. Bath - 34

Staines and Welling also have 34 points, with Basingstoke and St. Albans with 32.

So they're well clear of the red, with the current survival mark being 19. Lewes (17), Weston (16), and Weymouth (14) are the current red-zone occupants, with Worcester being the benchmark and H&R (21 - I bet they miss Elliott Godfrey now :P) and Dorchester (22) also being in immediate danger.

But that brings us to the pro-rate section, since there is still some inconsistency.

(1) Newport - 61
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
(5) Braintree - 44
(2) Woking - 44
(4) Chelmsford - 43
(6) Thurrock - 42
-----------------------------------
(3) Dover - 41
(7) Eastleigh - 40
(8) Bromley - 40
(9) Bath - 39
(10) Staines - 35
(11) Welling - 35
(15) Havant/W'ville - 34
(12) St. Albans - 33
(13) Basingstoke - 33
(14) Bishop's Stortford - 33
(16) Maidenhead - 30
(17) Dorchester - 26
(18) Hampton/Richmond - 25
(19) Worcester - 21
----------------------------------
(20) Lewes - 19
(21) Weston - 17
(22) Weymouth - 16
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on March 07, 2010, 11:53:43 PM
It would seem as if the sked is so cockeyed that I can't really do that good of an update. I think I'll wait until the end of the month. :P
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on March 21, 2010, 11:43:53 AM
League 1 - I really hope Southend Stay up, I went to see them play yesturday, Great to come back 2-0 down! With things happening off the pitch, I doubt they will stay up, havent got the squad to do it.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on March 21, 2010, 02:50:00 PM
Could be worse.

You could support Stockport. :P
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on March 25, 2010, 03:07:02 PM
Southend won 3-0 Midweek!  ;D The Fight is still there, but they face touch away trips to Leeds,Norwich and Southampton!  :-[
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on March 26, 2010, 10:07:58 PM
With some semblance of normalcy returning to the League tables, I think I'll do a partial update ;)

CHAMPIONSHIP

Well, we're down to the home stretch in the League. Most teams have seven or eight matches left, with two teams - Watford and Reading - having nine.

It's looking more and more like Newcastle (80) and West Bromwich (78) will be going up with the first two spots. The question is, who will be the 2009-10 Football League Champion? It's gonna be close there with only two points separating the Toon from the Brom. However, Newcastle has a game in hand.

Forest (70) has a death grip on third at the moment, nine clear of Leicester and Swansea (both 61) and eleven clear of Cardiff (59). It seems the Welsh teams mean business this season, as they've been consistently good. Five points back of Cardiff, a close group starts, with only six points separating Blackpool (54) from the North End scum (48) :P Barnsley have done well to dig themselves out of the hole they were in earlier in the season.

Speaking of teams digging themselves out of holes, when I did my last update, Ipswich (47) was walking on the edge of the red zone, and now they're eight points clear. But they need to keep the form up somewhat. There are still seven games to go in their season. ;)

Although the first team out of the red is Watford (42), they have two games in hand on the team ahead of them and one in hand on the team right behind them, so the way I see things is, the team in the most danger of being caught is actually Sheffield Wednesday (43). I'll bet Crystal Palace (39) wishes they didn't have that ten-point penalty right about now :P

Plymouth (37) and Peterborough (30) are the other two red-zoners, but the former still has a decent chance of staying up if they can put together a run of good form. Peterborough... it's mathematically possible, but becoming less likely with every match. If they lose but three more matches, they're toast.

On the Canadian scene, there appears to now be a third Canuck owned by a Championship club, as 21-year-old ex-Vancouver Whitecap Marcus Haber was recently signed by West Bromwich Albion, and did a loan spell in Exeter in League One but is now back with the Baggies. Iain Hume appears to have had a very fruitful last couple months, as he has added a goal and three assists to his totals this season. Jaime Peters got another assist, but he still seems to be struggling somewhat.

LEAGUE ONE

Only five teams are off schedule in League One - Carlisle United and Yeovil Town have played 38 matches, one more than the standard, Oldham Ath and Tranmere Rovers have played 36, and Brentford has played 35. Everyone else has played 37, leaving them with nine matches remaining in their skeds.

Norwich (79) is the top dog in the pack for sure, eight ahead of the nearest competitor, Leeds (71). Leeds' second-place position could easily be taken from them too, as there is a small group within four points - Millwall (68), Charlton and Swindon (both 67) - with Colchester U (64) and Huddersfield (61) being dark horses in that regard. They aren't dark horses where the playoffs are concerned, though. Hudds are 5 clear of MK Dons (56) and six clear of Bristol Rovers (55), and it just goes downhill from there.

The lower end is far closer, although Stockport (24) wouldn't have you believing that! But don't take my word for it. See for yourself:

13. Brentford - 44, -2, 35 GP
14. Yeovil - 44, -6, 38 GP
15. Brighton/Hove - 44, -7
16. Leyton O. - 41
17. Oldham - 40, 36 MP
18. Gillingham - 39, -11
19. Hartlepool - 39, -12
20. Tranmere - 38, 36 MP
---------------------------------------------------
21. Southend - 37, -13
22. Exeter - 37, -14

Anything can happen down there. By the way, the missing red-zone team is second-from-last-place Wycombe (31).

Canadians - Marcus Haber did momentarily join Exeter on loan, but is back in West Brom, meaning that Simeon Jackson is once again the only Canadian in League One. Simeon Jackson appears to have bumped his slump somewhat, and now has fourteen league goals on the season. In a tie for ninth in league goalscoring, he appears to be the lone bright spot in an otherwise dismal Gillingham roster.

LEAGUE TWO

The sked's a little more cockeyed here. Rochdale, Accrington Stanley, Barnet, and Cheltenham have played only 36 matches, while Darlington and Notts County have only played 35. Everyone else has played 37.

Not that it'd do Darlington (16) much good to have played those other two matches :P They're nineteen points behind Cheltenham (35), meaning if they lose five more matches - and with their form of late, they inevitably will - it's off to Conference for them. At least Grimsby (31) has a chance of staying up. I would advise Lincoln (42), Barnet, Hereford (both 41), Macclesfield (39) and Torquay (37) to keep an eye over their shoulders as well.

At the other end, there appears to be no stopping Rochdale (75), who are 10 points clear of second-place Notts County (65) in spite of a game in hand. Speaking of which, they're even in the points with Rotherham but have two games in hand and a far superior goal differential (+42 to Rotherham's +11). Even with the goal diff advantage and NC's games in hand, they both still have to keep their eyes on Bournemouth (64), Chesterfield, and Bury (61). Another team to watch out for is hard-charging Northampton (58), who have five wins in a row. If they keep this up, it'll be harder for the teams just outside the playoffs to keep up, and there are indeed a few of them within two wins:

7. Northampton - 58
------------------------------------------
8. Aldershot - 57
9. Dag & Red - 55, +5
10. Shrewsbury - 55 +4
11. Port Vale - 53, +11
12. Burton - 53, +3
13. Accrington Stanley - 53, -4
14. Morecambe - 52

Canadians - the last two months have been kind to Gavin McCallum, who has added four goals to his total, giving him six goals and an assist total this season. Terry Dunfield... well, he did score another goal, but hasn't done much else.

I'll do Conference some time in April.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on March 27, 2010, 06:04:01 PM
Bristol Rovers 4-3 Southend United  >:(

Southend was 2-0 up within 20 mins gone!
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on March 28, 2010, 12:26:40 AM
BBC Sport - Football - Farsley Celtic finally disbanded (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_conf/8559656.stm#id8550000/8559800/8559815-audio)

RIP Farsley Celtic. :'( By the way, this means one fewer relegation from Conference North.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on April 06, 2010, 12:08:13 PM
Over the easter weekend Southend picked 1 point.  :(

Southend 0-0 Yeovil
Gillingham 3-0 Southend

Next play Leeds away on Saturday.  :'(

They stay 22nd, 3 points for saftey.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 06, 2010, 09:06:54 PM
I s'pose I should do an update since it is getting late in the season now. :P

CHAMPIONSHIP

Most teams now have 4 matches left. Four (Newcastle, QPR, Scun-thorpe, and Watford) have five, and one (Reading) has six.

But on to the points. Newcastle (89) has clinched promotion back into the Premiership, and West Bromwich (83) can do so with just one win in their last four matches.

The playoffs are still all to play for at this point, even for 3rd-place Nottingham Forest (72) who can still mathematically be eliminated even though they are nine points clear of 7th-place Blackpool (63). Both Welsh teams are still in the playoff spots, with Cardiff (69) and Swansea (65) being back-to-back in the table. Leicester (64) rounds out the top six. But methinks this playoff race could get very interesting. Leicester and Swansea have had a run of poor form, and the three teams behind them - Blackpool (62), Middlesbrough (58), and Bristol City (56) are all on massive unbeaten streaks. Reading (55), with their games in hand, could also be a threat. Even with them in the points are Sheffield United and Doncaster, but they have also played two more games. Which pleases me to no end, because I would hate to see that dirtbag Chris Morgan play in the Premiership after he damn near killed Iain Hume.

At the other end, Peterborough (31) is officially hooped after a 2-2 draw with Barnsley (52) coming off a five-game losing streak - this means their maximum points total is a dismal 43, which is three fewer than they'd need to get to safety. By the way, guess who scored both goals for the Tykes? :P More on him later. Plymouth (41) is still very much alive, but they're fading fast. Sheffield Wednesday (45) on the other hand, is even in the points with Watford, but behind on goal differential and games played, which could prove tricky. Still, the bottom end is quite close. Here's the table of everyone within 9 points:

13. Ipswich - 54
14. Coventry - 52, -12
15. Barnsley - 52, -13
16. Derby - 51
17. North End Scum - 50
18. QPR - 48
19. Scun-thorpe - 47
20. Crystal Palace - 46
21. Watford - 45, -11
---------------------------------------
22. Sheff W - 45, -18
23. Plymouth - 41

I would laugh my arse off if Preston North End ended up relegated ;D

Canadians - it seems that Burnley loaned David Edgar to Swansea. :P But the real story on the Canuck front is Iain Hume, who you could say drove the final nail into Peterborough's coffin by scoring both goals in the 2-2 draw for Barnsley. Nothing new from Jaime Peters or Marcus Haber, matter of fact there are rumours the latter may be heading back to the Whitecaps.

LEAGUE ONE

These guys are a bit further behind on their sked, as most teams have six matches left, four teams (Tranmere, Huddersfield, Southampton, and Brentford) have seven left, and Oldham has eight left.

With that in mind, no one has clinched anything yet, save for first-place Norwich (85) being guaranteed at least a playoff spot. Swindon (76) and Millwall (75) are both on hot streaks right now, with the former being on a 3-game win streak and only having dropped two points in their last six matches (against Norwich, no less), while the latter is on a nine-game unbeaten streak, having only dropped four points in the stretch! Colour me impressed!

Leeds (74) snapped a four-game losing streak to stay in the hunt for that second auto-promo spot (let's face it, all maths aside, Norwich looks destined to take one spot :P) and are even in the points with Charlton Athletic, who are on a four-game unbeaten streak.

As for the last playoff spot though, it could get very interesting, with sixth-place Huddersfield and seventh-place Colchester U even in the points (both 65) and both having rather shaky form at the moment. With Bristol Rovers (61) and Southampton (57) both charging hard late in the season, we could have a battle! Rovers are 6-1-2 in their last nine outings, while Southampton have only lost two of their last fifteen in the League and also have recent hardware in their trophy cases, having won the Johnstone's Paint Trophy. Having a game in hand also helps. I guess one could say MK Dons is also in striking range, but they have had very poor form of late.

At the other end, it is still very close. In spite of a recent loss, Southend United (38) are still only three points from safety, and with Leyton Orient's abysmal form of late (4-game losing streak), who's to say they won't catch up? Tranmere (41) has that game in hand as well, which could push Orient into the red zone sooner than you think. Right down there are Gillingham, Oldham (both 43), Exeter (44), Hartlepool, and Yeovil (both 45). For some reason, Gills haven't been starting Jackson. Umm... news flash, he's your top scorer! :P I'm guessing poor form.

LEAGUE TWO

Six teams are off-kilter in the league. Accrington Stanley, Cheltenham, Rochdale, and Barnet have seven matches left, while Notts County and Darlington have eight left. Everyone else has six.

It would seem that Rochdale (79) is on the brink of clinching at least a playoff spot - if they win or Northampton (63) and Morecambe (61) both lose, they're in clear sailing. That aside, however, they aren't anywhere near as far ahead as they were, with Notts County (74) and their extra game in hand gaining steam. Bournemouth (71) is hanging onto that third auto-promo spot for dear life.

The playoff race is anything but over. Only six points separate 4th-place Rotherham from 11th-place Dag & Red:

4. Rotherham - 65
5. Aldershot - 64, +13
6. Chesterfield - 64, +2
7. Bury - 64, -1
-----------------------------
8. Northampton - 63
9. Morecambe - 61
10. Port Vale - 59, +13
11. Dag & Red - 59, +5

Shrewsbury (55) appears destined to be on the outside looking in, as they have spiralled into a six-game losing streak. It's a shame, really. They were doing so well earlier in the season. They are, of course, clear of relegation. As a matter of fact, any team with 52 or more points is, thanks to Grimsby's (34) rather pathetic season. Only Darlington (22) is worse off, and the next-closest teams are still seven clear - Cheltenham and Torquay (both 41).

I have to wonder what they put in Hereford U's water :P They're on a 4-game win streak. I mean sure, their resident Canadian (Gavin McCallum) hasn't put up any further stats, but it's still worth noting. They're doing better than that other team with a Canadian - all Terry Dunfield has been able to do with Shrewsbury is take bookings. XD

Conference update on Friday.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 09, 2010, 02:33:07 AM
Rewind that, I think I'll do the update now instead ;)

Just a quick one though.

CONFERENCE PREMIER

In the time between my last Conf update and now, Chester City FC dissolved, with plans to reform as Chester FC in regional leagues next season. In the meantime though, all their fixtures and results were expunged.

As a result, most teams have four or five matches left. Kettering, Eastbourne, and Ebbsfleet have three, and Barrow has six.

A synopsis of things:

Race for top - Stevenage (84) is still top but only by two points.  Luton (82) has won 8 in a row, including some real blowouts. :P 8-0 against Hayes & Yeading, 6-0 against Grays, 6-1 against Ebbsfleet, 4-0 against Salisbury... whew! These guys really want back in the League! ;D Oxford (76) still has an outside shot at top.

Playoffs - Luton, Oxford, and York (74) have all clinched playoff spots. Rushden and Diamonds can clinch a playoff spot with a draw.

Relegation Safe Zone - 49 points and up.

Red Zone - Grays Athletic (21) assured relegation - hell, they can't even catch the 'Fleet (38) by winning all their matches :P Ebbsfleet and Forest Green (39) have a chance at staying up.

Teams Still In Danger: Hayes and Yeading (46), Tamworth, Histon (both 45), Barrow (44), Salisbury (43), Gateshead (42), and Eastbourne (40).

CONFERENCE NORTH

The sked is still rather cockeyed, but since we're getting to the end of the 40-match season, I s'pose it's worth looking at anyway. The matches played vary from 38 (2 matches remaining, Vauxhall Motors only) to 34 (6 matches remaining, Harrogate Town and Gloucester City).

Race for top - Southport (77) sits one point ahead of Fleetwood (76). If both clubs win their next match, Alfreton (63) is eliminated from contention.

Playoff race - Fleetwood has clinched at least a playoff spot. Alfreton, Droylsden (60), and Workington (59, on 6-game win streak) occupy the playoff spots at present, with Hinckley (57), Stalybridge, Ilkeston (both 51), Telford (also 51 but having played 2 more matches, therefore hanging on for dear life :P), Eastwood (50... PUNK!), and Corby (48) all still mathematically in range.

Relegation Safe Zone: 41 points

Red Zone: Harrogate (23, max points 41, 6 matches remaining) still mathematically able to escape red zone, believe it or not (max points 41). Vauxhall's chances looking rather bleak (max points 37, 2 matches left).

Teams still in danger: Northwich Victoria, Solihull Moors (both 41), Stafford Rangers, Hyde United (both 40), Gloucester City (38), Redditch United (37). Obviously a Harrogate loss will relieve the first four without any help :P

CONFERENCE SOUTH

Much more regular. Most teams have either 3 or 4 matches left, with Lewes and H&R having five left.

Race for top - Newport County (97) clinched it some time ago. ;D Seriously, they've only lost twice, and one was a recent shock loss to Thurrock.

Playoff race - no clinchers yet, although Dover (71) can do so with the combination of a win and a Bath loss. Chelmsford (69), Braintree (67), and Staines (63) currently hold the other three spots, with Bath (62), Thurrock, Woking (both 60), Welling, Havant/Waterlooville (both 59), Eastleigh (53), and St. Albans (52) still in mathematical range. Bromley also has 52 points but only has three games remaining. A win by Staines and/or Bath will eliminate Eastleigh and St. Albans.

Relegation Safe Zone: 47 points

Teams still in danger: Basingstoke (47, barely in danger, they only need a point in the last 3 matches, or for Worcester and/or Lewes to lose :P), Dorchester (45), Bishop's Stortford (43), Maidenhead, Hampton & Richmond (both 42), Worcester (37). A loss by Worcester or Lewes in the next round of matches will put Basingstoke and Dorchester in safety without any help.

Red Zone - Weymouth (19) and Weston-super-Mare (23) guaranteed relegation. Lewes (32) still in contention to stay up.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on April 10, 2010, 06:30:29 PM
Southend lost 2-0 to leeds, 4 points from safety.  :-[
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 14, 2010, 02:00:08 AM
Mini-update:

CHAMPIONSHIP (3 matches remain)

- West Brom has clinched a spot in next year's Premiership.
- Nottingham Forest has clinched a playoff spot.

LEAGUE ONE (4 matches remain for the most part)

- Leeds can now do no worse than a playoff spot.
- Stockport officially eliminated.

LEAGUE TWO (4 matches remain for the most part)

- In spite of beating now-former top team Rochdale, Darlington officially relegated.
- Notts County and Rochdale have clinched at least a playoff spot.

CONFERENCE PREMIER (2 or 3 matches remain for the most part)

- Top 5 (promotion+playoffs) set in stone. Now all that's left is to see who finishes where within the top 5 :P
- The worst either Stevenage or Luton could do now is finish third. Oxford, York, and R&D are also in the playoffs.

CONFERENCE NORTH (anyone's guess :P)

- neither Southport nor Fleetwood can finish any lower than second.
- Alfreton can clinch a playoff spot with a draw or a loss by Hinckley.
- Droylsden hold a playoff spot now, but are at a massive disadvantage because they only have one match left.
- Harrogate officially eliminated.
- even one more point from Redditch will eliminate Vauxhall Motors.

CONFERENCE SOUTH (2 or 3 matches left for the most part)

- Newport official champeens :P
- Dover can clinch a playoff spot with a point regardless of what Bath City does.
- If Bath City loses or Chelmsford wins, Chelmsford clinches a playoff spot. If Bath city draws, Chelmsford can still clinch by winning or drawing.
- Lewes still in contention, and they also have 4 matches left.

ISTHMIAN PREMIER

- Dartford has clinched top spot, will be promoted to the Conference South.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on April 17, 2010, 10:04:23 PM
Southend lost 1-0 to Brighton today, they go down to 23rd!  :(  7 points from safe, with 3 games to go.
Think there will be league 2 football down here next season.
 
Well done to Norwich who got promoted to the championship today.
Notts County & Rochdale are both promoted to league 1 and finally.....
Stevenage will be a football league club next season.  :)
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 18, 2010, 12:43:18 AM
Mini-update:

CHAMPIONSHIP

Playoff spots are almost decided. Nott Forest and Cardiff have clinched playoff spots, with Leicester (70), Swansea (68), and Blackpool (66) all fighting over the other two. Reading (59) is still mathematically in contention, but is looking like an astronomical long shot.

53 is the current safe zone, with many of the lower teams having three matches left. Sadly for me, this means another season of putting up with the North End Scum in the Championship. >:(

LEAGUE ONE

Norwich (89) is up, as Southend Yid said, since they have a 10-point difference with Millwall. Another point and they can safely call themselves 2009-10 League One Champions. Leeds (80) and Millwall (79) are in the "no worse than a playoff spot" zone at the moment, while Swindon (78) can call that with a point (because of Southampton's game in hand) and Charlton with a win. Huddersfield (74) is a little closer to the "outside looking in" pack, but they still have a six-point cushion, one that could prove costly should struggling Colchester (68) lose yet again. Southampton (66) with their form seem more likely to be a playoff threat at this point. They've only dropped two points in their last seven matches.

The current "officially safe" zone is actually 55 points, but the point number that currently needs to be caught is 46, and things are looking bleak for Southend United - one more loss, or even a draw, and that's pretty much it for them, regardless of what Exeter (46) does. The team being chased could also change as well, effectively eliminating them without them having to play a match - Tranmere does have a game in hand. On top of this, there are still plenty of teams looking over their shoulder.

LEAGUE TWO

Notts County (83) and Rochdale (82) will both be in League One next season, and Bournemouth (77) can join them with a win over mid-table Burton Albion. Interestingly enough though, Burton (56) is also the highest-ranked team that has no chance of making the playoffs - this close table will make for a mad scramble in the last three matches of the season, as only seven points separate fourth-place Rotherham from twelfth-place Shrewsbury. In short, you have nine teams fighting for four spots.

No such battling is going on at the other end. Darlington (26) is doomed to play next season in the Conference, and Grimsby (38) will join them if they do anything less than win for the rest of the season. The only other teams that could possiblly go down are Barnet (45), Cheltenham, and Lincoln (both 46), and Barnet and Cheltenham both have a game in hand.

CONFERENCE PREMIER

A late slip-up by Luton has gifted the Conference title to Stevenage (as Southend Yid said), but they still have a playoff spot locked down like Fort Knox. Of course, so do the three teams right behind them - it's only a matter of finding out who plays whom.

The bottom battle is getting smaller, but it's still going to be incredibly close. Neither Ebbsfleet (41) nor Gateshead (42) are officially eliminated yet, and Eastbourne (43), Forest Green, Histon (both 45) and Tamworth (46) are mathematically capable of being knocked down a level (although in Tamworth's case this is astronomically improbable, and only possible due to the fact that Gateshead has a game in hand).

CONFERENCE NORTH

I'm gonna do something odd and start at the bottom this time, because it's set in stone at this point :P Harrogate and Vauxhall Motors are going under.

The top end of the table is closer. The real battles are the battle for top, between Southport (83) and Fleetwood (82), and also for the final playoff spot, between Hinckley (62), Droylsden (61), and Corby (57, game in hand on the other two).

CONFERENCE SOUTH

16 teams have one match left, and the other six have two left. This could make for an interesting finish at both ends of the table. Of course Newport had already long ago clinched top spot in the division, but besides them only Chelmsford (75) has technically clinched a playoff spot because of one of these teams, Bath (68). Now if Bath loses to Lewes (39) on Tuesday, not only does that basically give a playoff spot to Dover (74), but it also all but eliminates Worcester City (37), who are two points behind Lewes for safety. On the other hand, should Bath win that, whole new ball game! It all but knocks both Havant and Waterlooville (68) and Staines (66) both out of playoff contention, and pushes Woking (69) out of their barely-held playoff spot.

All this upper-end nonsense aside, the only team that can possibly be relegated besides Worcester, and the two behind them who are already going under (Weston and Weymouth), is the aforementioned Lewes.

NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE

No clearcut winner yet, although Boston, Guiseley, and Bradford Park Avenue have all clinched at least playoff spots.

ISTHMIAN PREMIER LEAGUE

Sutton and Kingstonian have clinched playoff spots.

SOUTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE

Farnborough and Nuneaton have clinched at least playoff spots, but Farnborough can take the league title with a win or a Nuneaton loss.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on April 18, 2010, 01:34:07 AM
Sorry mate If I keep updateing some parts of the football league from you, But I fellow the football league quite alot and watch all Championship,league 1 & 2 highlights/games on tv.
 
Keep it up.  :)
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 18, 2010, 01:44:56 AM
No worries. The more the merrier ;D
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 21, 2010, 12:27:17 AM
Mini-update:

CHAMPIONSHIP

The schedule's now all squared up at 44 matches for every team. Cardiff has clinched a playoff spot.

Reading basically eliminated themselves from playoff contention by blowing a 2-0 lead in their match against Scun-thorpe. :P Speaking of whom, they, Watford, and Crystal Palace are the only teams that can be relegated besides those already in the red zone, with QPR vaulting themselves to safety with a 1-0 win over Watford.

LEAGUE ONE

All squared up at 43 matches. Nothing has really changed with regards to playoff positions or relegation.

CONFERENCE PREMIER

Crawley Town's season is finished (they didn't make the playoffs), while everyone else has one match left.

It's going to come right down to the last match at the bottom of the table.

Matches of note:

Histon vs. Barrow - Barrow is safe, but Histon can still theoretically be relegated if Gateshead wins, and Forest Green either wins, draws, or loses by less.
Forest Green vs. Grays - Forest Green will probably win, which they kinda have to for the same reason as Histon.
Eastbourne vs. Oxford - if Eastbourne loses this one, they could finish as low as second-last, if Ebbsfleet and Gateshead both win. If they win, Ebbsfleet is eliminated. Ebbsfleet can still catch them with a win if they draw - they only have to win by three
Gateshead vs. AFC Wimbledon - Gateshead needs only a draw if Eastbourne loses
Ebbsfleet vs. Tamworth - a must-win for the 'Fleet. A draw or loss will doom them to relegation.

CONFERENCE SOUTH

One match remains for all teams. Bath City won, keeping Worcester City's hopes of staying up alive and also putting themselves in the playoff position. Also, Staines lost to Maidenhead, which eliminated them from playoff contention.

The playoff race is still a cluster!@#$ with Bath, Braintree (both 71), Woking (69) and H&W (68) vying for the bottom two playoff spots.

If Lewes loses to H&R and Worcester wins against Eastleigh, Worcester stays up.

More updates to come on (probably) Friday.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on April 21, 2010, 11:20:35 AM
What about League 2?  ;D
 
I was keeping my eye on Notts County V Rochdale last night. County won 1-0, 4 points clear at the top with a game in hand.  :)
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 22, 2010, 07:43:04 PM
Nothing much changed in League 2, except top spot :P It's basically down to the last game before anything real is decided.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 23, 2010, 11:03:04 PM
CONFERENCE NORTH

Corby's season is over, and they can retain a playoff spot if both Droylsden and Hinckley do anything other than win. However, Droylsden play the worst team that isn't going under, Redditch, in their final match.

NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE

One match remaining for all clubs.

The top five are set in stone (Boston, Guiseley, BPA, N. Ferriby, and Kendal) but all of these but Kendal still have a crack at top, with Boston holding the fort down at the moment.

Matches of note:

Boston vs. Marine - if they win this, it doesn't matter what anyone else does :P
Guiseley vs. Ashton
Bradford Park Avenue vs. Hucknall
North Ferriby vs. Retford
Kendal vs. Worksop

SOUTHERN PREMIER

One match left for all clubs. Farnborough promoted to Conference South, and Nuneaton is quite literally the only team with a guaranteed playoff spot going into the last match.

Cambridge City, Brackley, Chippenham, Bashley, and Hednesford all battling for the other three spots.

Matches of note:

Cambridge City vs. Hednesford - it's winner-take-all. A draw would probably not be good enough for Hednesford.
Chippenham vs. Farnborough - who knows how this one will turn out? :P
Brackley vs. Truro
Bashley vs. Nuneaton

If I were a betting man, I'd put money on Brackley sneaking in.

ISTHMIAN PREMIER

Only Sutton United is guaranteed a playoff spot at this point, although Aveley looks like it has an astronomically low chance of losing its spot at this point because of its goal differential. Hastings is still mathematically capable of making the playoffs and is playing a red zone side. Tonbridge has to win against Aveley and Boreham Wood has to lose - the differential difference must equal six or more - to make the playoffs. On top of that, everyone else has to lose. Astronomical odds much?

Matches of note:

Aveley vs. Tonbridge
Kingstonian vs. Maidstone
Boreham Wood vs. Tooting and Mitcham
Wealdstone vs. Carshalton
Hastings vs. Margate
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on April 24, 2010, 06:24:28 PM
Southend went down today  :'(
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 24, 2010, 07:14:38 PM
Mini-update:

CHAMPIONSHIP

One match left for all teams but West Brom and Crystal Palace. Actually, CP can get to safety with a win, but I find the prospect of them winning against West Brom a bit of a stretch.

On the other end, Blackpool and Swansea are battling for the last playoff spot. Indirectly, that is. Blackpool plays Bristol and Swansea plays Doncaster next week.

LEAGUE ONE

Two matches left, and sadly, Southend United have been doomed to relegation. :( On top of that, Wycombe pretty much has to win to survive. Tranmere, Exeter, Gillingham, and Leyton Orient can all be relegated as well.

The top end is a lock. The real battle up there now is for second place, which brings with it an automatic promotion to the Championship. With Norwich already up, Leeds and Millwall are the front-runners, but even sixth-place Huddersfield has an outside shot at it. (Swindon and Charlton are also in the playoffs.)

LEAGUE TWO

In contrast to League One, the bottom is all but set and the top end is still a logjam. If Barnet wins their Tuesday match, Grimsby's chances of survival are infinitesimal. Darlington was already screwed.

Now the auto-qualifiers are set. Notts County, Rochdale, and Bournemouth are all going on. It's a matter of pride for those three now. The real battle now is for the playoffs, with eight teams - Rotherham, Aldershot, Bury, Port Vale, Morecambe, Chesterfield, Northampton, and Dag & Red - combating over four spots. Rotherham has it the easiest, being three points ahead of Aldershot. But there are only three points separating Aldershot from Dag & Red, so the last two games could get very interesting indeed.

CONFERENCE PREMIER

All said and done here. Luton, Oxford, Rushden & Diamonds, and York (in that order) are going to the playoffs, Stevenage is promoted automatically, and Grays, Ebbsfleet, and Forest Green (by goal differential) are going under.

CONFERENCE NORTH

It was a double photo finish - in the playoff race, Droylsden obliterated Redditch 6-1 to take the final playoff spot by a single point, and in the race for top spot, Southport held off Fleetwood to win the Conference North. So now Fleetwood and Droylsden gear up to face each other, with the other matchup seeing Alfreton face Workington.

CONFERENCE SOUTH

Speaking of photo finishes, there was one here as well. Bath got a scare with a last-match draw, but Braintree lost and Havant & Waterlooville were already out of range with Woking having won, so they survived. Bath and Woking join Dover and Chelmsford in the Conference South Playoffs.

Worcester City was eliminated and will play in the Southern Premier next season.

FEEDER LEAGUE RESULTS

Isthmian Champs: Dartford
Isthmian Playoffs: Sutton vs. Kingstonian, Boreham Wood vs. Aveley

Northern Champs: Guiseley
Northern Playoffs: Bradford Park Ave. vs. Kendal, Boston vs. North Ferriby

Southern Champs: Farnborough
Southern Playoffs: Nuneaton vs. Brackley, Chippenham vs. Hednesford
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 04, 2010, 01:12:26 AM
Updates:

CONFERENCE PLAYOFFS

Premier:

Oxford United def. Rushden and Diamonds 3-1 agg.
York City def. Luton Town 2-0 agg.  :o

Final: Oxford vs. York

North

Fleetwood def. Droylsden 3-3 agg., 5-4 on penalties
Alfreton def. Workington 4-1 agg.

Final: Fleetwood vs. Alfreton

South

Woking def. Dover 2-1 agg.
Bath def. Chelmsford 3-0 agg.

Final: Woking vs. Bath

Feeder League Promotions

From Isthmian: Dartford and Boreham Wood (both to Conference South)

From Southern: Farnborough (to Conference South) and Nuneaton (probably to Conference North).

From Northern: Guiseley and Boston United (both to Conference North)
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on May 04, 2010, 11:45:54 AM
Heard there was Trouble at the Luton game, Luton Supporters attacking the York city players.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 04, 2010, 11:43:35 PM
Not a good thing.

 ::) Hooligans ::)
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 05, 2010, 10:50:37 PM
Update time!

CHAMPIONSHIP

Season's over, and Nottingham Forest, Cardiff City, Leicester City, and Blackpool are in the playoffs. Sheffield Wednesday, Plymouth Argyle, and Peterborough United are relegated.

LEAGUE ONE

One match remains. It's now a five-way free-for-all for second place, with all five contenders firmly entrenched in at least a playoff spot. At the other end, Tranmere can still stay up, but they must manage at least a point more than Exeter City as their piss-poor goal diff would drag them down in the case of a points draw. If both teams win and Gillingham loses, that team will be relegated.

Important matches:

Leeds vs. Bristol City
Millwall vs. Swindon
Charlton vs. Oldham
Exeter City vs. Huddersfield (Hudds has to win by 5 or more to have a chance at 2nd :P )
Gillingham vs. Wycombe
Tranmere vs. Stockport

LEAGUE TWO

One match remaining.

Auto-promotion set - Notts County (league champs), Rochdale, and Bournemouth.

Rotherham and Aldershot have clinched playoff spots. Unless Bury wins by 14 :P Morecambe only needs a draw to clinch a playoff spot. Dag & Red need to win to hang on.

If Dag & Red draws:

- Bury can claim the playoff spot with a win
- if Bury loses or draws, Port Vale can claim the playoff spot with a win
- if Bury and Port Vale both lose and/or draw, Chesterfield can claim the playoff spot with a win by 12 :P

If Dag & Red loses:

- Bury can claim the playoff spot with a win
  - if Bury loses or draws, Port Vale can claim the playoff spot with a   win
  - if Bury and Port Vale both lose and/or draw, Chesterfield can claim   the playoff spot with a win.
- if all three of those teams lose and/or draw, Northampton can sneak into the playoff spot with a win by any score (equal goal diff).

At the other end, Grimsby's in the red but can still survive if:

- Barnet loses by seven or more, Grimsby draws
- Barnet loses by six or less, Grimsby wins
- Cheltenham loses by seven or more, Grimsby wins.

As you can see, the second option is probably the most likely.

Important matches:

Barnet vs. Rochdale
Grimsby vs. Burton
Cheltenham vs. Accrington Stanley
Chesterfield vs. Bournemouth
Dag & Red vs. Darlington
Northampton vs. Bury
Port Vale vs. Shrewsbury
Morecambe vs. Aldershot
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on May 08, 2010, 06:27:08 PM
Dirty Leeds are up.  >:(
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 08, 2010, 11:48:23 PM
Indeed.

Mini-update:

CHAMPIONSHIP

The playoffs kicked off today, with Blackpool beating Forest 2-1.

LEAGUE ONE

Besides Leeds going up (I'm guessing you don't like them much), the two playoff semis are set.

Millwall vs. Huddersfield
Charlton vs. Swindon

At the other end, Exeter were expected to lose against Hudds, but they did the exact opposite, much to Gillingham's chagrin - Gills lost 3-0 to Wycombe and are relegated to League Two for next season.

LEAGUE TWO

Barnet gutted out a 1-0 upset over Rochdale and Cheltenham drew 1-1 against Accrington Stanley, meaning any Grimsby result would have been futile. But to add insult to injury, Grimsby themselves lost :P Rewind that, they got clobbered.  ;D

Top end, Morecambe got their point, alright - hell, they got two more on top of that! :P The Daggers also won. I kinda feel bad for Chesterfield. So close yet so far.

Playoff lineup:

Morecambe vs. Dag & Red
Rotherham vs. Aldershot

CONFERENCE PREMIER

It's Oxford vs. York on 16 May for the Conference playoff final.

Oxford won the return leg against R&D by a score of 2-0, while York won by that on aggregate after beating Luton 1-0 for the second match in a row.

CONFERENCE NORTH/SOUTH

Finals go tomorrow.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 12, 2010, 11:53:46 PM
Mini-update:

CHAMPIONSHIP
It's Blackpool vs. Cardiff in the playoff final. Blackpool won 6-4 aggregate, while Cardiff had to take it to penalties, with the aggregate being 3-3.

CONFERENCE NORTH/SOUTH

Shoulda done this last Sunday. But oh well, I can do it now. Bath City beat Woking 1-0 and Fleetwood beat Alfreton 2-1 to advance to the 2010-11 Football Conference Premier.

The next big match is on Sunday the 16th, when the Conference Premier playoff final between Oxford and York is played.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 17, 2010, 05:10:22 AM
Yo yo check yo! I gots da mad-crazy mini-update for ya, a'ight?

:P

LEAGUE ONE

League One playoffs kicked off, with Swindon winning 2-1 against Charlton and Huddersfield and Millwall ending in a 0-0 snoozefest. :P

LEAGUE TWO

League Two playoffs are also underway. Rotherham edged Aldershot 1-0 yesterday, while today, what the hell happened to Morecambe? :o They got incinerated 6-0 by the Daggers!

CONFERENCE PREMIER

Oxford beat York 3-1, therefore they will join Conference champeens Stevenage Borough in League Two next season.

Welcome back, OxU.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 18, 2010, 10:07:34 PM
Mini-update:

LEAGUE ONE

Charlton took it to penalties before finally losing to Swindon, while Millwall decisively beat Huddersfield 2-0 to advance to the League One final.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 23, 2010, 12:53:50 AM
CHAMPIONSHIP

Welcome to the Prems, Blackpool.

Blackpool beat Cardiff 3-2 after having been down 2-1. All five goals were in the first half.

LEAGUE TWO

Morecambe won the second leg 2-1, but obviously, after losing 6-scratch in the first leg, it wasn't good enough. Rotherham cruised to a 2-0 win, winning 3-0 on aggregate.

League One final goes next Saturday. Not sure when League Two will play its.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on May 23, 2010, 05:35:50 AM
League 2 Playoff final is next Sunday.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 23, 2010, 08:13:13 PM
Gotcha. Thanks Southend_Yid :)

Not sure who to support in either final, tbqh. :P
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 30, 2010, 09:19:11 PM
Wrapping this thread up for another season:

LEAGUE ONE

Millwall is in the Championship next season after defeating Swindon 1-0 yesterday.

LEAGUE TWO

Dagenham & Redbridge move up to League One after defeating Rotherham 3-2.

The final promotion-relegation table looks like this for the League and Conference:

Premiership: Burnley, Hull, Portsmouth relegated.

Championship
: Newcastle, West Bromwich, Blackpool promoted; Sheffield W, Plymouth, Peterborough relegated.

League One
: Norwich, Leeds, Millwall promoted; Gillingham, Wycombe, Southend, Stockport relegated

League Two: Notts County, Bournemouth, Rochdale, Dag & Red promoted; Darlington, Grimsby relegated

Conference Premier: Stevenage, Oxford promoted; Forest Green, Ebbsfleet, Grays relegated; Chester folded.

Conference North: Southport, Fleetwood promoted; Vauxhall and Harrogate relegated; Farsley Celtic folded; Nuneaton, Guiseley, and Boston promoted from feeders

Conference South: Newport, Bath City promoted; Worcester, Weston, and Weymouth relegated; Dartford, Boreham Wood, Farnborough promoted from feeders
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on May 31, 2010, 09:25:54 AM
Indeed thats it till Aug. Got the World Cup to keep us going during the summer tho :)
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 31, 2010, 07:48:55 PM
Yup. COME ON ENGLAND! (And Netherlands ;D )
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on August 26, 2010, 07:35:27 PM
Someone pin this and the Paper Talk threads, please?
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on August 26, 2010, 09:50:35 PM
Someone pin this and the Paper Talk threads, please?

Sure mate will do.  :)
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on November 03, 2010, 08:48:18 PM
Time for updates :up:

CHAMPIONSHIP

Cardiff (32) and QPR (30) sit one-two at the moment. If the season were to end now, Swansea (26), Coventry (24), Norwich (23) and Reading (22) would be in the playoffs, and five teams would miss by a point (Derby, Burnley, Watford, Pompey, and Ipswich).

At the other end, Bristol City (13) is in the red by goals scored against the North End Scum (13), who have made me pull at what little hair I have left by taking on Canadian Iain Hume on loan, who has two goals for them this season. Middlesbrough and Crystal Palace (both 11) are also in the red.

LEAGUE ONE

Brighton (34) holds a commanding lead, while there's a big logjam immediately thereafter. If the season ended today, Huddersfield (26) would edge Colchester (ditto) for automatic promotion by goal differential, while Peterborough (25), Charlton (ditto), and Southampton (24) would join Colcs in the playoffs.

At the other end, Walsall (11) and Dag & Red (12) are really struggling, while Yeovil (15) is only out by a point, and Tranmere (16) is in the red by inferior goal differential to Notts County and Leyton Orient.

LEAGUE TWO

Close race here. Chesterfield (32) leads, with the other two auto-promo spots held by Port Vale (29) and Bury (28). If the season were to end today, the playoffs would have Shrewsbury (27), Wycombe (25), Rotherham (24) and Torquay (23).

Lincoln (13) and Barnet (12) are in the red, with Hereford only a point out at the moment.

Will do Conference later.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on November 07, 2010, 11:56:46 PM
CONFERENCE PREMIER

Pretty close at both ends. At the top, you have Crawley (36), AFC Wimbledon (35), and Luton (33) all vying for first, with R&D, Fleetwood (yes, the one that was just promoted), and Newport County (also a new promo) all sitting with 30.

Things are pretty tight at the other end as well. Only three points separate 14th-place Cambridge, 15th-place Eastbourne, and 16th-place Tamworth (all 20) from 20th-place Southport, 21st-place Bath (yes, both were just promoted), and 22nd place Hayes & Yeading (all three of these have 17, and Southport's only outta the red on goal diff). At the bottom, Altrincham (or LAWLtrincham as I've called them for the last couple seasons) are in the toilet again, and how they keep getting out at the last minute escapes and frustrates me. :P That said, they are only last for having fewer goals for than Forest Green - their points, W-D-L record, and goal diff are literally identical. (14 points, 3-5-9, -17)

CONFERENCE NORTH

Only two teams will be relegated from the division this season, for a rather angering reason - another club wound up over unpaid taxes. Ilkeston Town FC are the latest victims. The expunged record kinda cocks up the table, too. :P In any case, Alfreton (34) has the lead, with the two teams promoted from the Northern League - Boston (31) and Guiseley (28)  - sitting 2-3. AFC Telford (26) sits fourth, and another promo team, Nuneaton (23), is fifth, only a point ahead of Workington and Droylsden and three ahead of Solihull and Blyth Spartans.

The bottom of the table with its two-team red zone is pretty close early on, with four teams in only single digits up to this point, of which three - Hinckley, Stafford, and red-zoners Redditch - have 9 points. While one could argue that Ilkeston is last because of their ejection, of the teams still playing, Hyde sits bottom with seven points, although they just came off a win over Harrogate, so it could have been worse for them! :P

CONFERENCE SOUTH

Why Elliott Godfrey left Wimbledon for Boreham Wood escapes me. The Toronto-born English-Canadian dual is playing and scoring, but his team is sucking. :P

Anyway, Braintree and Welling are even in points atop the table (32), but Braintree is ahead on goal differential and have been superior defensively going by their paltry goals-against count - they've allowed all of five goals in 14 matches this season! From there it descends in threes until the end of the playoff bracket, with Bromley being third (29), Chelmsford fourth (26), and Dover winding it up in fifth (23). Ebbsfleet (22), Farnborough (21), and Eastleigh (20) are also looking good. The H&R Block (aka Hampton & Richmond) are looming a slightly more distant eighth (18). I think Godfrey should go back there. Blimey, he never shoulda left!  :lol:

The other end of the table sees the Isthmian League promos looking piss-poor. Thurrock, though, is dead-last (6), with Boreham Wood (7, one of the promos) and Lewes (9) also in the red. Not by much, though. St. Albans (10) and Dartford (aka Chav City, and the other promo, 11) aren't looking so hot either. Powerage should be happy that Basingstoke seems to be keeping afloat with 15 at the moment.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on December 03, 2010, 05:36:08 AM
Update time, since it's now December. :P

CHAMPIONSHIP

It seems like QPR (41) can do no wrong. They've gone 19 matches without a loss to start the season and consequently sit five clear of Cardiff (36) on top. Swansea (33) is in third, then you have a 6-point section that spans most of the table - starting with Derby, Norwich, and Coventry (all 30) and ending with Watford, Millwall, and Ipswich (all 24). So it's pretty open. Actually, the only two teams with less than twenty at this point are Middlesbrough (18) and Preston North End (15). Crystal Palace (20) is only in the red by virtue of having allowed three more goals than Sc*nthorpe (35 against 32) as every other stat is bang-on identical between the two.

In terms of Canadians, there are four in the Championship, but only two have seen regular game time or done anything of value - as much as I love to hate Preston and am glad that they are in the toilet, I'm kinda gutted that Iain Hume is there. :P He does have three goals and three assists for them this season. The other one is Simeon Jackson, who plays for Norwich and has four goals and an assist. David Edgar's only played three matches this season and got sent off in one of them, while Jaime Peters can't seem to get things going in Ipswich.

LEAGUE ONE

Not quite so competitive here. The same six points that separate fourth from seventeenth in the Champs only goes from third to between thirteenth and fourteenth here. It is quite close up top, of course not counting Brighton (36) who have a four point edge on Charlton (32). Bournemouth, Sheffield W (both 30), Huddersfield, Oldham, and Colchester (all 29) sit within a win of second, and Southampton (28) is looking pretty good as well.

It's easy to tell the red-zoners apart currently because they're all below 20 points. Wallsal (14) is bottom, with Yeovil and Dag & Red (both 15) hardly faring much better. Notts County (19) is the only one less than six back of safety.

LEAGUE TWO

The top and bottom of this table are both quite close at the moment. Too bad this isn't the stretch run or we'd have some marvelous football!  Anyway, Port Vale (36), Chesterfield (35), and Bury (34) have the auto-promo spots for the time being, but Shrewsbury (32) and Rotherham (31) have been able to keep things relatively close early on. Torquay and Wycombe (both 28) are a little further back, but it's still early and they could make a run. Plus if the season ended now, they'd at least be in the playoffs.

Other end - one could say the entire bottom half is looking over their shoulders. Hereford (15) and Barnet (16) are the current red-zoners, but Northampton, Morecambe (both 18), Stockport, and Lincoln (both 19) are all within a win's reach of the latter. Speaking of Lincoln, Canadian jack-of-all-trades Gavin McCallum has only started once this season but has been subbed on nine times. And done nothing of any real value. :P

CONFERENCE PREMIER

It seems the winter and the cold temperatures always render the schedules a little cockeyed. Fortunately, things aren't too bad in the BSP, with only Crawley having played fewer than 20 games (most sides have played either 20 or 21, they've played 19). It is very close at the top, though - with just one auto-promo spot to play for, you can imagine that AFC Wimbledon (41), Crawley (40 and a game in hand on Wimbledon and Luton) and Luton (39) are going to claw for every point. Newport (37) probably will as well, but they're at a disadvantage matches-wise. Even now, though, a last-playoff-spot race appears to be opening up as well - one between Kidderminster (34), Fleetwood, Wrexham (both 33), Rushden & Diamonds (32), Mansfield (31), and even Grimsby (29) who might be a little ways back but also have a match in hand.

Other end - after all the times Altrincham (14) seems to have dodged the relegation bullet, I'd actually like to see them go under for once. Hayes & Yeading (17), Southport (18), and Histon (19) are all within a win of safety, and the latter two both have a game in hand, which is bad news for Forest Green (20).

A couple Canadians in this division, although Newport loaner Martin John is only "sort of" Canadian (in that he grew up there but was born in England and lived there for the first five years of his life, so he could go either way) and Stephen Appiah from Hayes & Yeading hasn't exactly been spectacular. (Of course who on that side really has? :P)

CONFERENCE NORTH

Once you get into North and South, the skeds really get screwy. Of course Ilkeston going knockers-up didn't help the North one bit. Alfreton and Guiseley (both 37) are joint top, but the former has played three fewer matches than the latter. Then you've got Telford (35) and Boston (34) who have played sixteen matches to Alfreton's 14 and Guiseley's 17. Perhaps in my January update I'll do a pro-rating to see who's actually performing the best.

At the bottom we have a somewhat similar situation. Stafford and Redditch (both 9) have played 14 matches, but Hyde (10) have played 16, and Hinckley (12) have played 15. So the lower end could prove interesting.

CONFERENCE SOUTH

I still think Godfrey made a mistake going to Boreham Wood (7) but to be fair, they do have games in hand on the three teams in front of them - two on St. Albans (10) and Thurrock (12) and three on Lewes (also 12). Basingstoke (15) are low in the table but also lower than almost everyone in the lower half in games played as well (they and Boreham Wood are the low in that area at the moment with only 14 matches under their respective belts), so they shouldn't be too worried, just yet.

The screwy schedule might make the upper half interesting as well. Although Braintree and Bromley are joint top in points (33), Chelmsford (27), Dover, and Ebbsfleet (both 26) could move up to challenge as all have played just 14 matches, while three of the top four have played 16. (Welling has played 17 and has 28 points). Farnborough is also looking strong with 28 points from 16 matches. Havant & Waterlooville have games in hand on everyone in the league, having played just 13. If they won three in a row, they would be in the heat of contention.

Even though he was wacko to join BHFC, Elliott Godfrey, the Toronto-born striker/attacking mid, has three goals and an assist, including both Wood goals in a 2-2 draw against Sturrock (he got MOTM honours for that), which puts him third on the team in scoring.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on December 28, 2010, 12:02:14 AM
Will do a year-end rundown on Wednesday, which is when the last games of 2010 get played. :santa_afro:
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on December 28, 2010, 04:55:43 AM
Theres been hardly any action going on, due to the weather. Hopyfully the New years day games will be ok.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on December 28, 2010, 05:38:05 AM
Yeah. Most of Canada and the northern USA are getting hit hard with the accursed white stuff. Only real exception is the "Pacific Northwest," where I live.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on December 30, 2010, 08:47:03 PM
Well now, it's UPDATE TIME! :santa_tongue:

CHAMPIONSHIP

QPR (47) seems to be in a league of its own at the moment, seven clear of the chasing pack. Cardiff, Swansea, and Leeds (40) and also Norwich (39) are the next blob in the standings, all fighting for second place. It's interesting after that, because there's a five point gap between fifth and sixth (Reading and Coventry have 34 each), but the same number of points separates sixth from seventeenth :lol:

The North Enders (19) are still in the basement, but a game in hand and a managerial sacking might change that. Then again, it might further exacerbate it. Who knows? What I do know is that Canadian Iain Hume is probably their best player righ tnow, with four goals and three assists on the season. It pains me to see a Canuck amongst the Scum, but what can you do? That's football. The battle for survival will be a close one though. Preston and Sc*nthorpe have a bit of an advantage despite being bottom and third-from-bottom respectively - games in hand. Preston has one and Sc*nthorpe 2 on the others:

20. Sheff U - 25 pts, 23 GP
21. Middlesbrough - 24 pts, 23 GP
------------------------------
22. Sc*nthorpe - 23 pts, 21 GP
23. Crystal Palace - 22 pts, 23 GP
24. PNE - 19 pts, 22 GP

LEAGUE ONE

A little closer at the top here. Brighton (37) has a 4-point edge over Charlton and Sheff W (both 33), the former of whom they played to a 1-1 draw yesterday. It is also a little closer overall, as only six points separate second from fourteenth (Carlisle, 27). But that's not quite as close as the fight for survival, at least at the top of the red zone. Bristol Rovers (22) is only in the red by -3 goal differential, behind Tranmere. Hey, at least they have hope of catching them, as opposed to Rochdale, who are +1, with them being -11. :P Dag & Red (18), Walsall (17), and Yeovil (16) aren't looking so hot.

LEAGUE TWO

The top rung here is really close, with a group of six teams being within a five point margin of each other - Chesterfield (38), Port Vale (36), Bury, Rotherham, Wycombe (all 34), and Shrewsbury (33). Cheltenham (30) and Torquay (28) are also looking strong.

The red zone situation here is similar to League One's, with Barnet (19) only being out by -3 goal differential behind Lincoln. But the key difference here is that Lincoln has three games in hand on Barnet. Hereford (15) has the lowest point total of any team in the entire League, having played 20 matches.

Conference updates later.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on December 30, 2010, 09:42:38 PM
CONFERENCE PREMIER

At first glance it would look pretty close up top, but then you'd realise Newport (41) has played 23 matches, more than any other team in the division. :P Atop the table sits AFC Wimbledon with two games in hand on the same, so that three-point gap could easily become a chasm. But they also have to watch out for Crawley (40), who have played fewer matches than any other team in the division, that is, only 19. Luton (39) and Fleetwood (37) round out the playoff spots.

At the other end, I can't seem to fathom why Altrincham (14) keeps staying up if they suck so bad! :P Even though all red-zoners except Hayes & Yeading (20) have a game in hand on safety (22 points) and H & Y aren't even a win shy, Altrincham are four points behind Southport (18), 5 behind Histon (19), who have game in hand on them, and six behind H&Y. Can you say, "FAIL?" Eastbourne, Tamworth, Barrow (all 22) and Forest Green (23) are likely watching their backs at this point.

CONFERENCE NORTH

Although AFC Telford U is sitting top currently with 38 points, the team one really should be watching is second-place Alfreton (37) as they have three games in hand on both them and the team right behind them, Guiseley (also 37, behind on goal diff). Speaking of the newly-promoted, Boston (34) isn't looking so bad either. With a game in hand on Guiseley, they could pull even just by winning said game. Nuneaton (33) has two games in hand on Guiseley and could surpass them. In truth, it's really not very predictable how the playoff spread will end up. What is certain now is that the teams in at least playoff position are way the hell ahead of the first teams on the outside looking in, at least now. Nuneaton is seven clear of Blyth Spartans (26) with two games in hand on the same, and eight clear of the closest team with the same number of games played. That's quite the gap to bridge.

With numerous matches being postponed due to the wacky weather, the bottom hasn't changed a bit even though Redditch (9) has actually played. :P

CONFERENCE SOUTH

Same deal here although fewer matches have been postponed. Braintree and Bromley are even in the points atop the table (33) although Braintree has a far superior goal differential and a game in hand. Farnborough is only a point back but have played one more game than Bromley and two more than Braintree, so if I were to keep an eye on anyone, it would be fourth-place Dover (30), who have played the same number of matches Braintree - 16. Ebbsfleet (29) could also be dangerous as they've only played 15 matches, joint second-lowest only to Chelmsford, who have played 14. Welling (28) would be top if not for being dinged five points for "financial irregularities," but they are still very much a threat, as is Chelmsford (27) for reasons I just said. :P

At the other end it seems Boreham Wood (11) has finally been able to gather some momentum (Elliott Godfrey has garnered two more assists for those who care :P) and add four points to their total, putting St. Albans (10) in the toilet. That said, they are still in the red, but for how much longer is anyone's guess, being how they (and St. Albans) have two games in hand each on Lewes (12) and one in hand on Thurrock (also 12). Dartford has some reason to worry, but Basingstoke (16) are four points in the clear and have games in hand on everyone behind them, so they have less to worry about.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on January 27, 2011, 12:16:49 AM
Update time again. :P

It seems QPR's (52) lead on the Champs diminished a little, shrinking from seven to five ahead of Cardiff, Swansea, and Norwich (all 47). Nott Forest (46) are also a real threat, since they have a game in hand on QPR, Cardiff, and Norwich and two in hand on Swansea, as well as Leeds (45), the team immediately trailing them. Watford (42), Reading (41), and Burnley (40) wrap up the 40-point club.

At the other end, things are starting to look bleaker for certain red-zoners, although Preston (21) has a game in hand on Crystal Palace (27) and Sheff W (26), while Sc*nthorpe (24) has two, so that could make things a bit interesting. Middlesbrough (30), Ipswich, and Pompey (31), all need to be watching their backs. That said, Ipswich has a game in hand on most of these, and two in hand on Bristol City (32).

In the Canadian picture, it seems I underestimated how much Jaime Peters has been up to in Ipswich, as they've seemingly converted him to a right back. In other words, he pulled a Stalteri. :P (Started as a mid, is now a back.) Consequently, his playing time has increased rather dramatically. Speaking of which, Iain Hume is benefitting from increased playing time now that his Preston presence is a little more permanent, and he has surpassed Simeon Jackson as the top Canadian goalscorer as Jackson's totals have petered out a little of late.

LEAGUE ONE

The sked here's a little more screwy, but most of the teams have actually played fewer matches. Only a quarter of the leagues teams have played 26+ matches, while only one (Carlisle) has played fewer than 24. This stands to make things that much sweeter for top-ranked Brighton (49) who have a game in hand on Bournemouth and Huddersfield (43) as well as that nice six-point cushion. Southampton (41), MK Dons (40), and Peterborough (39) hold down the other three playoff spots currently, although the Posh are only ahead of Oldham by goal diff and Charlton (38) by a point. Rochdale (36) are also looming somewhat.

At the other end, man, Walsall (20) just can't buy a break! :P Swindon (29) is the team to catch for the red-zoners and yet WFC are the only side of the four in the red that doesn't have at least one game in hand on them. The Daggers (21) are only a point up on them but have two games in hand on Swindon and one on both Bristol Rovers and Yeovil (both 27). Besides Swindon, though, Tranmere (30), Notts County (31), and Brentford (32) are all needing to watch their derrieres, although Notts County has an extra game in hand on the other two.

LEAGUE TWO

The schedule here is... interesting. The only two teams that have played more than 26 matches are in the red, and the two clubs having played fewer than 24 are also near bottom. :P

Chesterfield (52) are 11 points clear of having to go to the playoffs, which should tell you how well they've been doing.  :up: Second-place Wycombe (46) is doing okay as well, but seriously, if Chesterfield keeps playing this well they'll have it made by the end of April, I'm sure. The last auto-promo spot looks to be a tight challenge, though, with Crewe (41) only holding it by +7 goal diff over Rotherham, and only three points separating the top playoff spot from the bottom (38):

1. Chesterfield - 52
2. Wycombe - 46
3. Crewe - 41, +18
--------------------------------
4. Rotherham - 41, +11
5. Port Vale - 40
6. Shrewsbury - 39
7. Oxford - 38
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
8. Bury - 37, +12
9. Gillingham - 37, +3
10. Cheltenham - 37, 0

Now what this chart neglects to show is matches played, and in this regard, Bury has a clear advantage, being the only team in the top 10 to have played only 24 matches, with the remainder having either 25 (Chesterfield, Wycombe, Rotherham, Port Vale) or 26 (everyone else) under their belts. They may yet prove a threat.

The other end has points logjams galore! Now Lincoln City (25) is only out of the red by a GD difference of +3. But one must also factor in that they've played four fewer matches than both of the poor suckers behind them :P - Barnet (25) and Stockport (24). Both have played 27 matches. You do the math. But there's more to this story as well - Hereford and Burton also have 25 points, and the latter has only played 21 matches! :lol: They're also running at a +2 goal differential and have just eight losses against six victories (and seven draws ;) ) The things they could do with those extra matches. :P

Macclesfield (27) still needs to be careful, and Bradford and Morecambe (both 30) a bit less so.

Back to the topic of Lincoln, it would seem that Gavin McCallum finally scored his first goal with the side in a loss to Wycombe a couple weeks ago. But a bit more impressive is the fact that he's also garnered himself a pair of assists in the process. January 2011 just seems to be his month - he's grabbed three further starts in the striker position.

CONFERENCE PREMIER

Well, most teams have played between 26 and 28 matches. One of the three that has not (and one of the two who've only played 25) is on top, though :P Yes, I'm talking about Crawley (56) who sit one clear of Wimbledon (55) and two clear of Luton (54). The remaining playoff spots are closer - with Wrexham and Kidderminster sitting on 46 and Fleetwood having 45. Newport (42) have been on an epic cold streak of late, taking just one point from a potential fifteen, but are still in striking range of a playoff spot, but they have Mansfield (41) to contend with, as well as a surging York (38), who have won four of their last five.

At the other end, it seems LOLtrincham (25) has finally gotten some kind of momentum going, winning three of their last five and drawing a fourth. Still, with the lowest goal differential in the league (a dismal -30), they need to keep the momentum going to get anywhere, although they are technically only in the red by goal diff behind Hayes & Yeading (-23) and Southport (-11) .

Then of course there're Eastbourne (22) and Histon (21), but neither has been doing anything but lose this month, so there ya go :P

CONFERENCE NORTH

It seems as if both bad weather and Ilkeston's dissolution have complicated things in this league. While Nuneaton (50) has the lead now, Alfreton (47) has five games in hand on them. Yes, you heard me right, five. Add to this that they're 7-2-1 in their last ten Conference matches and you have something that should have both of the teams ahead of them (Nuneaton and Guiseley (48)) just a wee bit worried. Boston (45) and Telford (44) are also looking very strong.

Redditch (10) couldn't be any worse at this point. They haven't won in fourteen and are on a five-game losing streak. Not like Stafford (13) is much better off, to be honest. Hyde (19) has only improved marginally, but are still enough out of the red that they don't need to be too uptight about anything. :P Only other team really needing to worry at all is Hinckley (20), who have games in hand on Hyde, Stafford, and Redditch, but are behind relative to Gloucester and Eastwood (both also 20), who have only played 18 apiece.

CONFERENCE SOUTH

Braintree (48 from 21) appears to be pulling away up top as the team has yet to lose in 2011. Chelmsford (42 from 20) aren't doing too poorly in their own right, having lost just once, although this was a real howler as it was against then-last-place Boreham Wood. :P Still, these top two have games in hand galore on the next threesome, Bromley (42 from 25), Farnborough (41 from 23), and Welling (40 from 23). The real team to keep an eye on in this part of the table is Eastleigh (40 from 21), since they are on a six-game win streak at the moment. After Dover (38 from 21) there is a gigantic drop-off - even though seven points doesn't seem like much, keep in mind as well that Weston-super-Mare has also played four more matches. :P

At the other end, the magic number seems to be 20. The Lewesers (13) couldn't win to save their lives of late, it would seem, with just a single point in their last eight matches. Heck, they've even fallen behind Boreham Wood (14)! (Only because of their shock win against Chelmsford, mind you.) To add insult to injury, they've played two more matches than BHFC, and three more than Dartford (19) and the first two teams out of the red, St. Albans and Dorchester (both 20). It is worth noting, though, that Dorchester have taken just a single point from five matches in 2011.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on January 27, 2011, 10:08:18 AM
Cheers for the update mate, Southend had a good 4-1 win on Tuesday. Hopyfully they will have a better 2nd half of the season and make a late push for the playoffs.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on January 27, 2011, 06:09:52 PM
Yeah, Southend is hovering around mid-table right now.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on February 28, 2011, 01:31:33 AM
It's been a month, so why not update again? ;)

CHAMPIONSHIP

Here's a scary thought - if the regular season ended today, Swansea (62) would be in the Premiership. They sit second behind QPR (67) who have since been surpassed for most wins by the same, but also have seven fewer losses. Cardiff (61), Norwich (59), Nott Forest (58), and Leeds (54) are in playoff position at the moment, but Leicester (52), Burnley (50), Hull (49) and Reading (48) are all within two wins.

At the other end, Preston (24) just can't buy a break, sitting eleven points from safety. Sheff U (29) and Sc*nthorpe (31) look to be the other two going under, but Crystal Palace (35) and Middlesbrough (36) had better not get overconfident as they are mighty close to the red themselves.

LEAGUE ONE

At first glance it would seem close at the top, at least between the two auto-qual holders, Brighton & Hove (59) and Bournemouth (58). But once one looks at the games played, one realises that the former has a larger advantage than one might think. The same can sort of be said for the playoff-holders at the moment - Huddersfield, Peterborough (both 53), Southampton, and MK Dons (both 52). I would actually tip Southampton to push for an auto-qual spot given how their goal differential is superior even to that of Bournemouth (at +26, only the table-toppers' is better), and they, like B&H, have three games in hand. For the same reason, Charlton (47) and Rochdale (45) could make a push for a playoff spot if they play their cards (and by cards I mean games in hand) right.

Plymouth declaring intent to go into administration has made things interesting at the bottom. Being how things were already close between the four red-zoners prior to this move (Swindon, Walsall, Bristol Rovers, and Dag & Red), this has injected new hope into the season as this foursome was a bit detached from the pack in front of them - Yeovil (36) and Tranmere (37) being the closest to them, and having two games in hand a pop on Swidon and Walsall (both 31). Speaking of Walsall, they have upped their game enough to get themselves off bottom even without needing the 10-point penalty against Plymouth. The Daggers would otherwise be bottom, but they too have games in hand, on everyone around them. Bristol Rovers would be a more likely candidate for Epic Fail of the Year in the One.

LEAGUE TWO

It would seem as if Chesterfield (62) has the situation well in hand, certainly as far as auto-qual is concerned and even as far as top goes, although they only have six points on Wycombe (56) who also have a game in hand. Rotherham (53) are in a little tighter a spot, since they have only one point on Shrewsbury (52) and two on both Port Vale and Bury (both 51).

Then there's the playoff race, which is equally close, since the last spot holder, Gillingham (48) has Southend and Oxford (both 47, plus Southend has a game in hand), Stevenage (45 and a game in hand), Torquay (44 and two games in hand), and even Accrington Stanley (42 and three games in hand) to hold off in the short run. In the long run, Crewe could make a push if they show the right form.

At the other end sit sad-sack Stockport (28), who may only be a point behind Burton (29), but look at how many games they've played. 27. TWENTY-FRICKIN'-SEVEN!! They're way behind on games and as such are in the red zone... for now. But with six games in hand on both the team behind them and the team immediately in front of them (Barnet, 30), there is a big chance that they won't be there too much longer... provided they don't lose all of their games in hand, anyway.  :lol: Macclesfield (35) could propel themselves further from the red if they take advantage of their three games in hand as well. After that, the closest to the red are a foursome of teams at 37 points - Bradford, Hereford, Aldershot, and Morecambe.

Man, being a Barnet fan is gonna suck. :P

CONFERENCE PREMIER

The top half of the league here is insane. Wimbledon (70) continue to stubbornly hold the top spot although they are playing a dangerous game with Crawley (67), hoping that they will wear out. Crawley has played five fewer matches, as also has Luton (58), who while clearly lagging behind the top rung, could still make AFCW's life miserable should they drop to the playoff range. Wrexham (59) and Kidderminster (57) are also in the playoffs, although the latter are looking over their shoulders at Fleetwood (54) and perhaps also York (48) who have three games in hand on the two of them.

A note here, Kidderminster and Histon were dinged five apiece for fudging the books, so to speak. This could have ramifications at both ends of the table!

Because of said epic failure, Histon (27) sits only one clear of the bottom of the table, occupied by Eastbourne (26). Altrincham (29) has only won once from its last five and drawn another, while Barrow (also 29) has just two points from a possible 15. Still, Hayes and Yeading (31), the current benefactors of Histon's bumbling, and Southport (32), really need to watch themselves. Forest Green (35) might need to as well, but for now they seem only mildly threatened.

CONFERENCE NORTH

Cockeyed table is cockeyed. The teams I'd be watching right now are those who've only played 21 matches, like fourth-place Alfreton (51), or 23, like fifth-place Guiseley (49) and mid-table dwelling Eastwood (30). On the flip side, you have three teams - including first-place Nuneaton (61) - who have played 29 matches. It's really hard to predict who'll end up where at this point, even though some teams have as few as eleven matches remaining this season.

What we do know is where people are. At top is Nuneaton, with Telford (53), Boston (52), Alfreton and Guiseley holding playoff spots, with Solihull Moors (47), Blyth Spartans (46), and Droylsden (42) also positioned to make a run (Droylsden has only played 24 matches themselves).

Hyde continues to stave off the red-zoners, but with their current futility streak (just one point out of a possible fifteen in the last five outings), one has to wonder how much longer this will last. Stafford got a little closer to them at basement-dwelling Redditch's expense (they have 11 points, the lowest point total in the top six tiers of the league system).

Now here's something that should give us an idea where everyone should be - points per game. What I've done is taken points per game and multiplied by the highest number of games played, 29, to give a point total which should look more like what each team would have. This is an ahistorical method of gauging form I've used in the past.

Thanks to the magic of Microsoft Excel, I was able to do this far faster this time :P

Alfreton Town - 70
---------------------------------------------
Guiseley - 62
AFC Telford United - 61
Nuneaton Town - 61
Boston United - 54
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Droylsden - 51
Solihull Moors - 50
Blyth Spartans - 48
Corby Town - 40
Vauxhall Motors - 40
Worcester City - 38
Eastwood Town - 38
Workington - 37
Stalybridge Celtic - 35
Harrogate Town - 32
Gloucester City - 31
Hinckley United - 30
Gainsborough Trinity - 29
Hyde - 23
-------------------------------------------------
Stafford Rangers - 19
Redditch United - 12

So there you have it. Alfreton's form would murder any other club's, Redditch still sucks, and the top five are exactly the same teams, just in different order.

CONFERENCE SOUTH

The South looks to have been dealt a better hand with regards to weather, so the sked isn't quite so messed up down here. (Well that and no team has been folded. :P) Only four teams have played fewer than 28 matches this season (Eastleigh and Maidenhead 27, H&R 26, and H&W 24) while only two (Weston and Lewes) have played more than 29 (both 31).

Braintree (64) are top, with Ebbsfleet (58) being the most likely to challenge them in the short-term. Playoff spots belong to them, plus Farnborough (54), Chelmsford (53), and Welling (51, would be five points higher but got dinged five points for "financial irreguralities"). Dover, Eastleigh (47),  hard-charging Woking (46, winners of five in a row), and Bromley (also 46) could challenge down the road.

Other end. Bad form by the Lewesers (24) and Maidenhead (25), better than usual form by Boreham Wood (26, out of the red on goal diff) and a ten-point penalty to St. Albans, who suck anyway (12) have shaken things up somewhat at the bottom. H&R (also 26) have a +9 goal diff advantage on the team currently in possession of Elliott Godfrey (remember, he came into Conf with H&R) but the main important factor currently for HamRich is games in hand, of which they have three. Thurrock (27) and Dorchester (28) are probably more in danger at this point.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 22, 2011, 03:43:31 AM
Wow, I really haven't updated this in a while. But since we're in the stretch run now, I suppose it's UPDATE TIME!

CHAMPIONSHIP

Four matches left (three if you're Norwich or Ipswich) and things are starting to really heat up. QPR (83) are still top, but Norwich (77) has snatched second place from Cardiff (75) for the time being but only have a two-point advantage. Cardiff still have dropped just two points from their last fifteen and cannot be underestimated in the slightest. Both need to keep their eyes on Reading (72) as well as they've been on a twelve-game unbeaten streak and an eight-game win streak. Swansea (70) is slipping a little as they've won just one of their last four.

The real battle, though, will be for the last playoff spot. Leeds (65) is really slipping of late, and with Forest, Hull, Burnley (all 63), Millwall (61), and Leicester (60) all within reasonable distance, the last four matches of the season could prove very interesting in that part of the table. Ipswich (59) and Watford (58) are dark horses, while Pompey (55) and Bristol City (54) are still mathematical possibilities but astronomical improbabilities.

Bristol City is also the lowest team in the table that is surefire out of relegation danger, although Coventry City's (52) chances of dropping are looking more and more like "astronomically improbable" at this point, as Sc*nthorpe would not only have to win every game but do so by an average of nine goals per game (40) to actually catch them. :P Crystal Palace (43) and Doncaster (45) are looking like the "most likely to be caught" at this point, especially with improved form from both Sc*nthorpe (40) and PNE (39). Sheffield is still hopeful as well, although with 35 points, that hope is fading fast.

Looking at Canadians, Iain Hume is PNE's main saving grace this season, and also the reason why PNE has a shot at staying up with his 11 goals (1st on the team) and 6 assists (2nd to Keith Treacy's 8) . Sim Jackson has also re-discovered his form and now has nine goals and two assists to his name. Harder to judge defenders based on stats, but one thing is certain - Jaime Peters and David Edgar will be wishing failure on each other down the stretch since one's team has to stumble for the other to make the playoffs.

LEAGUE ONE

Brighton & Hove (93) have clinched first place, a whopping sixteen points clear of Southampton (77) - even with the game in hand, they'd come up one point short of Albion even if they won every remaining match. This opens up two battles down the stretch - one for second place between Southampton, Huddersfield (also 77), Peterborough (74) and MK Dons (71). Bournemouth (66) is a mathematical possibility as well, but I'm thinking they'll want to focus on staying in the playoffs as opposed to making a run for second, with Rochdale (64) nipping at their heels, and Leyton Orient and red-hot Exeter City (both 61, the latter winners of four in a row) also looking dangerous. Hartlepool and Charlton (both 54) are the lowest teams that are mathematically capable of catching them, but don't hold your breath for them to do so.

At the other end, Walsall (43), who were at one point dead-last, are now only a point back of Dag & Red (44), as too are Bristol Rovers. Swindon (38) are six back, and point-docked Plymouth (36) even further, but both still have hope. On top of this, Notts County (45) should really be watching themselves. Tranmere (49) are better-off, but aren't out of the woods yet.

LEAGUE TWO

Likely the most competitive division in the League, the Two still has a very open race for top between Chesterfield (81) who have all but clinched an auto-promo spot, and Bury (74), who might be seven back but have had better recent form. Wycombe (70) are only one ahead of Shrewsbury (69) and four ahead of Torquay (66) for the last auto-promo spot, and have others they need to worry about as well. Heck, Wycombe aren't even guaranteed playoff football yet! Chesterfield is actually the only team that is at this point, with Accrington Stanley (65) even with the last two playoff holders, Stevenage and Gillingham, Port Vale (62) only three back, and Rotherham (61) only three back. Who knows how this is gonna turn out? I'll try and do weekly updates now that I'm home. ;)

Bottom end... Burton (45) had how many games in hand and they're still just barely surviving? They're four points clear of Barnet (41) and only one clear of Northampton (44), who are first out of the red. Stockport (36) is less hopeful but still capable of bridging the gap for now.

Gavin McCallum grabbed another goal for Lincoln, but at 47 points it's hard to see how one more goal makes any difference.

CONFERENCE PREMIER

Remember when we had Spurs Network FC on Football Manager and we flat-out dominated? Well, such is the case with Crawley Town (98) in RL Conference this season. With three games to go, three digits is looking likely, and they're already so far ahead of second-place Wimbledon (83) that they've clinched the Conference title, and had it clinched for some time now. Wimbledon, in the meantime, has clinched a playoff spot, and Luton (77) needs only a point or for York (69) to lose or draw to lock one up themselves. This isn't to say, however, that York is completely boned. Wrexham (74) and Fleetwood (72) are easily caught even though the latter is on a five-game win streak. Kidderminster (68) also has a decent chance, with Darlington (64) looking way less probable and Newport (63) looking like a practical impossibility at this point.

At the other end, we have our first confirmations of teams officially being hooped. Histon (27) and Eastbourne (33) are confirmed as being too far removed from safety to go down, while Altrincham (41) and Southport (42) are looking quite a bit better. Hayes & Yeading (51) are practically in the clear, but Barrow (47), Cambridge, Tamworth (both 46), and Forest Green (45) are still under threat.

CONFERENCE NORTH

Alfreton (83) has all but locked up top spot and only needs a point, or for Telford (75) to lose. The playoffs are still fairly open, though, with Eastwood and Guiseley (both 68) straddling the playoff line, with the former only being in the playoffs by goal differential. Solihull Moors (64) can also still get in, but they're more of a dark horse.

At the other end, although a couple other teams are in danger, I really think the battle for survival is going to come down to Hyde (31) and Stafford Rangers (29). Redditch (8) is already screwed.

CONFERENCE SOUTH

Going into the last three, Braintree (83) has the lead, but Farnborough (79) can still catch them. So too can Ebbsfleet United (76) but that would require Braintree to lose all three remaining matches. Being how their next one is at H&R, I'm not sure if that'll happen, but stranger things have :P Still, if Braintree wins and Farnborough loses at any point in the last 3 games, the title is as good as Braintree's.

The playoffs are going to be very close, though. Farnborough has clinched at least a playoff spot and Ebbsfleet can do likewise with a single point, but Welling (71), Woking (69), Dover and Chelmsford (both 68) and Eastleigh (66) are really close, and this will make for an exciting finish to the season in this part of the table.

Equally interesting should be the bottom end of the table. Yes, St. Albans (23) is down for sure. But the last team out of the read, Maidenhead (39) has played one more game than the three teams chasing them - Bishop's Stortford (36), Thurrock (35), and Lewes (33). Boreham Wood (41) are continuing to rise from the red, and are actually on a two-game winning streak, but they have to keep that form up to stay alive. Dorchester (40) and H&R (42) are also in danger.

From the feeders: Halifax Town and Sutton United are guaranteed promotion.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on April 22, 2011, 10:17:03 AM
Once again good update dude. Going to watch Southend today agaist steveage :D
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 02, 2011, 03:24:11 AM
Time for another update:

CHAMPIONSHIP

Well, so much for the run of form for Preston North End. As much as I like Iain Hume, I won't be losing sleep over North End (39) going down to the One. But they can take solace in that they aren't alone in being doomed to relegation, since most teams only have a single match left and all three red-zoners are at least six points back of Doncaster. Ya gotta feel bad for Sheffield United (42), though, because they just caught onto a run of good form themselves.

On the other hand, tomorrow's matches will be CRUCIAL for determining overall placement up top. Neither Pompey (57) nor Middlesbrough (56) have a chance in hell of making the playoffs, but they could play spoiler to Norwich (80) or Cardiff (79) respectively. Even though Cardiff is only a point back of Norwich, if Norwich wins and Cardiff does anything less, it's playoffs for them and Norwich is back in the Prems automatically, with highly-touted Canadian Simeon Jackson in tow. Jackson passed Hume again and leads all Canadians, not just in the Championship but in England period, with an even dozen bulging the twine.

(QPR (88), by the way, has already locked up the League Championship.)

Speaking of playoffs, there is still one team on the outside looking in that can make them, that being Leeds (69) who are three back of Nott Forest (72). But the odds are overwhelmingly in Forest's favour, since the amount Leeds wins by and the amount Forest loses by has to add up to seven for a definitive Leeds victory in this battle. If that isn't bad enough, Leeds is playing already-promotion-bound QPR, and Forest is playing sad-sack Crystal Palace (48), who just narrowly managed to escape relegation.

LEAGUE ONE

Well, even if Brighton & Hove (94) clinched first, it must be hard for them to see their lead on Southampton (86) cut in half - when I last reported, they had sixteen points on the Saints, but now they only have eight. Now Huddersfield (86) have kept pace with Southampton points-wise, but if Southampton beats doomed Plymouth Argyle (42) tomorrow (tonight for you English), the chances of them taking the second auto-promotion spot is astronomically slim, since the Saints have +15 better goal differential.

Playoffs, on the other hand, are locked in, the above near-impossible scenario notwithstanding. If things go according to expectations tomorrow night, Huddersfield will be joining Peterborough (77), MK Dons (74), and Bournemouth (71) in the playoffs. Leyton Orient and Exeter City (both 67) came up just shy.

Did I mention Plymouth was doomed? Perhaps not entirely should they do the unthinkable and beat Southampton. Even now their goal differential is close to that of Walsall (48, -17) and also to that of Dag & Red (47, -13) with a game in hand on both. If they do lose, they're screwed. If they draw, they're also screwed. But if they win, that makes the bottom end a LOT more exciting!

It's hardly impossible, but it will be hard. With Walsall playing Southampton, Plymouth playing Orient, and the Daggers playing Peterborough, it's really hard to say what will happen down there. Bristol Rovers are mathematically in points range as well, but a goal differential of -33 is going to be nigh on impossible to overcome. Which leaves Swindon (39) as the only team that is absolutely, unequivocally screwed. :P Down to the Two for you! NEXT!

LEAGUE TWO

A couple close battles left in the Two. Bury (83) and Chesterfield (80) are already guaranteed promotion, and Bury seems more in the driver's seat in terms of championship prospects. Even so much as a point from them and they're champeens. However, this doesn't rule Chesterfield out from winning the big prize. If Bury were to lose, Chesterfield need only win by any scoreline to surpass them. And here's something making it even tastier - Bury's last opponent is ever-desparate Gillingham (68) who is locked in a three-way points logjam with two other playoff spot holders, Torquay and Stevenage. Working against that, though, is the fact that equally desparate Stevenage plays Chesterfield!

Torquay, then, has the "easiest" opponent, who are only five points behind them. Rotherham. Port Vale would have to give Barnet (45) a sound thumping to make the playoffs, as they are not only three points back but also a substantial amount of goal differential. (Even after that, they'd have to hope for Gillingham, Torquay, AND Stevenage to all lose!)

The bottom end sees only one other match become important - Lincoln vs. Aldershot. Although Lincoln can stay alive if Barnet draws Port Vale (yeah, like that'll happen :P ) or loses to them (way more likely), a surefire way to ensure their safety is to beat the Shots.

CONFERENCE PREMIER

Well, the regular season is over and Crawley Town have set a new record for most points in a season (105) while equalling records in wins (31), fewest losses (3), and highest goal differential (63). Playoffs see 2nd-place Wimbledon (90) taking on freshly-promoted Fleetwood (78), and Luton (84) taking on Wrexham (81).

Going down... hoo boy, after three straight seasons of finishing in the red and not being relegated due to extenuating circumstances, then two more of mid-table madness, FINALLY, the ever-undeserving Altrincham (44) is relegated to the Conference North. Forest Green (46) really lucked out in the end. They lost their final match 2-1 to Tamworth, only to have Kettering beat Southport 3-1. The difference was two goals in the goal differential. It was that friggin' close. We knew Histon (28) and Eastbourne (39) were already hooped, although the latter did beat Altrincham 4-3 in spite of blowing a 3-0 lead.

I'm going to hazard a guess and say it'll be Histon and Eastbourne going to the Conference South, with Altrincham and Southport going to the North.

CONFERENCE NORTH

If you thought it was impressive that Fleetwood made the playoffs right off of being promoted, have a gander at who's in the playoffs in the Conf-North! Guiseley (73) did end up edging out Nuneaton (72) in the end, and they finished behind Eastwood (also 73) by 17 on the goal diff chart :P To make things even more humorous, consider this - the two teams with 73 points drew each other on closing day, while Nuneaton lost to 10-point margin champs Alfreton (92). Telford (82) and Boston (79, also fresh off the promo) will play Guiseley and Eastwood respectively.

Now at the other end, we knew Redditch (9 :lol: ) was astronomically boned, and that it would come down mainly to Hyde (36) and Stafford (32). Well, in the end, Hyde won out by four points, putting an exclamation point on the season by beating Corby Town (49) 2-1. Stafford gave Stalybridge (57) a late scare, but ended up losing 3-2, ending a poor season on a low note and going down to the feeders.

CONFERENCE SOUTH

Well, Braintree (89) won in the end, as a run of good form combined with a run of bad form for second-place Farnborough (82) combined to propel them into the Conference Premier.

As for that five-team playoff logjam from last update, that wound up with Chelmsford (77) and Woking (76) edging out Welling (75), Dover (74), and Eastleigh (72). That must have been some incredibly exciting football to watch!

At the other end, in spite of losing four straight at the end, Hampton & Richmond (42) stayed afloat, as also did Maidenhead (40). Bishop's Stortford (45) were able to claw their way out of the red late with a three-game win streak. So who did that leave? Thurrock (37), the Lewesers (36), and sad-sack St. Albans (24).

Now then, since it's that time of year:

FEEDERS

Northern Premier

Halifax (98) didn't just win this division. They destroyed it. Besting Colwyn Bay (79) by a whopping nineteen points, the reborn Halifax side is set for Conference North action for next season.

The first round of the playoffs saw United of Manchester (76) oust "favoured" Bradford Park Avenue (77), and Colwyn Bay do likewise to North Ferriby United, both by the same 2-0 scoreline. The final goes tomorrow.

Southern Premier

Truro (87) and Hednesford (83) appeared to be neck-and-neck for most of the season, but a late slipup against lowely Evesham (51) cost Hednesford automatic promotion. They did, however, make good on their playoff opener against Leamington (78), winning 3-1. As expected between two teams that finished equal in points, Salisbury vs. Cambridge City (both 79) ended close, with the former winning 1-0. As with the Northern Premier, the Southern Premier playoff final goes tomorrow. So Truro will undoubtedly be playing in Conference South next season.

Isthmian Premier

Playoffs haven't even started here yet. But let me tell you - the race for that last playoff spot was a very close finish. As a matter of fact, the entire playoff section was a close finish! Check this out!

Tonbridge Angels - 76 (+26)
Bury Town - 76 (+18)
Lowestoft Town - 75
Harrow Borough - 73 (+26)
------------------------------------------------------------
Canvey Island - 73 (+18)
Kingstonian - 72
Concord Rangers - 71
Cray Wanderers - 69
AFC Hornchurch - 69
Billericay Town - 69

In any case, the playoffs start Tuesday, with Tonbridge hosting Harrow and Bury Town hosting Lowestoft.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 02, 2011, 10:41:24 PM
Mini-update:

CHAMPIONSHIP

Simeon Jackson's 13th goal of the season put the final nail in Cardiff's coffin (as far as auto-promo goes) as Norwich up-ended Portsmouth 1-0. Cardiff have to be left shaking their heads after they got flattened 3-0 by Middlesbrough, though. :P

LEAGUE ONE

Well, Southampton made a good two-in-one play by beating Plymouth 3-1. Not only does this eliminate Plymouth from the possibility of staying up, but it also all but eliminates Huddersfield from the possibility of automatic promotion. They would have to beat Brentford by an obscene scoreline and hope Walsall beats Southampton. Even a draw would be sufficient to clinch the spot altogether for the Saints.

FEEDER PLAYOFFS

Salisbury City win the Southern Premier playoffs 4-2 on a penalty shootout after finishing extra time even at 2. Colwyn Bay has also been promoted to the Conference, via a 1-0 Northern playoff finals win against United of Manchester.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 04, 2011, 06:41:59 AM
Mini-update:

CONFERENCE PLAYOFFS

Started today. Unlike the feeders, they do two legs. In the north, Guiseley beat Boston 1-0 and Telford and Nuneaton were even at 1. Return leg goes on Sunday.

In the South, only one of the two matches was played today, with the other being tomorrow (replace "today" with "yesterday" and "tomorrow" with "today" if you're in Ingerland :P I'm on the West Coast of Canada, so I'm always stuck in the past.) That said, the one match saw Ebbsfleet beat the stuffing out of Chelmsford on their own grounds, 4-1. Farnborough and Woking square off tomorrow/later today.

FEEDERS PLAYOFFS

The Isthmian playoffs kicked off today. Lowestoft beat Bury 2-1 and Tonbridge Angels beat Harrow 3-2 in ET. Finals between Lowestoft and Tonbridge goes on Saturday.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 09, 2011, 06:41:34 AM
Update time yet again!

CHAMPIONSHIP

All said and done.

Now Leeds DID beat QPR, but only by a score of 2-1. To make matters worse, Forest gave Palace a sound 3-0 thumping. So here's how the top end of the table finished.

Champs - Queens Park Rangers (88)
2nd Auto-Promo - Norwich City (84) (My hat's off to the best Canadian playing in England right now, one Simeon Jackson, for scoring the goal that got them there)

Playoffs -
Swansea vs. Nott Forest - first leg Thursday, second leg next Monday
Cardiff vs. Reading - first leg Friday, second leg next Tuesday

In the red, all three teams finished with the same number of points (42). So who finished last? Officially it was Sc*nthorpe, who had the worst goal differential (-44) and the most losses (28). Joining them will be Preston North End (and hopefully this means Iain Hume leaves that scumhole) and Sheffield United (how the mighty have fallen. I remember when they were Premier League :P)

LEAGUE ONE

Top-end finish:

Champeens: Brighton & Hove
Other auto-promo: Southampton, very much expected.

Playoffs:

Huddersfield vs. Bournemouth - first leg Saturday, second leg next Wednesday
Peterborough vs. MK Dons - first leg Sunday, second leg next Thursday

At the other end, Walsall lost, but Peterborough did them a huge favour by butchering Dag & Red 5-doughnut. So Walsall lives to die another day. Barely. Joining the Daggers will be Bristol Rovers, Plymouth Argyle, and Swindon Town, who ended their rotten season with a victory over Tranmere.

LEAGUE TWO

Silly me, I got Bury and Chesterfield backwards on my last update. :P Chesterfield won the divisional championship by beating Gillingham 3-1.

Champeens: Chesterfield
Other Auto-Promos: Bury, Wycombe

Playoffs:

Shrewsbury vs. Torquay - first leg Saturday, second leg next Friday (my birthday)
Accrington Stanley vs. Stevenage = first leg Sunday, second leg next Friday

Gillingham missed out on the playoffs by goal differential, as they lost, while Torquay did as well (to Rotherham) but Stevenage grabbed a late point to get out of the logjam by drawing 3-3 against Bury. Shrewsbury was ever-so-close to automatic promotion, but their 3-0 win against Oxford proved insufficent after Wycombe beat Southend 3-1 to get the full three points, and secure the last spot by one. (80 vs. Shrewsbury's 79).

At the other end... I have to laugh. God does have a sense of humour. :P I said that there was no chance of Barnet drawing against Port Vale. Guess what? They won. And Lincoln got smacked upside the head by Aldershot 3-0 to boot. So it's Lincoln who's going down to the Conference. Stockport's probably the best last-place team I've seen in the League for years though, so don't be surprised to see them back after a couple seasons.

CONFERENCE PREMIER

The playoffs have kicked off with Luton putting Wrexham through a 3-0 wringer, and Wimbledon blanking Fleetwood 2-buzz. Second leg goes tomorrow (two days from now my time).

CONFERENCE NORTH AND SOUTH

The finals are set in both divisions of the sixth tier of English football. Telford's two first-half goals were too much for Nuneaton to come back from and they won 3-2 on aggregate, but the other match in the North was far closer. The Guiseley-Boston match went to extra time after regulation finished 2-1 for Boston (the opening leg was 1-0 for Guiseley), and both teams registered a goal in the extra frame, so they went to penalties, where Guiseley won 3-2.

In the South, Ebbsfleet won 2-1 in what was basically going through the motions, barring Chelmsford winning by three, which just wasn't going to happen. The final aggregate was 6-2, a score I highly doubt they'll repeat, but who knows? Farnborough and Woking also went to extra time after regulation finished with Woking ahead 1-0 (the exact same score by which Farney beat Woking on their turf :P) but a late McDonald goal saw them avoid a shootout.

So this makes the finals Telford vs. Guiseley and Ebbsfleet vs. Farnborough. Dates forthcoming. EDIT: both on Sunday.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 13, 2011, 04:24:27 AM
Mini-update from the Conference Premier Playoffs:

If I were Luton's bench boss, I'd be a little anxious after Wimbledon beat the piss out of Fleetwood, 6-1, yesterday. I mean sure, Luton coasted to a 5-1 aggregate win with a 2-1 win over Wrexham a couple days ago, but the aggregate for Wimbledon-Fleetwood was 8-1!
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on May 13, 2011, 02:02:04 PM
I do like watching the playoffs. Last night its Swansea 0-0 forest. With reading and Cardiff playing tonight :)
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 14, 2011, 04:59:53 AM
Mini-update from the League Championship:

It seems both matchups started off as snoozefests, although Swansea ought to count themselves fortunate to not have lost after having gone down to ten men ridiculously early. Shots on goal were 9-5 for Nottingham Forest over Swansea, but their Welsh counterparts Cardiff outshot Reading 6-3 in the other match.

Leagues One and Two start their playoffs tomorrow.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on May 14, 2011, 11:36:40 PM
League 1 playoff

Bournemouth 1-1 hudderfield
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 15, 2011, 01:17:32 AM
Finally some goddamn goals, goddammit! :2funny:

Oh, and Torquay beat Shrewsbury 2-scratch in the opening match of the League Two playoffs.

We have to wait until next Saturday for the Conference Premier playoff final, but lots of playoff action tomorrow:

League One SF - Milton Keynes vs. Peterborough, Leg 1
League Two SF - Stevenage vs. Accrington Stanley
Conf North Final - Telford vs. Guiseley
Conf South Final - Farnsborough vs. Ebbsfleet
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 15, 2011, 08:01:07 PM
MK Dons 3 Peterborough 2
Telford 3 Guiseley 2
Ebbsfleet 4 Farney 2

Stevenage up 2-0 on Accrington Stanley with 17 minutes remaining in regulation.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 17, 2011, 12:38:17 AM
And they won by that score. :P

Also, Swansea is off to Wemberley after a 3-1 victory over Forest. Their opponent will be determined tomorrow (today by 37 minutes in Limeyland :P).
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 18, 2011, 05:58:57 AM
Reading sure made short work of Cardiff! 3-0.

Sked for the next few days:

Tomoz: Huddersfield vs. Bournemouth, Leg 2 (tied 1-1)
Thursday: MK Dons vs. Peterborough, Leg 2 (MK Dons lead 3-2)
Friday (my birthday :P ):
Shrewsbury vs. Torquay, Leg 2 (Torquay leads 2-0)
Accrington Stanley vs. Stevenage, Leg 2 (Stevenage leads 2-0)
Saturday: Wimbledon vs. Luton (Conference Premier Playoff Final)

Also, some projections as to who will be in what Conference half next season (The official list was supposed to be out on the 10th, but nothing has come out yet  ::) )

CONFERENCE SOUTH

Basingstoke Town
Bishop's Stortford
Boreham Wood
Bromley
Chelmsford City
Dartford
Dorchester Town
Dover Athletic
Eastbourne Borough
Eastleigh
Farnborough
Hampton & Richmond Borough
Havant & Waterlooville
Maidenhead United
Salisbury City
Staines Town
Sutton United
Tonbridge Angels
Truro City
Welling United
Weston-super-Mare
Woking

CONFERENCE NORTH

Altrincham
Blyth Spartans
Boston United
Colwyn Bay
Corby Town
Droylsden
Eastwood Town
F.C. Halifax Town
Gainsborough Trinity
Gloucester City
Guiseley
Harrogate Town
Hinckley United
Histon
Hyde
Nuneaton Town
Solihull Moors
Southport
Stalybridge Celtic
Vauxhall Motors
Worcester City
Workington

Since I'm still not entirely versed in the complexities of Conference geographical arrangement, I might have gotten one or two teams wrong here. Histon has played in the South in the past, but someone had to go in the North or else the South would have 23 and the North 21.  :lol:
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 19, 2011, 12:04:40 AM
Was quite the match between Hudds and Bournemouth. It was 2-2 at full time, and goals literally within a minute of each other made it finish 3-3 and go to penalties, which Huddersfield won 4-2.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 20, 2011, 01:26:03 AM
No penalties for the other League One playoff as Peterborough won 2-0, taking the whole shebang 4-3 on aggregate.

Two League Two second leg matches tomorrow.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 21, 2011, 01:15:18 AM
Shrews 0 Torquay 0 (Torquay wins 2-0 on aggie)
Stevenage 1 AccStan 0 (Stevenage wins 3-0 on aggie)

If the pattern of dates set for the Championship (30 May) and League One (29 May) finals are any indicator, the final in the Two should be on the 28th.

Conference Playoff final goes tomoz. (or later today in your neck of the woods)
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 22, 2011, 06:36:08 AM
Okay, I can't help being just a little disappointed with this result :P Not because of who won, but because of the scoreline. After outscoring their opponents by a combined total 13-2 - Luton 5-1 over Wrexham and Wimbledon 8-1 over Eastwood - it took penalties to decide who were on the up, after regulation finished scoreless. 0-0 through 120 minutes of play. I suppose it was because neither team wanted to make "the mistake." But from reports I've seen, there were a few good scoring chances.

I suppose it's something of a feel-good story for football in general, as to who ended up winning. After the original FC Wimbledon was forcibly relocated to Milton Keynes nine years ago, it can't be anything but ecstasy for AFC Wimbledon's fanbase that the club the original team's gutted fans founded has clawed its way up five levels in just nine seasons, back into the Football League. The exclamation point in the penalty shootout was Danny Kedwell burying it after Seb Brown (who was in Wimbledon the year the club was moved) had made his second of two consecutive PS saves.

By the way, the teams playing in the Conference North/South are literally the exact figures I picked. Now most of the teams' locations were no-brainers. It was a very small group of teams that could have gone either way.

http://www.thefa.com/Leagues/NationalLeagueSystem/NewsAndFeatures/2011/~/media/Files/PDF/Leagues/NLS/NLS_Restructuring_2011-12.ashx/NLS_Restructuring_2011-12.pdf (http://www.thefa.com/Leagues/NationalLeagueSystem/NewsAndFeatures/2011/~/media/Files/PDF/Leagues/NLS/NLS_Restructuring_2011-12.ashx/NLS_Restructuring_2011-12.pdf)

There are a few interesting things I've noticed in this table, which was released yesterday:

- Ilkeston Town FC, who were wound up earlier this season, have reformed and been reinstated in the First Division South of the Northern Premier League, sparing Burscough relegation.
- Hednesford and Barwell were flipped around, with the former going from Southern Prem to Northern and the latter doing the exact opposite, having come off a promotion. There were a few swaps in the lower divisions as well.
- Weymouth in the SFL Premier was spared relegation because Windsor & Eton was wound up. This wasn't mentioned in the table. :P

Anyhoo, this is it for the lower levels. Bring on WEMBLEY!
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on May 24, 2011, 09:04:01 AM
Ahh the last weekend of football.

Only 1 playoff is at wembley am i right? Which the championship playoff? On Monday?

League 2 (Saturday) and league 1 (Sunday) are at Manchester united.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Derry-Yid on May 24, 2011, 05:59:51 PM
Ahh the last weekend of football.

Only 1 playoff is at wembley am i right? Which the championship playoff? On Monday?

League 2 (Saturday) and league 1 (Sunday) are at Manchester united.


Correct, the championship one is on monday at Wembley and other two at OT...they couldnt have them all at Wembley as there is a big match on apparently!
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 24, 2011, 07:50:09 PM
Ahh, gotcha. I know the Conference playoff finals were at City of Manchester Stadium. And upon checking Soccerway.com, it seems you are right. Old Trafford it is. :ohyeah:
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 28, 2011, 08:02:11 PM
John Mousinho proved the hero as Stevenage are the winners of the 2011 League Two playoff, 1-0 over Torquay. :)
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 29, 2011, 08:17:28 PM
I'll bet this final was fun to watch. :P

Peterborough bulldozed Huddersfield 3-0, but here's the catch - all three goals were scored in the space of five minutes, starting in the 79th minute! :lol:
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 30, 2011, 07:02:41 PM
Well, like I said in the shoutbox, history has been made.  :ohyeah:

Swansea City became the first Welsh team to ever play in the Premiership after a 4-2 win over Reading, after nearly blowing a 3-0 lead. The big story for the Swans was Scott Sinclair, who bagged a hat-trick, includng two goals just a minute apart (the first of these, and his third, were both penalties). It was 3-0 after the first half but an own goal by Joe Allen let Reading back in the game, with defender Matthew Mills scoring to make it 3-2. But Reading's Achilles heel was not being able to keep themselves from fouling, and in the 80th minute this gave Swansea the penalty that put the final nail in the coffin.

Well done, Swansea. You've earned it. :up:

Signing off for another season, this is DC76.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on November 05, 2011, 06:43:19 PM
I started late this year! :-X

CHAMPIONSHIP

Early on, it seems Southampton (36) are the strong starters, having only lost two of their first sixteen. Wet Spam (31), Cardiff, and Middlesbrough (both 27) are also doing quite well. Bristol City (13), Coventry City, and Doncaster (both 12) are struggling the most. It seems the Brummies (21, from 12 matches) are having scheduling issues, as everyone else in the champs have played 15 or 16 matches.

LEAGUE ONE

Charlton (40) is really tearing things up earlier, having only lost one out of seventeen and having won twelve. Huddersfield (35) is also looking strong - although they have only won nine, they have yet to lose. One shouldn't count out Sheffield Wednesday (33), either. They've won ten this season, although they have also lost four.

There is no huge gap between red-zoner and non-red-zoner in the league's nether regions, though, with only six points separating 17th-place Sc*nthorpe (18) from last-place Yeovil (12):

17. Sc*nthorpe - 18 (-9)
18. Leyton Orient - 18 (-13)
19. Exeter - 16
20. Walsall - 15
21. Rochdale - 14
22. Chesterfield - 13 (21 GF)
23. Wycombe - 13 (17 GF)
24. Yeovil - 12

LEAGUE TWO

Southend (38) and Crawley (36) are running neck and neck early in the season, with Cheltenham (32), Shrewsbury (31), and Morecambe (30) not at all far off. Matter of fact, if the playoff spots are any indication of how the season will progress, we're going to see some marvellous football! Swindon, Oxford, and Burton (all 29) are even in the points, with the last of the three out by goal diff at this early stage. I'm sure Canadian manager Paul Peschisolido will be pushing his lads hard to get results!

Speaking of results, Plymouth Argyle (9) is severely lacking in them, possessing the worst record of any team in the League with a dismal nine points. This isn't to say that the teams immediately ahead of them are faring much better. Barnet and Dag & Red (13 each) and Bradford (14) are also having a really rough go of things, and there are four other clubs who have yet to reach 20 points on the season.

CONFERENCE PREMIER

"Close" is the best way to describe the Conference's top tier at the moment. Wrexham is holding off Fleetwood for first by goals as both have 40 points on the season (+19 to +14), while five teams - Cambridge United (36), York (35), Southport (35), Gateshead (34), and Luton (33), are within a win's range of either being in the playoffs or being out. On the flip side, though, Bath ( 8) is doing even worse than Plymouth in the League and they've played more matches to boot! DERP! Alfreton (10) is also really struggling early. Newport (15) and Hayes & Yeading (17) are in the red as well, but they aren't struggling quite so much, with Stockport, Lincoln, Kettering (all 19), and Telford (18) all within easy reach.

CONFERENCE NORTH

Closer at the bottom end than at the top, really. After an abysmal season in which they were fortunate to survive, Hyde (38) is now in second place with more points in their first sixteen matches this season than they gleaned all of last season (they finished with 36)! Eight clear of Gainsborough (31), the only real hurdle they have is the team one point ahead of them, Stalybridge Celtic (39). Two points each separate the remaining playoff spot holders as well as the first team out - Gainsborough, Guiseley (29), Corby (27), and Altrincham (25), whose lucky streak came to an end last season. No more of this getting reprieve from other clubs' misfortunes. Cheating gimps. :P Anyway, Nuneaton and Worcester (both 24) are both within immediate striking distance of Corby as well.

Six points separate eight teams at the bottom:

15. Gloucester - 16 (-1)
16. Solihull - 16 (-9)
17. Hinckley - 15
18. Vauxhall - 14 (-8)
19. Workington - 14 (-13)
20. Bishop's Stortford - 13
21. Eastwood - 12
22. Blyth Spartans - 10

Still early, too, so it should be interesting down there.

CONFERENCE SOUTH

Woking (39) has an early cushion, but that could disappear quickly if any of the next three clubs in the standings - Sutton, Welling (both 33), or Dartford (32) go on a hot streak. Then there's the "fighting for the last playoff spot" group in the form of Chelmsford (27, they have the last spot), Basingstoke (26), Dover (25), and Boreham Wood (24).

At the other end, Farnborough (13) should be thanking the powers that be that it isn't four people going down from the division, or they'd be joining Staines, H&R (both 10), and Thurrock (9) in going down to the feeders. :P The Block hasn't been quite the same since they ditched Godfrey, eh? To be fair, neither has he, really.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on December 22, 2011, 08:37:56 PM
Update time! :santa_afro:

CHAMPIONSHIP

It's close to halfway point and Southampton (44) seem to have slipped up a little since November, but still hold onto top by a point over Wet Spam (43) and three over a resurgent Middlesbrough (41). Hull (39), Cardiff (38), and Leeds (35) hold down the remaining playoff spots, while Reading, Crystal Palace (both 33), Blackpool, and Brighton and Hove Albion (both 32) are within a win, and Leicester, Burnley, and Barnsley (all 30) should by no means be counted out. Birmingham (29) should also be watched, since their aforementioned scheduling issues have left them with two games in hand - should they manage to win both, they'll be right there in the thick of an already-tight playoff race.

At the nether end of the table, what the heck is wrong with Coventry (13)? Since I last posted, six or seven matches (depending on the club) have been played, and yet they have only managed one point in that timespan. ONE. STINKING. POINT. Compare that with Bristol City (21), who have clawed their way out of the red since the fact with eight points, while former co-cellar inhabitants Doncaster (at a still rather awful 19) have managed seven points in as many matches. Nottingham Forest (21) has slipped into the red by goal differential, and Millwall (23) is also struggling somewhat. Ipswich (26) might have to keep an eye over their shoulders if they lose their game in hand!

LEAGUE ONE

Charlton (48) still has a five-point advantage over second place, only that is now Sheffield Wednesday (43) with their cross-town rivals United (41) not far behind. Huddersfield (39) has slipped up somewhat over the last four matches, claiming just four points in that timespan (including their first two losses of the season, against Bournemouth and Charlton, which came back-to-back). They'll be looking to snap a three-game winless skid. That said, they are still very much in the playoff zone. MK Dons (also 39) recently had a 5-game winning streak snapped by Preston North End (30), who are in the running for the last playoff spot at the moment, only three back of Brentford (33) who only hold the spot on goal differential over Carlisle (also 33), by a point over Stevenage (32), by two over Notts County (31), and by three over the North End Scum. :P Also in the "within six" group are Colchester U (29), Bury (28), and Oldham Athletic (27).

It's still relatively close at the other end of the table, but Chesterfield (14) are starting to slip further than the rest of the red-zoners. One big catalyst in this was a recent win by Wycombe (17) over the same, so they're still second-from-bottom, but only two back of the survival threshhold. Walsall and Rochdale (both 18) are a single point behind Sc*nthorpe (19) who have had about the same luck over the past four matches as Chesterfield has - only one point. Now Yeovil (20) is another story entirely. In spite of an embarrassing 2-0 loss to Conference side Fleetwood Town in the FA Cup, they are nurturing a five-game unbeaten streak in the League, including back-to-back wins over Hartlepool and, surprisingly enough, Notts County, which has propelled them from the league cellar to the second team out of the red zone. They still have work to do to stay there, of course, but their current form is good. The only other club that really has to be careful is Exeter City (21).

LEAGUE TWO

Crawley (46) has emerged as a clear front-runner up to this point, although Southend and Cheltenham (both 42) are also looking strong at this point. Shrewsbury (40) could also make a move, while Swindon (37), Burton Albion (36), and Gillingham (35) hold the other three playoff spots. Oxford, Rotherham (both 33), Port Vale (32), Morecambe, Torquay (both 31), and Accrington Stanley (29) are all within two wins (the first three within one) of the playoffs.

At the other end, Plymouth (14) seems to have shaken its "worst team in the League" status from both a points perspective (now Coventry) and a bottom-of-League-Two perspective (now Dag & Red - also 14 but with one fewer goal scored). The two teams are only three back of Northampton (17), with Hereford (18) and Bradford (19) also really struggling. Barnet (20) has picked things up a little from when they were in the red, gleaning seven points over the last four matches, but they too have to watch themselves. Bristol Rovers (23) are also on the periphery of the group, being nine clear of Plymouth and Dag & Red.

CONFERENCE PREMIER

It's still a battle of goal differential at the top of the Conference, between Wrexham and Fleetwood (both 53 and neither wanting to give an inch!) where the former is +25 and the latter +21 in spite of having scored more goals. The playoff race is also still quite close, although Southport (47) seems to be pulling away somewhat. York (44) and Luton (42) are in possession of the other two playoff spots, but the latter only has it by goal differential over Kidderminster (also 42) with Gateshead and Cambridge United (both 40) within less than a win's worth of points. Forest Green, Mansfield (both 37) and Darlington (36) are longer shots, but still can't be ruled out this early.

At the other end, Bath (14) is still looking pathetic, but not as much so as they were earlier in the year, having picked up six points in their last five matches (including a shock win against Telford). Alfreton (18), Stockport (20), and Hayes & Yeading (21) are closer to safety, with the latter being just one back of Kettering and Newport (both 22) for safety. Telford (24) is also struggling somewhat, while Lincoln (26) is starting to put space between themselves and the red.

CONFERENCE NORTH

Nothing says "rocket up the butt" like barely escaping relegation the previous season. Hyde (55), although they have played more matches than anyone else in the league, are on such a good run of form right now in their league that it wouldn't really matter if they were even in matches with everyone else. Well, maybe except where Stalybridge Celtic (47) is concerned. The remaining playoff spot holders are Guiseley (41), Nuneaton (40), and Gainsborough Trinity (38), with the first team out being surging Halifax (36). Runs of poor form have seen Corby (32) drop from last spot-holder to six points out, and Altrincham (29) slip out of the "within six" group entirely, although they have only played 19 matches to most clubs' 20+, so this could change. I hope it doesn't though. :P

The other end is... interesting, to say the least. Two teams have really been on a slippery slope - that is, Blyth Spartans (12) and Eastwood (13), while Hinckley (18) has done a faceplant and replaced Bishop's Stortford (19) in the red. While Hinckley has a game in hand on the same, they also have two games in hand, and BSFC one game as well, on both Vauxhall Motors (also 19) and Workington (20). Stortford also has form going in their favour, having just come fresh off beating mid-table Gloucester (26).

CONFERENCE SOUTH

Are you joking? Look at Woking (53)! Ten points separate them from the playoff pack, led by Welling (43). Chelmsford (39), Dartford, and Sutton (38) hold the other three playoff spots. Dover (34) is first out of the playoffs, followed by Dorchester (32), Basingstoke, Weston-Super-Mare (both 31), and Eastleigh (30), but while it might seem a ways off, consider that Basingstoke also has a game in hand on Sutton and Dartford, two games in hand on Chelmsford and Dover, and FIVE on Dorchester. Yes, the scheduling is wack, and Dorchester has played more games than any other club in the league, while Basingstoke (jointly with Salisbury) has played fewer than any other club.

At the other end it's a little closer. Even last-place Thurrock (13) are only six out, but it's a slippery slope. Staines (14) aren't fairing much better, while Hampton & Richmond (17) are within a win of Bromley (19) with a game in hand. Maidenhead (21), having played two more matches than the three red-zoners and one more than Bromley, ought to keep their eyes peeled. Salisbury (22) on the other hand, has three in hand on Maidenhead, two in hand on Bromley, and one in hand on the red-zoners. They had better make the most of them. :P It should be mentioned, though, that Farnborough (23) has been on a delightful run of form of late, on a four-game unbeaten streak which has seen them take ten points from a possible twelve.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on February 16, 2012, 10:27:45 PM
Update time! :up:

CHAMPIONSHIP

Neck and neck at the top still, with the Spammers (57) a point up on Southampton (56) with a game in hand. Six points separate the next eight teams:

1. Wet Spam - 57  :idiot2:
2. Southampton - 56
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
3. Cardiff - 53
4. Blackpool - 52
5. Birmingham - 51 (+20)
6. Reading - 51 (+11)
-------------------------
7. Hull City - 50 (+6)
8. Middlesbrough - 50 (+4)
9. Brighton & Hove - 49
10. Burnley - 47

Sometimes it's best to let the stats speak for themselves. :P It's going to be an exciting playoff race, and even Leeds (45) has an outside shot as well.

The other end, there seems to be a clear break between the potential survivors and the red-zoners, although to be fair Doncaster (24) is really lagging behind in their matches. If they were somehow to win the two games in hand they have on joint 20th-place Bristol and Millwall (31), they'd be within a point. Can't say the same for sad-sack Coventry (25) who have played the same 31 games those two have. Nottingham Forest (also 25) has a game in hand on them as well. Peterborough (34), Pompey (35), and Ipswich (37) seem to be pulling clear of the red-zoners, but Pompey are in some financial trouble as well - a 10-point penalty to them would make things a LOT more interesting down there!

LEAGUE ONE

Although schedule skewing could play into the latter part of the season, being how the games played by each club ranges from 27 (Oldham) to 31 (Sheffield Wednesday, Bournemouth, Exeter, and Wycombe), it's shaping up to be pretty interesting other than the fact Charlton (67) is still kicking everyone's ass. Sheffield United (59) has mounted a run of good form, taking over second from cross-town rivals Wednesday (57) and still having two games in hand. Huddersfield (55) has overtaken MK Dons (49) but are on a three-game winless streak, but MK Dons has kinda of messed things up of late, having won just one of their last seven. They are currently on a five-game winless skid. The next section of the table looks VERY different from the last time I updated. Stevenage (48) has crept into the last playoff spot, with Carlisle (46) keeping pace somewhat and Bournemouth (44) taking advantage of having played more games to stay in the pack, although Stevenage, to their advantage, has only played 28 matches thus far to Carlisle's 29 and Bournemouth's 31. Now what of the "within six" group from last update? Skewed scheduling and poor form victimised the remainder of those:

- Notts County (40) continued on a winless streak but have finally popped out of it with back to back wins TO GET THEM TO 40 :P

- Brentford (40) has won only one of their last 9 (1W 6D 3L) and that was against red-zoner Wycombe. Also of note is that they have also lost two of their last three.

- Colchester United (39) fell victim to postponed matches - they've only played 28 - but to their credit, their record in 2012 has been 2W 1D 2L, so I've seen worse. :P

- Preston North End (also 39) has had mediocre form in 2012 (2W 2D 2L) but as with Colcs, I've seen worse.

- Bury (ALSO 39) has effectively had the same luck as the North End Scum :P That said, they're on a three-game winless skid.

- Oldham (35) really got hit hard by the rough winter, having played just four league matches, plus they got bollocked by Liverpool in the FA Cup and ousted from the Carling Cup by Chesterfield. Still, being how they have two games in hand on a lot of the teams ahead of them, they could still make a run up the table. Who knows?

Sked skewing may also affect the lower part of the table, where there are seven teams with the danger area (matches played in parentheses):

(30) 18. Yeovil - 30 (-14)
(31) 19. Exeter - 30 (-18)
(28) 20. Sc*nthorpe - 28
-------------------------------------------
(31) 21. Wycombe - 26
(29) 22. Walsall - 25
(30) 23. Chesterfield - 24 (-17)
(29) 24. Rochdale - 24 (-23)

At least Rochdale is struggling, so my buddy Kier will be happy. :P  One could make an argument that Tranmere (33) is also in some immediate danger, but I wouldn't make that argument about Oldham unless they go on a mad losing streak. ;)

LEAGUE TWO

Now THIS is what football should look like! A neck-and-neck race with many teams within a small number of points. Seriously - the top six are squeezed into a two-point logjam!

1. Southend U - 56 (+19)
2. Cheltenham - 56 (+16)
3. Torquay - 56 (+15)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
4. Swindon - 55 (+27)
5. Crawley - 55 (+17)
6. Shrewsbury - 54

Of particular mention are Torquay and Swindon. Although Torquay have played two more than Swindon, they're also on the better run of form, having won seven in a row to Swindon's six. Add this to the fact that Torquay have only dropped two points of the last potential 27 and Swindon have only dropped five in that same span, and you have two teams that are red-hot and could potentially end up brawling it out for League Two-winning glory. The other four teams in the small squeeze have largely varied in form, ranging from solid (after starting 2012 on the wrong foot, Shrewsbury has won four of its last five) to rather pathetic (Crawley has only won once in 2012). To be honest, only the Shrews have really had decent form aside from the scorching-hot form of Torquay and Swindon within the top six, with none of the others managing above a .500 in either points or wins.

And then, way off in the 8-point distance, is Oxford United (46), clinging to the last playoff spot for dear life. :P Well, maybe I was overdramatising. There is more distance between then and the first teams on the outside looking in (Rotherham and Accrington Stanley, both 43) than there is between first place and sixth place. But still, that cushion could vanish in one gameday's worth of matches.

So what of the playoff-holders that dropped out from last time? Neither Burton (42) nor Gillingham (41) is particularly far off, but Gillingham has lost four in a row and Burton has yet to win in 2012 (2D 4L). Still, they're in the playoff hunt, along with Port Vale (also 42) and red-hot Crewe (who are 4-0-2 in 2012, also 42). Morecambe (39) is a bit of a dark horse at this point, but who knows?

At the other end we have a 3-way points jam between red-zoners Northampton and Dag & Red and "worst survivor" Plymouth. There are a few other teams in danger though - Hereford (27), Bradford (28), and especially rapidly-plummeting Macclesfield (30) who have literally not gleaned a single point in 2012, losing six in a row after ending 2011 with a win over Port Vale. The reverse could be said of Barnet (33), though - they have gone from being three clear of the "worst survivor" to nine clear, due to a beastly run of form for a team of their stature, having just had a 4-game winning streak snapped with a scoreless draw against Plymouth - they haven't lost yet in 2012.

CONFERENCE PREMIER

We have an honest-to-God dogfight at the top of the table, between Fleetwood (70) and Wrexham (68). Both have very similar form, although Fleetwood still have an unbeaten streak intact, and Wrexham has a game in hand on their only superior in the table. Luton is a somewhat distant third (59 and one more game played), while the other playoff spots are all to play for at this point with Southport (55), York (54), Kidderminster (53), Grimsby, and Gateshead (both 51) being in more immediate range, and surging Mansfield and struggling Cambridge (both 49) also being within two wins.

At the other end, we have a fight on our hands. Now Bath (18) is very much screwed anyway :P But other than them, the lower part of the table looks like it will make for some great football between the sides in it:

16. Lincoln - 31
17. Newport - 30
18. Stockport - 29
19. Darlington - 28 (with a -10 point penalty, -9)
20. Telford - 28 (-16)
---------------------------------------------------------------
21. Kettering - 28 (-36)
22. Alfreton - 25
23. Hayes & Yeading - 24
24. Bath - 18 :lol:

It should be noted that Darlington is facing the additional challenge of potentially being wound up, which they almost were in January but for the desparate efforts of a group of fans, who brought in 70 000 quid to ensure that they could finish the season. Talks are still ongoing with several potential buyers. Lemme put it another way - if I won the Lotto Max when it was maxed out at CAD 50M (roughly 31.75M British Pounds at today's exchange rate), I'd buy the damn team myself, or at least fork over the three-quarter-million quid needed to pay off the former chair's creditors. I'm sick and tired of seeing football teams folding. :tickedoff:

CONFERENCE NORTH

Although Hyde (61) has the lead presently, Halifax (52) has two games in hand on them, and Guiseley (49) has four, so this could get really close, really fast! Stalybridge Celtic (also 49) is also looking sharp, and Gainsborough (48) and Nuneaton (47) are dogfighting over the last playoff spot. Sure, Colwyn Bay (44) is in range in the points, but they've also played two more games! Altrincham (42) is starting to slip, which more than makes my day. :P Not as much as Worcester (40) is though - now that club hasn't won in 2012.

Other end - it seems like both Blyth Spartans and Eastwood (both 15 :2funny: ) have given up and scuttled off back home with their tails between their legs. Vauxhall Motors (27) has slipped back into the red, and what's worse, the two teams immediately ahead of them outside the red, Hinckley and Bishop's Stortford (both 29) have a game in hand on them! The next four teams up, Harrogate, Workington (both 32), Histon, and Solihull (both 33) aren't out of immediate danger per se, but they're starting to improve somewhat.

CONFERENCE SOUTH

Woking (65) is still up top, but are starting to show signs of weakness, having lost two of their three losses this season in the last five matches - against mid-table Salisbury (33) and red-zoner Staines (24) :P The team to really watch at this point is second-place Dartford (54) who have won five in a row (haven't dropped points in 2012) and have two games in hand on Woking, so they could close that seemingly impassable chasm between them and Woking in a short period of time. Welling (51), Chelmsford (49), and Sutton (48) hold the other playoff spots, with the first team out being surprisingly distant (Weston, 43) and the only other team within six (Dorchester, 42) having played two more matches than the four teams ahead of them and three more than Dartford. Dover (41) and Basingstoke (39) have played the same number of matches as Dartford, so they could also move up to challenge, although I'd consider them dark horses at this point.

At the other end, Thurrock (17) haven't won since mid-November and show no signs of coming close to the point where they can do so. Especially after the 6-0 ransacking they got handed by Dartford in their last January match. They look predestined to go under. I'm a Calvinist to a point, couldn't you tell? :ohyeah:

That said, a cocked-up schedule might prove to come back and bite those who have played more matches down there in the B-O-T-T-Y. I would cut the "immediate danger area" off at Maidenhead (32) as opposed to Boreham Wood (also 32) because Boreham Wood has played two fewer matches (or the same number as Dartford has). However, to be fair to Maidenhead, they've had pretty good form early on in 2012 considering where they are in the table - 2W 1D 1L. I can't, however, say the same for 28-game Bromley (26), the first team out of the red, who only recently won their first match since friggin' OCTOBER! If anyone could be caught by the red-zoners, it's definitely them. I think they're gonna go down. Not to say Eastbourne (27) is doing much better. Their winless skid is still intact at eight, they have a 4-game losing streak going, and they've been outscored by an aggregate scoreline of 11-2 over the last three matches. Duh, LOSING. Farnborough (29) on the other hand is showing signs of improvement. They've won two of their last three and three of their last seven - for them, this is an improvement for sure :P - and one of said wins was a 4-0 Malcolm Tuckering of Boreham Wood.  :ohyeah:
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on March 09, 2012, 06:33:23 AM
Time for another update.

CHAMPIONSHIP

Still close up top, although three teams - Southampton (66), West Ham (65), and Reading (63) have emerged as the main auto-promo favourites. One can't rule Middlesbrough (59) out just yet, though - they've won four of their last five to keep some pace up top. Three points separate fifth from ninth, so the playoff race should be exciting to the last:

5. Blackpool - 56
6. Birmingham - 55 (+21)
--------------------------
7. Brighton & Hove - 55 (+6)
8. Cardiff - 54
9. Hull - 53

Leeds (50) is still more of an outside shot but they are still very much in the playoff race. One thing to also keep in mind is that Hull has at least a game in hand on every team ahead of them except Birmingham.

At the other end, Pompey (26) are in dire straits because of another financially irresponsible idiot in their front office. Some don't think they will even survive the season. :tickedoff: Their loss is the gain of Nottingham Forest (32) who would be in the red zone had Pompey not gotten ten points knocked off for administration, and will go back there should Pompey somehow get out of the mess they're in. Coventry and Doncaster (both 29) are still in the red. Bristol City (34) and to a lesser extent Millwall (37) and Peterborough (38) need to keep their eyes over their shoulders.

LEAGUE ONE

Charlton (78) appear to all but have this one in the bag, but they can't afford too many slipups like the recent one they had against mid-table Colchester United (47) who bolstered their chances of playoff play by beating them 2-0. The Sheffield teams still go 2-3 in the table, with United (65) still having a point and a game up on Wednesday (64) in spite of the fact the latter beat the former in the most recent installation of the Sheffield Derby. Sitting right on their tails, though, is Huddersfield (63) with their league-leading goalscorer, Jordan Rhodes, who is sitting on an even thirty - almost a goal per match! MK Dons (59) could just as easily have gotten into the race but have taken just one point from a possible six over the last couple matches.

Football's oldest professional club, Notts County (53), hold the final playoff spot by a point over Carlisle (52), three over Stevenage (50), and six over Brentford and Colcs (both 47).

At the other end, Rochdale (30) is still rock bottom (UCWUTIDIDTHUR?) but only by a point, behind Chesterfield (31), and they are only five points from safety. Matter of fact, the bottom is still quite tight. Let's compare today's standings to the last update:

Last update:

(30) 18. Yeovil - 30 (-14)
(31) 19. Exeter - 30 (-18)
(28) 20. Sc*nthorpe - 28
-------------------------------------------
(31) 21. Wycombe - 26
(29) 22. Walsall - 25
(30) 23. Chesterfield - 24 (-17)
(29) 24. Rochdale - 24 (-23)

Today:

17. Yeovil - 39 (+9)
18. Sc*nthorpe - 38 (+10)
19. Walsall - 36 (+11)
20. Tranmere - 35 (+2)
------------------------------------------------------
21. Exeter - 34 (+4)
22. Wycombe - 32 (+6)
23. Chesterfield - 31 (+7)
24. Rochdale - 30 (+6)

One must admit, Tranmere did derp pretty hard. ;) (Exeter weren't exactly great either :P) Oldham (42) still has matches in hand, and with slips in form by both Bury and the North-Enders (both 41) they could knock themselves out of any danger with a decent-enough run of form. Leyton Orient (40) is in a bit of danger but also has matches in hand - most notably, they have two on all four red-zoners.

LEAGUE TWO

And just like that, Swindon (70) have roared into a six-point lead. Even though I don't like their manager in the slightest (because he's an insensitive muppet who throws fascist salutes in spite of their racist connotations), I will say I am impressed by the players! The race for second is still incredibly tight - Crawley (57) has slipped behind a little, but only due to wack scheduling, and if they make up the difference with two wins, they'll be right back in the midst of the other four clubs that were having at it last time, that is, Cheltenham (64), Southend (63), Shrewsbury (62, +17), and Torquay (62, +11).

However, if Crawley continues on their current form - that is, winning one of their last nine, and being winless in five, gleaning just two points from a possible fifteen in that stretch - then their playoff spot could be in jeopardy, with Oxford (55) being on an eight-game unbeaten streak (3W 5D), and still barely fending off hard-charging Gillingham (54), who themselves are on a five game unbeaten streak and four game winning streak. Speaking of eight-game unbeaten streaks, what about Port Vale (53)? They've won five and drawn three. Crewe (49) is a bit more of a dark horse, having won just one of their last six but going five without losing (4-game draw streaks will do that to ya :P).

The bottom end of the table is painfully close. Northampton and Dag & Red (both 31) occupy the red zone at the moment, but only by a single point, where Hereford and Plymouth (both 32) sit. Then just up from them are Macclesfield and Barnet (both 34) - Macclesfield still haven't won since New Year's Eve and only once since October, but they finally have their first points of 2012 having four draws in a row, while Barnet have dropped six of their last eight and the other two were draws.

Further complicating the situation is Northampton's superior form (they've actually won three of their last five, gleaning ten of a possible 15 points in the process) and at least one game in hand on every team with under 40 points except Bradford (36).

CONFERENCE PREMIER

Fleetwood (85) is starting to really pull away up top, even though their lead is only five points. Their form has been impeccable, as they are nurturing a 5-game win streak, have only dropped two points of a possible 33 in their last 11 matches, and haven't lost since October 11. Wrexham (80) slipped up a little recently, losing 1-0 to Stockport, which is a bit embarrassing since Stockport is currently 16th! But other than that they have been continuing winning and are looking like, if still not title contenders, then at least the heads-on favourite to win the playoffs and go up anyway.

A worse slip-up was that of Luton (65), who while still third, have seen their cushion decrease to four points thanks to losing two of their last three - the first of which was their first loss in over three months. This has allowed York (61, +31) and Mansfield (61, +18) to really push them. Now York's form has been fairly good in 2012 (5W 5D 1L) but not mind-blowing. Mansfield, on the other hand (7W 2D 1L) has been slightly scary, barring a hiccup against lower-table Newport County (34).

Southport (59), Kidderminster, Gateshead (57), Grimsby, and Barrow (55) are also within striking distance of spots, but none of them have quite the same consistency as Mansfield has been enjoying of late.

At the other end, things aren't quite as close as they were last update, when three points separated 16th from the red zone starting at 21st:

16. Lincoln - 31
17. Newport - 30
18. Stockport - 29
19. Darlington - 28 (with a -10 point penalty, -9)
20. Telford - 28 (-16)
---------------------------------------------------------------
21. Kettering - 28 (-36)
22. Alfreton - 25
23. Hayes & Yeading - 24
24. Bath - 18

Now, four points separates Darlington (28), who have not gained a single point since the last update, from safety, and by association, Alfreton (32), who didn't require much of a surge in form to go clear given the piss-poor play of the teams currently in the red. It didn't help Kettering (25) that they got dinged three points for failing to pay creditors. Bath (21) I figure has just thrown in the towel. But those just out of the red need not get cocky. 4 points can be made up in no time flat. Telford, Lincoln (both 33), Newport (34) and Stockport (35) are still very much in danger, although bursts of surprise wins from the latter two have padded their comfort zone somewhat. Stockport need to be particularly careful considering they have a league-low 9 matches left to play.

CONFERENCE NORTH

So much for it getting close. Hyde (70) has a 10-point lead on Nuneaton (60, they themselves have had excellent form of late, recently having a five-game win streak snapped by Guiseley in the form of a draw) and although Guiseley (56) has three games in hand, their form has been insufficient to keep pace with Hyde, losing two points in terms of pace (they were 12 behind last update with four games in hand, now they're 14 behind with only three games in hand). Still, they aren't out of the hunt just yet. Halifax (also 56), on the other hand, blew their opportunity to pull in closer.

Stalybridge (54) is sitting in the last spot, two ahead of Altrincham and Gainsborough (52) but with a game in hand on the former. I do hope both teams win their game in hand on Altrincham. :P Colwyn Bay (48) still hangs onto their outside shot in spite of not having the greatest form of late.

In the nether regions, only eight points separate 12th-place Gloucester (39) from the highest red-zoners, that is, Vauxhall Motors (31), who themselves have nine points on Blyth Spartans (22) even after the Spartans won two in a row! It says something when you double your season win total in the last two friggin' matches! Eastwood (20) is in the basement. Vauxhall's main target is Hinckley (33), but there are a whole pile of other teams who ought to be watching their six - Gloucester, Harrogate, and to a lesser extent Droylsden (39 - Droylsden has two games in hand on the other two), Solihull, Workington (both 38), Histon (37) and especially Bishop's Stortford (36) need to be cautious. However, Stortford, as well as Hinckley, have two games in hand on Vauxhall.

CONFERENCE SOUTH

And Woking (69) has had their lead evanesce to a mere six points over Dartford (63), who just so happen to also have a game in hand. Welling (also 63) have also pulled up to challenge in the points, but Woking has a game on them (you do the math as to how many Dartford has on them :P)! Sutton (60) has a five-game win streak going at the moment, while Chelmsford (58) has eight points on 6th-place Dover (50), but Dover has two games in hand and Chelmsford's form is starting to slip. Although their stock is rising somewhat, Basingstoke and Dorchester (both 45) aren't looking quite good enough to raise themselves to meet Chelmsford. The same can be said of slipping Eastleigh (also 45).

Remember how I said Farnborough (44) was improving? We had barely even seen the beginning of the run of good form to come. Seriously, they've only not won once in their last eight matches, and that was a 1-0 decision against Welling. Duh, WINNING. Their current six-game win streak started with a 1-0 win over Basingstoke. For an extreme opposite, look no further than Weston-super-Mare (43). What is the best way to completely negate a 4-game win streak? By following it up with a seven-game LOSING STREAK! DERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRP! :lol:

At the nether end of the table, Thurrock (18) looks to have taken their football and gone home. They've only managed one point since my last update and are thirteen points out of safety, having played two more games than the first team out of the read. H&R (24) aren't looking much better, but they at least have a game in hand on Eastbourne (31) and three in hand on their two fellow red-zoners, with the other one being Staines (also 31). Bromley and Havant & Waterlooville (both 33) really need to watch their six. Maidenhead, Truro, and Salisbury (36), not so much.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 09, 2012, 12:19:08 AM
Man I left this late. :P Ah well, school takes precedence anyway.

CHAMPIONSHIP

5 matches left, and the races are starting to heat up! Reading (79) has risen to meet Southampton (79) at the top of the table, while Wet Spam (75) have slipped up to drop out of auto-promo spot. They aren't out of the running but they need to smarten up. (Although I hope they don't  :lol: )

The team that really needs to smarten up, though, is Middlesbrough (63) - last update they were challenging for top. Now they aren't even in a playoff spot! To be fair though, they sit just one point out in a close playoff battle. They do have to snap a seven-game winless streak to get there, though. :P

Birmingham (69), Blackpool (66), and Cardiff (64) currently hold the playoff spots, although the latter two could lose it in an instant and Birmingham is by no means out of danger. Middlesbrough and Brighton & Hove Albion (also 63) are the biggest threats, Leicester (59) and Hull (58) are within two wins, and Leeds, Derby, Watford (all 57), Burnley, Ipswich (both 56), and even Crystal Palace (54) are all still mathematically within a shot. Palace in particular is in a unique position, though - they're the only team left that both has a chance of the playoffs AND can still be caught by the highest red-zone club. A point for Palace should fix the latter, though. :P

At the other end, it looks like it's going to be close right at the end. While Doncaster (32) appears all but screwed, they still have some hope mathematically speaking, but it is fading fast. Portsmouth (34) may not survive the season anyway, but they're within two wins of safety. It's really Coventry (39) that one should be watching closely since they are but one point behind Bristol City (40) and four behind Nottingham Forest (43), being on a seven-game unbeaten streak (2W 5D). Millwall (44) is also not even two wins out of the red, and Barnsley (46) has only taken 4 points from the last possible 30, so they could slip yet. Peterborough (48), on the other hand, is starting to pull away a bit.

LEAGUE ONE

It seems the upper part of the table has gotten close. Charlton (88) still holds a six-point advantage over Sheffield United (82), but that's less than half of what they had last update! They were beaten by Huddersfield (74), who then decided to lose two of their last three - the loss against Sheffield Wednesday (80) was no real surprise, but Carlisle? (65) Not good for them. Good for Carlisle, though - they hold the last playoff spot with a game in hand on everyone in the league save Stevenage (59), they're trying to catch MK Dons (68), and they have emerging Notts County (63) and red-hot Brentford (62 - five-game win streak going) right on their heels. While Colchester (54), Tranmere, Hartlepool (both 51), and marginally, Bournemouth and Yeovil (both 50) have a shot at the playoffs, I don't expect them to do much. Good for Yeovil for putting a serious dent in their chances of getting relegated, though.

Currently, the magic number of points to get out of danger is a surprisingly high 57, which is 15 clear of Wycombe (42) - right now, the Wanderers seem to be the only red-zoners that are even trying, with Rochdale, Exeter (both 35) and Chesterfield (33) slipping fast. Actually, another loss and Chesterfield's officially condemned to relegation. A combination of a win by Walsall, Bury, and Leyton Orient (all 46) and a loss by Rochdale and Exeter will do likewise to those two. It is Wycombe that everyone needs to keep their eyes on:

Preston North End - 48 (-14, 49 GF)
Oldham Athletic - 48 (-14, 45 GF)
Walsall - 46 (-3)
Bury - 46 (-22, 51 GF)
Leyton Orient - 46 (-22, 42 GF)
-----------------------------------------------------------
Wycombe - 42

Still in marginal danger are Colchester (if Wycombe loses their next match that'll be the end of that), Tranmere, Hartlepool (see above), Bournemouth, Yeovil (ditto), and Sc*nthorpe (49).

LEAGUE TWO

This current setup is actually what I was expecting earlier in the season. Swindon (83) and Torquay (78) sit 1-2, but by no means is this set in stone, with Shrewsbury (75) and Crawley (73) having a game in hand on Torquay. Southend (70) and Cheltenham (68) are a bit harder pressed to catch the chart-toppers since they don't have said game in hand, and along with Oxford (65) they have their own worries to think about anyway - Crewe (63), Gillingham (62) and Aldershot (57 but with a game in hand) are the biggest threats to the current playoff holders, while Rotherham (59) also has a decent shot. Morecambe (54) and Accrington Stanley (53) are dark horses at this point. Bristol Rovers (51) are pretty much eliminated from playoff contention, and Port Vale (49) will only be back in contention if they get out of administration.

Remember last month, when Northampton and Dag & Red were in the red (no pun intended)? Not now, they aren't. :P That "honour" now belongs to Macclesfield and Hereford (both 36). Northampton (45) has only lost once in its last nine matches and has won four of seven (4W 2D 1L) since my last update, blasting the club nine clear of the red - and they still have a game in hand on top of it all! The Daggers (42) are in a little more immediate danger, but they have done well for themselves to go six clear, winning three of their last five (3W 2D 0L). Plymouth Argyle (41) are on a similar run of form, except they've only won twice in their five-game unbeaten streak as opposed to Dag's three wins. If there's one team that should be shaking in their boots right now, it's Barnet (39). Bradford City (43) are also in somewhat immediate danger, but that is fading fast.

CONFERENCE PREMIER

Looks like Fleetwood (101) are starting to run away with this sucker. While Wrexham (90) can still catch them, Fleetwood only needs four more points, or a combination of a point and a Wrexham loss, to lock the title up. This means Wrexham should probably start prepping for the playoffs, which they are already a lock for, being 20 clear of the three-way points logjam occupying the last two playoff spots and the first position out of the playoffs:

1. Fleetwood - 101
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
2. Wrexham - 90
3. Mansfield - 77
4. York - 70 (+31)
5. Kidderminster - 70 (+17)
----------------------------------------------
6. Southport - 70 (+2)
7. Luton - 67 (+28)
8. Gateshead - 67 (+7)
9. Grimsby - 65
10. Forest Green - 64

In the above table it should also be noted that Luton has two games in hand on Southport and Kidderminster (not to mention Grimsby and Forest Green) and one on Gateshead.

Cambridge (61) and Braintree (60) are also outside shots. Barrow (55) is pretty much hooped - mathematically in by the narrowest of margins, and on a seven-match losing streak. :o

At the other end, Bath (27) is already doomed and the only hope for Kettering (29) is to get that three-point penalty repealed, which I doubt will happen. Darlington (31) are a little better off right now with a game in hand, but they look like they're gonna be wound up at season's end anyway :'( so it doesn't really matter. Which brings us to the only team that looks like it has a shot of surviving the dreaded red - Hayes & Yeading (38), who are four clear of Telford, Lincoln, and Newport (all 42) and six clear of Stockport (44). Tamworth (46) and Ebbsfleet (49) are in marginal danger.

CONFERENCE NORTH

Well, the schedule's been almost normalised (only Droylsden and Histon have a single game in hand), and Hyde (80) is still on top, but their lead has evaporated to just two points over Guiseley (78), who have both a six game win streak and an eight-game unbeaten streak (7W 1D) going, including a 1-0 win over Hyde! Nuneaton (70) is still in the same place relative to Hyde that they were last update - ten back - and they have red-hot Gainsborough (67, 4-game win streak, won five of their last seven) right behind them. Trinity leap-frogged both Halifax (64) and Stalybridge (65) into the playoff spot, but by no means is this set in stone.

Speaking of up-and-comers, where the heck did Worcester (63) come from? They were mid-table madness last update, looking like going nowhere, and now here they are challenging for a playoff spot, six points ahead of rapidly receding Altrincham (57) - HAHA! Suck it Failtrincham! :P Seriously, they've only won one of their last six, are on a two game losing streak, their next match is against white-hot Guiseley, and three of their last four are against teams that are ahead of them, the Guiseley match included. Someone needs to rescue league-leading goalscorer Damian Reeves from that cesspool. :P On another note, Boston United (53) are basically out - a point for Stalybridge or a win for either Halifax or Worcester will eliminate them.

Other end - the only three points Altrincham has in the bag are those they'll get against sad-sack Eastwood (20) who have only won once in all of 2012 (1W 4D 11L) - and it was, strangely enough, against Guiseley! They currently are riding a seven-game losing streak. Not only are they out, though - so too are Blyth Spartans (30). It seems both teams have basically given up on the season. Not the case with highest-red-zoner Histon (42) though. They are only two points out, with a game in hand. Moreover, if they win that game in hand, that means the points bar for guaranteed safety is 56 - one less than Altrincham has now, bugger it all anyway :tickedoff: - effectively meaning that half the friggin' table is still in danger of relegation, ranging from marginal danger (Boston would be 9 clear) to extreme danger (even now there are five teams within less than two wins of Histon). Here's a closer look:

11. Gloucester City - 49
12. Colwyn Bay - 48
13. Solihull - 47 (-6)
14. Hinckley - 47 (-9)
15. Corby - 46 (-3)
16. Bishop's Stortford - 46 (-14)
17. Harrogate - 46 (-15)
18. Workington - 44 (-8)
19. Vauxhall - 44 (-12, they would go under if Histon won their game in hand)
-----------------------------------------
20. Histon - 42

Close stuff, should make for some great football! :D

CONFERENCE SOUTH

So Woking (87) is still on top, now by seven over a Dartford side (80) that doesn't have a game in hand they did last time. Things are looking up! The stair-step descent of points means that 1. 3rd-place Welling (74) can't catch Woking for top 2. That 6th-placed Dover (61) can't catch Welling, so Welling has clinched their playoff spot. Sutton (68) is starting to pull away from Dover as well, but are riding a four-game winless streak. The real playoff battle should be between Chelmsford (63), Dover, and Basingstoke (58), who only just lost a four-game win streak/five-game unbeaten streak by losing to first-place Woking. Dover is also not on form right now, having just come out of a 3-game losing streak in which they failed to score a single goal, by beating Tonbridge 3-2. To make matters even more complicated for Dover, Basingstoke has a game in hand! And it's against last-place Thurrock!

This is not to discount Dorchester (55), Boreham Wood (54), and Tonbridge Angels (53), all of whom have an outside shot at getting in to the playoffs.

At the other end, Thurrock (25) is boned, but otherwise it is quite close. Weston-super-Mare (48) finally shook the losing streak with a four-points-in-two-games stretch back in mid-March, but went on another losing streak which only ended last match with a draw against Salisbury. In short, they're still in some danger, but the danger is marginal, so they, and Eastleigh (49), will be left off the following table:

13. *Salisbury - 45 (-4)
14. Farnborough - 45 (-23)
15. Truro - 43
16. Eastbourne - 42
17. Bromley - 40
18. *Hampton & Richmond - 39 (-11)
19. Maidenhead - 39 (-24)
-----------------------------------
20. *Havant & Waterlooville - 38 (-10)
21. Staines - 37

* - has game in hand

Maidenhead is really in a pickle at the moment. I've included goal differential to show that, even if H&W get a draw in their game in hand, into the red goes Maidenhead. A win, of course, is preferable and would leap-frog them into 17th. The most exciting football is going to be in amongst the lower table clubs, for obvious reasons. ;)

FEEDERS UPDATE

Northern Premier - Chester (90) is a single point (or a Northwich Victoria loss or draw) from clinching first-place.

Southern Premier - Brackley (75) is tops, but theoretically any of the other playoff teams - Chesham (69, +24), Oxford City (69, +23, game in hand), Totton (67), and Cambridge City (65) can still catch them.

Isthmian Premier - In theory, Lowestoft (70) and Bury Town (68) can catch Billericay (80) for first. In practice, it looks far more likely that Hornchurch (78) will.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 23, 2012, 06:04:03 PM
Getting close to the end of the season.

CHAMPIONSHIP

One match to go for most sides.

Well, out of nowhere really, Reading (89) have officially clinched the Football League Championship. Southampton (85) only need a win or anything less than a win from the Spammers (80) in their last two (one of which is later today) to grab the other auto-qual spot.

West Ham and Blackpool (74) have clinched playoff spots, and Birmingham (73) can only be caught if Middlesbrough (70) wins by an astronomically improbable 24 goals, if Cardiff (72) wins, AND if they lose. So really, they've de facto clinched as well, and need only a point to do so de jure. It is Cardiff that needs to be careful. If they lose, Boro can pass them simply by winning. If they draw against Palace, things are a little easier for them as Boro would have to win that match by a whopping 10. More likely than them catching the Brummies, but still quite improbable.

At the other end, it's all said and done barring Portsmouth (40) somehow coming out of administration before the playoffs. Now if they do, then it gets interesting - it would put Barnsley (47) in the red by goal diff behind Nottingham Forest (ditto, but -17 to Barnsley's -25) and Bristol City (48) and Peterborough (49) would also be in danger. That said, I don't think it'll happen given Pompey's sad financial state.

LEAGUE ONE

Still interesting at both ends with two matches to go. Charlton (97), however, have set in stone their League One victory with a five-game win streak (they've also won six of their last seven), with the real exclamation point coming from outside their own power - Sheff U (88) lost against MK Dons, eliminating themselves from any chance of winning the League One title and making their battle for automatic promotion more of a struggle. This only adds to the intensity of the rivalry between the Blades and their cross-town rivals Wednesday (87). But both Sheffield clubs have at least a playoff spot, and I would favour the one that doesn't get auto-promo to win those over Milton Keynes, Huddersfield (both 77) and whoever gets the last playoff spot, which is still up in the air.

Stevenage (69) has the advantage in the late playoff race, over Notts County (67), Carlisle (66), and Brentford (64). Brentford are outside shots but are still mathematically capable of making the playoffs - they'd need to pull off a big upset to get past next week, though, since they're playing Sheff W. It's the other two Stevenage really needs to worry about. Of the three, the "easiest" schedule actually belongs to Carlisle as they are playing Exeter and Oldham - the other two have to play Sheffield clubs this coming week.

At the other end, only Rochdale (38) are out for sure. Wycombe (43), Chesterfield (42), and Exeter (41) are still capable of catching Walsall (46), although anything other than a win against Carlisle will mean curtains for Exeter, and Chesterfield have to win against Yeovil (51) to stay afloat. In spite of them being close, though, Wycombe faces an uphill battle, as they play both playoff hopefuls Notts County and high-flying Sheff W in their closers.

LEAGUE TWO

Two matches left here as well. Swindon (89) should have clinched top by now but two straight losses have let Shrewsbury (85) back into the title race. Torquay (80) have slipped up a little, riding a three game winless streak, to let Crawley (81) and Shrewsbury ahead of them, but the race for the other two auto-promo spots is by no means over, especially not the third one, held by Crawley. Southend U (77) also have a shot at this spot, but they have to win both of their remaining matches. The first of these, against Oxford (68) should be the hardest, as their second opponents are in the red.

Speaking of Oxford, they are the first team on the outside looking in, only two back of the final playoff holders, Crewe (70), and only three back of Cheltenham (71). Gillingham (66), Rotherham (65), and Aldershot (64) are still mathematically capable of catching Crewe, but only just. If Crewe gleans even one point, that's it for both Rotherham and Aldershot, whether they win or not.

At the other end, Hereford (38) and Macclesfield (37) are still in the red, with Barnet (40) lingering just outside. But Plymouth (45), who at one point were in the red, are now incapable of being relegated. Even if Hereford and Barnet both won both remaining matches, Hereford can only max out at 44 points at this point. Northampton (46) and Dag & Red (47) are also clear, having been in the red earlier in the season.

CONFERENCE PREMIER

Most teams have one match left, with the exceptions all having matches on Tuesday - Gateshead plays Luton and Wrexham plays Newport.

Fleetwood (102) is officially League-bound, being a whopping 11 points ahead of Wrexham (92). Both have slipped in form lately, though, with identical 2D 1L three-match winless streaks. If locking up second mattered, Wrexham would have it in the bag over hard-charging Mansfield (86). But Mansfield's form could equate to playoff success. Who knows?

Kidderminster (76) will be hoping that Luton (77) doesn't win against Gateshead (70), because a win by Luton will set the playoff positions in stone. York (80) has already clinched their spot. If Luton wins, the only thing the last match will determine is who faces whom - fourth place will play third-place Mansfield, while fifth will play second-place Wrexham.

The red zone is set in stone, with Hayes & Yeading (41) being five behind Telford (46) in spite of a last-gasp win. Darlington (33), Bath (31), and Kettering (30) will be joining them. That is, if Darlington doesn't fold altogether. :tickedoff:

CONFERENCE NORTH

With one match left, Hyde (89) has hung on to clinch the Conference North title, while Guiseley (84) has clinched second place. It's going to be a wild finish, though, between the other three playoff holders and 6th-place Stalybridge (68). Any of the four clubs in that range - Halifax, Gainsborough (both 71), Nuneaton (69), and Stalybridge can finish on the outside looking in. Which, much to my delight, Altrincham did (61) :2funny:

But that pales in comparison to the wild ride we're in for at the other end. In theory, Hinckley (48), who is in 20th now, could still finish as high as mid-table. Here's why:

13. Corby - 50, -1
14. Histon, - 50, -5
15. Vauxhall - 50, -12
16. Colwyn Bay - 50, -17
17. Workington - 49, -6
18. Solihull - 49, -9
19. Harrogate - 49, -15
--------------------------------
20. Hinckley - 48, -13

Now we already knew that Blyth Spartans (34) and Eastwood (20) were doomed, so forget about them. :P Hinckley will be in tough, though, since they're against playoff hopefuls Stalybridge. Should be interesting to see how this plays out though.

CONFERENCE SOUTH

Woking (94) are the champeens this year, while Dartford (87) and Welling (80) have clinched playoff spots. Sutton (71) has as well, but not by virtue of who the first team on the outside looking in is - Basingstoke (67) has a game in hand, which they play out tomorrow against sad-sack Hampton & Richmond (39) - I expect desparate football from both, since H&R are trying to stay afloat and Basingstoke is fighting for a playoff spot. If Basingstoke wins (and I think they will), they will have three points on Chelmsford (also 67), and both clubs play superior opposition in the last day, with Chelmsford playing the champions Woking and Basingstoke playing Welling. So I think the chances of Basingstoke making the playoffs are actually quite good.

At the other end, H&R (39) could catch Bromley (44) if they win both matches, but they play Basingstoke, so the best I see them doing is going outside the red. Their last match is against last-place Thurrock (26), though. Havant & Waterlooville (41) and Maidenhead (40) both have "more difficult" opposition, with the former playing on-form Staines (46, unbeaten in six, 4W 2D) and the latter playing mid-table Eastleigh (54, unbeaten in 3, 1W 2D). So H&R just squeaking into the clear isn't impossible by any means. Of course, if H&W wins, with this being the last match and all, the status quo is maintained and H&R and Maidenhead join Thurrock in going down to the feeders.

FEEDERS UPDATE

Northern Premier - all said and done. Chester FC has won the Northern Premier League with an even 100 points. Under normal circumstances, Northwich Victoria (83) would be in the playoffs, but due to non-compliance with financial rules, the club has had its membership terminated, which means the playoffs will instead look like this:

Chorley vs. FC United of Manchester
Bradford Park Avenue vs. Hednesford Town

Southern Premier - one match left for all but three clubs, of which one, Oxford City, is causing the other two to lag. This lag will be alleviated by Thursday, though, as OCFC plays twice - once today against Hemel Hempstead, and once on Wednesday against Frome. Brackley has clinched the Southern League as the most points Oxford can attain is 80, the most anyone else can attain is 76, and they presently have 82.

Playoffs are still very much to play for, and if Oxford somehow loses both matches, they will likely slip out of the playoffs on goal differential, to go behind Stourbridge:

2. Chesham - 73, +24
3. Totton - 71, +36
4. Cambridge City - 71, +26
5. Oxford City - 71, +23
----------------------------------------------
6. Stourbridge - 71, +22

Isthmian Premier - Billericay has clinched the Isthmian League title with 85 points as the most any other team can get is 82. Playoffs still all to play for, with five teams battling for the lower two spots. Hornchurch (79) and Lowestoft (76) have clinched playoff spots Will update again on Thursday.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 26, 2012, 09:15:25 AM
Mini-update:

CHAMPIONSHIP

As I expected, Wet Spam won their outing against Leicester, bringing them to 83 points, so they are still within reach of automatic promotion. That said, Southampton (85) has their last match against second-from-bottom-and-already-ousted Coventry (40), and the Spammers theirs against a more difficult Hull (68). Again, Middlesbrough (70) have to win and hope Cardiff (72) loses against Crystal Palace (56) - if Cardiff draws, they could theoretically still get in by winning by eleven against Watford. :P

CONFERENCE PREMIER

Well, Kidderminster (76) still has a thread of hope left after Luton (78) failed to score against Gateshead. But they have the daunting task of having to beat on-fire Mansfield (86). But to make things a bit simpler, Luton has to play already-crowned Conference champs Fleetwood. So really, things could go any which way. Saturday's gonna be great! :up:

CONFERENCE SOUTH

Basingstoke (70) did themselves a huge favour and made good on their game in hand, beating H&R 2-0 to put themselves three clear of Chelmsford (67). But they need another point to secure their playoff position, or they need Chelmsford to lose to Woking. My bet's on the second being more likely, since the Dragons themselves are up against Welling (80), but who knows?

FEEDERS

ISTHMIAN - Wealdstone (72) winning 2-0 against Cray (65) pushed them into playoff position and eliminated both them and Canvey Island (68) from contention. All four sides still in playoff contention have "easy" matches - Bury (also 72), Lewes (70), and Hendon (69) have red-zoners, and Wealdstone has a team on a four-game losing streak.

SOUTHERN - Still five teams playing for four spots after Hemel Hempstead surprised Oxford City 2-0, but Oxford beat Frome 3-0. (If anyone cares, this also means Hemel Hempstead have a chance of not being relegated. :P) For Oxford to miss the playoffs, all four teams in contention behind them have to win (Chesham over Leamington, Totton over Bedford, Cambridge over Swindon Supermarine, and Stourbridge over recently-humiliated Frome) and Oxford has to lose against Hitchin. Even a draw would put them through. As for the other three teams, well, we'll have to wait and see what happens! ;)
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 28, 2012, 09:00:10 PM
Dis is, I believes called... UPDATE TIMES :P

CHAMPIONSHIP

Well, it's all said and done. The Saints (88) have prevailed in the race for automatic promotion, having pounded Coventry 4-0 to put themselves clear of Wet Spam (86) in spite of the fact that they also won, 2-1 over Hull. Also, Middlesbrough lost, so they aren't in the playoffs this year. Here's how they line up:

Spammers vs. Cardiff
Birmingham vs. Blackpool

At the other end, the only hope for Pompey now is to get out of administration before the playoffs begin, which would condemn Barnsley (48) to relegation. But I don't think it'll happen, therefore Portsmouth will be joining Coventry and Doncaster in relegation. Whether or not they play League One next season is another story entirely, though.

LEAGUE ONE

Still a match to go in Leagues One and Two.

Sheffield Wednesday (90) have pulled ahead of their cross-town rivals United (89) by winning a close one against Brentford (64) and eliminating the same from the playoffs. MK Dons (80) and Huddersfield (78) have clinched playoff spots, so no worries there.  Stevenage (70, +22) still holds the last playoff spot on goal differential because of their 2-2 draw against United, although Notts County (70, +9) and Carlisle (69) are still nipping at their heels because of wins over Exeter (41) and Wycombe (43) respectively. The latter, by the way, was doomed to relegation by the loss and will be joining Chesterfield (42), Exeter, and Rochdale (38) in going under.

LEAGUE TWO

Well, we know that Swindon (92) has clinched the championship, and we know that Shrewsbury (88) has clinched automatic promotion. The last auto-promo spot is still up for grabs between Crawley (81, +21), Torquay (81, +14), and Southend (80) and all of these plus Cheltenham (74) have clinched at least playoff spots. Believe it or not, though, Crewe (71) can still miss the playoffs if they lose and Oxford United (68) wins, because of Oxford's superior goal differential. Even one point from the Aldershot match, though, and Crewe has nothing to worry about.

At the other end, Macclesfield (37) has been doomed to relegation, but Hereford (41) is still hanging on by a thread. Barnet MUST win against Burton Albion to assure safety or hope that Hereford doesn't win. If Barnet loses or draws and Hereford somehow beats Torquay, Barnet's toast.

CONFERENCE PREMIER

Boy, Kidderminster (76) blew it something fierce. They didn't even put up a fight against Mansfield, losing 3-0 and basically gift-wrapping the playoff spot for Luton (81). Now Luton themselves ended Fleetwood's season on a losing note, blanking the Conference champs 2-0, so they would have made the playoffs even had Kidderminster actually come to play :P

That said, here are the playoff lineups:

Wrexham (98) vs. Luton
Mansfield (89) vs. York (83)

The red was already set in stone. Check the last full update. ;)

CONFERENCE NORTH

Quite the finish. All four of the hopefuls for the three remaining playoff spots won their matches! Halifax beat Solihull, Nuneaton beat Blyth Spartans, Gainsborough beat Altrincham :dance: , and Stalybridge beat Hinckley. So what does this mean? Well, because of their points disadvantage, Stalybridge (71) still misses the playoffs.

Guiseley (85) vs. Nuneaton (72)
Halifax (74, +21) vs. Gainsborough (74, +13)

The other end had a rather anticlimactic finish after Stalybridge beat Hinckley 4-2, condemning the team with the points disadvantage to descend to the feeders next season.

CONFERENCE SOUTH

They need to rename Basingstoke to Yaysingstoke. :P They got the point they needed to sink Chelmsford. Not that they needed to, though - Chelmsford cocked their chances up on their own,  coming up short against the champs Woking.

Not that I think Basingstoke will get past the first round, although I'll be happy if they do.

Dartford (88) vs. Basingstoke (71)
Welling (81) vs. Sutton (74)

At the other end, it came right down to the wire, as Havant & Waterlooville (44) condemned Maidenhead (43) (who themselves had gutted out a 4-3 win over Eastleigh, scoring the winner in stoppage time) with a win literally seconds before the ref would have blown the final whistle in a 3-2 nailbiter against Staines. Hampton & Richmond also won, but since Maidenhead won they would have been relegated anyway. Now had both teams gotten a draw, that would have been a different story, and H&R was the only team whose win wasn't in the dying seconds of the match!

FEEDERS

Northern - The playoffs have already started in the Northern Premier, to see who will join Chester in Conference next season. A bit of an upset in the first leg, too - FC United of Manchester beat Chorley 2-0. That said, Bradford Park Avenue destroyed Hednesford 5-0. :o

Southern - The season's end caught a bit of a snag because of Totton having to postpone their match due to waterlogged grounds. The only team needing to worry at this point though is Stourbridge, since Oxford, Chesham, and Cambridge have all clinched playoff spots, having played their last matches. The worst that could happen to the latter of those two is that they could move down a spot in the rankings, should Totton beat Bedford Town. A draw would still eliminate Stourbridge because it would put Totton and Stourbridge even in points, and Totton's far superior goal diff (+36 to Stourbridge's +21) would bump them. (It would also move Cambridge City down a place since they too have 72  points and are +26)

So we'll have to wait to see who joins Brackley in the Conference next season. :P

Isthmian - Although the season isn't officially done, the match tomorrow (Kingstonian vs. East Thurrock U) has no bearing on the playoff picture.

All four teams battling for the two lower playoff spots won, meaning the top two of those get playoff spots. Here's how the playoffs look then:

Hornchurch (82, +33) vs. Bury Town (75, +30)
Lowestoft (82, +27) vs. Wealdstone (75, +37)

Not signing off just yet. :P
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on April 28, 2012, 10:00:31 PM
Come On Southend get a win next week! Need Torquay and Crawley both to draw or  lose!
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 28, 2012, 11:46:06 PM
EDIT: DerpC76 is derp.  :2funny: Will be pulling for Southend to get the auto-promo then for Torquay to win the playoffs.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 01, 2012, 10:36:40 PM
Mini-update:

AFC Totton won its postponed match against Bedford in the Southern League Premier, meaning that the Southern League Playoffs are now set:

Oxford City vs. Cambridge City (Oxbridge much? :P )
Totton vs. Chesham

Conference North/South/Premier, and Isthmian League playoffs all start tomorrow. Also, I forgot that the feeder playoffs were only one-leggers, so the Northern League FINAL actually goes on Saturday between Bradford Park Avenue and FC United of Manchester. I'm going to hazard a guess that the Southern League playoffs start Saturday. (EDIT: I stand corrected - they start Thursday.)

League Championship playoffs start on Thursday. GO CARDIFF!  :up:
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 03, 2012, 12:51:00 AM
Today's Playoff Results:

CONFERENCE PREMIER

York 1 Mansfield 1 - a bit surprising, this.

CONFERENCE NORTH

Gainsborough 2 Halifax 2
Nuneaton 1 Guiseley 1

CONFERENCE SOUTH

Dartford 1 Basingstoke 0
Welling 2 Sutton 1

ISTHMIAN LEAGUE

Hornchurch 3 Bury Town 1
Lowestoft 2 Wealdstone 1

None as impressive as Spurs' 4-1 bollocking of LOLton, but still... :P
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 03, 2012, 10:12:28 PM
Today's Playoff Results:

CHAMPIONSHIP

West Ham 2 Cardiff 0  :buck2: (This board needs a thumbs-down smiley. :P)

CONFERENCE PREMIER

Luton 2 Wrexham 0  :o

SOUTHERN LEAGUE

Oxford City 1 Cambridge City 0
Totton 3 Chesham 2
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 05, 2012, 12:57:42 AM
Blackpool 1 Birmingham 0

Tons of matches tomoz.

Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 06, 2012, 01:20:45 AM
Update time!

LEAGUE ONE

Well, it's now all said and done. And unfortunately for Sheffield United (90) they didn't pull it together enough to salvage automatic promotion, with it falling to rivals Wednesday (93) after they comfortably dispatched Wycombe and United got a measly draw against already-relegated Exeter.

Both Stevenage and Notts County won their matches by three, which means that the former are in the playoffs by goal differential, with the other three teams having locked it up already. Here's the matchups:

Sheffield United vs. Stevenage
Huddersfield vs. MK Dons

LEAGUE TWO

Torquay's gotta be embarrassed by their closing-day performance. They lost against Hereford (44), who still didn't have enough to get promoted as Barnet (46) also won against Burton Albion, so it's Conference for dem Cows next season :P Had Crawley not slipped past Aldershot 1-0, it would have been enough that Southend beat last-place Macclesfield 2-zip. But at least they have top seed in the playoffs. I like Torquay and all, but I'll have to go neutral should they play Southend. :P

The matchups:

Southend vs. Crewe
Torquay vs. Cheltenham


More playoff matches tomorrow (later today in the Mother Country :P):

CONFERENCE NORTH

Gainsborough vs. Halifax (even 2-2)
Nuneaton vs. Guiseley (even 1-1)

CONFERENCE SOUTH

Basingstoke vs. Dartford (Dartford leads 1-0)
Welling vs. Sutton (Welling leads 2-1)

NORTHERN PREMIER

Bradford Park Avenue vs. FC United of Manchester (final)
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 07, 2012, 08:42:45 PM
Got two days' worth of matches to cover, so bear with me :P

CHAMPIONSHIP

West Ham pretty much blew Cardiff off the map. They won 3-0 on Monday to win 5-0 on aggregate. The Blackpool-Brum return match goes tomorrow.

LEAGUE ONE

Playoffs are set:

Stevenage vs. Sheff U
Huddersfield vs. MK Dons

LEAGUE TWO

Playoffs set here as well:

Crewe vs. Southend
Torquay vs. Cheltenham

Hereford won their closer, but so did Barnet, so Hereford is still going down. :P

CONFERENCE PREMIER

Playoff scores:

York 1 Mansfield 0 (ET) (York wins 2-1)
Wrexham 2 Luton 1 (Luton wins 3-2)

Well how's that for ya? :o 4 vs. 5 in the playoff final!

CONFERENCE NORTH

Gainsborough 1 Halifax 0 (Gainsborough wins 3-2)
Nuneaton 1 Guiseley 0 (Nuneaton wins 2-1)

4 vs. 5 again! :lol:

CONFERENCE SOUTH

Welling 0 Sutton 0 (Welling wins 2-1)
Dartford 2 Basingstoke 1 (Dartford wins 3-1)

Here it was actually 2 vs. 3 :P

FEEDERS

Hornchurch 2 Lowestoft 1 (Isthmian Final)
Oxford City 4 Totton 2 (Southern Final)
Bradford Park Avenue 1 FCUM 0 (Northern Final recap)

Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on May 08, 2012, 01:11:00 AM
When are the playoff final dates mate?
Championship,League 1,2 and Conference?

Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 08, 2012, 02:53:17 AM
Championship Final - 19 May (Wet Spam vs. Brum or Blackpool)
League One Final - 25 May (semis start later this week)
League Two Final - 26 May (semis start later this week)
Conference Final - 20 May (York vs. Luton, mai burfday :3)
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on May 08, 2012, 04:05:40 PM
25th falls on a Friday!?! Surely they would play league 1 final on the 26th then 27th for league 2.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 08, 2012, 07:43:39 PM
The dates I saw on soccerway.com might be tentative - who knows?
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Yiddite on May 08, 2012, 08:13:00 PM
League 1 Playoff final is 26th and League 2 Playoff final is 27th.

Really good summaries of Football League and Conference DC76 - thanks!
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 08, 2012, 08:25:31 PM
In other words, S-way cocked it up. :P

Even though I'm eight hours behind England, it would still be the same date. Kickoff would be 7 in the morning on my end.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 10, 2012, 06:19:19 AM
Birmingham 2 Blackpool 2 (Blackpool wins 3-2).

No games now until Friday, then a week's worth of matches:

Friday 11 May: Stevenage vs. Sheff U, leg 1
Saturday 12 May: Huddersfield vs. MK Dons, leg 1; Crewe vs. Southend, leg 1
Sunday 13 May: Cheltenham vs. Torquay, leg 1
Monday 14 May: Stevenage vs. Sheff U, leg 2
Tuesday 15 May: Huddersfield vs. MK Dons, leg 2
Wednesday 16 May: Southend vs. Crewe, leg 2
Thursday 17 May: Cheltenham vs. Torquay, leg 2

Then the Championship playoff final that Saturday (Spammers vs. Blackpool) and the Conference final that Sunday. (Luton vs. York.)
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 12, 2012, 09:07:04 PM
Stevenage 0 Sheff U 0
Huddersfield 2 MK Dons 0 :P
Crewe 1 Southend 0  :buck2:
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on May 12, 2012, 10:58:45 PM
Its only half time, come on you blues.
I'll be going on Wednesday to show my local support.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 13, 2012, 12:18:10 AM
Yeah, this is still winnable by Southend for sure. :up:

I remember some people making disparaging remarks about MK Dons, so I'll bet they're happy that club has more of a hill to climb in the second leg.  :lol:
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 16, 2012, 01:53:26 AM
Sheff U 1 Stevenage 0 (Sheff U wins 1-0)
MK Dons 2 Huddersfield 1 (Huddersfield wins 3-2)

also, Cheltenham beat Torquay 2-0 in the first leg on Sunday - forgot to mention that. Tomorrow is D-Day for Southend.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 18, 2012, 12:28:24 AM
Southend 2 Crewe 2 (Crewe wins 3-2  :buck2: )
Cheltenham 2 Torquay 1 (Cheltenham wins 4-1)

So another final where the lower seeds clash :P
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 21, 2012, 01:14:41 AM
Spammers 2 Blackpool 1  >:(
York 2 Luton 1

League 1 and 2 finals are next weekend.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 26, 2012, 08:29:07 PM
Huddersfield beat Sheff U on penalties. It was 0-0 after regulation AND ET, and it went all the way to the keepers. Final penalty score was 8-7, after Hudds' keeper scored and Sheff U's missed.

Holy upset, Batman! :o
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 28, 2012, 01:32:54 AM
Crewe 2 Cheltenham 0 - so Crewe will be in League One next season.

So here's a final rundown of who did what in the Football League and Conference, and who will be in Conference next season:

Down from Premier League - Bolton Wanderers, Blackburn Rovers, Wolverhampton Wanderers (it's too bad Ars*nal weren't really called Woolwich Wanderers because it seems a bad season to call anyone by that name :lol: )

Up to Premier League - Reading (champs), Southampton (2nd), West Ham (playoff winners)

Down to League One - Portsmouth (if they don't fold), Coventry City, Doncaster Rovers

Up to Championship - Charlton Athletic (champs), Sheffield Wednesday (2nd), Huddersfield Town (playoff winners)

Down to League Two - Wycombe Wanderers (see, what did I tell you? :P), Chesterfield, Exeter City, Rochdale AFC (my friend Kier will be happy that they finished DEAD FLIPPIN' LAST  :ohyeah: )

Up to League One - Swindon Town (champs), Shrewsbury Town (2nd), Crawley Town (3rd), Crewe Alexandra (playoff winners)

Down to Conference Premier - Hereford United (DEM COWS), Macclesfield Town

Up to League Two - Fleetwood Town (champs), York City (playoff winners)

Up to Conference Premier - Hyde (Conference North champs), Woking (Conference South champs), Nuneaton Town, Dartford (playoff winners), Gainsborough Trinity, Welling (lucky losers - Kettering has resigned from Conference, to play in the Southern Premier League next season, and Darlington will be in the Northern League Division One after failing to come to agreement with creditors (which is still better than folding though :) )

Expected Conference Lineups for Next Season

NORTH


Altrincham
Bishop's Stortford
Boston United
Brackley Town - champions, Southern League
Bradford Park Avenue - playoff winners, Northern League
Chester - champions, Northern League
Colwyn Bay
Corby Town
Droylsden
Gainsborough Trinity
Gloucester City
Guiseley
Halifax Town
Harrogate Town
Hinckley United - spared relegation due to Darlington four-level drop
Histon
Oxford City - playoff winners, Southern League
Solihull Moors
Stalybridge Celtic
Vauxhall Motors
Worcester City
Workington

SOUTH

AFC Hornchurch - playoff winners, Isthmian League
Basingstoke Town
Bath City - relegated from Conference Premier
Billericay Town - champions, Isthmian League
Boreham Wood
Bromley
Chelmsford City
Dorchester Town
Dover Athletic
Eastbourne Borough
Eastleigh
Farnborough
Havant & Waterlooville
Hayes & Yeading United - relegated from Conference Premier
Maidenhead United
Salisbury City
Staines Town
Sutton United
Tonbridge Angels
Truro City
Welling United
Weston-super-Mare

As for the feeders, here's who went where:

Northern Premier League - Blyth Spartans, Eastwood

Northern Football League - Darlington (Northern Div One, as a result Frickley Athletic was spared relegation in the Northern Premier League Premier Division, and a few flip-flops between the Division One North and South groups. Pretty big drop, but four divisions relegated is better than completely nonexistent!)

Isthmian League - Hampton & Richmond, Thurrock.

Southern League - Kettering Town (since Hinckley and Maidenhead were spared relegation because of Kettering's resignation and Darlington's crash, they did not go down to the Southern League. Therefore, Hemel Hempstead was spared relegation.) Kettering will start the 2012-13 campaign with a ten point penalty for financial irregularities.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on November 01, 2012, 10:19:34 PM
I suppose it's about time to kick this sucker off again. :up:

CHAMPIONSHIP

Out of the 24 teams, Cardiff (28) has had the strongest start in 13 matches, although there are 9 teams that have taken at least 20 from a possible 39, and nobody has lost fewer than two matches. Next in line are Leicester, Middlesbrough (both 25), surprising Crystal Palace (24), yo-yo hopefuls Blackburn (also 23) who have lost fewer matches than anyone, Hull (22) wrapping up the playoff-plus contingent, Nottingham Forest, Wolverhampton (both 21), and Huddersfield (20), who are surprising me as well being how they only got to the Champs by way of playoff, and the auto-promos are down in the nether area of the table :lol:

There are more than enough disappointments to go around this season. First off, what in the bluest of blue hells happened to Ipswich? They finished last season mid-table, 21 points clear of elimination. This season they're sucking up a storm, in the toilet with 7 points - 7 FLIPPING POINTS!! Bristol (11) and Peterborough (12) are kind of expected to suck because they did last season. But Sheffield Wednesday? (12) They finished ahead of Huddersfield last season, and here they are in the red zone while Hudds is within striking distance of the playoffs! Yes, I know it's still early, but the Dubya have got to pick things up! And so does Charlton (14)! They utterly obliterated League One last season, but they too are lagging well behind Huddersfield. Finally, there's Bolton (15). I thought better of them than lower-mid-table in the Championship. GET WITH THE PROGRAM.

Fortunately, there are 42 games in the season and we've only gone through 13. :P

LEAGUE ONE

Now how's this for surprising - of the four teams up from League Two last season only one is in the bottom quarter of the table, Shrewsbury (14). That said, Crewe (17) aren't doing much better, but Crawley (29) and Swindon (25) are both off to very solid starts. Sheffield United (31) are probably still seething after last year's last-second slip into the playoffs and subsequent loss to Huddersfield in the playoffs, but they appear to be channeling their aggression positively as they hold a joint lead with Tranmere (who finished 12th last season) and have yet to lose, with 8 wins and 7 draws. Stevenage (29), Notts County (25), and MK Dons (23), who all had strong finishes last season, are looking on about the same form early on. Also in the upper ranks are Doncaster (27, with a game in hand), bolstered by the addition of Iain Hume on loan from Preston North End, who are far and away the best-looking team that was relegated from the Championship last season. With North End themselves so close to the upper ranks you'd be surprised that they let Hume go since he's one of their better players. They, Yeovil, and Brentford all sit with 22 points, 3 shy of the playoff area.

This part of League One never surprises me - there are invariably at least two teams that really suck it up and usually only one team that keeps close to the safety area in the red. This is the case this year, where three teams - Hartlepool ( 8) , Bury (9), and Sc*nthorpe (10) are off to horrible starts, and Coventry (14) is disappointingly weak as well, being how last season they were the best-off of the three red-zoners. Pompey (18) survived folding by getting rid of all the players they had and aren't doing too bad for it, but they aren't anywhere close to Doncaster.

LEAGUE TWO

There's a nice mixed bag at the top of the table, of teams that did well last season in the Two but didn't get promoted (Cheltenham and Torquay), teams that are improving from last season (Gillingham, Port Vale, Bradford, and Rotherham) and even one team who got promoted from Conference. Yes, Fleetwood is a respectable fourth right now:

1. Gillingham - 35
2. Port Vale - 30
3. Cheltenham - 28
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
4. Fleetwood Town - 26
5. Bradford City - 24, +6, 24 GF
6. Rotherham - 24, +6, 23 GF, game in hand
7. Torquay U - 24, +5
----------------------------------------------------------------
8. Burton Albion - 23, +3
9. Rochdale - 23, +2
10. York City - 22
11. Exeter City - 20, -3
12. Accrington Stanley - 20, -4, game in hand

I find it highly ironic that Rochdale and Exeter were the bottom two teams in League One last season and yet here they are ahead of Chesterfield (not by much, 18) and Wycombe (by miles, 12 :P ) who finished ahead of them, but still in the red. York is a noteworthy spotting in this part of the table as well, as they only finished fourth in the Conference Premier regular season yet they defeated Mansfield and Luton (not 2nd-place Wrexham, who crashed and burned against Luton) to make the League.

Now Wycombe (12, -10, 14 games played) could be worse off. Goal differential is keeping them out of the red for now and they have a game in hand as well. Both of these are at the expense of Aldershot (12, -13, 15 games played). Barnet (10), who barely survived last season to play in the Two again, is in the cellar early on. But they have this annoying habit of picking it up just enough to linger around for another season.  ;) We will see if it happens this season as well. Dag & Red (16), Bristol Rovers, and AFC Wimbledon (both 14) are also lagging.

CONFERENCE PREMIER

My how a season can change things! Newport County (33) are already only 14 points shy of their record from all of last season, where they missed relegation by just six points. Luton (32), on the other hand, are trying to build on last season's success, where they stunned second-place Wrexham in the first round of the playoffs only to lose a heartbreaker against York City. Speaking of Wrexham (29 +11), they aren't doing so poorly themselves, in a points draw for third with surprising Dartford (29, +9), who finished second in the regular season of Conference South last season only to cruise through the playoffs at the expense of Basingstoke and Welling.

It's funny that Grimsby and Forest Green finished with the same points last season, because that's exactly where they are now, too - only higher in the table! Both have taken 27 points from 16 games, and Grimsby is only ahead by goal differential - +11 to FG's +9. This is actually a mirror image of last season, when it was Forest Green up by two goals in goal diff. How about that?  :lol:

Macclesfield (24) is the better of the two relegated teams from the League last season but only by four points over Hereford (DEM COWS :P ) as both have done at least okay in the season's opening stretch, although Hereford has a slight losing record at the moment (5W 5D 6L). As for promoted teams, Dartford is the only one that is doing any good, with fellow South promotees Woking (22) nurturing a slight losing record (7-1-8) and both North newbies sucking up a storm. Seriously. The last two teams in the league table are Hyde (13, -8) and Nuneaton (13, -11). NORTHERN FAIL. :2funny: Joining them are Ebbsfleet (14) and Kidderminster (16), although both are starting to gain a shred of form. (So too is Hyde, mind you - and they have a game in hand :P )

With a whole range of teams within a win of Kidderminster catching them, though, I get the feeling the bottom half of the table is going to be interesting. That said, it is most seasons. ;)

16. Alfreton - 18, -6
17. Barrow - 18, -9
18. Cambridge U - 17, -2
19. Lincoln City - 17, -4, 22 GF
20. Braintree - 17, -4, 18 GF, game in hand
----------------------------
21. Kidderminster - 16

CONFERENCE NORTH

Remember when Chester City FC went under due to finances? Well they are back with a vengeance, as Chester FC. Fresh off being promoted from the Northern Premier League, here they sit atop the Conference North with 34 points, one clear of Guiseley (33), who finished second last season as well, only to lose to Nuneaton in the first round of the playoffs, and with a game in hand. Chester aren't the only feeder-league promos doing well in the North this season - Brackley (also 33) won the Southern League last season, Oxford City (25) won the Southern League playoffs, and just outside playoff range (by goal diff, no less), Bradford Park Avenue (22) won the Northern League playoffs! Besides Guiseley, the only other team in the top six of Conference North that didn't come straight outta feeders is Worcester City (also 22, ahead by goal diff), who are much improved from last season - not as much in their placing (5th vs. 7th last season) as in who they are currently ahead of:

Halifax - 3rd last season, 7th this season
Gainsborough Trinity - 4th last season, 8th this season
Stalybridge Celtic - 6th last season, 11th this season

With the wonky schedule in the lower level of Conference, though, this could change.

The lower level of Conference North is quite close for the most part, but there is one team that has been an utter steamin' stinkin' pile of grade-A monkey crap (cookie for someone who gets the reference), which is Hinckley. Three points.

THREE

!@#$ING

POINTS!

Boston (18) is probably blushing about the fact that they have given Hinckley their only points this season in an early 2-1 loss. But seriously, Hinckley, although they beat Tividale, a team three levels beneath them in the pyramid and not even first in their division, they let in 3 goals in the process. That's three too many. Someone stick a fork in them!  :2funny:

As for the rest of the bottom:

15. Solihull - 14
16. Gloucester - 13, -6
17. Colwyn Bay - 13, -7
18. Corby - 13, -9
19. Bishop's Stortford - 12, -5
--------------------------------
20. Histon - 12, -16
21. Droylsden - 11

I didn't include Harrogate (15) because they have three games in hand on Solihull and Gloucester and four on Kidderminster. See what I mean about cockeyed skeds? :P

CONFERENCE SOUTH

There is quite the stark contrast between the four feeder-promoted teams in the North this season and the two in the South. All four North teams are in playoff range. Billericay (17, +1) is .500 and mid-table, having won the Isthmian Premier title last season. Hornchurch (14, -8) is in the red by goal difference (behind Basingstoke who is only -6). At least Billericay is doing marginally better than Bath (17, even), who are coming down from Conference Premier.

With that out of the way, though, Hayes & Yeading (20) aren't doing too poorly considering their relegation. I'd tip them to make a push for a yo-yo back up to the Conference Prems for next season. (It's still early, mind you, but who knows? ;) )

The early leader is Salisbury City (32). They are not only improved from last season, but they are also ahead by a large margin early on. The early playoff contenders are all within a three-point span:

1. Salisbury - 32
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
2. Chelmsford - 24
3. Boreham Wood - 22
4. Farnborough - 21 (+6)
5. Staines - 21 (-1)
-------------------------------
6. Hayes & Yeading - 20 (+3)
7. Eastleigh - 20 (-2)

This is just all the teams in the 20s in points thus far. Within a win of a playoff spot as well are Welling, Dover, Dorchester, (all 19) and Weston-Super-Mare (18). So it's close.

I should also point out, though, that the table is so close at this point that 17 points is within a win of being caught by Hornchurch, the top red-zoner, or Basingstoke, who are only out of the red on goal differential. Billericay and Bath both fall into this category. To compound the matter, Havant & Waterlooville (13) are only a point back of Hornchurch and Basingstoke, and they have a game in hand. The only team that is really lagging behind is Truro City (1), who went into administration for unpaid taxes and thus have a ten-point penalty. Tell you what. I plan on playing the Lotto Max in my last week here. If I win I will pay to have Truro City's debt (which is something like 100K quid) paid off. 230 or so thousand Canadian dollars is a drop in a fifty-million dollar bucket. :P But even if they come out of admin they'd still be last with 11 points. At least they can't blame it completely on form like Hinckley can! :lol:
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on November 26, 2012, 08:13:05 PM
Lots of things have happened since the last update, so it's UPDATE TIME :up:

CHAMPIONSHIP

Cardiff (37) is on top yet again, after momentarily surrendering the lead to Crystal Palace (36) who had a 5-game win streak and 14 (!) game unbeaten streak snapped by Leeds on Saturday. Leicester (33) seems to be gathering momentum as well, unbeaten in four and on a two-game win streak. Middlesbrough (32) and Hull (31) are looking strong as well, although their recent form has dipped a bit. They need to be wary of Millwall (29) who are on an 11-game unbeaten run and a 3-game win streak as well. Nottingham Forest (29), while not on the greatest form present, are still doing much better than last season when they spent the home stretch flirting with relegation. Numerous other teams are within three of the playoffs:

6. Millwall - 29, +6
---------------------------------------------
7. Nott Forest - 29, +5
8. Brighton & Hove - 28, +9
9. Blackburn - 28, +4
10. Huddersfield - 28, E
11. Watford - 27
12. Derby County - 26, +2
13. Burnley - 26, -1

On the other end, there seem to be five specific teams floating away in their state of suckage, although only three teams can drop in the end. Barnsley (16), Bristol City (15, -7), Sheffield Wednesday (15, -11), Ipswich (14), and Peterborough (13) are rounding up the rear of the table, with Birmingham City (20) trying to get its act together just in front. Now Bolton (22) hasn't lost in five, but they're on a four-game draw streak. They just can't seem to finish the job. Only Nottingham Forest has more draws.

LEAGUE ONE

The top is still very close, although Tranmere (39) has taken over sole possession of top spot. Actually,  there are only five points separating second from ninth:

1. Tranmere - 39
2. MK Dons - 36, +14
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
3. Doncaster - 36, +12 (GIH)
4. Sheff U - 36, +9
5. Brentford - 35
6. Notts County - 34, +12
-------------------------------------------
7. Stevenage - 34, E
8. Swindon - 32
9. Crawley - 31

A further four teams, Bournemouth (29), Preston, Yeovil, and Leyton Orient (all 28), are within two wins of a playoff spot.

At the other end, what the hell happened to Hartlepool (9)? Not like they were doing well before - they were still last, but at least they weren't alone! Actually, a better question would be, where the hell did the good form of Bury (19) and Sc*nthorpe (17) come from? Bury is on even terms with slumping Portsmouth (also 19) in the points thanks to three wins and a draw in the last five matches, while Sc*nthorpe has also put significant distance between themselves and Hartlepool. Shrewsbury (18) who were even in the points with Coventry last update, have gained four but still slipped into the red. But then you have Hartlepool, and also Portsmouth, on winless streaks, although both snapped losing streaks - Pompey lost seven in a row and Hartlepool five, before making draws. The difference? Hartlepool has only won once all season!

Now Walsall (22) is still in some danger, since they haven't won since September, completely bollocking up the momentum they had going at that time where they had won four out of five matches. They have strung together enough draws to keep them out of the red, but if they don't smarten up and get a win soon they might not be able to sustain that fact much longer. Colchester and Carlisle (both 23) helped their chances of survival with a win in their last five, but neither has sustained any real form recently. Oldham (also 23) on the other hand, is on a two game win streak with a game in hand on the rest of the league (save their Tuesday opponents, Doncaster).

Now in that match, Doncaster goes joint top in points with a win (although they'd have to win by nine to officially be first :P ) while Oldham vaults out of the immediate danger area if they do.

Finally, Coventry (24) fans ought to be happy with their team's recent form - they're out of the red and actually have a positive goal differential!  :lol:

LEAGUE TWO

Up top it has turned into the Gillingham (41) - Port Vale (39) show. Cheltenham (35) is stubbornly holding down third, and what follows is a four-point space spanning 4th to 13th place.

4. Southend - 32, +12
5. Bradford - 32, +8
6. Fleetwood - 31, +8
7. Rotherham - 31, +3 (GIH)
----------------------------------------------
8. Rochdale - 30, +2
9. Exeter - 30, E
10. Northampton - 29, +5
11. Burton, 29, E
12. Torquay, 28, 19 GP (GIH)
13. Chesterfield, 28, 20 GP

If you're wondering about my markup of Torquay and Chesterfield, here's why I've done it this way - they are practically identical in stats.

- Obviously, the same number of points (28)
- Same goal differential (+3)
- Same goals for (26)
- Same goals against (23)
- Same number of wins (7)

Of course if Torquay loses again, this will change. :P

At the other end, the revolving door continues. Barnet (15) has been up and down the table like clothes on a washboard, and their current accompaniment is Aldershot (17), but there is a group of six teams that is in immediate danger:

19. Wycombe - 19 (GIH)
20. Bristol Rovers - 18, 19 GP, -14 (GIH)
21. Plymouth - 18, 20 GP, -7
22. AFC Wimbledon - 18, 20 GP, -16
-----------------------------------------------------
23. Aldershot - 17
24. Barnet - 15

So it is going to be close no matter what.

CONFERENCE PREMIER

Conference is close at both ends. The top six are all within the same three-point span:

1. Grimsby - 36, +18 (20 GP)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
2. Wrexham - 36, +17
3. Newport County - 36, +14
4. Forest Green - 34
5. Dartford - 33, +10
------------------------------------------
6. Luton - 33, +5

The same number of points separates the top two red-zone spots from 16th:

16. Kidderminster - 23, +4
17. Woking - 23, -7 (20 GP)
18. Cambridge U - 21, -4
19. Ebbsfleet U - 21, -8
20. Southport - 21, -9
-------------------------------
21. Hyde - 20, -6
22. Braintree - 20, -13
23. Barrow - 19
24. Nuneaton - 17

There are a couple other teams who must've read my last update, though, because they've played like they had a rocket up their arse :P This is especially true of Lincoln (26), who have gone from teetering on the edge of the red zone to a positive goal diff, a five-game unbeaten streak (4W 1D), and in tenth place. Alfreton (24) had a less dramatic rise but are sitting smack in the middle of the table after a seven-point run that saw them move to a .500 record.

CONFERENCE NORTH

This is the part of the season that drives schedule-makers crazy in this section of the league structure, with all the postponements and all. But at this point in the season it appears to be a three-horse race between Chester (40), Brackley (39), and Guiseley (37), with fourth-place Bradford Park Avenue (28) sitting a whopping nine behind. But how's this for amazing? Three of the top four (the exception being Guiseley) and four of the top seven (Oxford City is seventh with 26 points and a +7 goal diff) were freshly promoted from the feeder leagues! The next-best non-promoted teams after Guiseley are Worcester (27) and Halifax Town (26, +19). Having only played 13 games while most of the teams ahead of them have played 16, Halifax could be dangerous if they find the right vein of form.

Someone needs to stick a fork in Hinckley (3). Seriously, they haven't gained a single point since my last update. Joining them in the red are Droylsden (11) and Histon (12) who aren't quite so far removed from safety, even though the two teams ahead of them have games in hand. Bishop's Stortford (also 12) has only played 13 games to Histon's 16, and Gloucester (13) has only played 14. So the potential is there for those two teams to pull further out of danger... if they can make the most of it!

CONFERENCE SOUTH

Pretty close here as well, although Salisbury (33) is pulling away up top and Truro (4) seems hopelessly crushed under an administration penalty.

Dover (28), Chelmsford (27), Boreham Wood (26) and Welling (25) currently hold the playoff spots, with Farnborough, Hayes & Yeading (both 24), Bath, Eastleigh (both 23), and Dorchester (22) being within a win.

It's pretty close down the bottom as well. Although Basingstoke (15) and Sutton (16) are currently in the red, if both win their next match and Bromley (also 16) takes advantage of their three games in hand, Havant & Waterlooville and Hornchurch (both 17) will go into the red, since both have played 17 games, B'stoke and Sutton have only played 16, and Bromley only 14. In any case, could go any which way. Maidenhead (18) is also in immediate danger.

An added bonus for anyone who cares :P

FEEDERS

Hemel Hempstead, who were spared relegation from the Southern Premier last season by the tumble taken by Darlington, are top in the league... for now. :P Still a lot better off than they were even though they have played more games than anyone else in the league!
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on December 30, 2012, 08:00:39 AM
Keeping up the Good work I see DC, are we due a end of year review soon.  :up:
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on December 30, 2012, 05:28:42 PM
Indeed. I should be posting one later this afternoon (my time anyway; it'll be tonight/tomorrow morning by your clocks. :P )
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on December 30, 2012, 05:31:28 PM
Good stuff, I'll look forward to it.
As I follow all the English leagues
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on December 30, 2012, 08:44:06 PM
Update Time! Going into the new year:

CHAMPIONSHIP

Most clubs have played 25 matches, but four (Watford, Brighton & Hove, Blackburn, and Bristol City) have only played 24, undoubtedly due to postponements.

Cardiff (53) hold a reasonable lead now, five ahead of Hull City (48) and six ahead of resurgent Middlesbrough (47). Here I was thinking Crystal Palace (44) would be able to keep pace, but apparently not; they have only won once since the loss to Leeds United I mentioned last update, going 1-5-1 in their last seven matches. Leicester (41) has also slipped, having just snapped a four-game winless streak with a victory over Burnley (33). But they're still in playoff position.

One team that has had a solid run over the last six matches, though, is Watford (40), who have gleaned 13 points of a possible 18 since last update. If not for their recent postponement they could have made that 16 for 21 against Bristol City (22), but oh well, a 4-1-1 record in the last six is nothing to sneeze at, amirite?  :up:

The playoff race has loosened up a lot since last update; it seems that only Nottingham Forest and Millwall (both 37) were able to keep up their pace that well. A couple of the teams that were right up there slipped quite considerably. One should note that Blackburn (32) did have a match postponed against Brighton & Hove, so they at least have an excuse for some points ungained. But Huddersfield (also 32) has no such excuse. On the bright side, Leeds (35) has come out of nowhere (read: mid-table madness) to make a push for the playoffs. Brighton & Hove and Derby County (both 34) round out the "within six" contingent.

At the other end, things have gotten closer between those in immediate danger, but one particular club exploded out of the red and have gone from being worst early in the year to sitting eight points outside the red. Yes, I'm talking about Ipswich (30), who are 5-1-1 in their last seven matches, with their only loss coming against Leeds. They flew past Birmingham (29) who took 9 from 21 - not exactly great numbers but better than those poor saps behind them :P - to sit seven clear of danger, a whole point better off than they were before. Whee. :P

Sheffield Wednesday (25) is in more immediate danger, only three points out of danger and four ahead of last place:

21. Sheff W - 25
------------------------------------
22. Bristol City - 22 (GAME IN HAND)
23. Peterborough United - 22
24. Barnsley - 21

The scary thing for Sheff-Dubya is, if Bristol City somehow won its postponed match against Watford, they'd be in the red on goal differential - Bristol City is -11 while Sheff W is -12.

LEAGUE ONE

Scheduling's a bit more cockeyed in League One due to more postponements. But in spite of this, things are really tight up top - two auto-promo spots and four teams within two points fighting for them!

1. Tranmere (25 GP) - 47
2. Sheff U (25 GP) - 46, +15
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
3. Doncaster (24 GP) - 46, +14
4. Brentford (24 GP) - 45

Now Brentford is on a solid run of form in league play, going eleven League One matches without losing (8W 3D), and just recently had a 4-game win streak snapped by a scoreless draw at Shrewsbury. You know who else is on scorching form of late? Bournemouth (41). They haven't lost a League One match since early October, going 10-3-0 in that stretch and hoisting themselves from 10th to 5th in the space of a month. They're on their second four-game win streak within this unbeaten streak, too - this one might actually continue! Good for them.

Swindon (39, +19) holds down the final playoff spot by goal differential over MK Dons (39, +11), who did the reverse of Bournemouth and fell five places in the rankings, from 2nd to 7th after losing three of their last four since last update. Yeah, they done derped hard! :lol: But they are still within easy reach of the playoffs should they decide to turn things around. Problem is, they have all those other clubs to deal with:

6. Swindon - 39, +19
-------------------------------------
7. MK Dons - 39, +11
8. Crawley - 38
9. Coventry - 37, +11
10. Stevenage - 37, -1
11. Notts County - 36, +11
12. Yeovil - 36, E, 38 GF
13. Crewe - 36, E, 31 GF

Uhh... yeah, that's pretty tight stuff there. With some disproportionate gaps between teams in goal differential, a win could send a high differential team soaring and a loss could send a low differential team plummeting.

The other end is close as well. The red zone plus the "within six" lot equal seven teams total:

18. Oldham - 26 (and are on a 4-game losing streak)
19. Shrewsbury - 25 (five games unbeaten; four of them are draws :P FINISH THE JOB!)
20. Colchester - 23
----------------------------------------------
21. Pompey - 21 (-8)
22. Bury - 21 (-14)
23. Sc*nthorpe - 20
24. Hartlepool - 12

Now how's this for embarrassing? Sheffield United could be top now except they somehow managed to lose against the league's worst team, giving said team their first win since September the flipping 1st!  :2funny: That's right, Hartlepool actually won a match, against the second-best team in the league, who could have been the best, period. DERP. That said, Hartlepool hasn't even had the worst form of late. That title belongs to Colchester United. They've lost nine of their last ten and six in a row. Although Hartlepool's streak is longer, in the last six matches Hartlepool has gleaned exactly one more point than Colcs. I wonder what's gonna happen when these two meet. Probably the Derby of SUCKAGE. With form like that, they should be in the red in no time given that Portsmouth and Sc*nthorpe both have games in hand on them. However, Bury has only gleaned three points, and they haven't won, in their last seven games.

LEAGUE TWO

Even more mangled scheduling :P

Port Vale (46) and Gillingham (45) are neck and neck atop the league with Cheltenham (42) not too far behind. While trying to keep pace with the front two, Cheltenham are also trying to beat back Southend and Rotherham (both 40), and to a lesser extent Bradford and Burton (both 39). Ever-surprising Fleetwood (37) are within three points of fourth place as well, so they're still very much in it, and they have an outside shot of winning the whole shebang. Chesterfield, Rochdale (both 36), Exeter City (35), and one could even argue, Northampton and Torquay (both 33), are within striking distance of the playoffs. (Those last two have only played 23 matches while some ahead of them have played 25 and most have played at least 24.)

The other end is tough to call. The two teams in the red, Bristol Rovers and AFC Wimbledon (both 19) have only played 23 matches, while the first team out of the red, Aldershot (22) has played 24, and Accrington Stanley (27), Plymouth (24), and Barnet (23) have all played 25. These latter three are at a marked disadvantage because they have played more games than anyone else in the lower half of the table.

After a rough start, Wycombe (29) seem to be getting their acts together. They've gone from being two points clear of the danger area to ten, having won five of their last eight (5-1-2). They aren't out of danger completely just yet but they're out of more immediate danger. A slip by Morecambe (28) has also put another club between them and the red zone. So who knows?

In any case, I'm expecting the revolving door to continue. :P

CONFERENCE PREMIER

More screwball scheduling. Numbers of games played vary from 25 (Dartford and Tamworth) to 21 (Mansfield and Hereford). So who's going to end up where is anyone's guess.

That said, going purely by points, the top rung of Conference is close. Grimsby (46) holds a narrow lead on Newport County (45) and Wrexham (43) - wouldn't it be something if both Welsh clubs got into the League for next season? :P Luton's (39) games in hand, and Kidderminster's (38, +13) red-hot form (7-game Conference win streak and 9-game Conference unbeaten streak) are also factors that cannot be overlooked. Forest Green (38, +11) is a bit more of an outside shot due to a dip in form but they are by no means out of the hunt, and Dartford (37) is doing quite good as well. While I wouldn't count Cambridge or Hyde (both 32) as immediate playoff threats, I'd keep my eyes on Mansfield (also 32) because of the fact they've only played 21 matches and only Luton has played fewer than 23 out of the teams ahead of them. Hereford (DEM COWS, also 29 :P ) are more of an outside shot in the same vein as Cambridge U or Hyde, but their games in hand could come in quite handy (pun not intended) later in the season, especially if they find good form.

If they find bad form, though, they could find themselves in a bad place in a real hurry. I would go so far as to say perhaps the entire bottom half of the table is in immediate danger (games played in parentheses):

13. (23) Lincoln - 30
14. (21) Hereford (DEM COWS) - 29, -2
15. (22) Alfreton - 29, -8
16. (24) Woking - 29, -13
17. (25) Tamworth - 28
18. (23) Southport - 27
19. (23) Telford - 26, -1
20. (22) Braintree - 26, -12
-------------------------------------------------------
21. (23) Stockport - 25
22. (24) Nuneaton - 24
23. (23) Ebbsfleet - 22
24. (22) Barrow - 20

Inversely, I can also say that no red-zoner is completely doomed just yet. Even last-place Barrow is a few wins and/or a few strategic derps from other clubs away from safety. Even Barrow can get off of bottom by making up a game in hand. Should be fun to watch in the latter half of the season.

CONFERENCE NORTH

There is seldom a league this time of year that can compare in screwiness of schedules to the Conference North. But at this point it seems obvious that Chester is the team to beat. Not only have they only lost once, 3-2 to Boston back in September, but they have only missed winning twice. Yes, they've only dropped five points all season - 61 points from a possible 66, putting them a massive 15 points ahead of second-place Guiseley (46). Guiseley and Brackley (40) seem to be in their own little niche as well, although Halifax (32) has only played fifteen matches (four fewer than both and seven fewer than Chester), so this could change once the postponements are made up. Gainsborough Trinity (also 32) rounds out the playoffs, with a run of clubs within two wins of the playoffs:

4. Halifax - 32, +22
5. Gainsborough T. - 32, +12
-----------------------------------------------
6. Bradford Park Avenue - 31
7. Worcester City - 30
8. Boston U - 29
9. Oxford City - 28, +5
10. Stalybridge - 28, -5
11. Altrincham - 27, +12
12. Workington - 27, -6
13. Solihull, 25
14. Harrogate, 24

Now I don't really think Solihull is a contender, but Harrogate has games in hand, and a winning record. With a +11 differential they are the only team in the lower half of the table with a positive goal differential. They could do something.

Now at the other end, Hinckley lost all three of their points this season, getting dinged for failing to pay creditors. So they now have zero points. Nothing. Zip, zilch, nada, nolla, JACK FLIPPIN' SQUAT! To make matters worse, they aren't even halfway through the season yet and they have a goal diff of -59. I think it's enough to say they they are pretty much boned.

This leaves Histon (12) and Droylsden (15) still able to claw back up into safety, but the issue here is that Bishop's Stortford (18) has two games in hand on the former and three on the latter. Colwyn Bay (20) and Corby Town (21) are also in a bit of danger, but they too have played fewer matches than the red-zoners that can actually do something without a miracle.

CONFERENCE SOUTH

Conference South is closer at both ends of the table. There are three teams running away from the rest of the league up top but are neck-and-neck with each other - these are Salisbury (42), Welling (40, +21), and Dover (40, +17). The dropoff from 3rd to 4th is nine points, into another points cluster where four teams are fighting for two playoff spots:

4. Boreham Wood - 31
5. Farnborough - 30, +7
---------------------
6. Chelmsford - 30, +3
7. Weston-Super-Mare - 30, +1

That's right, three teams separated only by goal diff. Can't get much closer than that. Other outside shots for the playoffs at this point include Hornchurch (26), whose bid might be hampered by the fact that they've played more matches than anybody else in the league (apart from Staines who have played the same number), Maidenhead (25, +8), and Hayes & Yeading (25, -1). There's just one problem. 25 points is only three points out of the red. No baloney. So that means everyone from ninth down is in immediate danger. If anyone could break out of it, ironically enough, it's the team that is first in the red, Dorchester (22, -7). Why? Games in hand. LOTS of games in hand. Anywhere from three to seven depending on the team in question. If they were to win the four games in hand they had on every playoff contender (in some cases they have more!) they would be in fourth place just like that.

The only team lagging behind the pack a little is Basingstoke (18 ), who would be ahead of Truro (8 ) only on goal diff if not for that club's administration and ten-point penalty. And even Basingstoke is not out of hope. This season's home stretch is gonna be a real cracker, to steal a line from Andy Gray. (FIFA 64 :P )
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on December 30, 2012, 10:29:17 PM
Great update as usual sir, thanks.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on January 28, 2013, 05:52:16 AM
Update time yet again! :P

CHAMPIONSHIP

Cardiff (60) look poised to join their Welsh counterparts Swansea in the Prems next season, having opened up a 10-point lead atop the League Championship, which is double the lead they had last update. The next portion of the table looks a little different though, with Leicester (50) having caught fire in January to vault into second, even on points with (and ahead of on goal differential) Hull (also 50). Another team on a run of good form is Watford (49), who have won four of their last five and all three since last update to put them in a solid fourth. One would think Middlesbrough (47) would be up higher, but their resurgence, of which I spoke last update, apparently ran out of gas. Three league matches in January rendered three losses. Derp. :P Heck, they've even let Crystal Palace (48) back ahead of them, and Palace hasn't exactly had stellar form either, going 1-5-2 in their last 8 matches. (On the bright side for Palace, they did finally snap a winless streak, upending Wolverhampton on New Year's Day.)

Fortunately for Boro and Palace, the gap between playoff and non-playoff clubs is starting to open up. Five teams sit within six points of the playoffs but the closest any of those is, is five points; Brighton & Hove and Burnley have 42 apiece with Millwall, Leeds, and Nott Forest (all 41) a single point back.

The nether end of the table is also starting to loosen up a little. Peterborough (26) is six behind Ipswich and Sheff W (both 32) but both of these have played an extra match. Barnsley and Bristol City (both 25) are sharing bottom in points, but that could change quickly. I'd also imagine that Wolverhampton, Huddersfield (both 33), Birmingham, and Bolton (both 34) are watching their sixes as well.

LEAGUE ONE

Tranmere and Doncaster (both 56) are running neck-and-neck atop the table at this point, with the former being the official #1 on goal differential by a mere two goals! It'd be great to see the two play each other live, that's for sure! Now the four playoff spot holders aren't that far back, with Brentford (50) holding a respectable third, followed by Swindon (49), Bournemouth, and Sheffield United (both 48). There's a bit of a gap between them and disadvantaged Coventry (44), who have played more matches than any other team in League One (Walsall and Shrewsbury notwithstanding), due to goofy scheduling. If I were the manager of a playoff team I'd be more worried about MK Dons (43), who have played a league-low (jointly with Stevenage) 26 matches. Yeovil (42) and Crawley (41) are also outside shots. Walsall (also 41) have played more matches, so they need to play their cards right to keep pace.

At the other end, Hartlepool (16) are still looking pretty much boned, but they did manage to make Pompey's (21) life miserable by beating them. They may be going down but they seem to be on the up in form just enough that they may have a chance of not finishing dead last, which is still where they sit. Portsmouth has an extra game left, though. So who knows? There may yet be salvation for the afflicted southern club yet. Bury (23) is only a win behind Colchester and Sc*nthorpe (both 26) and they have superior goal differential. Oldham (27) should also be pushing to improve as they are teetering on the brink of going down themselves.

LEAGUE TWO

There are few categories in this table without a massive bottleneck. Probably the only one is that of the race for top, and even that is close - Port Vale (53) and Gillingham (52) are very close at the moment with the latter having a game in hand. The race for the third auto-promo spot and the playoff race almost overlap, they're that close:

(Note, this is fixed from Soccerway being how

3. Northampton Town - 45, +9
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
4. Exeter City - 45, +3, 43 GF
5. Cheltenham Town - 45, +3, 39 GF
6. Burton Albion - 45, +1
7. Southend United - 43, +13
---------------------------------------
8. Fleetwood Town - 43, +9
9. Rotherham United - 43, +3
10. Bradford City - 40
11. Chesterfield - 39
12. Oxford United - 38
13. Torquay - 37, +2
14. Rochdale - 37, -1, 46 GF
15. Dag & Red - 37, -1, 43 GF
16. York City - 37, -2

And this is just the "within six" group. Wycombe and Morecambe (36) are also closer to the playoffs than they are to the red (albeit by a single point - they are eight behind the pack at 43 points and seven ahead of Bristol and Plymouth.

The real separation between those pushing for glory and those fighting to stay up is the five-point gap between 18th and 19th place. The difference between 19th and last, however, is only four points:

19. Accrington Stanley - 31
20. Barnet - 29, -13
21. Aldershot - 29, -14
22. Plymouth Argyle - 28, -10
-------------------------------------------------
23. Bristol Rovers - 28, -16
24. AFC Wimbledon - 27

To summarise the entire league, just about anything is possible at this point. :P

CONFERENCE PREMIER

Things are still tight up top in the Conference Premier, and Grimsby (52) is still holding onto an ever-so-slight lead over Wrexham (50) and Newport County (49), both of whom have games in hand. But, to quote Street Fighter II, "HERE COMES A NEW CHALLENGER!!" Indeed, Forest Green (48) have surprised me with a good-enough run of form to go from being outside shots to immediate contenders for the top spot in the space of a month. Kidderminster (44) and Luton (43, but have only played 25 matches) slipped up a little bit but are still in the thick of it. (Luton holds the first spot outside the playoffs.) Dartford and Mansfield (both 41, +5 goal diff) are within a win of the last playoff spot while Cambridge and Macclesfield (both 39) are within two wins. Hereford (35) should also not be taken lightly due to having extra games in hand. DEM COWS are considerably better off in goal differential than point-sharers Woking and Braintree (also 35), both of whom are -10 to Hereford's -1. But to be fair to Woking and Braintree, they also have decent runs of form going, losing just once in their last four. (In Woking's case, once in their last five.) But remember when Hyde was contending? They derped HARD. They haven't taken a single point since the last update. DERRRRRRRRRRRRP. 8D

As if falling from contention weren't bad enough, they're now only three points out of the red on top of that. Now the "within six" margin pulls the danger area all the way up to Hereford in the table, but the immediate danger area (within three) looks more like this (games played added for context):

16. (27) Hyde, 32, E
17. (28) Lincoln - 32, -7
18. (25) Gateshead - 31, -2
19. (27) Tamworth - 31, -8
20. (27) Stockport - 31, -9
-------------------------
21. (29) Telford - 29
22. (28) Nuneaton - 28
23. (26) Barrow - 26
24. (26) Ebbsfleet - 24

All sorts of variables playing in here. Gateshead is low now, but they have a real leg up on Telford and Nuneaton due to their low number of games played, superior goal differential (in both cases), and those two clubs' high numbers of games played. Seriously, I would not be surprised if Telford or Nuneaton slipped behind Barrow or Ebbsfleet, as the numbers certainly don't rule such things out. To add to this, Barrow recently pulled off a shock upset of third-place Newport County. So as with League Two, nothing is really set in stone.

CONFERENCE NORTH

I don't think I've ever seen such a discrepancy in the number of matches played. First-place Chester (74) has played the most matches with 27, but the gap in points is such that even if second-place Guiseley (58) made up all the matches with wins they'd still be behind. But then there's Halifax. 17 matches played. If they won all ten matches they had in hand on Chester, they'd go second. Yes, Chester is that far ahead. Even if Halifax were to win ten matches they'd be 11 points behind Chester.

Anyway, Brackley (46), Gainsborough (36) and Altrincham (34, +16) are the current playoff holders; I do hope someone knocks Altrincham out because I just don't like them. :P Halifax (33, +19) are the best bet in the more immediate future as Worcester City (34, +11) and Stalybridge (34, -5) have played too many more matches. And seeing how they hold four games in hand on LAWLtrincham, it is very possible. ;)

Oxford City, Bradford Park Avenue (both 32), and Solihull Moors (31) are also within 3 of a playoff spot while Harrogate (30) has a pile of games in hand as well (one fewer than Halifax, but still...)

Other end - looks like I got Histon and Droylsden backwards last update. It's Droylsden that is languishing in the second-from-bottom position; better than deplorable Hinckley (1), who got a point off Solihull so that they are once again off zero, but still possessing a laughable dozen from 22 matches played. The last team in the red, Colwyn Bay (20), has much more hope for survival, being a mere two back of Histon and Bishop's Stortford (both 22).  If Storts is reading this by any chance though, he need not worry, since Histon has played three more matches than Colwyn and BSFC has played the same number. Gloucester City (25) is in less immediate danger and have two games in hand on CBFC, not to mention FIVE on Histon. :P And they've had good form lately, losing just one of their past five - it's just that they've only played 19 matches. If they can make those up with roughly the same form, they could be out of danger in no time.

CONFERENCE SOUTH

The scheduling is a little more stable down here, but not by much. :lol: Salisbury (55) has a six-point lead on Welling (49) but has also played two more matches. Dover (40) has not changed much in the rankings because they've played so many matches, but they've lost five in a row, and surely that is going to catch them when the clubs around them start making up these games in hand, especially Chelmsford (39), who is on a good run of form, winning four of their last five. Weston-super-Mare (36), Farnborough, Hayes & Yeading, and Tonbridge Angels (all 33) are all within a decent run of the playoffs as well.

At the other end, I feel horrible for Truro (9). Judging by their form of late (4 losses in a row) I think they've pretty much given up. What follows, though, is 8 points separating 7th-place Farnborough from Sutton United (25). Staines (27) has been on a dizzying downward spiral into the red - they have only won once in their last five and their goal diff has sunk to a gut-wrenching -22, compared to everyone else with 27 points. What's worse, they've played more games than every other team in the league bar none. I get the feeling that will bite them in the ass. Basingstoke, on the other hand, is out of the red by goal differential, having strung together a three-game win streak that was just recently snapped by Welling and included a confidence-boosting win over Farnborough. Other than Truro's desparate situation, it is close in the points at the bottom, but there are factors other than points to consider, ie, number of games left to play. Should be great stuff! :D
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on March 25, 2013, 01:35:26 AM
Been a while since I updated this. Graduate degrees do that, y'know?


CHAMPIONSHIP

Well, Cardiff (75) is still on top. In spite of a snag in form, they still have a seven-point lead atop the League Championship and they have a game in hand to boot. Hull (68) is holding onto the other auto-promo spot for dear life, as both Watford (66) and Crystal Palace are right there nipping at their heels.


The playoff race has changed very little in terms of size since last update, but SWEET CREAM ON AN ICE CREAM SANDWICH! Where in the bluest of blue hells did Nottingham Forest (60) come from? They were six points out at last update, now here they are, on a seven-game unbeaten streak and a six-game win streak!


Let's compare the top 6 teams from the end of January and the top 6 now, shall we?


January

1. Cardiff - 60
2. Leicester - 50 (ahead on goal diff)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
3. Hull - 50
4. Watford - 49
5. Crystal Palace - 48
6. Middlesbrough - 47


March

1. Cardiff - 75 (no change here)
2. Hull - 68
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
3. Watford - 66
4. Crystal Palace - 65
5. Nottingham Forest - 60
6. Leicester - 59 (+25)
------------------------------------------
7. Brighton & Hove - 59 (+16)


What's the point here? I'm highlighting how Middlesbrough (54) crashed and burned something fierce, Leicester has also been on a horrible run of form, and two of the "outside looking in" teams from last update have really pulled up their socks and put together some good form to get themselves into at least striking distance of a playoff spot. Yes, Brighton & Hove have done well for themselves of late as well, having only lost two of their last nine. I'd also keep an eye on Bolton (54). They just had an 8-game unbeaten streak snapped by Ipswich, but if they can recover from that trip up in form, they'll be sailing. Middlesborough really needs to smarten up. They still have 54 points, but they've only taken in four points in their last six matches and have only won two of their last thirteen! (2-1-10 :o )

At the other end, things are much closer. Only seven points separates the top red-zone team, Peterborough U (42), from 11th-place Burnley (49). Yes, that means that more than half of the division is still in immediate danger of slipping under. Crazy, eh? With anywhere from 10 (only in the case of Millwall, who are a bit behind in their match play) to 8 matches (every side except Millwall, Cardiff, and Blackburn) remaining in the season, it's going to be very exciting stuff at the lower end:


11. Burnley - 49 (-1)
12. Birmingham - 49 (-9)
13. Derby - 48
14. Millwall - 47 (-6, 46 GF, 36 GP)
15. Charlton - 47 (-6, 46 GF, 38 GP)
16. Huddersfield - 47 (-24)
17. Blackpool - 46 (+1)
18. Blackburn - 46 (-3)
19. Ipswich - 46 (-19)
20. Barnsley - 44
21. Sheff W - 43
------------------------------------
22. Peterborough U - 42 (-9, 55 GF)
23. Wolverhampton - 42 (-9, 45 GF)
24. Bristol City - 39


A few things stand out to me. One of them is the fact that, in terms of goal statistics (for, against, and differential), Charlton and Millwall match up exactly. You don't get that often, do you? Another one, as encouragement for Bristol City fans, is that they are only four points from safety. Four points can be made up in no time if one plays one's cards right. Finally, I am astounded that Blackpool is able to keep a positive goal differential in spite of how low they are. Perhaps the fact that they are jointly second in the div in draws (with Blackburn and Birmingham, behind Brighton & Hove - what's with all the Bs? :P ) plays into this. Anyway, I will be doing more mini-updates as the time to do so comes; it's the stretch-run, so things can change in an instant.


LEAGUE ONE

Bad weather has put a cramp in the scheduling and as such the number of games remaining ranges from six to nine. However, I can still calculate the "bar of safety," and it is much lower relative to the table than it is in the Championship, where only Cardiff and Hull are "officially safe." Basically, one takes the points the first red-zoner has, then calculate the maximum number of points that are left for that team to obtain, and add the two together. Sometimes one needs to look at teams who are narrowly ahead of them but have played more matches. But anyway, in this case, the number comes to 59 - in other words, there are ten teams in League One guaranteed to at least stay at this level for next season, with an eleventh, Notts County (58), set to join them if they win or draw and/or Sc*nthorpe (38) loses or draws.


Probably the most interesting part of the table is the playoff race. Sure, Doncaster (72) has a 5-point lead, but that same span of points contains all four playoff teams, the second auto-promo, and the first team outside of the playoff race.


1. Doncaster - 72
2. Swindon - 67 (+34  :o )
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
3. Bournemouth - 67 (+14, 65 GF)
4. Brentford - 67 (+14, 51 GF)
5. Tranmere - 66
6. Sheff U - 65
--------------------------------------------------------
7. Yeovil - 64


And that isn't it for the playoff race. There are a few dark horses as well. These are Walsall (61, +5), Leyton Orient (61, +4), and slipping Coventry (60), plus some could argue for Notts County as well although they have more catching up to do. Still, it's pretty good that most of the teams that I said had playoff shots last update still do, and being behind on their schedule is the reason that MK Dons (54) and Crawley (53) aren't currently in the loop. Good job by Orient to fight their way up; they're on a seven-game unbeaten streak (4-3-0).


At the other end, it seems Pompey (34) finally stopped feeling sorry for themselves and have strung together a not-too-bad run of form (3-1-1 in their last five matches). But it may be too little too late for them. Even Sc*nthorpe could find themselves deeper in trouble if Oldham (39) makes up on its lagging schedule - it has two games in hand on Sc*nthorpe and Bury (33) and three on Pompey and Hartlepool (also 33). If they were to make up both matches, that means they'd be chasing Colchester (43) instead. Shrewsbury (44) is also in immediate danger, while Carlisle (46) and Preston North End (47) are also not far enough ahead to rest on their laurels. (Personally, I hope Preston crashes and burns. :P )


LEAGUE TWO

More cockeyed schedules here. At this point, those teams in the playoffs can know that they are safe from potential relegation as the "magic number" is 59. However, also present in League Two is the highest point total for any last place team in the top four levels of English football - Aldershot has 40 points and is only three points behind the first team outside the red, Accrington Stanley (43, -18). I suspect the revolving-door scenario will continue at the bottom until the last matches have been played. The "immediate danger zone" (within 6 of the first red-zoner) is still fairly large at this point:


17. Dagenham & Redbridge - 47, -3
18. Rochdale - 47, -6
19. Torquay - 46 (my how the mighty have fallen :P They were in the playoffs last season)
20. Barnet - 44
21. Plymouth - 43, -8
22. Accrington Stanley - 43, -18
------------------------
23. York City - 41
24. Aldershot - 40


There are two glaring omissions from this list - Bristol Rovers and AFC Wimbledon, who were in the red at last update. But there's a reason for this omission:


Bristol - 7-3-2 since last update
Wimbledon - 6-3-4 since last update


They both got bit by the "good form" bug :P Although it took a little longer to get to Wimbledon as they started February with another draw and two losses to add to the two draws they had in a winless skid.


Up top, Gillingham (75) seems to be pulling away, although they have played one more match than 2nd-place Port Vale (67) and 3rd-place Burton Albion (66). The playoff contenders are all within six points of Port Vale at this point, though, which should make for an interesting auto-promo race:


2. Port Vale - 67
3. Burton Albion - 66
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
4. Northampton - 65 (+10)
5. Cheltenham - 65 (+7)
6. Exeter - 63
7. Rotherham - 61
----------------------------------------
8. Fleetwood - 58


Now Rotherham is in a very advantageous position - they are one of three clubs to have only played 38 matches to this point (scheduling and all; Bradford and Wycombe are the other two), and who knows what an extra three points might do for them? Fleetwood is shown here because they are the most likely outside shot for the playoffs right now; that said, I would also have my eyes on Southend (55, +8) because they have a game in hand on Fleetwood, and Bradford (54) becaue of their two games in hand on the same and also the game in hand they have on everyone in the playoffs, Rotherham notwithstanding. Oxford (55, -6) has played the max amount of games and is thus at a disadvantage against these other two.


CONFERENCE PREMIER

Even more messed-up scheduling, and in one team's case it could mean an early relegation sealing. Kidderminster (77) is currently on top but they have also played more matches than anyone else in the top half of the table (40 total) and have red-hot Mansfield (74) right behind them with three games in hand and a nine-game win streak. Get this - they've only lost twice in 2013, and those were their only points dropped. To Kidderminster's credit, one of said Mansfield losses was to them back on 12 January. But one must wonder if Kidderminster is going to be able to keep ahead of Mansfield for much longer; to be fair, though, the Harriers have themselves only lost three times in 2013, and those were their only points dropped - 1-0 losses to Hereford (DEM COWS) and Macclesfield, and a 2-0 blush-inducer against relegation-threatened Gateshead (44).


Wrexham (72) aren't doing too poorly either - even though they have played one more match than Mansfield and have many more draws, they have only lost once in 2013 - 2-1 against Dartford a couple weeks ago, snapping a 13-game unbeaten streak going back to Boxing Day. They do need to have one eye on their six, though, since fellow Welsh side Newport County (66) have two games in hand on them; if they were to make those up, the two would be even in the points. The good news for Wrexham is that Newport's more recent form has taken a bit of a dive; they've only taken one point from their last three matches. But it could be worse. They could be Grimsby (64) and go from top to fifth. Seriously, since having their unbeaten streak snapped by Braintree in early February, things have taken a turn for the worst; Grimsby have only won twice in their last seven matches and all of those other five matches, including all of the last four, have ended as losses. They need a win against Gateshead to alleviate this downward plummet, but Gateshead can't be underestimated; just ask Kidderminster.


Another team whose luck turned downward is Forest Green (61) - they had only lost once in 2013 up to mid-February - highlights included a 5-0 bollocking of Newport on New Year's Day and a 4-1 rout of Braintree on 12 February - but since 19 February they have only one once out of seven, against a Southport (46) team that has lost five in a row. With both the team in front of them and the team behind them having two games in hand on them, Rovers may be in trouble, especially given the form the team behind them is on. Yes, Macclesfield (58) is somewhat on form, with a 7-5-2 record in 2013, including the current four-game unbeaten streak (3-1-0) that they're on, their only points dropped in that being a scoreless draw against Woking. I wouldn't rule out Macs making a move into playoff position in the recent future. Heck no.


One team to casually watch is mid-table Braintree (49). Even though they only have 49 points, they have only played 35 matches, and they're in the midst of a 6-match unbeaten streak (4-2-0) even though they had a 4-game win streak snapped by Woking courtesy of a 1-1 draw. If they were to successfully make up all four games they had in hand on Forest Green, they'd be even in points and on the doorstep of the playoffs (their goal diff is a bit bad at the moment though :P).


Braintree is, however, also in this little area called the "immediate danger zone." Or actually, it isn't quite so little. Braintree is merely at the top of this ladder and they have an absurd number of matches in hand. (Games played in parentheses before the ranking number.)


(35) 13. Braintree - 49
(39) 14. Tamworth - 48 (-8)
(38) 15. Alfreton - 48 (-9)
(39) 16. Southport - 46
(39) 17. Hyde - 45 (-9)
(40) 18. Stockport - 45 (-14)
(37) 19. Gateshead - 44
(39) 20. Lincoln - 43 (-11)
--------------------------------------
(38) 21. Nuneaton - 43 (-14)
(38) 22. Barrow - 40
(37) 23. Ebbsfleet - 36
(41) 24. Telford - 31


There are a few things to note in this section of the table. Obviously I've told you about Braintree's run of form, but it's also worth noting that both Alfreton (3-2-0) and Nuneaton (2-3-0) are on 5-game unbeaten streaks. If I were Lincoln, I'd be just a bit worried. :P Gateshead, after finally earning their first points of 2013 in late February against Macclesfield, and in rather emphatic fashion, have been somewhat inconsistent but at least the points are coming. They are 4-1-3 in their last 8 and have put up some surprising results in that section - the aforementioned Macclesfield spiel and a 2-0 win over Kidderminster, and also a 3-2 win over Hyde. If they keep this up they just might survive the season! Considering the only team that has played fewer games in the bottom half of the table is Braintree, they have an advantage in having games in hand.


Now Southport was playing .500 football until they decided to start losing matches - they've now dropped five in a row and unless they smarten up, I just can't see them beating Newport. Gateshead, maybe, but given how they've come up big in matches they've been expected to lose, Southport has their work cut out for them in that one as well.


What of the red-zoners, though? I've already expressed some optimism with regards to Nuneaton - I honestly think they have it in them to pull themselves out of the red. But there's one team I think is pretty much boned - Telford. They've played more matches than anyone else in the league, they haven't won since friggin' OCTOBER, and they've only managed five points in 2013. FIVE... FLIPPING... POINTS! And to put things in context, they are twelve points behind Nuneaton and Lincoln. If Telford loses once more, which it seems will happen, and if Nuneaton and Lincoln both gain at least one point, that is it for Telford; they're going down down down down, and if they were Altrincham or Ars*nal or Preston or someone else I actually disliked, I would start singing the chorus of that Bruce Springsteen song. :P


Ebbsfleet doesn't look much better, until you consider the fact that they have four more matches left in the season. They also have three more wins in 2013 than Telford, including a recent 4-1 throttling of Southport. So while they are in the red, the fact they've only played 37 matches helps their chances of survival. Barrow isn't too badly off either... yet. :P


CONFERENCE NORTH

Chester (91) seems to have this well in hand. Seriously, they have a sixteen-point lead over Guiseley (75) and they haven't lost since September. They have actually only dropped 11 points all season. Yes, that's right - out of a possible 102 points, they have 91. How 'bout dem apples?


Guiseley seems to have a nice little nest of their own in second place. They do have to be careful not to get too cocky up there, though, since Halifax (60) still has enough games in hand to make them a more immediate threat to Guiseley's runner-up spot. Surprising Brackley (64) has done very well for a team fresh out of the feeders that wasn't a reboot of another past team - this is the highest they've ever been on the football totem pole and they're looking quite good. They hold a respectable third although their form of late has slipped a wee bit. Halifax is fourth right now, even in points with... *shudders* Altrincham (60).  :tickedoff: I wish those guys would just... go away. Maybe Guiseley can bring this five-game win streak they're on to an abrupt end.


Outside the playoff range, the only team that's super-close is Harrogate (59), and I could see them nipping in if Altrincham starts slipping. I won't rule out Gainsborough Trinity (54) either, since they've two games in hand on Altrincham and one on Harrogate; if they make those two games on Altrincham up, they'd be even in points. Bradford Park Avenue (51) slipped up a fair bit over the last two months, so they're more in the "dark horse" category at this point. But as we've seen with other teams in this update, sometimes things come together for good for a specific club and I get proven wrong again. It's not a bad thing to be proven wrong. Except when it happens in favour of a team one doesn't like.  :lol:


At the other end, yeah, Hinckley's screwed. They have nine matches left, and even if they were to somehow win every match they'd still come up two points shy of Corby (32). They still have just three... bloody... sodding... POINTS! :P And that 112 goals they've allowed... that's gotta be some kind of record.


Droylsden (16) is doing poorly enough that they'd be last in any other division. Mathematically they still have a chance, but those chances are fading with every match. At least they scraped together a win against Hinckley to the tune of 3-2; that is the only win they've managed since the end of last October! But in their last four matches they've been outscored by an abysmal 19-0.


It's when you get to Colwyn Bay (28) that you find red-zoners with a hope in hell of staying afloat. They're only four points from safety, with Corby in their crosshairs and two games in hand. Although Corby could attempt to foist some of that pressure off on Bishop's Stortford (36), it would probably be laughed off as BSFC also has two games in hand on Corby. To be fair, none of these three teams has done all that well of late, and Colwyn, sadly enough, has the best form of the three of them!


CONFERENCE SOUTH

Scheduling isn't as messed up in the South as it is in the North; with one exception, all the teams have played between 32 and 35 matches (Bath has played 36). Welling (74) has a 9-point lead over Salisbury (65), who in turn have five points on Dover (60). Chelmsford (57) and Weston-super-Mare (53) hold the other two playoff spots, although Boreham Wood (52) and Eastleigh (49) are legitimate threats as well.


The other end is more interesting.


(33) 16. Maidenhead - 39
(32) 17. Eastbourne - 38 (-10)
(34) 18. Hornchurch - 38 (-12)
(32) 19. Tonbridge Angels - 36
-------------------------
(32) 20. Staines - 34
(32) 21. Billericay - 32
(34) 22. Truro - 19


One odd stat is that Maidenhead has positive goal differential. What the crap are they doing down in this part of the table then? :P Teams that are in danger but not as immediately include Hayes & Yeading (41), Basingstoke, Bath, and Havant & Waterlooville (all 44, and especially Bath since they have played 36 matches).


And that's all for now.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on March 30, 2013, 07:06:01 PM
Mini-updates:


CHAMPIONSHIP

It is now mathematically impossible for Watford (67) to be relegated; a draw against Burnley put them over the top in spite of wins for both Wolverhampton and Peterborough (both 45). The bar of safety is 66.


LEAGUE ONE

Sc*nthorpe's (41) surprise win over Leyton Orient (61) keeps the bar of safety at 59. Oldham (40) has slipped into the red, but they (and Sheff U) have played a league-low 38 matches, meaning they have games in hand on everyone else in their area of the table (from 15th downward the only team on which Oldham has fewer than two games in hand is Preston North End) and thus are not hopeless by any means.


LEAGUE TWO

No change to the bar of safety - it remains at 59. Fleetwood (59) only needs York to lose or draw and they're officially set for next season. Four other teams could join them with a win in that scenario.


CONFERENCE PREMIER

How Kidderminster (81) is still on top escapes me. But being how they've played more games than any other team in the Conference Prem, except for Telford (31), all that it would take for them to lose top spot is for Mansfield to match them point for point until they run out of games, and then take two more points on top of it.


The bar of safety is at 62; all five playoff-plus teams plus sixth-place Forest Green (64) are clear.


Telford is approaching a less desirable area, the point of no return. :P Anything less than full points from their last four matches, and even a single point from Southport, Nuneaton, and/or Gateshead, and they're toast. (In other words, they're likely boned. :lol: )


CONFERENCE NORTH

The bar of safety is 57; all five playoff-plus teams plus sixth-place Harrogate (59) are clear.


Like I said last full update, there is absolutely no way Hinckley (3) can dodge relegation. Droylsden (16), believe it or not, is still mathematically capable of staying afloat, though, as they can max out at 43 points (9 matches remain on their schedule).


The number of points Chester needs to clinch the Conference North championship is 15; Halifax (60) has enough games left that they can still max out at 99 points, while Guiseley (75) can max out at 105.


CONFERENCE SOUTH

The bar of safety is at 60, which is the maximum number of points that Billericay (33) can obtain; the reason why the second red-zoner is the bar-setter is that Hornchurch (38) has played three more matches and can only max out at 56. While technically only the top 3 clubs - Welling (77), Salisbury (65), and Dover (63) - are safe, Chelmsford (60) only needs Billericay to lose or draw their next match and they're laughing.


Kudos to Truro (19) for still at least trying. After all, if that ten-point penalty gets overturned (if they come out of admins), they can max out at 50.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 02, 2013, 10:25:26 PM
Time for another update.

CHAMPIONSHIP

With Huddersfield's (47) loss to Bolton, the bar of safety drops again, to 65. Crystal Palace (65) lost to Blackpool yesterday, but in spite of this they only need a point in their last six matches to guarantee safety. Obviously they'll want more to keep pace in the playoffs. Speaking of playoffs, Leicester (59) has slipped out of playoff position, giving ground to Brighton & Hove (61). Middlesbrough (55) snapped a four-game losing streak with a draw against lowly Peterborough (46), while Bolton (57) put themselves within striking distance of the playoffs with a 1-0 win over Huddersfield. Peterborough's form is surprisingly good for a red-zoner; they're on a 7-game unbeaten streak (3-4-0).

Cardiff (78) has clinched at least a playoff spot, since Leicester (59), the first team out, can no longer catch them, nor can anyone else behind them.

LEAGUE ONE

Sc*nthorpe (41) dropped a 1-0 decision to red-hot Bournemouth (73) to drop the bar of safety to 56 points, and four more teams are in the clear - MK Dons (60) won, as did Crewe (58), while Notts County (also 58) and Crawley (57) simply benefited from Sc*nthorpe's loss.

What the crap happened to Tranmere (66)?  At one point Rovers were joint top in points. Now they're out of the playoffs entirely! Swindon (68) is also on a three-game winless streak, and they have since allowed Bournemouth, Brentford (70), and Sheffield United (69) to slip past them. Yeovil (68) has taken over Tranmere's playoff spot.

Also, Oldham (41) is back out of the red, if only by goal diff.


Doncaster (75) needs only four points to clinch at least a playoff spot. Bournemouth (73) can do it with six.

LEAGUE TWO

Well isn't this interesting! Both red-zoners won; York (45) beat Plymouth Argyle (46, -9, 42 GF), the very team who is right ahead of them in the standings, and Aldershot (44) stunned Oxford (56) 3-2. Since the 'Shots have a game in hand on Torquay (46), the bar of safety actually sits at 58, meaning that Fleetwood (60) is now in the clear, and Bradford (58) is practically assured of it as well being how the difference in goal differential between the two is seventeen in Bradford's favour.


Gillingham (79) has clinched at least a playoff spot, and the teams in the top 8 haven't changed, but their ordering has - given the games remaining, I expect the playoff positioning to be quite fluid until the last final whistle blows.


CONFERENCE PREMIER

The draw against Woking last month will come back to haunt Kidderminster (84) since Mansfield (83) is not letting up, having won twelve in a row and 17 out of 19 in 2013. Wowzers! Also keep in mind that the Harriers now only have three matches left while Mansfield (and everyone else currently in the playoffs for that matter) have six.


The bar of safety has dropped to 59, so two more teams join the ranks of the safe: DEM COWS :P and Macclesfield (both 60). While still mathematically possible for these two to make the playoffs, I would call them dark horses at this point. You'd be more likely to see that from Forest Green (65), who are four points out with an extra game played.


Kidderminster and Mansfield have both clinched at least playoffs this season.


CONFERENCE NORTH

I had to go through each individual team and figure out their mathematical ability to make the playoffs. :P Seriously, the schedule is that screwed up. Now here's a thought for you - 18th-place Bishop's Stortford (40) is still theoretically capable of making the playoffs, as with eight matches remaining they can max out at 64 points. It's incredibly far-fetched, but given that both Altrincham and Halifax have 63 points, it's still possible. More likely to make the playoffs is 16th-place Oxford City (40) who have ten matches left. These are the only two teams in the bottom half of the draw who still have a chance at the playoffs, and if Altrincham and Halifax both get one point, that's it for Stortford's chances. On the flip side, 12th-place Boston (48) has been eliminated from contention, since they only have four matches left, having played a league-high 38 matches total.


With that said, only one team is capable of catching Chester (97) up top, this being Guiseley (81). Guiseley does have two more matches to play than Chester, but they have to hope Chester really derps up. Chester has six matches left. If they win three of those, they clinch the championship. Good news for Guiseley though; if Bradford Park Avenue drops a point and/or Altrincham loses, they clinch at least a playoff spot.


Droylsden (17)'s recent bollocking at the hands of Vauxhall (49) combined with Corby's (39) shock win over Brackley (70), sealed their relegation fate. With seven matches remaining, Droylsden can now only max out at 38, and they would've needed one more to catch Corby, who is the first team out of the red, nine ahead of Colwyn Bay (30).


The bar of safety is 54; Gainsborough Trinity (55) is now in the clear with Bradford Park Avenue (54) only needing to garner a point or have Colwyn Bay lose to join.


CONFERENCE SOUTH

Much more difficult to predict than Conference North, where two teams are already out. There is still the off-chance of Truro (20) being able to come out of administration; if there were not, Truro would be doomed to relegation. Billericay (37) and Maidenhead (39) are still very close to safety, and if the maximum amount of points one could glean indicated who would go up or down at this point, Billericay would actually survive and it would be 16th-place Hornchurch (41) going under. The immediate danger area still contains five teams, while the current bar of safety is 57, so Weston-super-Mare (57) and Boreham Wood (56) are on the verge as it were.


Welling needs 8 points to clinch the divisional championship. But I see the playoff race being very close with lots of teams involved!
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 06, 2013, 09:12:02 PM
Mini-updates:

CHAMPIONSHIP

Bar of safety at 63, which puts Crystal Palace (66) over the top, and several other teams on the verge.

Hull (74) can clinch at least a playoff spot with a win, or the combination of a draw and a non-win by both Leicester and Bolton (both 60).

LEAGUE ONE

Bar of safety at 53. Crewe (58) and Stevenage (54) now in the clear.

Doncaster (78) has clinched at least a playoff spot. Bournemouth (76) can follow suit with a point, or anything less than a win from MK Dons (61, but 5 matches left).

LEAGUE TWO


Bar of safety at 55. Fleetwood, Chesterfield (both 60), Bristol Rovers (58, not bad for a team who was in the red), Southend (57), and Oxford U (56) are in the clear. Wycombe and Morecambe (both 55) can join them if York and/or Torquay (both 46) do anything less than win, or with a draw. Rochdale (54) can join them with a win.

Port Vale (74) can clinch at least a playoff spot with a win, or a combination of a draw and anything less than a win for Exeter (63) or Bradford City (61).

CONFERENCE PREMIER

Bar of safety at 57. Dartford (59), Braintree, and Woking (both 58) in the clear. Luton and Cambridge (both 56) can join them with a win or anything less than a win for Nuneaton (48) or Stockport (49).

Wrexham (76) can clinch at least a playoff spot (which is probably all they'll get at this point :P) with a win, or anything less than a win by Forest Green (65). A Forest Green loss would also clinch a playoff spot for Newport County, and furthermore, if Grimsby (73) were to win, they'd be clear as well, locking up the playoff race.

If Kidderminster (87) wins, it becomes practically impossible for anyone other than Mansfield to take the Conference title from them. Also, if Wrexham or Grimsby lose, that eliminates them from title contention. Newport has more wiggle room. :P

Ebbsfleet (38) will practically be eliminated if they lose.

CONFERENCE NORTH

The combination of a Chester (103) victory over Boston and a Guiseley (82) loss to Brackley (73) means that Chester has officially clinched the Conference North title. On the bright side for Guiseley, they have officially clinched a playoff spot since Harrogate (60) lost and BPA couldn't catch them to begin with.

Bar of safety is at 52. If Colwyn Bay (31) drops any points in their next match, Solihull Moors (52) are in the clear. Bradford Park Avenue (60), Gainsborough Trinity (55), and Gloucester City (54) are all clear.

CONFERENCE SOUTH

Bar of safety is now 55, putting Weston-super-Mare (61) and Boreham Wood (56) in the clear; the former is also now in playoff position. Playoff race is still very close; mathematically, Bath (51), Basingstoke (48), Bromley (45), and Staines (43) can still make it, although all three would be eliminated if Chelmsford (60)  were to win. A win by Eastleigh (58) or a draw by Chelmsford would eliminate Bath, Basingstoke and Bromley from playoff contention, but Staines would have to lose or draw to be eliminated in that scenario.

Welling needs 7 points to clinch the division title.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on April 07, 2013, 01:28:12 AM
I have a soft spot for Barnet. They play there last game at underhill(home ground) on the 20th against Wycombe. I've got my self a ticket for this sad day ahead :(
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 07, 2013, 03:54:05 AM
If Barnet wins (preferably against Torquay, whom they're trying to get away from :P ), and York loses, that's just about enough to ensure they stay in the League for another season.


I hope you enjoy the Wycombe match. :)
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on April 07, 2013, 08:03:56 AM
Thanks, I'll try and get a photo of Eager Davids, as he's the player-manger at Barnet.  :up:
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 11, 2013, 02:58:03 AM
Mini-update:


LEAGUE ONE

Although the bar of safety is still at 53, Preston and Carlisle (both 54) have gone clear with wins on Tuesday. This leaves only seven teams for which it is still mathematically possible to be relegated:


18. Shrewsbury - 48
19. Colchester - 47
20. Oldham - 41 (-15)
--------------------------------------
21. Sc*nthorpe - 41 (-26)
22. Portsmouth - 39
23. Hartlepool - 36
24. Bury - 34


MK Dons also won, so Bournemouth still needs a point to clinch at least the playoffs for this season.


LEAGUE TWO

Bar of safety still the same. Exeter (63) got smoked 4-1 by Rotherham, meaning that Port Vale (75) is at least in the playoffs courtesy of a 1-1 draw against Aldershot. Also, Gillingham (82) have clinched promotion to League One.


CONFERENCE PREMIER

You had to see this coming. Mansfield (89) have finally gone top, after beating Macclesfield (60) 3-1. Furthermore, DEM COWS (66) beat Forest Green (65), meaning that the teams in the playoffs are set in stone. Should Newport (78) do anything less than beat Macclesfield tonight (your time zone, tomorrow afternoon in mine :P ), it will be impossible for them to finish top leaving only Kidderminster in their way. With two matches left, the Harriers can max out at 93 points, so a combination of a Mansfield win and a Kidderminster loss would give Mansfield the title.


CONFERENCE SOUTH

The number of points Welling needs to clinch the Conference South title has dwindled to four. And in spite of Truro's (21) best efforts, they seem to be knocking on the door of relegation; even a draw in their next match would condemn them to relegation regardless of whether or not their 10-point penalty gets lifted. :(
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 14, 2013, 12:59:30 AM
Update time!


CHAMPIONSHIP (minimum 4, maximum 6 matches remaining)


Cardiff (83) has all but clinched promotion. Seriously, all they need is for Watford (71) to drop points, or match the same point-for-point in the next match. It'll be a little harder for them to shake Hull (77) for the title, though. Their magic number is 6.


The two teams in auto-promo position are also the only two that have clinched at least a playoff spot even now. Watford (71) isn't too far off, though. They are eight points ahead of Nott Forest and Bolton (both 63), and if either of them loses, all Watford needs is a draw. Although a win is probably preferable. :P


The "striking distance" crew with regards to the playoffs (that is, within six points) only comprises three clubs outside the playoff position; Nottingham Forest (63) is only out by goal differential, Leicester (61), in spite of their piss-poor form, are still within two points, and more on-form Charlton (59) are within four - their 6-0 bollocking of Barnsley (49) could only have helped that.


The bar of safety currently sits at 61, so even Charlton is not completely out of range of relegation just yet, but another win would put them there.


Now as far as the red goes, Bristol City (40) cannot lose another match this season, and actually, even if they draw, all that needs to happen is for Peterborough and Blackburn (50) to at least match them in points, and they're done like dinner. The other two red-zoners are far closer; Barnsley (49) is only one point in the red, having been put there after getting dinged for half a dozen goals against Charlton Ath. There's no ruling Wolverhampton (48) out of getting out of the red either, as they are just two behind Peterborough and Blackburn.


LEAGUE ONE (Minimum two, maximum four matches remain)


And Bournemouth (79) got the point they needed plus two more. :P So they've clinched at least a playoff spot, joining first-place Doncaster (81). But they aren't alone. MK Dons (64) lost, so even with their game in hand they can only max out at 73, a fate shared by Walsall and Leyton Orient (both 67). Basically, all the playoff hopefuls are chasing Swindon (68) as Sheffield United (73) only needs a point to secure a playoff spot, while Brentford (77) and Yeovil (74) have already done so. (I have a slight soft spot for Yeovil since they had Canadian Gavin McCallum on their side back in the day, so this is good news for me. :) )


Bury (34) is officially hooped after dropping a 1-0 decision to Oldham (44); this match also put Oldham back outside the red zone. In spite of their good run of form, it may be too little too late for Hartlepool (39), winners of two in a row. If Oldham gets even one point out of their last four matches, that's basically it for them, and Portsmouth (also 39) as well. My how the mighty have fallen.


The outlook is decidedly less bleak for Sc*nthorpe (42), though. Their form of late hasn't been great, but they are only two points back of Oldham and they have three matches left, as opposed to the two that Pompey and H-pool have.


The bar of safety is at 51. Shrewsbury can reach it with a win, and if Bury beats Sc*nthorpe on Tuesday and Shrewsbury (48) and Colchester U (47) both win, only Oldham would remain in terms of teams that could be relegated but aren't currently in the red.


Oh yeah, forgot this little tidbit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21970140 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21970140) Coventry's (54) been dinged ten points for going into admins. That basically killed any chance of them making the playoffs.


LEAGUE TWO (Minimum two, maximum three matches remain)

Gillingham (82) dun goofed. They could have locked up the League Two title even with a point, and they went and lost :P  The loss was good news for the winning side, though, as Cheltenham (71) has clinched at least a playoff spot because of it. Port Vale (76) still has a massive disadvantage - they have to win both remaining matches and hope Gillingham loses both remaining matches - if they get even one more point, that's it for their title hopes and they'll have to be content with auto-promo, which itself is not yet set in stone (Cheltenham, Rotherham (70) and Northampton (68) can still catch them).

The playoffs could still be anyone's guess, primarily because of Bradford (65) lagging behind the rest of the playoff pack. Exeter City (64) is right on their tail, even though their form has been crap of late. :P I'd be more worried about Chesterfield (61) who have one more game remaining and are on much better form, having gone four matches unbeaten. Fleetwood (60) is an outside shot at this point, Oxford U and Bristol Rovers (both 59) are all but out, and Rochdale (58) is mathematically out. Strangely enough, though, Southend and Wycombe (both also 58) can still both max out at 67, so unless Bradford wins another match, they're still in the hunt if only on a technicality.


The bar of safety is 55. Morecambe (55) needs only match Torquay (46) point-for-point and they'll be fine.


CONFERENCE PREMIER (Minimum one, maximum three matches remain)

Braintree did Kidderminster (90) a massive favour by beating Mansfield (89), but Mansfield also has one more match left. Newport (84) also won, but it is still all but impossible for them to get the auto-promo spot, while Wrexham (79) and Grimsby (77) have to be content with playoff spots.


While the playoff race is over, the race to stay alive is anything but. Telford (35) was already boned, but they could probably derive some satisfaction from dooming Ebbsfleet (38) to the same fate by beating them on Saturday. :P Cambridge U (59) snapped their winless streak and doomed Barrow (46) to the same fate (they only have one match remaining). But Stockport (49) is still very much alive, and with the bar of safety at 55, anyone from 15th down still has a chance of being relegated. However, should Stockport drop any points, they could just as easily find themselves going under with a match left. Funny I should say that, because they're playing one of the teams they're chasing on Tuesday. Their match against Gateshead (51) is a six-pointer for sure. If Tamworth (also 51) were to beat Ebbsfleet and Gateshead were to beat them, Stockport would be doomed to drop.


CONFERENCE NORTH (Minimum two, maximum six matches remaining)

With the championship race already decided, focus shifts to the playoff race in the lagging Conference North. Brackley (79) still needs another point to clinch a playoff spot and join Guiseley (87), since Harrogate (64) can still theoretically catch them. Besides the teams in playoff position - also including Halifax (71) and Altrincham (70) - only two teams really have a shot, those being Harrogate and Bradford Park Avenue (also 64); Gainsborough Trinity (58), while they can max out at 70, are basically out anyway.


The bar of safety is at 46, which is actually relative to Corby (40) who only have two matches remaining. They had better win both of those and pray that Colwyn Bay (34) don't go on a batcrap-insane hot streak, considering that the Welsh side has three games in hand on them. :P With Droylsden (21) and Hinckley (6) already out, the race to stay out of that last spot is gonna heat up. Honestly, I think Corby's good for the drop. Unless Bishop's Stortford (42) or Histon (41) really implodes, of course.


CONFERENCE SOUTH (Minimum two, maximum four matches remain)

Welling (84) still hasn't put this one to bed yet! They need at least one more point to put themselves ahead of Salisbury (76) for good. Speaking of Salisbury, they have clinched a playoff spot at the very least, with Eastleigh (62) having lost and no longer being able to catch them.


As the playoff race goes, it is still anyone's game. Dover (68) could theoretically clinch if they were to win and Eastleigh were to do anything but. Weston-super-Mare (64) is in a bit of a bind, though, as while they have the playoff spot they have also played 40 matches, which is the maximum any team in the division has (along with Welling, Bath, Basingstoke, and Hornchurch), and they're just two points ahead of the first team on the outside. Chelmsford (63) snapped a three-game losing streak but will be hard-pressed to stay in that playoff spot.


There are five teams on the outside that are still mathematically capable of making the playoffs - beside Eastleigh, these include Boreham Wood (59, 4 GR), Sutton (58, 4 GR), Havant & Waterlooville (56, 3 GR), and Dorchester (55, 4 GR). H&W are in the most precarious position of these five, though; they cannot even drop points or they're toast.


At the other end, the bar of safety is at 47, with Hornchurch finally dropping into the red after losing against Truro (24). With all the other teams in the danger area and the two teams behind them having more matches left to play, Hornchurch will need a miracle to stay in Conference South for next season.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 17, 2013, 12:42:14 AM
Mini-update.

CHAMPIONSHIP

Since Millwall beat Watford today, Cardiff (84) is now officially in the Premiership for next season. Adding to that, they only need two points in their last three games to claim the League Championship. (They could do it quicker with a win though. :P ) Hull could also be back in the Prems, provided they win just one more match, and Watford drops any points.

Bristol City (40) is done-diddly-done-for. :P Better luck in League One next season.

The bar of safety is at 60.

LEAGUE ONE

Oldham (47)'s 1-0 win over Yeovil has doomed both Hartlepool and Portsmouth (both 39) to relegation, and all but doomed Sc*nthorpe (42) as well, as the first two teams out of safety have 47 points (Oldham and Colchester). The bar of safety is at 48.

Still very close up top.

LEAGUE TWO

Gillingham (82) need just a single point (or for Port Vale (76) to drop points) and they've won the League Two championship. They've already clinched promotion, in spite of losing to Cheltenham (71). Speaking of whom, they and Burton Albion (73) have both clinched playoff spots. Northampton (69) only needs Exeter (64) to drop points and they're in as well.

Southend (61) kept their playoff hopes alive with a win.

At the other end, Barnet (48) is in the red after losing 3-2 to Torquay, but they're only a point back of York (49), so it's nothing insurmountable... yet. :P Aldershot (45), however, are on the brink after losing to Southend.

The bar of safety sits at 54 points.

CONFERENCE PREMIER

Mansfield (92) is back on top after beating DEM COWS, so Kidderminster (90) has to win by two and hope that Mansfield doesn't win to claim the title. It's more a case of jockeying for position at this point. Newport (85) has a death grip on third, so it's more a battle between Wrexham and Grimsby (both 80) to see who plays whoever loses the title race and who plays Newport.

The bar of safety is at 53, with Stockport (50) still clinging to life. Stockport's got pretty bad odds right now - their last match, which they must win, is against Kidderminster, and they need either Gateshead (52) to lose, or Tamworth (also 52) to lose or draw. But one never knows, do they? :P

CONFERENCE NORTH

And the plot thickens. Colwyn Bay (37) surprised Brackley (79) by beating them, and this applies even further pressure to faltering Corby (40); because of scheduling makeups, Colwyn Bay could actually put Corby in the red by beating Oxford City (49). Bar of safety still at 46.

Bradford Park Avenue (64) has a six-pointer today against Altrincham (70); if they win, they close to within three points of the playoffs. If they lose, they could lag eight or nine points behind, depending on Halifax (72)'s result against Harrogate on Thursday; so really, they gotta win this sucker! That said, if Halifax wins and BPA loses, Halifax has a sure playoff spot.

CONFERENCE SOUTH

Almost perfectly status quo here. Eastleigh (65) has bumped Weston-Super-Mare (64) out of their playoff spot. Bar of safety at 47.

FEEDERS

We're getting to the point where feeder champions are close.  Leamington (86) needs only a point to clinch the Southern League title.

More on Sunday. :)
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on April 20, 2013, 06:46:06 PM
Like I said went to Barnet today. They won 1-0, keeps there fight to stay in the football league alive.
I'm sure DC will give you a update soon, bloody tight down there.

They have Northampton away next week, a tricky tie me thinks :(
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 22, 2013, 02:28:06 AM
Indeed. It's update time now. :P


CHAMPIONSHIP (Two matches remain, except for Crystal Palace and Blackburn with three and Millwall with four)

Well, Cardiff (85) are officially the Football League Champions, having clinched because of Hull's (78) recent loss to lowly Wolverhampton (51) - more on them later. Now Hull can still wrap up promotion with a win, but if they lose both, then Watford (74) can catch them with a win and a draw.


The playoff race still has a fair few mathematical contenders, but this could easily shrink after the next set of fixtures on Saturday. Only Watford officially has a playoff spot locked down, although if Brighton and Hove (69) are able to beat Leeds or Wolverhampton, they will be in for sure as well. Bolton (66) and Crystal Palace (67) will really need to watch their sixes, especially the latter, who have gone seven matches without a win. Leicester (65) are the closest to a playoff spot, with Nott Forest (64) close behind. Charlton (61) have the best form out of those teams on the outside still within playoff range, but they can't drop a point if they want to make it in. Same goes for Birmingham (60), minus a point and any of the form comments. Actually, the Brummies are a bit of a long-shot at this point. :P


The bar of safety is at 57, meaning that there are still quite a few teams in danger of relegation - actually, Wolverhampton and Barnsley (both 51) sit equal in points with the first team in safety, Peterborough, so they are far from doomed themselves, unlike Bristol City (41). Huddersfield (53) and Blackburn (54) are in immediate danger as well. A logjam of teams with 55 points - Burnley, Blackpool, Millwall, and Sheffield Wednesday - and Ipswich (57), not so much. Any number of these teams could find themselves safe from danger should they win a match. Millwall could actually be in the clear as soon as Tuesday, depending on how their tilt with Crystal Palace goes. (If Palace wins, mind you, that all but puts them in the playoffs, so this should be quite the hard-fought match - both teams have something to lose here!)


LEAGUE ONE (One match remains, except for six clubs with two.)

Well, looky here! Bournemouth (82) have taken over top spot from Doncaster (81), having won their eighth in a row, while Rovers have lost two of their last three to slip to second. The teams in the playoffs are now set, although the positions are not; neither Bournemouth nor Doncaster have clinched automatic promotion, as Brentford (79) can still catch either of them, and even more dangerously, Brentford plays Doncaster on closing day. To Bournemouth's advantage, they have form-deprived Tranmere (66) in their last match; they've lost 7 of their last 8.


At the other end, Sc*nthorpe (45) has to hope they're able to beat far superior Swindon (74) and hope Colchester (48) doesn't at least draw Carlisle (55). Failing that, they'll be in League Two next season.


LEAGUE TWO (One match remains, across the board)

Gillingham (83) are League Two champions, but not as much by their own effort in this stretch run as by their rivals' incompetence. :P Port Vale (77) have drawn three straight and they ran out of games in which to correct this futility streak. If they keep the draws coming against Wycombe (59), though, they will secure at least automatic promotion. Rotherham (76) is less secure, but they also have dead-last Aldershot (48) in their last match (who have to win and hope Wimbledon loses and Barnet loses by a LOT). Cheltenham (74) has it a little harder with playoff-bound Bradford (68) being their final opponents. Oh yeah, that reminds me; playoff teams are set.


Other end; there still is a very slim chance of both red-zoners finishing safely. For AFC Wimbledon (50) this simply means beating Fleetwood (60). A draw would not suffice due to their horrendous goal differential - actually they could finish dead last if they were to lose or draw, and Aldershot were to win, since the 'Shots can max out at 51 points.  Like I said earlier, the deck is stacked against Aldershot although the mathematical chance of survival is still there.


CONFERENCE PREMIER (Regular season done!)


Kidderminster's (93) luck ran out, as Mansfield (95) beat Wrexham (80) 1-0 to earn the Conference Championship and the automatic promotion to the League that comes with it. Stockport's (50) luck also ran out - not only did they lose to Kidderminster 4-0, but Gateshead and Tamworth (both 55) both won. See you in Conference North next season, the 'Port!  :lol:


Playoff matchups are as follows:


(2) Kidderminster vs. (5) Wrexham
(3) Newport vs. (4) Grimsby


CONFERENCE NORTH (Most teams have one or two matches left; Halifax and Oxford City have three)

The playoff teams are set here as well, although positioning is not entirely set as Halifax and Altrincham (both 74) have to fight out who is playing 2nd-place Guiseley (88) and who is playing third-place Brackley (82). Quite literally at first. They play each other on Tuesday. Go Halifax. :P


The other end is a lot more interesting. The bar of safety is at 46, so there still is chance that Bishop's Stortford (45) can go down, but a slim one. Corby (43) won against Workington, but most noteworthy on the table is that Colwyn Bay (43) have pulled themselves out of the red with a four-game win streak. If they make that streak five or if Corby loses against Gainsborough Trinity, they're in the clear. Keep in mind that Colwyn Bay could actually clinch their safety tonight (tomorrow afternoon my time) by beating Bradford Park Avenue. Otherwise, they'd have to beat the same Gloucester team that has given up enough that they let Corby beat them. :P


CONFERENCE SOUTH (Most teams have two matches left; six only have one)

Okay, what the crap is wrong with Welling (85)? They still haven't clinched the title that is just begging them to come and get it! Boreham Wood were the spoilers this time, holding them to a 1-1 draw. But now, all they need is a point against Eastleigh, or for Salisbury (79) to drop points against either Sutton (64) tonight/tomorrow, or against Basingstoke (48) on Saturday. Given the form of Sutton, I wouldn't be surprised if the former happened. They've won six in a row, have gone unbeaten in seven, and are hungry for the playoffs.


There's a snag here, though. If all playoff position teams (Salisbury notwithstanding because they've already clinched) win, the playoff teams are then set. Weston-super-Mare (67) has only one match left and they can max out at 70. Here are the upcoming matches that matter:


Today/Tomorrow (including both Monday and Tuesday games, GMT):


Chelmsford vs. Maidenhead (if Chelmsford wins, they clinch a playoff spot)
Sutton vs. Salisbury (if Sutton does anything less than win, they're out of playoff contention unless Eastleigh loses both of their remaining matches. If they lose, they're out regardless.)
Eastleigh vs. Truro City (if Eastleigh wins, they clinch a playoff spot)
Staines vs. Dover (if Dover takes even a point from this, they clinch a playoff spot)


Weston-super-Mare doesn't play again until next Saturday, so they may be out of contention before they can even do anything about it.


At the other end, it is down to two teams who can be relegated; Tonbridge Angels (44) are still within reach of Hornchurch (41) but the latter only has a game left. Sure, they have Hayes & Yeading (48), but Tonbridge has Truro City (25) and Eastbourne (47). If they get even a point in their last two, Tonbridge stays up.


FEEDERS

The Northern League title race is heating up! North Ferriby and Hednesford (87) are even in the points atop the table with only two matches left.


Whitehawk (85) all but has the Isthmian League won. They can clinch with a draw against East Thurrock U, or with dropped points by Lowestoft (76). Even if Lowestoft wins every game and Whitehawk loses against ETUFC, they'd have to win those three matches by a combined total of 11 goals to pass Whitehawk on goal differential.


Leamington (89) has won the Southern Premier League.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 26, 2013, 06:20:36 PM
Mini-update:


LEAGUE ONE


Playoff-plus teams are set, but still plenty of wiggle-room in terms of the top six positions.


Tomorrow's important matches:


Bournemouth (82) vs. Tranmere Rovers (66) - if Bournemouth wins, they are League One champions.
Brentford (79) vs Doncaster Rovers (81) - a definite six-pointer. If Bournemouth loses, a win by Doncaster would clinch them the League One title while keeping Bournemouth in automatic promotion. In the same situation, a win by Brentford by less than seven would mean Bournemouth still wins the League One title, while a win by more than seven would win Brentford the title. It would seem that Bournemouth has auto-promo regardless. That said, a draw would favour Doncaster. Now if Bournemouth wins, the winner of this match gets auto-promo. A Bournemouth draw eliminates Brentford from title contention.
Bury (38) vs. Yeovil (77) - a draw or better for Yeovil secures home-pitch advantage.
Sc*nthorpe (45) vs. Swindon (74) - if Yeovil loses, a Swindon victory would give them home-pitch advantage.
Sheffield United (74) vs. Preston North End (58) - if both Yeovil and Swindon lose, a Sheff U win could give them home-pitch advantage, provided the amount Yeovil loses by and the amount Sheff U wins by equals three.


Tight stuff!


Oh, good news for Portsmouth (32). Yes, they have been given a fresh ten-point penalty, but that was for coming out of administration. Why is that good news? Pompey lives on, that's why.


LEAGUE TWO


The last day of matches is going to be intense! Gillingham (83) has assured a championship, while Port Vale (77) would need a situation so impossible that only the Good Lord Himself could bring it to pass to happen for them to lose their auto-promo spot. Seriously. Cheltenham (74) are only three points back, but they would have to win by an absurd amount against a fellow playoff team who has a better goal differential, and hope Port Vale loses by an absurd amount to a mid-table team! :P Port Vale, at +35, has the best goal diff in League Two, while Cheltenham has a mere +7.


But this does not mean that Cheltenham can't claim the third auto-promo spot. It would be difficult, as it would require that Rotherham (76) lose against last-place Aldershot (48). Cheltenham does have to beat Bradford (68), but at least they aren't in the pretty much impossible situation of having to make up 29 goals' worth of goal differential (if Rotherham draws against Aldershot, they still have to make up seven. Still improbable but not to the same degree.)


Burton Albion (73) still has a mathematical chance as well, but they have to make up nine goals of goal diff and also hope both Rotherham and Cheltenham lose. Deck stacked much?


Other than this it's simple position-jockeying.


At the other end, boy is it ever close. Aldershot may have a tough deal against Rotherham, but should they pull the "impossible" off and win that, they have a shot. What really seems far-fetched is them winning by seven, which is the amount it would take for them to catch Barnet (51), the first team out of the red.


Where things get interesting is with AFC Wimbledon (50). Because of their point total, there are still five other teams in danger, most immediately Barnet and Dag & Red (both 51), and then also Plymouth, Torquay, and York (all 52). Not sure it's worth it to list all the important matches, because it might be coterminous with the entire fixtures list. :P I will say this much, though. York and Dags play each other. York is on form. The Daggers are not. Oh how the plot thickens. :P



CONFERENCE NORTH

Well, we're now to a game left even in the entire division. Unfortunately, Altrincham (77) has taken a two-point lead on Halifax, so it looks like HTFC is going to be stuck with Guiseley (91). That said, Halifax can still move up a spot if Altrincham loses its last game and they win.


At the other end, Bishop's Stortford (48) lives to fight another season and Colwyn Bay (46) is practically there as well. Both Histon and Corby (both 43) would have to win their final matches, against Bradford Park Avenue and Gainsborough Trinity (both 65) respectively, and Colwyn Bay would have to lose against Gloucester (54) who have been on a four-game losing streak. Not that BPA's form has been much better, but still, the chances of Colwyn Bay going down, while there, are infinitesimal, especially with Colwyn Bay's form of late (5 game win streak).


CONFERENCE SOUTH

Well, just after I left for my internet hiatus/cabin mini-vacation, Salisbury (79) handed Welling (85) the division title on a silver platter by losing 1-0 to Sutton :P Now it would have done Sutton some good, had Eastleigh not beat Truro 3-1 the following day. The playoff contenders are now set, although there's still some jockeying to be done for position; sure, Salisbury has second pinned down, but third, fourth, and fifth will come down to the wire.


Dover (73) bumped a slump - that is, a four-game winless skid - against Staines (47) on Tuesday, so they have the upper hand. If they win against Bromley (48), they have third locked up. Chelmsford (72) doesn't have the most difficult of opponents either, though, so should they win, if Dover doesn't, they will have third. Farnborough (57) stands in their way. Eastleigh (71) has it hard, though. They get to play Welling. IF they win that, and that's a big "if," they still have to hope that neither of the teams ahead of them do. But honestly, I think they're going to be stuck with Salisbury.


Other end - a draw against Eastbourne must've felt like a win for Tonbridge Angels (45). It might as well have been a win; the result is the same, in that the Angels stay up while Hornchurch is boned no matter how well they do in their last match.


FEEDERS


Congratulations to Whitehawk FC! (85) They have clinched the Isthmian League title and therefore they'll be in the Conference South next season.




Tomorrow's going to be a BIG day. Last matches are being played in League One, League Two, Conference North, and Conference South!
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 27, 2013, 09:50:24 PM
Update time!

CHAMPIONSHIP

With the exception of Millwall and Crystal Palace, every team has a single match left. These two make up a match on Tuesday.

Hull (78) blew their chance to secure automatic promotion something fierce by dropping a 2-0 decision to red-zoners Barnsley (54). Now they absolutely have to win to stay in that auto-promo spot. A draw, and Watford (77) could catch them with a win. A loss, and Watford - who have far superior goal differential - could catch them with a draw. To compound the difficulties, Hull's closer is against champions Cardiff (86), while Watford has Leeds (58).


The other upper-end battles will depend on what Crystal Palace does with its Millwall (55) match. Both teams have something to lose in this match, and a draw would benefit neither side. If Crystal Palace loses, they are under more pressure to beat Peterborough (54) on closing day to simply stay in the playoffs, since they'd have to fend off Nottingham Forest, Bolton (both 67), and Leicester (65, but with an absurdly high goal differential). If they win, they can challenge Brighton & Hove for home-pitch advantage and they're in the playoffs regardless of what any of those teams do.

This one Tuesday match has ramifications at the other end as well. If Millwall wins, they're free from danger of relegation. If they lose - since their numbers currently are identical with those of Sheffield Wednesday in every statistic except losses - they had better hope that Peterborough and Barnsley don't both win, or at least they need to beat Derby (58).

So here are the upcoming important matches:

Tuesday: Crystal Palace vs. Barnsley (already explained this)

Next Saturday:

Watford vs. Leeds United - Watford still has a shot at automatic promotion
Nottingham Forest vs. Leicester City - six-pointer. The winner is in the playoffs if Bolton loses. A draw would put Nottingham in if Bolton loses. If Bolton draws, a Forest win would be sufficient.
Sheffield Wednesday vs. Middlesbrough - Sheff W needs a win to guarantee Championship football for next season.
Huddersfield Town vs. Barnsley - Barnsley needs to win this to get out of the red. Huddersfield can put themselves out of danger just by drawing. If they lose and the three other teams behind them (Millwall, Sheff W, Peterborough) all win, they are relegated because of their abysmal goal differential.
Bolton Wanderers vs. Blackpool - A Bolton win would be sufficient to secure them a playoff spot unless Nottingham Forest were somehow to win by six.
Hull City vs. Cardiff City - If Hull wins, they secure automatic promotion. If they do anything less, Watford can pass them with a win. If they lose, Watford can pass them with a draw.
Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers - Brighton can lock up third place with a win, unless Crystal Palace loses to Millwall in which case they would have it already. :P Wolves still have an ever-so-slight chance of staying afloat - they have to win by five and hope Peterborough and Barnsley both lose.
Millwall vs. Derby County - the importance of this match is derived from the result of the Tuesday match. It only matters what Millwall does in this game, if they lose or draw against Crystal Palace. If they do lose or draw, they have to win to be absolutely sure of safety, although if they draw against CP, a draw here would be enough if Huddersfield loses.
Crystal Palace vs. Peterborough - if they win against Millwall, a win here would be enough to secure home-pitch advantage if and only if Brighton & Hove also loses. Barring an astronomically improbable Brighton loss by fifteen, a draw here would be insufficient for CP.

If the Millwall match ends a draw, another draw would be sufficient to keep them in the playoffs provided Forest doesn't win the Leicester match by six. If Palace loses against Millwall, they have to win or hope either Forest or Bolton loses to stay in the playoffs.
Blackburn Rovers vs. Birmingham - this match only has any importance if Birmingham pulls off an improbable 14-goal bollocking of Blackburn and five teams behind them all win. :P Otherwise, Rovers ought to be fine.

LEAGUE ONE

All said and done, and Tranmere did Doncaster (84) a massive favour by holding Bournemouth (83) to a scoreless draw, putting their fate back in their hands. Doncaster edged Brentford 1-0 to claim the League One title. (Should make for an interesting Championship rivalry next season! ;) )

Playoff matchups are as follows:

(3) Brentford vs. (6) Swindon
(4) Yeovil vs. (5) Sheff U

Sc*nthorpe (48) couldn't beat Swindon by enough, and Colchester beat Carlisle, so that means Sc*nthorpe joins Portsmouth, Bury, and Hartlepool in League Two next season.

LEAGUE TWO

Well, the auto-promo teams remained the same. Port Vale (78) ended the season with another draw, not enough to hold second but enough to stay in auto-promo. Rotherham (79) ended up passing them with their fifth straight win.

The playoff matchups look like this:

(4) Burton Albion vs. (7) Bradford City
(5) Cheltenham Town vs. (6) Northampton Town.

Unfortunately, Northampton kept their playoff spot at the expense of Barnet's (51) League status. They needed a point and a Dag & Red (51) loss. They got the latter but not the former, so goal differential bumps them down to Conference Premier for next season, where they join Aldershot (48).

CONFERENCE NORTH

We knew Chester (107) was going to win long ago, but now the playoffs are officially set to go:

(2) Guiseley vs. (5) Halifax Town
(3) Brackley vs. (4) Altrincham

Corby and Histon (both 44) both got scoreless draws on closing day, so that would have spared Colwyn Bay (49) even if they didn't extend their season-ending win streak to six, which they did courtesy of a 1-0 victory over Gloucester. Corby's goal differential was ever-so-slightly lower (-26 to Histon's -25), so they are going down for next season, joining long-doomed Droylsden and Hinckley, the latter of whom would only have had 13 points even without their two penalties (3 for failing to pay creditors, 3 for failing to play Bishop's Stortford).

CONFERENCE SOUTH

Well, Dover (76) didn't just beat Bromley, they flattened them to the tune of 4-0! So they have home-pitch advantage. Here are the matchups for the Conference South playoffs:

(2) Salisbury vs. (5) Chelmsford
(3) Dover vs. (6) Eastleigh

Hornchurch (44) and Billericay (40), even though they were both eliminated, won their final match.

Predicted league orientation next season for relegated clubs:

Northern League - Droylsden and Hinckley (if they survive).
Southern League - Truro (if they survive) and Corby
Isthmian League - Billericay and Hornchurch

FEEDERS

Northern League

Right down to the last day to determine the champion! Hednesford and North Ferriby United (both 90) are both on splendid form going into the last day; if both teams do win their final match, NFU will win the championship on goal differential, while Hednesford will join FC United of Manchester, Witton Albion, and AFC Fylde in the playoffs.

Isthmian League

The playoffs are set in the Isthmian League, with Whitehawk already having claimed the overall title.

(2) Lowestoft vs. (5) East Thurrock United
(3) Wealdstone vs. (4) Concord Rangers

Southern League

It came down to the wire, but the playoffs are as follows:

(2) Stourbridge vs. (5) Gosport Borough
(3) Chesham United vs. (4) Hemel Hempstead

Had Barwell (69) been able to finish the job against Frome Town, they'd be in the playoffs instead of Gosport. :P


Anyhoo, I'll give a mini-update on Wednesday about the Millwall-CP match. At this point only the Championship and the Northern League haven't wrapped up yet (besides the Prems of course :P ).
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: RiffHard on April 27, 2013, 09:56:13 PM
I'm so happy Donny Rovers won the title.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 28, 2013, 12:32:52 AM
There are three things one could interpret from that:


1. you have a soft spot for Doncaster
2. you dislike Bournemouth
3. both of the above. :P
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on April 28, 2013, 12:42:05 AM
I'm so happy Donny Rovers won the title.

Brentford had a pen in the 90+mins, it crashed off the crossbar. Then Doncaster went sraight up the other end and scored. The game was beening reported on sky at the time it was amazing stuff.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 28, 2013, 03:52:16 PM
Wowzers. If Brentford had won that, Doncaster would be in the playoffs and Bournemouth would be the League One champs. :o  Shows you how close it was up top.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on April 28, 2013, 05:00:35 PM
If you can watch bbciplayer,watch the football league show. Highlights from championship,league's 1 & 2.
It's better then match of the day at times lol :)
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on April 28, 2013, 06:43:23 PM
Instead of watching the arse game on the box, I watched Grimsby v Newport instead :)
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: RiffHard on April 28, 2013, 06:54:05 PM
There are three things one could interpret from that:


1. you have a soft spot for Doncaster
2. you dislike Bournemouth
3. both of the above. :P
I like Doncaster as they were my local team when I was living in England. I should start following Championship and lower levels more as that's were a real football is being played. No overpaid primadonnas, no wealthy sheikhs etc.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on April 28, 2013, 07:35:16 PM
I've been to Donny(Doncaster) a few times but only at there old ground. :)
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: RiffHard on April 28, 2013, 08:08:01 PM
I've been to Donny(Doncaster) a few times but only at there old ground. :)
Yeah I was there in 2005, so I've only been to the old Belle Vue as well.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 29, 2013, 12:24:18 AM
Nice one! :)


I remember from my eJay-using days (before I moved on to bigger and better music software :P )that one of the main community members at the time was from Doncaster. Other than that and knowing a Victoria street named after it, I don't have much of a Doncaster connection, but I don't disrespect them either, especially not now. ;)


Come to think of it, I just checked Cansoc.org and it would seem that Iain Hume (an old-guard Canadian footballer) is there on loan from Preston. I hope they make the loan permanent. I've disliked Preston ever since my brief days of having Wigan Athletic as my first club in England (I still have a bit of a soft spot for Wigan).


If I had to root for a specific League One team, it'd probably be Stevenage. They've had a few Canucks pass through their roster over the last few seasons, most recently Marcus Haber, who scored seven goals for them this season. Not much, I know, but at least it's something. :P
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 01, 2013, 12:37:43 AM
And the Crystal Palace-Millwall game ended a scoreless draw. :sleep:


That means both sides are in must-win-or-hope-someone-else-loses scenarios. :P


How about this, though? Before the Northern League Season has even had time to finish its regular season, the Southern League has already started the playoffs, and the Isthmian League playoffs start tomorrow:


Gosport 2 Stourbridge 1
Hemel Hempstead 2 Chesham 0


So yeah, the final is the fourth seed against the fifth.  :lol:


Tomorrow, Lowestoft plays East Thurrock and Wealdstone plays Concord Rangers.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 02, 2013, 12:57:30 AM
Lowestoft vs. Concord Rangers in the Isthmian League playoff final.


Lowestoft beat East Thurrock 1-0 while Concord beat Wealdstone 2-1.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 04, 2013, 05:59:11 PM

Mini-update:


CHAMPIONSHIP

It's all said and done in the Championship. Hull (79) was unable to secure a win but still finished in auto-promo position because of Watford (77) losing. Brighton & Hove (75) finished the season on a high note - winners of their last three and four of their last five, and also, on a nine-match unbeaten streak (5-4-0) - to take the other home-pitch spot, alongside Watford.


Leicester (68) gutted out a 3-2 win against Forest (67) and thus enters the playoffs over Bolton (also 68) due to a far superior goal differential. The hero of this match was Anthony Knockaert, who scored the winner in second-half stoppage time to push Leicester into the playoffs, as a draw would have favoured Nottingham.


At the other end, Peterborough (54) lost as Crystal Palace (72) solidified their playoff position, while Barnsley (55) just about won but had to settle for a 2-2 draw against Huddersfield; it ended up being enough to keep the Bulldogs afloat for another season, though. Thus Peterborough joins Wolverhampton (51) and Bristol Rovers (41) in League One next season.


Playoff matchups:


(3) Watford vs. (6) Leicester City
(4) Brighton & Hove vs. (5) Crystal Palace


FEEDERS

Well, North Ferriby and Hednesford both won their matches in the Northern Premier; North Ferriby wins the Northern Premier League Premier Division Title and will be in Conference North next season (first time, I think).


Playoffs:


(2) Hednesford Town vs. (5) AFC Fylde (seeing as Hednesford's last regular season game was against Fylde this should be a very interesting matchup :P)
(3) FC United of Manchester vs. (4) Witton Albion


The Isthmian and Southern playoffs wrap up on Monday. Will post the Northern League playoff sked when it comes about.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 07, 2013, 02:54:34 AM
Mini-update:


CONFERENCE PLAYOFFS

North: THANK YOU BRACKLEY!!! :dance:  They beat Altrincham 4-2 aggregate after handing them a 3-0 bollocking on the return leg after losing the opener 2-1. Joining them in the final will be Halifax, who beat second seed Guiseley 3-1 aggregate. Guiseley's gotta be a little red after dropping a 2-0 decision on their own ground.


South: Dover just about blew their 3-1 lead in what had to be the worst advertisement for home-pitch advantage that I've ever seen... Dover won 3-1 on Eastleigh's pitch, while Eastleigh would have won 2-0 under normal circumstances. If away goals meant anything in the Conference playoffs, Dover would still have won. But because they don't, Dover needed penalties to make up for their regulation woes; they took penalties 4-2 in spite of not scoring in the previous 120 minutes.


Salisbury was down 1-0 after the first leg but won 2-0 on their own ground to take the tie against Chelmsford 2-1.


The finals are this time next week.


FEEDERS

All said and done in the Southern and Isthmian playoffs. Concord Rangers pulled off a slight upset by beating Lowestoft 2-1, while Gosport Borough beat Hemel Hempstead 5-4 in penalties after finishing regulation and extra time at 2-2.


Given how it's the Southern League that sends one team to each of Conference North and Conference South (usually), there is a possibility of Southern League champions Leamington FC being in Conference North next season. But I'll do a more thorough geographical analysis once the Northern Playoffs are done with. Speaking of which, they start tomorrow (my time zone, later tonight in yours).


Actually, you know what, I'll do the rundown now. Both Northern Premier departers will be in Conference North anyway. :P


CONFERENCE SOUTH

Down from Conference Premier:


Ebbsfleet United


Remaining in Conference South:

Salisbury/Dover loser
Eastleigh
Chelmsford City
Sutton United
Weston-super-Mare
Dorchester Town
Boreham Wood
Havant & Waterlooville
Bath City
Eastbourne Borough
Farnborough
Basingstoke Town
Bromley
Tonbridge Angels
Hayes & Yeading
Staines Town
Maidenhead United


Up from Feeders

Leamington FC (Southern League champs)
Gosport Borough (Southern League playoff winners)
Whitehawk FC (Isthmian League champs)
Concord Rangers (Isthmian League playoff winners)


CONFERENCE NORTH

Down from Conference Premier:


Stockport County
Barrow AFC
AFC Telford United


Remaining in Conference North:


Brackley/Halifax loser
Guiseley
Altrincham (http://forum.sarke.net/Smileys/sf/haha.gif)
Harrogate Town
Bradford Park Avenue
Gainsborough Trinity
Solihull Moors
Oxford City
Gloucester City
Vauxhall Motors
Stalybridge Celtic
Workington
Worcester City
Boston United
Bishop's Stortford
Colwyn Bay
Histon


Up from Feeders

North Ferriby United (Northern Premier League champion)
Northern Premier League playoff winner (I'd expect Hednesford, but as we've seen, one must expect the unexpected at this level :P )
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 08, 2013, 07:09:32 AM

Mini-update


FEEDERS

FC United beat Witton comfortably, 3-1. Hednesford, on the other hand, needed penalties to get by AFC Fylde after the actual match ended a 3-3 draw.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 10, 2013, 09:10:18 PM
Mini-update.


Why didn't I do these before? :P League and Conference playoffs underway!


CHAMPIONSHIP

Leicester beat Watford 1-0 yesterday on the strength of a goal by David Nugent. Crystal Palace and Brighton & Hove are in the 55rd minute or so, although Brighton are short-handed after Adam el-Abd got sent off.


LEAGUE ONE

I'm a happy camper with how things turned out in the first round of the playoffs; Yeovil beat Sheff U 2-1 on aggregate (coming back from being down 1-0) while Brentford beat Swindon on penalties after 1-1 and 3-3 draws respectively. I suppose Swindon's penance for having Paolo di Fascisto as manager is done. They can now move on. :P Final between Brentford and Yeovil goes 19 May.


LEAGUE TWO

A double whammy of upsets here. Bradford City beat Burton Albion 5-4 after being down 3-2 (must have been a great tie for the fans to watch!) while Northampton played defensively smart football and won 2-0 over Cheltenham. Final is on 18 May.


CONFERENCE PREMIER

Voi perkele, I really wasn't paying much attention, was I? :P


Wrexham embarrassed almost-champions Kidderminster 5-2 on aggregate, beating them 2-1 and 3-1 in the respective legs. But it was Newport County surprising everyone, not conceding a goal in the playoffs and scoring four; two against Grimsby (1-0 and 1-0) and two more against Wrexham in the all-Welsh Conference Playoff final.


The Conference North and South finals go on Sunday (as does the second leg of Leicester vs. Watford) while the Northern Premier League final goes tomorrow. Second leg of Brighton vs. Palace is played on Monday.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on May 11, 2013, 06:29:35 AM
I had a bet on Brighton to win 2-0 but it ended 0-0.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 11, 2013, 04:53:44 PM
 :sleep:


Well, I suppose it'll get sorted in the other leg, amirite? :P
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 11, 2013, 05:46:13 PM
http://evostikleague.pitchero.com/congratulations-hednesford-town-14436/ (http://evostikleague.pitchero.com/congratulations-hednesford-town-14436/)


And Hednesford lives up to expectations, beating FC United of Manchester 2-1 and joining North Ferriby in Conference North next season. Congrats!  :up:
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 12, 2013, 11:39:18 PM
Another mini-update:


CHAMPIONSHIP

Watford came storming back in the second leg to the tune of 3-1, winning the overall tie 3-2. And now they wait.


CONFERENCE PLAYOFFS

Halifax pipped Brackley 1-0 on the strength of a second-half goal by Lee Gregory; It took a little longer for Salisbury to beat Dover - it was 1-1 after regulation. A frenetic extra frame saw Salisbury go up by two before Dover pulled one back. But they couldn't get the all-important equaliser, and thus Salisbury will join Halifax, Chester, and Welling in the Conference Premier next season.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 14, 2013, 12:03:31 AM
Crystal Palace won, 2-0. Bummer, eh SY? :P


Plus we have to wait until the 27th for any closure. Gimps. :lol:
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 19, 2013, 09:15:39 PM
Well, only one more of these after today and the season's over! Man it goes by fast!  :lol:


LEAGUE PLAYOFFS

Leagues One and Two have wrapped up this weekend. In League One it was Yeovil edging Brentford 2-1, so they join Doncaster Rovers and Bournemouth in the Champs next season. I'm really stoked for Yeovil. :) This is the highest they've ever been, and like I said earlier, I have a bit of a soft spot for them.


As for League Two, Bradford City FC handed Northampton a 3-0 slice of humble pie to join Gillingham, Rotherham, and Port Vale in League One next season.


Championship finals next week! Who will join Cardiff and Hull in replacing QPR, Reading, and *le sigh* Wigan  :( ? Will it be Watford or Crystal Palace?
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on May 23, 2013, 06:09:19 PM
I'm Hoping Watford, I go to more away game's then I do Home game's. I haven't been to Watford yet. So Id like to tick it off my ground's list.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 23, 2013, 07:11:58 PM
Not sure if I really care who wins. :lol:  It's not like Yeovil, after all.


tbh, I think the only playoffs I've really cared about this year are either the ones where someone new or unknown to me is coming up through the ranks (as with the feeder playoffs and Conference South), someone I have a soft spot for is winning (League One, Conference North), or unusual occurrences are taking place (Conference Premier's all-Welsh final for example).


Come to think of it, that only rules out League Two and Championship. :P
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 27, 2013, 07:00:06 PM
Crystal Palace won. 1-0 in ET.

I'll bet Marco Cassetti is going to be persona non grata in Watford for a while. He surrendered a penalty in stoppage time of extra time, and it was a legit foul.

Crystal Palace vs Watford 1-0 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMD79U1BrCs#ws)

Apologies about the Spanish. I couldn't find any clips in English.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on May 27, 2013, 08:23:15 PM
Kevin Phillips what a legend scores for every club he plays for.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Glenn R on May 27, 2013, 08:41:06 PM
I am not sure who I wanted to see win in this match. I haven't seen CP live for a few years so I'll go with them. It is nice to see new teams in the Premier league (or who haven't been in the league for a long, long time).
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 27, 2013, 09:22:04 PM
I thought I recognised the name; I know of him from his Sunderland and Southampton days. And yeah, SY, he has scored for every club he's played for. Quite literally. :P

@Voice - I know what you mean. It is good to see more than the same old same-old. :) Palace haven't been in the Prems for eight years. I'm also looking forward to seeing the Cardiff-Swansea rivalries.  :up:
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on May 27, 2013, 09:35:48 PM
Kevin Phillips played under Ian for Blackpool, so that why I'm guessing he's at CP These days. Old pair of legs, but a great sub if a goal is needed. Top Bloke :)

DC - is there any other play offs? Or it all done now?
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 27, 2013, 09:39:50 PM
All done in England.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on June 09, 2013, 03:25:06 AM
Aldershot Town have been accepted into the Conference Premier with a 10-point deduction for being in administration.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on June 09, 2013, 04:32:28 PM
Well crap. That sucks. :(
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on July 30, 2013, 06:43:19 AM
The Football League is back this weekend/Friday  :up:
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on July 30, 2013, 05:06:06 PM
Right on!  :up:
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on September 21, 2013, 11:39:00 PM
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand signing in for another year. w0000000000000t!  :up:


CHAMPIONSHIP

So what do Queens Park Rangers (20) and Burnley (17) have in common? Well, if the season were to abruptly end today, they'd be in the Premiership. And they both have a Canadian on their team. ;) Yes, Junior Hoilett and David Edgar respectively. But they have a lot of early competition. Burnley is only second ahead of Leicester and Blackpool (both also 17) by goal differential. Watford, Nottingham Forest, and Reading (all 15) are also very close. Out of all these thus far, QPR has yet to lose and all the others have only lost once.


A little lower, Bournemouth (13) needs to learn how not to lose so much (they're 4-1-3) while Huddersfield and Brighton & Hove (both 12) are playing .500 football from a points standpoint and need to learn how to finish the job.


But, it could be a lot worse. They could be Sheffield Wednesday (4) or Bolton (3) and not have a win to their name. They could be Barnsley (also 4) and be a -13 and allow a jaw-dropping 22 goals in their first 8 matches. They could be Yeovil (also 4) and still seeing red in spite of not fitting into either category. :P Sheff W isn't even in the red and they haven't won yet, yet Barnsley and Yeovil both have. What the crap?


Middlesbrough (8), Donny Rovers (6), and Charlton (5) also only have one win in their first eight matches.


LEAGUE ONE

Holy crap! :o  Look at Leyton Orient (21)! Seven matches, all wins! If not for this tremendous run, you'd have two of the relegated teams from last season running 1-2, as Peterborough and Wolverhampton (both 19) finished 22nd and 23rd in the Champs last season and are currently sitting 2nd and 3rd, three ahead of Preston North End and newly-promoted Rotherham (both 16) and four ahead of Bradford (15) whose leading scorer, second-place Nahki Wells, is from Bermuda! Kewl!


The best teams on the outside looking in are Walsall (14), MK Dons (13), Crawley Town, and Brentford (both 12).


The other end of the table is strikingly similar to that of the Championship. Actually, their W-D-L records are a near-exact match - Bristol City (4) has one more loss than Sheffield Wednesday, having played the full eight games in the sked up to this point. Yes, they have yet to win, as does last-place Bolton (3), while Sheff U and Notts County (both 4) are both 1-1-6, just like Yeovil and Barnsley in the Champs. What the crap happened to those two anyway? Sheff U was in the playoffs last season and now here they are in the toilet! Thankfully, there are still another 38 matches to rectify the situation. :P


There are about a half dozen other teams in immediate danger early, but the one I really want to focus on is Coventry City (4). They are in administration, and yet they're still outside the red and have a decent 4-2-2 record, have more goals than any other team in the division, and have the division's leading scorer, Callum Wilson. If they can keep this fight up they might actually make some noise this season.


LEAGUE TWO

Chesterfield (22) have the best point total of any team in the League. Basically, they're Leyton Orient but with an added draw on top of that. They have four points' advantage on second-place Fleetwood (18 - to think five years ago I'd never even heard of these guys!) and are six up on AFC Wimbledon (16). If Wimbledon could finish third this season they'd be playing against the former FC Wimbledon - that is, MK Dons - in League One. That'd be rather surreal for someone who was getting into football when MKD was still FCW. :P


The upper half of the table is super-tight right now, though, Chesterfield notwithstanding:


2. Fleetwood - 18
3. Wimbledon - 16
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
4. Oxford U - 15, +7
5. Mansfield - 15, +6
6. Wycombe - 14, +4, 11 GF
7. Rochdale - 14, +4, 10 GF
--------------------------------
8. Morecambe - 14, +2
9. Exeter - 14, +1
10. Sc*nthorpe U - 13
11. Newport Cty. - 12
12. Burton Albion - 11


Anything could happen here, really. It's also neat to know that both Conference promotees (Mansfield, who won, and Newport, who won the playoffs) are doing reasonably well. Wish I could say the same for the ex-Oners. Only Sc*nthorpe is really off to a good start. The other three, Portsmouth (9), Bury (8), and Hartlepool (6), aren't off to particularly shiny starts. (That said, I would argue that even Burton Albion really isn't, either, yet they're top half :P) But at least they aren't Accrington Stanley (1). What the hell happened to Northampton (4), though? They were in the playoffs last season. SMARTEN UP! York (5) appears to be off to another slow start just like they were last season, and they have to get over this habit or they'll come upon a season where the other teams are just too tough to make the kind of comeback they did last season against, and they'll end up in Conference. Actually, it seems only Bradford is playing at or above the standard of last season, of the four teams that made the playoffs, and they won the thing and are in playoff range in League One. Burton is the highest-ranked team right now with a negative goal differential and they are playing .500 football from a W-L-D standpoint, sitting at 3-2-3. Northampton and Cheltenham (6) are both sucking up a storm.


CONFERENCE PREMIER

Will get to this later.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on December 22, 2013, 01:59:44 AM
Gah, work means I can't do these very often. Not that I really needed to. It's about now that the important stuff starts anyway.


UPDATE TIME! :P


CHAMPIONSHIP

I have to say it makes me a very happy boy to see that the two teams in Championship with Canadians on the side - Burnley (43) and QPR (42) - are sitting 1-2. ;) That said, neither is really set in stone as auto-quals as the top is more a "Gang of Four" than anything - Leicester (also 42) is only behind QPR on goal diff, and Derby (40) is red-hot right now, having won seven straight.


Outside this Gang of Four is another close fight, this time for playoff positions. Leeds and Reading (both 34) hold the two other spots presently, but Nott Forest (33), Brighton & Hove (32), Ipswich, and Blackpool (both 31) are within a win, and Blackburn (30) isn't far off either. Wigan (28)... *le sigh*  :(  I remember when they were actually good enough for the Premier League. Now they're mid-table in the Champs, having been bollocked in Europa League play.


There's no one clear faller-behind on the other end yet, as Barnsley (16) is only three out, and Sheff U and Yeovil (both 17) are only two out. The team they're chasing is Charlton (19), with Donny Rovers (20) and Millwall (21) not doing a whole lot better.


LEAGUE ONE

Much the same as the Championship up top, except only three teams are ahead of the pack rather than four. Leyton Orient and Wolverhampton (both 44) have the auto-qual spots, with the former only ahead of the latter on goal diff. Right behind them is Brentford (43).


The gap between the front-runners and those right behind is also less pronounced. Peterborough (39) and Preston (38) aren't as far off as their counterparts in the Championship. Aside - admittedly, I think Iain Hume's best days of actual play are well past him, but he can still be an important locker-room influence, provided he doesn't get hurt with PNE. Rotherham (35), on the other hand, has to worry about maintaining their playoff spot, with Swindon and Walsall (both 33) riding their rear. Bradford and Port Vale (both 30) are a little further out.


At the other end, it is also close. Three teams are within a victory of the highest red-zone team, Stevenage (19) - these being Oldham (22), Sheff U (21), and Tranmere (20) - and Notts County, Crewe Alexandra (both 18), and Bristol City (16) aren't hopelessly lost in the muck and mire. To be fair to Oldham, though, they have a game in hand. The extra game Notts County has played may come back to haunt them, too.


LEAGUE TWO

Both ends are very close. Five points separate first place from eighth and the same amount separates dead-last from seventeenth. (To make things interesting, only six divide ninth from sixteenth. :P Holy symmetry, Batman!) Chesterfield (39), Oxford (38), and Sc*nthorpe (37) hold down auto-promo at the moment, but not one of Fleetwood, Burton (both 35), Newport, Southend, or Rochdale (all 34) are out of the running for that by any means, and if it stays this close for much longer we will have a very exciting finish to the season!  :up:  Would be great for the fans, if nothing else. I'm pulling for it.


At the other end, Bury (20) and Northampton (18) are the red-zoners in question, but boy is it close. York and Torquay are both at 21 - one clear - and Mansfield, York, and sadly, Pompey, all have 22 points. Accrington Stanley rounds out the lower third of the table with 23.


CONFERENCE PREMIER

Here we get to wackoid scheduling again due to winter weather. I've come to expect it. :P But in any case, Cambridge United (48) and Luton (47) are both having strong seasons and looking to get back into the League. The real jockeying early on is for playoff spots:


1. Cambridge - 48
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
2. Luton - 47
3. Grimsby - 40, +13
4. Alfreton - 40, -1
5. Barnet - 39, +11
---------------------------------
6. Kidderminster - 39, +9
7. Nuneaton - 39, +3
8. Halifax - 37
9. Braintree - 35, +8
10. Gateshead - 35, +4
11. Salisbury - 34


I have to admire the grit Aldershot (22) is showing right now. Like Coventry two levels up from them, they're under a ten-point penalty for administration reasons, and yet they are outside the red. They're only the second team out of the red, and they're only out by two points, but if they can maintain their present form they'll be okay. After a rough and unpredictable first few months, they've come in to some good form and have won 3 in a row. That's better than what you can say for Southport (also 22), who've only gleaned one point of a possible 15 in their last five matches. With Chester and Tamworth (both 20) right on their six, that's not a good thing. Dartford (18) would have some leverage two, except they've played more matches than any other team up to this point and have lost nine in a row, with a 2W 2D 11L record over their last fifteen matches. Could it get any worse?


Yup. You could be Hyde (3). Hyde has not won a match since August, when they beat Wigan in a friendly. That's right. Not one Conference win. Hell, they haven't gotten points from a match for six matches now, and have only managed a single point since the beginning of flipping September. What the crap?  :lol:


CONFERENCE NORTH

I actually expected the schedule to be more mangled by winter weather than it actually has been. Just one team - Vauxhall Motors (26) - has played more than twenty up to now. All but one of the top seven have played nineteen matches - the exception being Altrincham (33), with eighteen gone for them. It's good for Altrincham, though (and not good for me, being the Altrincham-hater than I am :P ) since they could make up the game with a win and be even in the points with playoff-holders Brackley and North Ferriby (both 36 and +13 - the latter is ahead on goals scored). An aside about North Ferriby - look at them go! Northern League champs last season, for the first time, in Conference, also for the first time, and they sit fourth! That's pretty impressive! Hednesford (39) is top in Conference North after finishing second in the North and winning the playoffs, but they've been in Conference before.  Between the two are Solihull and Telford (both 37). Boston (33) and Harrogate (32) are within striking distance of the playoffs, and Harrogate would be closer if not for an administrative snafu (http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/24230578) that cost them three points.


None of the red-zoners are too far from safety. Barrow (12) sits bottom, four behind Worcester (16), who are ahead of Gloucester (also 16) on goal differential. Workington (13) is also in the red. Stockport County and Oxford City (both 19) really need to watch themselves as well.


CONFERENCE SOUTH

Yowzers! Look at Bromley (46) go! They've won eight in a row and have a 12W 1D 2L record in their last fifteen matches to have a ten-point cushion over Eastleigh (36). But there's a catch. Eastleigh has played two fewer matches. Third-place Ebbsfleet (33) after a rough summer start which saw them win just once before the end of September, have only lost one since the beginning of October, and it was a close decision against Bishop's Stortford. Even better, they've won nine since that time, and are currently on a five-match win-streak.


Eastbourne (32) and Bishop's Stortford (31) wrap up the top five, and although Stortford's form of late hasn't been stellar (winning just one of their last four), they also have played a mere sixteen matches, which along with Tonbridge Angels and Gosport Borough (more on them later) is the fewest of any club in the division. Heck, this div is more goofy than the North! First time for everything, I guess...  8D


Anyhoo, Sutton U (30) is just outside the playoffs, and Hayes & Yeading (28) are within three of a playoff spot. four more teams - Bath (27), Staines, Weston (both 26), and Basingstoke (25) are within six, but Basingstoke's recent form (4-game losing streak) has been atrocious, and Weston's (9 points of a possible 30 in their last ten matches) hasn't been much better.


Not too often you see four teams with the same amount of points (15 in this case) and three of said four are in the red, but that's the case here. The lucky team here is Gosport  (-8) who are outside by just one goal's worth of goal diff, but also have two games in hand on the other three: Maidenhead (-9), Whitehawk (-12), and Dorchester (-21). Two other teams have 18 - Boreham Wood and Tonbridge Angels - and the former really has to be careful at this point since they've played 19 matches, more than anyone else in that low part of the table.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on January 24, 2014, 07:52:53 AM
Update time!


CHAMPIONSHIP

Look at Leicester (57)! They're on a six-game win streak dating back to the day I made my last update, and you know what that means - yes, they've yet to lose (or draw for that matter) in 2014. This has put them five ahead of QPR (52) and six ahead of Burnley (51) who slipped up a wee bit. But both those teams are still within a couple victories, and keep in mind that Burnley has lost fewer matches than any other team in the Champs, just that they've managed more draws. GIT THE JOB DONE! :P


I think I jinxed Derby (47), though. Just five days after I commented on their win streak, they had it snapped by a draw at Huddersfield (34), although they ran their unbeaten streak to nine, beating Barnsley (20) before losing to Wigan (36). Nottingham Forest (44) isn't doing so bad either. They have an unbeaten streak (4W 5D) going back to the beginning of November, and giving West Ham United a serious thrashing in the FA Cup must have been a major confidence-booster as well! I'd keep an eye on them. They might be primed for a move up the table.


Reading (41) is in a little more trouble with regards to the playoffs, as they are just two ahead of Brighton & Hove (39) and another two ahead of Blackburn (37). I'd also be wary of Middlesbrough (36, +8) because they haven't lost in 2014 either; they've dropped just two points out of a potential eighteen in their last six matches, in a draw against Bolton (28). Wigan (36, +2) lost to a desparate Donny Rovers side (24, -21) but they also have a game in hand so they might be able to pull back into the playoff race. Ipswich (36, +6) really needs to smarten up, having not won since Boxing Day and being in the midst of a 3-game losing streak, but it could be worse. They could be Leeds (35). Leeds has not even gotten a point in 2014, and are on a four-game losing streak and a six-game winless streak, five and seven if you count their FA Cup loss against Rochdale.


Now to the other end. Basically, anyone below 30 points is in immediate danger, with Doncaster being the top team in the red. They are -12 worse than Charlton Athletic (24) in goal differential, and they have four points on both Barnsley and Yeovil (both 20). Millwall (25) also won, which kept them outside the red. Now the other three teams in immediate danger are Sheffield Wednesday (26), Bolton, and Birmingham (29). Strangely, Sheff W has an unbeaten streak going from Boxing Day onward (2W 4D). With their game in hand, they might be able to get just enough momentum to push them out of immediate danger.


LEAGUE ONE

The same three teams are 1-2-3 as last update. The difference is the order and number of points. Leyton Orient (57) are still top, and this time on points, ahead of Brentford (56). So what happened to Wolverhampton (52)? A mini-slump is what happened. Back-to-back draws against Orient (not quite so embarrassing) and Tranmere (pretty embarrassing) and a loss against Gillingham (very embarrassing) have Wolverhampton now trying to play catch-up. Granted, they still have a four-point lead on Preston North End (48), seven on Peterborough (45), and eight on Rotherham (44). They also have ten points on the first team outside the playoff zone, Walsall (42), so they don't have to worry about maintenance too much. If Rotherham can win the game in hand they have on Walsall, they won't have to either. Teams that aren't too far from playoffs also include Port Vale (39).


Before going to the other end, I have to say, I admire Coventry City (34) and their tenacity. Two years running they've been dinged 10 points, but this year they're both starting to come out of their financial valley and playing decent football. Sometimes teams will get the point penalty and basically give up. Not Coventry. If they were ever to have that point penalty overturned (which I doubt) then they'd instantly be right on Rotherham's heels, having a +10 to RUFC's +11. Currently, they sit eleventh.


Okay, gushing over, onto the downside :P Stevenage (22) sit bottom, having won just once in their last nine matches - strangely, the win was against Swindon (37), who are fairly close to playoff position. Bristol City (24) is next up the ladder, but they at least one game in hand on everyone in the league except Crawley due to the batcrap insane weather that seemed to be affecting Europe earlier this month, and with the logjam near the bottom of the table, they may be able to move up from there quite quickly if they play their cards right:


(games played in parentheses)


(28) 16. Notts County - 27, -7, 36 GF
(26) 17. Oldham Athletic - 27, -7, 27 GF
(26) 18. Carlisle United - 27, -17
(27) 19. Crewe Alexandra - 27, -26
(26) 20. Sheffield United - 26, -9, 26 GF, 6W-8D-12L
---------------------------------------------------------------------
(27) 21. Shrewsbury Town - 26, -9, 26 GF, 6W-8D-13L
(26) 22. Tranmere Rovers - 25
(25) 23. Bristol City - 24
(26) 24. Stevenage - 22


See what I mean? And that's just the "within-three" club above the red zone. I didn't really bother to involve Crawley (30) in this list because they have four games in hand on the team behind them and three on the team in front of them (Gillingham has 32 points). I would consider Notts County to be at a major disadvantage because only two teams - Shrewsbury and Crewe - have fewer than two games in hand on them. Maybe they'll weather the storm. Maybe they won't. Who knows?


LEAGUE TWO

The top part of the table is incredibly close at this point. Sc*nthorpe (48) is clinging to a one-point lead over Rochdale (47), but they're likely even more worried about the four teams behind them because of the same screwy weather that has affected higher-level League matches causing discrepancies in the schedule. Everyone from eighth place up has games in hand on Rochdale, save Rochdale themselves. This includes third-place Burton Albion (46), fourth-place Chesterfield (45, +15), fifth-place Southend (45, +12), sixth-place Fleetwood (44) and seventh-place Oxford United (42), who have a game in hand on Sc*nthorpe, and eighth-place Newport (38), who have a game in hand on Fleetwood and Oxford and two on everyone else I just mentioned except Rochdale.


PHEW! That was flipping confusing. 8D


Other end. Northampton (22) needs to smarten up, with the closest team they have a game in hand on that isn't in the red being Portsmouth (28). Torquay (26) isn't quite as bad-off, being only one point behind Bristol Rovers (27), but the problem there is - you guessed it - game in hand for Bristol Rovers :P Bury, Wycombe, (both also 28) and Accrington Stanley (29) are all also in immediate danger, should either of the red-zoners decide to put together some good form.


I'll leave Conference until next update. The schedule's still a bit screwy down there.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on March 22, 2014, 05:00:51 AM
I gotta do this.


CHAMPIONSHIP

We're down to the home stretch - aka the last ten matches of the season, unless you're Charlton who is still catching up on their matches :P - and it seems that Leicester (80) is starting to pull away up top, with Burnley (73) well ahead of the playoff bracket. Yes, Leicester is 17 points clear of the playoffs and Burnley 10, so we may yet see David Edgar back in the Prems! Would be good news for longsuffering Canadian football fans.


The top two in the playoffs are Derby and QPR (both 63), with Wigan (59) having pulled themselves up from being lower-mid-table earlier this season to being fifth, and Nottingham Forest (57) with their eyes on Reading and Brighton & Hove (both 56), possessing the last playoff spot and all. :P While nobody's mathematically out of the running yet, the only other teams I could see getting up into the playoff contender area based on points and/or form are Ipswich (51), Blackburn (49), Watford (48), and maybe Bournemouth (46).


The other end is much closer. You've got four teams vying for one spot, too, which will make the relegation battle even more interesting, barring a collapse or an epic run of form. Both Charlton, the lowest team out of the red, and Millwall, the top team in it, have the same number of points, 32, but Millwall has a crapton of catching up to do in goal differential if they want to survive and fight another season, and Charlton has three games in hand on both them and the teams immediately ahead of them, Donny Rovers and Birmingham (both 37). It'll be interesting to see if any of the current red-zoners can pull themselves to safety. But not all is doom and gloom. CAFC's next two matches are against Burnley and Nott Forest. Burnley will probably run rout over them, and Forest has as much incentive to play their arses off as Charlton does, for entirely different reasons.


Yeovil (30) and Barnsley (29) aren't at all far behind, either, so like I said, it's gonna be interesting. May the best team stay afloat!


LEAGUE ONE

Much closer up top, although the schedule right now is batcrap insane, with the number of games played mostly varying between 35-37, and Crawley only having played 33.


Anyway, Wolverhampton (77), Brentford (76), and Leyton Orient (74) are the front-runners for automatic promotion, but I wouldn't write off Preston North End (69) or Rotherham (66) just yet. Peterborough (58) on the other hand, not sure they'll be able to pull off a rise like that. And they're six points ahead of the closest competition, MK Dons (52), who have a leg up on Walsall (49) and Swindon (48) but also give two games in hand up to on-form Sheffield United (also 48).


Other end is very close as well. Notts County (31) is the only club really lagging behind, and even they are only three back of Shrewsbury (34), six back of Stevenage and Crewe (both 37), and 7 points out of safety. A good run of form for any red zoner would put them right back in the game. Which should have Carlisle (38), Oldham, and Tranmere (both 39) watching their heinies. In less immediate but still very real danger are Coventry, Bristol City, and Colcs U (all 42).


LEAGUE TWO

Well, League Two's about the same as League One. Close up top, close at the bottom. Rochdale (67), Chesterfield (66), and Sc*nthorpe (65) hold down the top three spots, with Fleetwood, Burton (both 61), and Oxford U (59) being within relative striking distance. A ways further back is Plymouth (54), who are probably more likely looking over their shoulders at Southend United (53), and at hard-charging York (52) who are on an eight-game unbeaten streak (6W 2D). I'd argue that Dag & Red, Hartlepool (both 49), Cheltenham (48), and perhaps even Morecambe (47), could make a move on the playoff pack as well, but we'll see.


Much like League One, the team in last place isn't even that far from safety. Torquay (36) are only five behind Exeter (41) and they've won two of their last three. Northampton (38) are only a win away from Exeter. And the bottom half of the table, I'd argue, could all be in some danger of relegation at this point. With only six points separating Northampton from Accrington Stanley and AFC Wimbledon (both 44), with Bristol Rovers, Mansfield (both 43), Bury, Wycombe, and Pompey (all 42) in between, it's going to be a wild finish.


CONFERENCE PREMIER

Still messed up down here, but whatever. Luton (77) has a 10-point lead and two games in hand on second-place Alfreton (67). If I were them I'd be more worried about Cambridge (66), who have played the same number of games as them. Nuneaton (61) hold down fourth, and what follows is the mother of all points logjams (games played in parentheses):


4. (38) Nuneaton - 61
5. (37) Kidderminster - 58
---------------------------------------------------------
6. (36) Forest Green - 57, +19
7. (37) Halifax - 57, +17
8. (34) Grimsby - 57, +16
9. (38) Barnet - 57, +5
10. (37) Gateshead - 56
11. (37) Salisbury - 55
12. (39) Lincoln - 53
13. (33) Braintree - 52, +14
14. (37) Welling - 52, +4


Of course, this is only those clubs within six points of a playoff spot. Says nothing about the teams that aren't all that far behind. If you were to look at all the clubs within nine points of a playoff spot, you'd have all but three teams outside the red zone. Seriously.


Hyde (10) hasn't a chance in hell of staying alive at this point. With only eight matches left in their season, even if they were to win all of them they'd still come up six points short of the first team outside, Chester (40). The other three teams, though, are still very much alive. Tamworth (32) and Dartford (34) have some serious work to do if they're going to make it, but Aldershot (38) isn't that far off at all. Actually, if the 'Shots do come out of admins and manage to get their 10-point penalty overturned, they'd probably be in the clear. So they need to keep fighting. Southport (41) and Hereford (42) are also in immediate danger of relegation.


CONFERENCE NORTH

Screwy schedules aside, it seems the Conference North has turned into a two-horse race between North Ferriby (69) and Telford (68). But I'd still watch Altrincham (57) because they're a bit behind on their games played. That and Hednesford (59) hit a bump in their form, dropping two matches by a combined scoreline of 7-1, including an embarrassing 3-1 performance against 17th-place Gainsborough Trinity, before coming back with a win over Colwyn Bay.


The playoff spots are pretty tight though. Boston (56) is just one back of Altrincham and Harrogate, as is Brackley (also 56), and Solihull (54), in spite of having the most games played of any club in the league (jointly with Vauxhall Motors), is still an immediate contender. Guiseley (52) is more of a dark horse, but not to be underestimated all the same.


If you looked at the bottom you'd be tempted to go, "well, Workington's screwed!" Except their number of games is considerably lower than the teams they're chasing to stay afloat. Workington (21) and Oxford City (28) have 31 and 30 games played respectively, giving them two and three games in hand respectively on Stalybridge Celtic (31). So it's not as big a gap to close as it might first appear. ;) Histon (29) is closer, but have played one more game than Staly Celtic. The only other team I'd say is in immediate danger is Gloucester City (32).


CONFERENCE SOUTH

The top is closer here than in the North, with Eastleigh (67) and Bromley (66) within a point, but hard-charging Sutton (62) looking good as well. They've an 11-game unbeaten streak (9W 2D) and a five-game win streak going at the moment. Ebbsfleet (58) could go into maintenance mode right now as they aren't really in immediate danger of losing their playoff spot, but Dover (53) need to keep their eyes on Bath (50), Eastbourne (49), and Weston-super-Mare (48).


The bottom-end of the table is ridiculously close right now. Three of the four lowest clubs have the same number of points, 29; these are Maidenhead, Gosport, and Whitehawk (Maidenhead is outside the red by goal differential at the moment). In fairness to Gosport, though, they have three games in hand on Maidenhead and Whitehawk, and two in hand on Tonbridge Angels (31) and Hayes and Yeading (33), the other two teams in more immediate danger. Dorchester (26) aren't that far behind in points, but their goal differential is waaaaaaaaaaaaaay the crap behind. :P They're -18 worse than the second-worst team in the league (Tonbridge are an already sketchy -23) and even further behind their fellow red-zoners. SMARTEN UP, CRAZEH FOO'S!


Well, that's it for now. :)
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 05, 2014, 11:51:36 PM
Mini-update:


CHAMPIONSHIP

- Leicester has clinched Premier League promotion with a win today against Sheffield Wednesday.


LEAGUE ONE

- Wolverhampton, Brentford, Rotherham, Leyton Orient, and Preston North End can do no worse than finishing in playoff position.
- Wolverhampton can clinch promotion to Championship with two more wins.


LEAGUE TWO

- Rochdale and Sc*nthorpe can now finish no worse than playoff position.
- two more losses and Torquay's toast. :P


CONFERENCE PREMIER

- Luton needs two wins to clinch the Conference title.


CONFERENCE SOUTH

- Dorchester basically has to win every match from here on in to have a chance of staying afloat
- There will be matches basically every day next week to make up for postponed matches earlier in the year.


FEEDERS

- Wealdstone FC can clinch the Isthmian League championship and promotion to Conference South with a win.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on April 06, 2014, 05:30:55 AM
Very happy with Leicester getting to the Premiership, I have a few friends there. So will make trip there next season  :up:
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 06, 2014, 06:56:29 AM
Yeah. Canadian veteran Iain Hume played there for a while, too. Anyway, I bet it feels good for them to get back into the top flight after being absent for a decade.


Well done  :up:  Will be pulling for Burnley to get in as well.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 14, 2014, 04:31:23 AM
Mini-update:


CHAMPIONSHIP

- Burnley (83) can finish no worse than fifth, effectively clinching a playoff spot or better.
- Derby County (75) needs only two points in its last four matches to clinch a playoff spot. They can also still finish in the automatic promotion zone but needs Burnley to lose all but one of its matches, and win all of its, in order to do so.
- Bar of safety at 52 points.


LEAGUE ONE

- Wolverhampton (93) has clinched automatic promotion to the Championship. Their magic number is 6 - the combination of points they gain and those Brentford (87) drop needs to equal six for them to win the League One title. Brentford's magic number is also 6; that is the number of points they need for automatic promotion.
- 5 is Peterborough's (67) magic number. That is the number of points they need to clinch a playoff spot. They'd be safer with six, but if they can keep their goal differential ahead of Swindon's (60) they'll be alright. A draw and a loss for Swindon would also suffice.
- Bar of safety at 55 points.


LEAGUE TWO

- Chesterfield (74) has clinched at least a playoff spot.
- Bar of safety at 58 points.


CONFERENCE PREMIER

- Luton (92) can clinch Conference title with a win or a Cambridge (82) loss.
- Cambridge is the only team that has clinched a playoff spot.
- Tamworth (33) is officially hooped, joining Hyde (10) who were done in long ago.
- only three non-red-zoners, Southport (49), Chester (46), and Aldershot (45) are under the bar of safety, which sits at 54.


CONFERENCE NORTH

- Telford (78) has clinched a playoff spot; while sixth-place Guiseley (68) can max out at 80 points, fifth-place Boston U (also 68) can only max out at 77.
- the bar of safety is 44 points. Of the non-red-zoners, only Gainsborough Trinity, Gloucester City (both 42), Vauxhall Motors (41), and Oxford City (36) can still be relegated.


CONFERENCE SOUTH

- Eastleigh (80) can clinch the title with a win, combined with a non-win from Sutton United (74).
- Sutton can clinch a playoff spot with a draw, and Bromley (73) can do so with a win.
- The bar of safety is 51. (Bishop's Stortford doesn't even need to do anything to go clear, either, all they have to do is hope Maidenhead doesn't win another game. :P )


FEEDERS

- In spite of being on a three-game winless streak, Wealdstone now only need a point , or a Bognor Regis non-win on Tuesday, to clinch the Isthmian League title.


- Holy crap, is the Southern League close or what? Hemel Hempstead (96) leads the way but has played one more match than Chesham (91). Both have clinched at least playoff spots. Hemel Hempstead have three matches remaining while Chesham, who are on a thirteen-game win streak, have four.


- In the Northern League, Chorley (90), FC United of Manchester (84), and AFC Fylde (also 84) have clinched at least playoff spots. it's close enough, though, that Chorley has to win all its remaining matches to safely clinch first place, or have FCUM and Fylde lose a couple.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 18, 2014, 08:57:26 PM
Mini-update:


CHAMPIONSHIP

- Burnley (86) have all but clinched promotion to the Prems, and if Derby (75) drops even one point in the remaining matches this season, Burnley are on up without having to go through playoffs.


- QPR (73) and Wigan (70) can clinch playoff spots with a win. QPR could also go clear with a draw.


- bar of safety is at 51. Sheff W (53) went clear by beating Bournemouth today, and Leeds can go clear with a draw or win, or a loss for Blackpool (42, 3 games remaining).


LEAGUE ONE

- Brentford (90) clinched promotion to the Championship thanks to the combination of a win over Preston North End and a Leyton Orient (80) loss against Crawley (55).


- Leyton Orient, Preston North End (79), and Rotherham (also 79) have clinched playoff spots.


- Bar of safety is still 55.


LEAGUE TWO

- Fleetwood (72) have clinched at least a playoff spot. Burton Albion (68) can basically join them tomorrow with a win over Hartlepool
- Torquay (39) is all but doomed to relegation after losing to Dag & Red earlier today. Safety is at 47 points and they can now only max out at 48
- bar of safety is at 56.


CONFERENCE PREMIER

- Luton (92) are Conference champions after Cambridge U (82) lost to Lincoln City. This is in spite of Luton themselves losing, 3-2 against close playoff contenders Braintree (72).
- Bar of safety is still at 54.


CONFERENCE NORTH

- Joint points leaders North Ferriby and Telford (both 78) have clinched at least playoff spots.
- Oxford City (36) have been dinged three points for fielding an ineligible player.
- Vauxhall Motors (41) have decided to resign from Conference and return to the county league level, in efforts to stabilise their finances. This is a relief for Workington (27), who would otherwise be all but eliminated from contention. It also means that Histon (32, -24) is outside the red zone on goal differential, over Stalybridge Celtic (32, -34)
- The bar of safety is 41, meaning that the only non-red-zoner (under regular circumstances) that could be relegated at this point is Oxford City.


CONFERENCE SOUTH

- Eastleigh (86) are Conference South champs after beating Basingstoke today.
- Sutton U (74) and Bromley (73) clinched playoff spots on Tuesday, as Dover lost against Eastleigh.
- Bar of safety is at 50.
- Dorchester (30) is doomed to relegation.


FEEDERS

- Congratulations to Wealdstone FC (93) for being the Isthmian League Champions! They are now promoted to Conference South.


- In the Northern League, Worksop (84) have clinched a playoff spot.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 22, 2014, 12:20:29 AM
Another mini-update:


CHAMPIONSHIP


- A win will give Leicester (93) the Football League Championship.
- Burnley (89) has clinched automatic promotion to the Premiership.
- Derby (81) has clinched home-pitch advantage in the playoffs.
- QPR (76) can clinch home-pitch advantage with a win.
- Wigan (70) can clinch a playoff spot with a draw, or if Nottingham Forest (65) drops points in the last two matches.
- either of Birmingham or Blackpool (43) can doom Yeovil (37) to relegation with a win or draw.
- bar of safety is 49.


LEAGUE ONE

- Wolverhampton (99) have clinched the League One title.
- Peterborough (70) can clinch the last playoff spot with a win.
- bar of safety is 53.
- Shrewsbury (41) are doomed to relegation if they drop any points, or if any three of Colcs U, Tranmere, Crewe (all 47), Notts County (46), or Carlisle (44) hit 48 points. In other words, they're pretty much boned. :P
- Stevenage (39) is doomed to relegation.


LEAGUE TWO

- Super close up-top. Sc*nthorpe (80) can clinch automatic promotion if they win or draw another match or if Fleetwood (75) drops any points.
- The worst Chesterfield, Rochdale (both 78), or Fleetwood can do is home-pitch advantage in the playoffs.
- Southend (68) has basically clinched a playoff spot. They only need a draw, or for Oxford (62) to drop points.
- York (67) can clinch a playoff spot with a win or an Oxford loss.
- Torquay (42) still needs all six remaining points and for Northampton, Bristol, and/or Wycombe to lose both remaining matches, to remain afloat, but the fact that they're still afloat now is a miracle! :P
- Bar of safety is at 53.


CONFERENCE PREMIER

Only one match left!


- Cambridge (82) has third-place locked down.
- Braintree (73) can still make the playoffs; for this to happen could be as simple as them winning by two and Gateshead (76) losing. The odds are against them as they face Grimsby (77) in their last match, but they can still do it, especially since Gateshead is playing against Cambridge.
- Dartford (44) is relegated, but there is still a chance of Hereford (48) staying up; Chester must beat Salisbury (66) to take away any chance of Hereford succeeding. Even a draw would doom them if Hereford were to beat Aldershot (51).


CONFERENCE NORTH

- Telford (82) has only a point's edge on North Ferriby (81). Right down to the wire! Okay, here's the deal:


-- Both teams win/both teams draw, Telford wins title: North Ferriby gets home-pitch in the playoffs.
-- North Ferriby wins, Telford draws/loses: North Ferriby wins title, Telford gets home-pitch the playoffs.
-- North Ferriby draws, Telford loses: North Ferriby wins title on goal differential, Telford gets home-pitch.
- Telford draws, North Ferriby loses/both teams lose: North Ferriby may fall to third since Altrincham (78) have superior goal differential - if they win against Histon (and they probably will :P) they would be even in points with NFUAFC. A less likely but possible scenario would see them fall to fourth place, if both Altrincham and Hednesford win, but Hednesford would have to win by seven or more or NFUAFC would really have to brick it against Brackley (66)


So yeah, anything can happen.


- Boston (72) can still snatch the last playoff spot from Guiseley (75) with a win and a Guiseley loss.
- In spite of the reprieve of Vauxhall's resignation, Histon (32) is still relegated. This means that Oxford City and Stalybridge Celtic (both 36) are both in the clear.


CONFERENCE SOUTH

- Sutton (80) and Bromley (77) have home-pitch advantage in the playoffs.
- Dover (66) has the odds against them to make the playoffs at the moment. They'd have to win their remaining match and hope that one of Ebbsfleet or Havant and Waterlooville (both 68) lose both theirs.
- Tonbridge Angels (39) are doomed to relegation.
- Bar of safety is 48 as Maidenhead (42) still has two matches remaining.


FEEDERS

- Playoffs still not set in stone in the Isthmian League, even with just a single match left!
-- That said, Bognor Regis (85) is guaranteed home-pitch advantage.
-- Kingstonian (84) have clinched a playoff spot as well.
-- Hornchurch (80) and Maidstone (78) can still get into the playoffs.
- Hemel Hempstead (102) are Southern League Champions, and will probably be in Conference South next season.
- Chesham (91) is a lock in second place, while Cambridge City (85) has also clinched a playoff spot.
- In the Northern League, the top five will finish as the top five, but it's the ordering that hasn't been determined yet, with the exception of Ashton United (80) who will finish fifth.
-- Chorley (94) and FC United of Manchester (93) are battling by proxy for first.
-- Fylde (90) and Worksop (88) are battling by proxy for third.
-- To a lesser extent FC United and Fylde are at each other's throats for second.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 28, 2014, 07:51:45 AM
Mini-update:


CHAMPIONSHIP

- Leicester (99) are officially Football League Champions. They and Burnley (92) are destined for the Premiership next season.
- Derby (84) and QPR (77) are set in third and fourth respectively, the latter having clinched home-pitch advantage after a draw and a Wigan (70) loss against Blackpool (46).
- Still very close in the lower playoff race. Wigan can clinch a playoff spot by beating Birmingham (43) on Wednesday.
- Bar of safety is 47; Birmingham has two matches left but is currently in the red.
- Both Yeovil (37) and Barnsley (39) have been doomed to relegation.


LEAGUE ONE

- Peterborough (73) are locked in the last playoff position in sixth-place; placement of the other three playoff teams, Preston North End (85), Leyton Orient (83), and Rotherham (also 83) will be determined on closing day.
- the bar of safety is at 50 points, meaning penalty-hampered Coventry (51) live to die another season.
- You had to see this coming. Shrewsbury (41) is doomed to relegation.
- Carlisle (44) has a game in hand; they can max at 50, but this is contingent on them getting maximum points of course. :P


LEAGUE TWO

- Chesterfield (81), Rochdale (also 81), and Sc*nthorpe (80) have all clinched automatic promotion to League One, but who will win League Two is still anyone's guess.  8D
- As such, Fleetwood (76) have home-pitch advantage in the playoffs.
- Still up in the air as to who is going to get the other home-pitch spot. The advantage belongs to Burton Albion (72) but they still have to win their last match to make it absolutely certain. York City (70) and Southend United (69) have clinched playoff spots.
- Torquay (45) is doomed to relegation, and Wycombe (47) will join them if Northampton and Bristol Rovers (both 50) even get a single point. There is an astronomically slim chance of Wycombe finishing ahead of both, though. This would require both teams ahead of them to lose and them to win.


CONFERENCE PREMIER

All said and done in Conference as far as the regular season goes.


Playoff matchups:


(2) Cambridge (82) vs. (5) Halifax (77)
(3) Gateshead (79) vs. (4) Grimsby (78)


The teams being relegated are Chester, Dartford, Tamworth, and Hyde. It is possible that both Southern League promotions (champion and playoff winner) could end up in the Conference South to balance out the lopsided relegations from the Conference Prems, as only Dartford is clearly in Conference South territory.


CONFERENCE NORTH

Telford (85) came out victorious, while impressive debutants North Ferriby (82) have the top playoff seed:


(2) North Ferriby U vs. (5) Guiseley (78, +22, 78 GF)
(3) Altrincham (81) vs. (4) Hednesford (78, +22, 87 GF)


You already know who's going down, so I won't bore you with repetition. :P


CONFERENCE SOUTH

All said and done here, as well. While Eastleigh is going up automatically, the playoffs are as follows:


(2) Sutton U (81) vs. (5) Dover Athletic (69, +25)
(3) Bromley (80) vs. (4) Ebbsfleet U (74)


That's right. Dover's only in the playoffs by goal differential, over Havant and Waterlooville FC (69, +14).


FEEDERS

- Southern Premier League playoffs:


(2) Chesham (92) vs. (5) Stourbridge (84, +60)
(3) Cambridge City (88) vs. (4) St. Albans City (85)


Stourbridge edged Hungerford (84, +38) for the last playoff spot.


- Isthmian League playoffs:


(2) Kingstonian (85, +36) vs. (5) Hornchurch (83)
(3) Bognor Regis (85, +30) vs. (4) Lowestoft Town (84)


- Chorley (97) held off FC United of Manchester (96) to claim the Northern League title.


Playoffs:


(2) FC United vs. (5) Ashton U (80)
(3) Fylde (93) vs. (4) Worksop (88)
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 04, 2014, 04:13:38 AM
Mini-update:


CHAMPIONSHIP

Season's over.


The playoffs are set now:


(3) Derby (85) vs. (6) Brighton & Hove (72)
(4) QPR (80) vs. (5) Wigan (73)


Not sure who to root for :P But Brighton & Hove sure impressed me with a last-minute leapfrogging of Reading (71).


At the other end, it was Doncaster Rovers (44, -31) who ended up with the last relegation slot. Birmingham City (44, -18) picked up the vital point against Bolton with a draw, while Donny Rovers lost against Leicester (102). Bad break really.  :(


LEAGUE ONE

Playoffs are as follows:


(3) Leyton Orient (86, +40) vs. (6) Peterborough (74)
(4) Rotherham (86, +28) vs. (5) Preston North End (85)


Carlisle (45) drew Crawley last Tuesday, dooming them to relegation; the last relegation spot went to Tranmere after today's matches (remember that I'm several hours behind you, so it's still Saturday here :P ); even had they won against Bradford, Notts County's point against Oldham was enough to keep them ahead, barring an astronomically improbable massacre by Tranmere :P


LEAGUE TWO

- Although automatic promotion spots had already been decided, Chesterfield (84) emerged as League Two's champion after beating Fleetwood.


Playoffs:


(4) Fleetwood (76) vs. (7) York (71)
(5) Southend U (72, +17) vs. (6) Burton Albion (72, +5)


Wycombe (50, -8) saved their own bacon and put an exclamation point on a disappointing season for last-place Torquay (45) by beating them 3-0; this would have been for naught had Bristol Rovers (50, -11) even gotten a point, but they lost 1-0 against Mansfield.


CONFERENCE NORTH

First round of the playoffs is over, it'll be Guiseley vs. Altrincham in the finals here. But boy, was North Ferriby United disappointing! The second seeds got blanked 3-0 by 5th-place Guiseley. :P Altrincham had a wee scare themselves, only beating Hednesford 4-3.


CONFERENCE SOUTH

Decidedly more one-sided here, and both 4-1 upsets! It'll be Dover vs. Ebbsfleet in the playoff final as they beat Sutton and Bromley respectively.


FEEDERS

The Northern League playoffs are already over! Joining Chorley will be Fylde, who beat Worksop in the opening round and then upset artists Ashton United, who beat FC United in the first round, in penalties.


The Southern League and Isthmian League playoffs wrap up on Monday (my first day of work, so results may be a bit late coming in); in the Southern League it'll be Chesham vs. St. Albans, while in the Isthmian it'll be Lowestoft against Hornchurch after both pulled off first-round "upsets." (They were so close in the points that the word "upset" might not be justified :lol: )
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 09, 2014, 02:40:31 AM
Mini-update:


CHAMPIONSHIP

Playoffs kicked off yesterday as Derby beat Brighton & Hove on their own turf, 2-1. The return leg's in Derby on Sunday. Wigan takes on QPR later today (or tomorrow my time - bloody time zones :P )


LEAGUE ONE

Playoffs kick off Saturday.


LEAGUE TWO

Fleetwood-York starts Saturday, while Southend-Burton (GO SOUTHEND!) starts Sunday.


CONFERENCE PREMIER

Cambridge United came back from 1-0 down in the tie to beat Halifax 2-1, while Gateshead thumped Grimsby 3-1 at home to win the tie 4-2. The final goes on Sunday 18 May 2014, two days before this old fart gains another year. :P


CONFERENCE NORTH/SOUTH

Conference South final (Ebbsfleet vs. Dover) is on Saturday, while Conference North final (Altrincham vs. Guiseley) goes on Sunday.


FEEDERS

Congratulations to the final two promoted teams, Isthmian playoff winners Lowestoft and Southern League playoff winners St. Albans! :) Due to who is being relegated from Conference Premier, it wouldn't surprise me if all four teams from Isthmian and Southern Leagues put together end up in Conference South next season. I could be wrong, of course.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 14, 2014, 01:06:29 AM

Mini-update:


- The Championship playoff final will pit Derby against QPR. The Hoops needed extra time in the second leg to beat Wigan, 2-1, but Derby absolutely bulldozed Brighton to the tune of 4-1 in their home leg.
- Leyton Orient is in the League One playoff final, having beaten Peterborough 2-1 in the return leg of the tie to win the overall bout 3-2. Preston and Rotherham wrap up on Thursday.- Altrincham and Dover are joining Eastleigh and Telford in the Conference Premier next season.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 18, 2014, 05:07:51 PM
Mini-update:


- It's Rotherham who's up against Leyton Orient on 25 May for a Championship berth.
- Burton vs. Fleetwood in the League Two playoff final. Poor Southend.  :(
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 22, 2014, 01:27:15 AM
Cambridge United is back in the League after a nine-year hiatus, beating Gateshead 2-1 in the playoff final on Saturday.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 26, 2014, 11:36:53 PM
Final words from England for this season:


- QPR upended Derby 1-0 in the Championship playoff final to join Leicester and Burnley in the Prems next season. They will be replaced by Norwich, Cardiff, and Fulham.


- Rotherham overcame a 2-0 aggregate deficit to beat Leyton Orient on penalties and join Wolverhampton and Brentford in Championship next season. Doncaster, Barnsley, and Yeovil will replace them in League One.


- Fleetwood made good on its top seeding in the playoffs, beating Burton Albion 1-0 to secure promotion to League One, the highest level they've ever been at. Sky's the limit for them, it seems! ;) They join Chesterfield, Rochdale, and Sc*nthorpe in League One, to be replaced in League Two by Tranmere, Stevenage, Carlisle, and Shrewsbury.


And that's all she wrote for another season in English footy! See you next season!  :up:
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on September 22, 2014, 01:53:09 AM
Let's get this ball rolling again!


CHAMPIONSHIP

With the exception of Wigan and Ipswich, everyone in this league has played eight matches. The hottest start belongs to Nottingham Forest (18) who have yet to lose (5-3-0), and Norwich and Wolverhampton (both 17) are right behind them. Watford (16) and Middlesbrough (15) are also part of the 5-win club early in the season, while Sheffield Wednesday (also 15) is also within a win of top, and Charlton (14, 3-5-0) have not yet lost a match, although they seem to have more trouble getting the job done than Forest up top.


On the other side of things, though, you have Fulham (1), and what the crippity-crap happened to them? It's a good thing they have 38 matches left in the season... wow, I was not expecting such a rough start from them! Blackpool (2), who barely survived last season on this level, is off to an almost-as-bad start. Huddersfield and Bolton (both 5) are the next teams up, and at least they have wins on the board.


LEAGUE ONE

Matches played vary; either eight or nine matches have passed depending on the club. The top club right now, freshly-relegated Bristol City (21), have a 5-point lead early on, and are the only club that has yet to lose left of the lot. MK Dons and Peterborough (both 16) are next in line, the first within a logjam seeing nine teams within the space of three points. The other seven are Swindon with 15 points, Chesterfield and Bradford with 14 points, and Rochdale, Preston North End, Fleetwood, and Sheff U all with 13.


Unlike in the Champs, every club has won at least once, and only six clubs are in single digits, as opposed to Champs where ten fit that bill. At bottom is Crewe (4), followed by Colchester (6), Sc*nthorpe (7), Port Vale, Walsall (both 8 ) , and Barnsley (9).


LEAGUE TWO

All clubs have played nine matches, and there is nobody left unbeaten. At top is Bury (20), followed very closely by Burton (19) and Wycombe (18 ). If the season were to end today, you'd have Southend (17), Morecambe (16), Shrewsbury, and Cheltenham (both 15) in the playoffs, with Mansfield (also 15) missing out on goal diff, and Northampton, Wimbledon, and a seemingly resurgent Portsmouth (14) out by a point. Plymouth (13) and Luton (12) are also very close to that playoff zone.


At the other end, only one team remains without a win, Carlisle U (3). Otherwise, it's quite close down there, with goal differential being the difference between red zone and clear zone with regards to Oxford and Hartlepool (both 7), the latter being the lower of the two in the table. There are a few other clubs in more immediate danger, but this is early-season, so I'm only going to draw your attention to Dagenham and Redbridge (8 ) , pun not intended, since in nine matches they have six draws. :P


CONFERENCE PREMIER

We're a tiny bit further in the season with the Conference Prems, as every club save Chester and Wrexham (who play tomorrow my time/later today British time) has played eleven matches. Three clubs have kind of poked ahead early on - Barnet (25) is looking quite good at the moment up top, with a league-high 8 wins and a goal differential per game of exactly +2, +22 total. Torquay (24) jointly has the fewest losses, having only lost once (Macclesfield is the other such club), and are in the midst of a six-game win streak, so keep your eyes on them as well. And then there's also Halifax (23). Four other clubs already have 20+ - Woking, Gateshead (both 21), Macclesfield, and Bristol Rovers (both 20). Truth be told there's actually a bit of a points logjam after the top three - ranging from 21 points to 18 there are nine clubs total - the four already mentioned, plus Eastleigh, Forest Green, Wrexham (all 19), Braintree, and Kidderminster (both 18).


There's only one club yet to win in this lot - Telford (3) is off to a rough start and if they keep this up I'll have to start calling them a yoyo team :P - they seem to own in Conference North then suck up a storm in Conference Premier. Anyway, Dover (7) is next, and then a gaggle of teams with eight points - Southport, Altrincham, and Nuneaton. Man I hope Altrincham gets dropped. :P Dartford (9) is also in single figures. It would appear that Alfreton (10) was on the down-and-outs until three matches ago, then they started, duh,  (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFKfQN5Y7Ds)WINNING (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFKfQN5Y7Ds). :P They're on a three-game win streak.


CONFERENCE NORTH

Last season, they were winning the Northern League playoffs. This season, Fylde (22) is off on a roll at the moment - after a rough 1-1-2 start they caught fire and went on a six-game win streak, which they can still maintain should they have the form to keep it up. The other new kids on the block, Chorley (20), are doing almost as well for themselves. Officially between them is Barrow (20), who with only nine matches played could actually go top if they succeed in their game in hand on Fylde - they've only lost once all season. Guiseley and Oxford City (both 18) round out the top 5. Stockport and Boston (both 17) are also doing decently.


Hyde (5) find themselves in the toilet yet again. Of the rest of the league, only three other clubs - Brackley, Gloucester (both 8 ) , and Tamworth (9) - have fewer than ten points, but I would also call Bradford Park Avenue (11) in more immediate danger because they have played eleven matches and most teams behind them have played ten (Brackley has only played nine).


CONFERENCE SOUTH

The scheduling has been a wee bit on the wonky side, more so than anyplace else in the top six levels of English footy, so it's hard to put a finger on who might end up where. But who is where now? Much easier question. Boreham Wood (19) are surprisingly high in the table, being tops ahead of Havant & Waterlooville, Basingstoke (both 18 ), Bromley (17), and three teams at 16 points: Ebbsfleet, newly promoted St. Albans, and Whitehawk. If I had to peg an early favourite I'd be tempted to go with Basingstoke over Boreham Wood on account of BTFC's game in hand on the same, but also their cushion on Ebbsfleet, who have played the same number of matches.

Ironically, neither the team that beat St. Albans in the Southern League, Hemel Hempstead (11), nor Isthmian champs Wealdstone (dead-last with 7), are doing that well at all. There are only two relegation spots this season, due apparently to the expulsion of Salisbury City from the Conference wholesale due to unpaid debts. The other red-zone spot has Staines (9) in it, with a train of six clubs with eleven points each immediately following going upward.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on November 02, 2014, 10:21:00 PM
It's been more than a month, so why not update?  :up:


CHAMPIONSHIP

I think I jinxed Nottingham Forest (22). :P They haven't won since last update, drawing four and losing three to slip from top spot to tenth. The current kingpins are Watford (29), with Bournemouth, Middlesbrough, and Wolverhampton (all 27) looming close behind. It would be something if AFC Bournemouth made the Premier League after this season, because this is only the second time they've ever been this high in the club's history! Would be like Wigan all over again! Now, as is to be expected at the roughly one-third's-way mark of the season, the top is still quite close. Derby and Norwich (both 26) hold down the other two playoff spots by a point over Blackburn (25), who are themselves only one point ahead of Ipswich (24), two ahead of Charlton (23), and three ahead of the aforementioned Forest, plus Cardiff and Brentford as well (both also 22).


At the other end, Fulham (15) must have read my post here* because they've gleaned 14 of those 15 points since last update and my scathing critique of them. 14 points in 7 games - sure, it isn't 21, but it isn't anything to sneeze at either. 4W-2D-1L since then. On the other hand, Blackpool (6) is still in single digits, and since their only win of the campaign - a surprise 1-0 result against Cardiff - they've gone on a four-game losing streak. Bolton (11) and Birmingham (12) are also in the red, and Brighton & Hove (13) isn't looking so hot either.

*-in case you haven't figured this out yet, I'm kidding. :P

LEAGUE ONE

Bristol City (36) still haven't lost, maintaining their unbeaten streak, currently at sixteen matches. As with last update, though, they only have a five-point lead over impressive Preston North End (31) - as much as some of their fans are utter ponces (from my experiences on Wigan Athletic's forums back in the Jason DeVos days), I can't help admiring the team itself so far. They only just had a seven-game win streak snapped (in rather abrupt fashion) by Rochdale last match, only their second loss all season.


Afterwards follows a seven-team logjam in a two-point range:


3. MK Dons (27)
4. Rochdale (26, +14)
5. Swindon (26, +12)
6. Notts County (26, +8)
---------------------------------------
7. Peterborough (26, +6)
8. Sheff U (26, +3)
9. Oldham (25)


So it looks like it's gonna be kind of exciting up top, at least for a while!


On the other end... yeah, it's close there as well. Three of the bottom four teams have fourteen points and are only differentiated by goal diff - these being Crewe (-19), Yeovil (-14), and Gillingham (-8 ). Just ahead of these is Sc*nthorpe (15), with Leyton Orient (16), Coventry, Colchester (both 17), Walsall, and Doncaster (both 18 ) having to keep their eyes over their shoulders, proverbially speaking.

LEAGUE TWO


It's quite close up top in the Two at this point, with only three points separating first from fifth. Tops right now is Wycombe (32), whose closest threat is freshly-promoted Luton (31), who are looking to reestablish themselves in the League after years of Conference and financial turmoil. Shrewsbury, Bury (both 30), and Burton (29) round out the top five, with Plymouth (27) and Southend (25) holding the other two playoff spots.


The "within a win" crowd is kinda big as well. Newport (24) is the first team outside the playoff range and has a five-game unbeaten streak (3W 2D) going at the moment. Right behind them is Portsmouth (23), who earnestly look like they're pushing themselves hard to get out of League Two. With them in the points are Morecambe, Exeter, and Accrington Stanley (all also 23), and rounding out the "within a win" list is Cheltenham (22).


At the other end, there's a three-point gap between the two red-zoners, Tranmere and Hartlepool (both 12), and the lowest teams outside, York, Dagenham & Redbridge, and Carlisle (all 15). But it's nothing insurmountable.


CONFERENCE PREMIER

I remember you, SouthendYid, saying you had a soft spot for Barnet. Well, you'll love this. ;) Nine-point gap for Barnet (42) atop the Conference Premier Division, with a bit of a clump behind them:


2. Gateshead - 33
3. Halifax  - 32, +12
4. Bristol Rovers - 32, +5
5. Woking - 31, +13
-----------------------------------
6. Forest Green - 31, +7
7. Grimsby - 30
8. Eastleigh - 29, +6, 30 GF
9. Kidderminster - 29, +6, 24 GF
10. Macclesfield - 29, +6, 21 GF
11. Wrexham - 28
12. Torquay - 27


Close, eh? Anyway, back to Barnet for a second. If you think their dominance right now can only be factored down to the fact that they've played more matches than anyone else (19, most have played 18 or 17), then allow me to point you to these other factors:


- Their goal differential is far superior to second-best (+29 vs. +18 for Grimsby)
- They've scored 11 more goals than second-best (43 vs. 32 for Grimsby)
- They've allowed the fewest goals of any team (14 goals in 19 games)
- They have two of the top five scorers in Conference (John Akinde is 2nd with 11, Lee Cook is jointly 4th with 8 ).


Okay, enough tooting Barnet's horn for now. :P On to the nether regions. Telford (10) is lagging well behind, but the other three red-zoners, not so much. Nuneaton (15) needs only win and they're on pace with Altrincham (18), while Dartford and Alfreton (both 16) are even better off. While Altrincham may be the first in line to drop due to their -17 goal differential (equal with that of Nuneaton, if you're wondering), Dover and Welling (both also 18) are also in very real danger at the moment.


CONFERENCE NORTH

Welcome to screwy schedule land. :P


I must say, I have to be impressed by AFC Fylde (31). Freshly promoted from the feeders, excellent start, and now, enough consistency to keep in the upper echelons of the table up to this point. Sure, they now have Barrow (32) ahead of them, but a point's margin is easily erased. The margin I'd be more concerned - with keeping or increasing it, anyway - is the four-point one between them and Solihull and Chorley (both 27). Hednesford (25) has the last playoff spot, but having played the second-most games up to now (16, only Oxford City has played more with 17), they might have to work a bit harder to keep that position up. Oxford City and Boston (both 24) are right on their tail, but I'd be more worried about Guiseley and Stockport (23), and even North Ferriby (22), because of the extra game they haven't played yet.


At the other end, it looks like Hyde's (7) big season three seasons ago was a flash in the pan. They're back in the Conference North toilet that they so narrowly escaped four seasons ago, and after two rather fruitless seasons in the National, they're back down to stink things up.


In the red with them are Stalybridge Celtic (11) and Gloucester City (12), with the first team out being Tamworth (14), and Gainsborough and Bradford Park Avenue (both 15) still being in immediate danger. Brackley and Lowestoft (both 16) aren't doing all that well either.


CONFERENCE SOUTH

I wish Powerage had stuck around to see this post. :P His beloved Basingstoke (27) sit atop the South by a couple of points over Boreham Wood (25), and Ebbsfleet and Bromley (both 24) are within a win of top as well. Havant and Waterlooville (23) rounds out the playoff contingent, with Maidenhead U (22), Hayes & Yeading (21), Whitehawk, and Chelmsford (both 20) being within a win of them.


At the other end, both Staines (9) and Weston (11) are nursing lengthy losing streaks at the moment, with the former having eight losses in a row and the latter five. The bad news for first-out-of-danger Wealdstone (12) is that they have played two more games than Weston and one more than Staines, so they aren't exactly doing so great either. Same can be said of Farnborough (13). What's worse, Farney have played two more matches than the two teams right ahead of them, Hemel Hempstead (15) and Bath (17).


And that's it for now! I'll do another one around the beginning of December.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on December 02, 2014, 02:45:25 AM
Update time!  :up:


CHAMPIONSHIP

Up top, things are nice and close. Derby (35) holds top spot by the narrowest of margins, one point over red-hot Ipswich and Brentford (both 34), who are nurturing a six-game unbeaten streak and a five-game win streak respectively. Bournemouth and Middlesbrough (both 33) are also doing very well at the moment, and how's this - Bournemouth haven't lost since the end of September! Their current nine-game unbeaten streak (6W 3D) includes an 8-0 nuking of Birmingham City. Blackburn (31) holds the last playoff spot at the moment, but Watford, Cardiff (both 29), Nottingham Forest, and Charlton Athletic (both 28) are within a win. Speaking of Watford, four-game losing streak? FAIL. :P


At the other end, Blackpool (9) seems to have given up already. Wigan (17) and Brighton & Hove (18) are in much better shape, being only two points and one point from safety respectively, chasing Rotherham (19). Some other teams are still in danger: Millwall (20), Huddersfield, and Bolton (both 21), but the good news for Wanderers is that they are also on a four-game unbeaten streak (3W 1D).


LEAGUE ONE

Bristol City (39) got pulled down to earth quite recently, finally losing against red-hot Swindon (38) and then again against Preston North End (37). MK Dons (34) are still a legitimate threat as well, being two matches behind all three of those top three and therefore quite capable of overtaking the lot of them should they be able to successfully make those matches up.  :ohyeah:


Sheffield U (31) and Oldham (30) hold the other two playoff spots, however Oldham is in a bit of a pickle as they're only there by goals scored and have played fewer matches than the team immediately behind them, Notts County (also 30).


The red zone is not a pit of despair just yet, as last-place Crewe (16) is still within a win of the first team outside the red. Yeovil and Colchester (both 17) are barely ahead of them, and Sc*nthorpe (19, -10) is only out by goal diff behind Gillingham (-7) and Leyton Orient (-5). Coventry (21) aren't doing much better, but it's better than the downward spiral they've been in in previous years, so it's a start. :P


Just ahead of them, the most peculiar unbeaten streak I've ever seen. It started with a win, but since then, Crawley (22) have drawn five in a row. Is it a six-game unbeaten streak, or a five-game winless streak? Is the glass half full or half empty?  :lol:  In any case, they're only a win out of the red, so they need to smarten up and start, uh, I dunno, WINNING? Doncaster and Barnsley (both also 22) are in the same boat in this regard.


LEAGUE TWO

Again with League Two, the top is quite close, with the points margin between teams being only one for every place from first to fifth. At the top of this logjam is Wycombe (38), followed by Luton (37), Shrewsbury (36), Burton (35), and on-form Southend (34), who have a four-game win streak and five-game unbeaten streak going.


After a slight gap we find another close battle - four teams for two playoff spots. The spots are held by Plymouth and Newport (both 31), but Bury and Exeter (both 30) are a mere point behind.


At the other end, though, the red-zoners are starting to fall behind. Last-place Hartlepool (12) are six from safety, and the other red-zoner, Tranmere (15), are three behind Carlisle (18). Not insurmountable, but still. Enough for York (19) to possibly be lulled into complacency. Heck if I know. :P


CONFERENCE PREMIER

Barnet (49) are opening up a nice little comfy lead! Too bad they also give up games in hand to a pile of teams. :P That's what sucks about winter, eh? Anyway, Grimsby, Bristol Rovers (both 41), Woking, and Macclesfield (both 39) hold the playoff spots at present, with Forest Green (37) and their ten-game unbeaten streak (4W 6D) being the first team outside. Torquay, Halifax, and Gateshead (all 35), are relatively close as well.


It seems Telford (14) can't escape the role of yoyo team. They do well in the North and then drop right back down the season after. Poor buggers. They're nine points from safety (and Southport (23)) and three behind the next-worst team, Alfreton (17). Nuneaton (18) and Dartford (20) round out the red. Some good news for most of these, though - with the exception of Dartford, all five of these teams have only played 22 matches, versus the 23 played by (besides Dartford) Welling (25) and Altrincham (28), and the 24 played by Braintree (27). There is potential for catchup here.


CONFERENCE NORTH

It's definitely wintertime for football. You can tell by the screwy numbers of games played in England's seventh level. Barrow (39) still top the table with two games in hand on second-place Guiseley (35) and one on third-place Chorley (34). Fylde (33) has slipped from second to fourth, but they've also played a Conference North-low 16 matches, and have two games in hand on Solihull Moors (also 33), who hold the last playoff spot with a goal differential difference of eight goals. At the same time, I'd be more worried about Stockport and Worcester (30) and even Boston (also 30 but with one more game played) than I would be of Oxford City (31) since they have played a league-high 20, a number they share with toilet-inhabiting Hyde (7). What the crap is wrong with them anyway? Not a single point since I last reported. Gloucester (15) and Stalybridge (16), while still in the red, are in much better shape, as Bradford Park Avenue (17) is the best team outside the red. Brackley and Leamington (both 19) are also in relatively immediate danger.


CONFERENCE SOUTH

Well, so much for Basingstoke's (27) big break. :P Even though they've only played a league-low fifteen matches (shared by last-place Weston and third-place Gosport) they've still since been passed by Gosport (29). But they're not top either, due to screwy scheduling caused by the weather. No, first-place is Boreham Wood (36). They have a six-point lead over Bromley (30). Then there's Gosport and Ebbsfleet (also 29), and Basingstoke rounding out the playoff spots. Havant & Waterlooville and Whitehawk (both 26) are closest behind, followed by Eastbourne, St. Albans (25), Bath, Hemel Hempstead, and Chelmsford (24) - all within a win.


At the other end - and remember, there's a shortened RZ this season due to Salisbury being given the heave-ho. Still, the two clubs in it aren't exactly feeling great themselves. Weston (11) are lagging in both games played and what they are doing with said games, nurturing a seven-game losing streak. Staines (12) would have been even worse off if not for snapping their nine-gamer in a recent 1-0 victory over Bishop's Stortford (18), who aren't exactly doing well themselves at the moment, but are still six clear of danger. Ditto for Wealdstone (18). On the other hand, both red-zoners have games in hand, so... we'll see. ;)


And I'll post again on New Year's Eve my time. (Would probably be New Year's Day your time before I finally get on. Gotta work and all. :P )
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 25, 2015, 04:35:00 AM
Haven't done one of these in yonks.  :o


That changes now. :P


CHAMPIONSHIP

It's really close up top, with just two matches left for the vast majority of the league (Rotherham and Reading have a third left on top). Watford (85) has a point's lead on Bournemouth and Middlesbrough (both 84; Bournemouth has superior goal diff) and three points on Norwich (82). All are assured at least a playoff spot, but it's those two automatic promotion spots and the League championship proper that everyone has their eyes on. Tomorrow (or later today in your timezone ;) ) we might see something go down, although all four of these teams have easy-looking matches based on season form of said opponents:


Watford vs. Brighton & Hove (46) - note: if B&H defy the odds and get a point out of this, they can't be relegated.
Middlesbrough vs. Fulham (49)
Bournemouth vs. Bolton (51) - note: this is on Monday
Norwich vs. Rotherham (44)



The remaining playoff spots are a battle - four teams vying for two spots:


5. Derby County - 76
6. Ipswich Town - 75
-----------------------------------
7. Brentford - 72, +14
8. Wolverhampton - 72, +11


Of the four, only Ipswich has an opponent in the upper half of the table tomorrow/today, as they play 11th-place Nottingham Forest (59).

The other end is quickly tightening up as it always does this time of the season. The real match to watch is Norwich vs. Rotherham since Rotherham could all but end any hope of survival for both Wigan (39) and Millwall (40) with a win. Actually, if Brighton and Hove gets any points from their match with Watford and Rotherham wins, it's curtains for Wigan and, should they lose, Millwall, anyway. Of course, if either of these lose, they're done-diddly-doodly-done for. :P  But here's a further point of complication. Who are they playing? Wigan's against Wolverhampton, and Millwall's against Derby. Not exactly the best odds.

Blackpool (25)? They've given up already. :lol:  If a Yank were to coach them (or even a 'Nucker like me), here's what he'd sound like: "PLAYOFFS? I just hope we can win a game!" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7fjDS0jKiE)


LEAGUE ONE

We already know that Bristol Rovers (93) is going to be in the Championship next season - heck, they've clinched the League One title already! So the question is, who's joining them automatically? Preston North End (86) or Milton Keynes (85)? Honestly, I like neither club, but PNE is, at this point, the lesser of two evils for me. :P  There's also an outside chance for Swindon (77) who has three matches to go, but if STFC drops even one point from their remaining matches, it's curtains for their chances. They play PNE tomorrow/today.


Out of the teams outside and looking in on the playoffs, only Rochdale (63) has a chance, and they must win both of their remaining matches and hope one of Sheff U (69) and Chesterfield (68) drops a sufficient number of points - in the former teams' case all of them - to make the playoffs. To make matters more difficult, RAFC's next match is against MK Dons, who are trying to eliminate all chance of Swindon catching them and get a leg up on PNE.


At the other end, only Yeovil (40) is eliminated, and they haven't done too poorly for a dead-last-placed team, if you think about it. The other three red-zoners, though, are still alive, and it's going to be an interesting stretch run:


16. Sc*nthorpe U - 53
17. Coventry City - 52
18. Port Vale - 51
19. Crawley Town - 50
20. Crewe - 49
----------------------------------
21. Leyton Orient - 47, -10
22. Notts County - 47, -17
23. Colchester U - 45*


*-game in hand


Now, Colchester may have that game in hand, but guess who they have to play to make it up? Swindon. Just two days prior (tomorrow/today), they have to play 8th-place Fleetwood (60). I don't exactly call those great odds, but given the relatively small points difference between the two considering where they are in the table, it could be worse. Still, it's going to be a very close finish. I can't see Sc*nthorpe being in danger for too much longer unless they really blow it. Crewe and Crawley, with disproportionally rotten goal differentials, are in much greater danger, in my view. (At -33, Crewe could possibly finish last in the league in goal differential as they are only a single goal against better than Yeovil at this point!  8D )


LEAGUE TWO

At this point there are a bunch of small battles, and much of the table isn't involved in any one of them. :P


The first battle is for the League Two title. Burton (88) has a leg up and also has clinched automatic promotion, something second-place Shrewsbury (86) can do with a win or a loss for either of Wycombe or Southend U (both 81). The second battle overlaps slightly, as it is still theoretically possible for Shrewsbury to drop out of auto-promo should they lose both remaining matches. But with one of the Shrews' last matches being against red-zoners Cheltenham (40; the match is today/tomorrow), I think this scenario is improbable at best. So that leaves Wycombe, Southend, and also fifth-place Bury (79), to battle for the third and final auto-promo slot. All three are guaranteed playoffs.


Which brings us to the third battle. The playoff race. Stevenage (69) looks likely to make the playoffs as Luton (65), the first team on the outside looking in, plays a red-hot Southend team that has won six in a row and gone a seventh on top without losing. A loss for either Luton or Plymouth (also 65) would be enough to clinch Stevenage a playoff spot (the latter seems much less likely since they're playing last-place Tranmere, but who knows? Desperation sometimes brings out the best in teams). If both lose, things really get interesting. If Plymouth does win (and this would seem likely), that's itski for Northampton and Exeter (both 61) and the chances of Newport County (62) making it become astronomically improbable as well. A loss opens the door for a world of possibilities in the playoffs, and would perhaps make for more exciting football. In other words, GO TRANMERE!  :lol:


A Tranmere win would also affect the final battle, the relegation race, which is now down to three teams - red-zoners Cheltenham and Tranmere, and the last team they can catch, Hartlepool (41). It's really hard to call this one. The odds seem stacked against Tranmere, who play first against Plymouth and then against Bury.


CONFERENCE PREMIER

Tomorrow/today is D-day. Last match of the season! :D


Barnet (89) and Bristol Rovers (88) have something of a proxy war going, as they don't play each other on closing day, but the winner of the whole deal goes up automatically, while the loser has to settle for playoffs. Here's the scenario outlook:


Both teams with same result - Barnet promoted
Barnet wins, Bristol draws or loses/Barnet draws, Bristol loses - Barnet promoted
Bristol wins, Barnet draws or loses - Bristol promoted
Bristol draws, Barnet loses - Barnet likely still promoted, since their goal differential is considerably superior. Barnet would have to lose by fifteen in this scenario to not still win out!  :2funny:


So yeah.


Grimsby (83) has a playoff spot locked up but can't vye for the title anymore; there is still a bit of a battle for the playoffs, though, between Eastleigh (79), Forest Green (78), and Macclesfield (77), with the last of these on the outside looking in. It's tough to call how this will end up.


Southport (48) and Welling (45) are probably both praying that Bristol Rovers beats Alfreton (45). I think it's kind of unlikely that Alfreton will beat Bristol by the absurd amount necessary for them to catch Southport, but on the other hand, Welling could lose, Alfreton could somehow gut out a draw, and it's bye-bye Welling! Whoever loses that last relegation battle will join Telford, Dartford, and Nuneaton in the lower tier of Conference next season.


CONFERENCE NORTH

The only real battle left up top is between Barrow (84) and Fylde (82) for the auto-promo spot and Conference North title. Yes, it's going right down to the wire. Scenario outlook:


Same result for both teams/Barrow wins regardless of Fylde result: Barrow promoted
Fylde wins, Barrow draws/loses - Fylde promoted
Fylde draws, Barrow loses - Barrow promoted


Simple as that. The playoff picture is already set, with Boston, Chorley, and Guiseley joining whoever loses that championship battle. It's just a matter of jockeying for position at this point.


At the other end, Colwyn Bay (42) must win and have either Stalybridge or Brackley (both 44) lose to stay up. Both teams have superior goal differential, so a draw for both would be fatal to Colwyn's bid.


CONFERENCE SOUTH

Everything's actually set except for playoff positions. Bromley (77) are this year's champs, with Boreham Wood (72), Basingstoke (70, +23), Havant & Waterlooville (70, +21), and Whitehawk (69) in the playoffs. Farnborough (30) and Staines (24) are relegated.


FEEDERS

Isthmian League

It is possible, but hugely improbable, for Hendon (92) to catch Maidstone (95), because of the goal differential difference between the two being pretty flipping big. :P So it looks more likely that Hendon will have to be in the playoffs. Margate (82) has secured a playoff spot, but Dulwich Hamlet (75) and Enfield (73) have not; both have to keep their eyes on Metropolitan Police (72), and it is even still possible for Grays Athletic (71) to make the playoffs should Enfield and MetroPol both lose.


Southern League


I honestly hope Poole Town vs. Corby Town is sold out. Winner take all, draw favours Poole. This is going to be exciting football, if not anywhere near Prems-calibre. :P The two clubs come in even on the points (91) but with Poole having a +12 goal differential advantage. The loser drops into the playoffs. Truro (86) has secured a playoff spot as well, but as with the Isthmian League, there's a four-team battle for the other two spots: Hungerford (76), St. Neots (75), Weymouth (73), and Redditch U (72) go into D-Day with the playoffs on the line.


Northern Premier League

Of the three feeder leagues, this is the only one where the champion - in this case FC United of Manchester (92) - has already been determined. Workington (87) and Ashton U (84) have clinched playoff spots and await who wins out in the three-team battle between Curzon Ashton (82), Ilkeston (80), and Blyth Spartans (79). I kinda want Ilkeston to win. They're a phoenix club of Ilkeston Town, a team wound up over finances five years ago.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 26, 2015, 03:41:03 AM
Mini-update:


CHAMPIONSHIP

- Middlesbrough (84) lost, and Norwich (83) drew, ending both teams' championship bids as Watford (88) won. If Bournemouth loses on Monday, Watford are League champions.
- Derby (77) drew, adding more chance to winners Brentford and Wolverhampton (both 75) of making the playoffs
- Wigan (39) lost and Derby (41) drew, so they're boned. Especially given that Rotherham (45) also got a point off Norwich. :P


LEAGUE ONE

- Both Preston North End (89) and MK Dons (88) won, so it goes down to the last day as to who gets that second auto-promo spot. Consequently, Swindon (77) is eliminated from auto-promo contention. Rather authoritatively, too. :P
- Chesterfield (68) lost. But so too did Rochdale (63), ending any chance of them making the playoffs. As such, home-pitch advantage for the first round is set:


3rd place: whoever loses the PNE/MK tiff
4th place: Swindon


Last match will determine who plays who, with Chesterfield and Sheff U (70) jockeying for position.


- Crawley (50) lost; combined with wins for both Crewe (52) and Notts County (50), this puts Crawley in the red with a game left.
- Colchester U (48) also won, keeping hopes of staying afloat alive for now.
- Leyton Orient (48) are barely alive as well, having gleaned a draw.


LEAGUE TWO

- Most teams in the playoff-plus region won. The only exception is Wycombe (81), who lost to Morecambe. Therefore, both third auto-promo and championship are all to play for. Burton Albion (91) has a two-point advantage over Shrewsbury (89), but the Shrews have far superior goal differential, so Burton has to win their final game against Cambridge (51) to assure the championship. Both teams have of course clinched automatic promotion.


- Although Southend (84) has to win to absolutely guarantee the third auto-promo spot, a draw would be sufficient if Bury (82) loses or draws.


- Hartlepool (44) pulled off a surprise victory over Exeter (61), while Cheltenham (40) and Tranmere (39) doomed themselves to relegation by losing.


CONFERENCE PREMIER

All said and done! (At least, for the regular season. :P )


- Barnet (92) are your champions, having finished the season off with a 2-0 win over Gateshead.
- It was close, though, as Bristol Rovers (91) murdered Alfreton (45, -41) 7-0 to put an exclamation point on a horrible season for Alfreton, who are relegated on the strength (weakness?  8D  ) of a twenty-goal goal differential gap between them and Southport (also 45, but -21). Although they finished 21st, Alfreton were 24th in goal differential (-41) and goals against (90).
- Forest Green (79) drew. Fortunately for them, so did Macclesfield (78).


- Playoffs are as follows:


(2) Bristol Rovers vs. (5) Forest Green
(3) Grimsby vs. (4) Eastleigh


CONFERENCE NORTH

- Barrow (87) beat Lowestoft, holding off Fylde (85) for the Conference North championship.
- Oxford and Tamworth (69) made it look closer than it actually was, winning their matches but still finishing a point short of the playoffs. Even worse for Oxford, the team they couldn't quite catch was the team they actually beat on closing day, Guiseley (70).  :o
- Playoffs:


(2) Fylde vs. (5) Guiseley
(3) Boston vs. (4) Chorley


- Stalybridge (45) got the point they needed to eliminate Colwyn Bay. They got through on goal differential - -16 vs. -23 for the Welsh side.


CONFERENCE SOUTH

Playoff positions are set:


(2) Boreham Wood vs. (5) Havant & Waterlooville
(3) Basingstoke vs. (4) Whitehawk


FEEDERS

Isthmian

- Congratulations to Maidstone (98), who are this year's Isthmian League champions!
- Playoffs:


(2) Hendon vs. (5) Enfield (and boy was that finish ever close!)
(3) Margate vs. (4) Dulwich


Southern

- Corby (94) edged Poole (91) 3-2 to take the Southern League championship.
- Playoffs:


(2) Poole vs. (5) St. Neots
(3) Truro vs. (4) Hungerford


Northern

- Playoffs:


(2) Workington vs. (5) Ilkeston :D
(3) Ashton United vs. (4) Curzon Ashton - ooh, rivalry!  :up:
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on April 26, 2015, 03:55:45 PM
Once again great update, like I've said before I like keeping a eye on the others English leagues, so always like reading your updates & thoughts. :up:

Come on Southend!  :hide:
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 02, 2015, 10:44:10 PM
Mini-update:


CHAMPIONSHIP

All said and done. And I can't believe I'm saying this, but Bournemouth (90) are the League Champions! This is their best-ever finish, and next season they'll play their first-ever season in the Prems after just their second-ever campaign in the Champs. Well done, lads! :up:


Joining them in automatic promotion are Watford (89). Playoffs are as follows:


(3) Norwich (86) vs. (6) Ipswich (78; and Ipswich only got on by goal diff!)
(4) Middlesbrough (84) vs. (5) Brentford (78)


As you've figured out, the finish was very close. Brentford only managed fifth by a single goal's difference (+19 vs. +18) over Ipswich, who in turn were four ahead (+18 vs. +14) of Wolverhampton. And the real killer is, Derby (77) could have passed every last one of them with a mere draw, and yet they got fried to the tune of 3-0 by lowly Reading. DERRRRRRRRRRRRRRP. 8D  Try not to choke next season, Derby, I actually somewhat like you.


LEAGUE ONE

Last game day is tomoz.


LEAGUE TWO

Well, SY won't be happy with this - Morecambe (63) played spoilers to Southend (84) and Bury (85) crept up to take the third auto-promo spot. Burton Albion (94) gutted out a 3-2 win over Cambridge U to take the League Two title over losers Shrewsbury (89), whose loss over Plymouth (71) served the double function of decisively sealing up a playoff spot for the victor (they would still have been in on goal differential over Luton (68), who beat Stevenage on closing day). Here's who's in the playoffs:


(4) Wycombe Wanderers (84, +22) vs. (7) Plymouth Argyle (71)
(5) Southend U (84, +16) vs. (6) Stevenage (72)


CONFERENCE PREMIER

Bristol Rovers goes into tomorrow's second leg with a 1-0 advantage over Forest Green, while Grimsby has a 2-1 lead over Eastleigh.


CONFERENCE NORTH AND SOUTH

The playoff semis are done. In the North, Fylde ended their year on an anticlimactic note, losing 3-1 on aggies (1-0 and 2-1) to Guiseley. Guiseley faces Chorley, who needed penalties (5-4) to get by Boston United after extra time ended with the aggregate score at 2-2. Good thing there was no away goal rule or Boston would've had it, as the two teams were scoreless in Boston.


As for the South, it'll be Boreham Wood vs. Whitehawk in the final. Boreham Wood went into the last leg with a 2-0 lead and won 4-2 over Havant & Waterlooville, while Whitehawk broke Basingstoke hearts with a 1-0 second-leg win to win 2-1 on aggies (the opener was a 1-1 draw).


FEEDERS

For whatever reason, the Isthmian playoffs have been postponed for now.  :buck2:  On the other hand, the Northern Prem League playoffs are already over, with Curzon Ashton edging Ilkeston 1-0 in the final after Ilkeston upset Workington by the same score in the semis (and Curzon Ashton also upset Ashton U by that score).


The Southern League final goes tomorrow. More 1-0 scores; Truro beat Hungerford by that scoreline while St. Neots upset Poole.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on May 03, 2015, 05:11:56 AM
Yep the drama of the playoffs it will be for Southend. :-\
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 03, 2015, 11:28:13 PM

An extremely small update. :P


LEAGUE ONE

Bristol City (99) ended the season with an 8-2 win over Walsall. More importantly, though, Preston North End (89) blew it at the last minute to give MK Dons (91) the opportunity to grab the auto-promo spot, and that they did. Dons obliterated last-place Yeovil 5-1 while Colchester United "did the impossible" and beat PNE 1-0 to grab life from the jaws of death.


This means that the relegated teams are Notts County, Crawley Town (both 50), Leyton Orient (49), and Yeovil (40).


Playoffs:


(3) Preston North End vs. (6) Chesterfield
(4) Swindon Town vs. (5) Sheffield U (GO SHEFFIELD!)

CONFERENCE PREMIER

And the playoff semis ended like their first leg did - Bristol Rovers and Grimsby coming out on top. It wasn't exactly without pain for the losers, especially not for Eastleigh, who got destroyed 3-0 by Grimsby.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 05, 2015, 02:24:33 AM
An even smaller one. :lol:


Truro City beat St. Neots FC 1-0 to win the Southern League playoffs and obtain promotion - surely they'll be in Conference South given that Truro is in Cornwall.  :P

By the way, I dug up the reason for the lag in the Isthmian playoffs: Enfield Town has been charged with fielding a suspended player. See these articles for more:

http://www.isthmian.co.uk/enfield-town-league-statement-280415-24246/ (http://www.isthmian.co.uk/enfield-town-league-statement-280415-24246/)
http://www.isthmian.co.uk/enfield-town-league-statement-010515-24284/ (http://www.isthmian.co.uk/enfield-town-league-statement-010515-24284/)

As such, Enfield town are dinged a total of three points from their season total - barring a successful appeal to the FA, which I can't see happening - which causes Metropolitan Police to take their playoff spot against Hendon.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 15, 2015, 10:29:44 PM
Called it. Metro Police got the spot. :P


And promptly lost.  :lol:


LEAGUE ONE

Preston North End had no trouble with Chesterfield, winning their tie 4-0 on aggies. Swindon, on the other hand, won the first match 2-1 only to almost blow it in the second leg, with the final score finishing an absurd 5-5 draw, making the overall tie 7-6. They were up 3-0 in the second leg after 18 minutes, but an own goal caused a momentum shift. If they play like that against Preston, they're going to get smoked.


Playoff final's on the 24th.


LEAGUE TWO

Two goal-filled playoff ties saw favoured Wycombe and Southend prevail in the end, with the former besting Plymouth 5-3 (3-2, 2-1), and the latter besting Stevenage 4-2 (1-1, 3-1). But the Southend-Stevenage matchup was closer than it might look on paper, as two of Southend's three goals were scored in extra time, and one was scored in the stoppage time of the second period of it. It'll be interesting to see what comes about in the final, which goes on the 23rd (last day of my hols).


CONFERENCE PREMIER

Playoff finals go on Sunday between Grimsby and Bristol Rovers!


FEEDERS

Northern Premier League

The Northerners finally got their playoffs off the ground after Enfield was stripped of its playoff position by a postseason penalty for fielding an ineligible player. Not like Metro Police did anything with it, though. :P They lost 2-1 against Hendon yesterday, a score echoed by Margate over Dulwich Hamlet. The final goes on Sunday. And honestly, I don't give a rip who wins.  :lol:  As long as it's good football, that's what matters.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 16, 2015, 11:23:57 PM
Just a quick addition here: It's Middlesbrough vs. Norwich in the Championship playoff finals on the 25th. Mids thwacked Brentford 3-0 in the second leg to win the tie 5-1 on aggregate, while Norwich pulled a Southend and won 3-1 in the second leg to win the whole tie against Ipswich 4-2. Granted, they didn't need extra time to do it.  :ohyeah:
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 17, 2015, 11:22:14 PM
Congratulations to:


- Bristol Rovers, who beat Grimsby 5-3 on penalties after the score in actual play finished 1-1 after 120 minutes
- Margate, who won the (incredibly delayed :P ) Isthmian League playoffs 1-0.


Some person has already got it figured out on Wikipedia who ends up where:


Conference North changes

- Alfreton, Telford, and Nuneaton down from Conference Premier
- Corby Town up from Southern League
- FCUM and Curzon Ashton up from Northern Premier League
- Oxford City transfers to Conference South


Conference South changes

- Dartford down from Conference Premier
- Truro City up from Southern League
- Maidstone and Margate up from Isthmian League
- Oxford City transfers from Conference North


Probably right, but we shall see. :P
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: Chelmsford_yid on May 23, 2015, 08:32:32 PM
Sorry DC....

Yes! Southend are going up,thought it was over in extra time. They come back from the dead! :up:
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 24, 2015, 03:10:56 AM
No, that's fine, and YAY SOUTHEND! :dance:
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 29, 2015, 03:57:52 AM
Took too long to do this. :P


CHAMPIONSHIP

Congratulations to Norwich City, who beat Middlesbrough 2-0 to ascend to the Premier League! :)


LEAGUE ONE

Not sure whether to laugh or cry that Preston North End beat Swindon 4-0. :P In any case, they're on to the Champs.


And that's the last of this season! :up:  See you at the end of July!
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 01, 2016, 04:45:18 AM
Blimey! This is what happens when you have work and health issues.  :lol:


Since we're in the home stretch of the season, I might as well at least post something. :P


CHAMPIONSHIP

Most clubs have eight matches left - six have a ninth match to go as well.


At this point it looks like a three-horse race up top, with Burnley (75) leading the way. Brighton & Hove (71) holds the other auto-promo spot, but with Middlesbrough (70) having a game in hand, who knows how long they'll be able to hang onto that? Hull (66) also has a game in hand, and while they're further long-shots for the title, their chances of getting the automatic promotion spot are still decent.


Derby (64) and Sheff Wednesday (62) are more likely looking behind themselves in the table, although the number of legitimate contenders for their playoff spots is shrinking. The most immediate threats to their hold on the spot are Cardiff (59), Ipswich (58), and Birmingham (56, game in hand), and further back, Preston (53) and QPR (51) still have something of a shot, but are more dark horse teams at present. That said, with eight/nine matches left, there are still gobs of points left.


Speaking of which, the bar of safety is still something of a moot point, sitting at 61. It will become more important as the games roll on, though.


At the low end of things, Bolton (26) almost look as if they've given up on the season. They're an even dozen behind the first team out, Fulham (38), and they've only gleaned a single point from their last five matches. They will need a miracle to survive. Charlton (32) would have to really push, but them getting to safety is more feasible. And then there are MK Dons (37), who are barely out at all. The only other side that's in immediate danger of relegation is Rotherham (39), who would still be in the red if not for a sudden run of form that now has them on a five-game unbeaten streak (4W 1D).


LEAGUE ONE

Looks like quite the scrap up top! Wigan (74) wants to bounce right back from last season's relegation, and Burton Albion (75) wants to push ever higher, much like Wigan did around a decade ago, as it reaches new heights of football form. I'd add Walsall (68) to this fracas as well, though, because of two games it has in hand. League One's games-played picture is a little skewed, what can I say? 8D


Gillingham (66) is a bit more of an outside shot for top at the moment, but that could change. They do kind of have to watch their six - as do both Millwall (65) and Bradford (64) - because with the number of games left there's still more than enough time for the likes of Barnsley (62) to catch them. There's a logjam of teams behind the Tykes, ranging from eight-place Southend (58) to thirteenth-place Sheff U (55), who could also challenge for playoff spots, but they're harder-pressed.


The bar of safety is 60 points, but it actually is thus because of the combination of points and games remaining of Blackpool (42), since that club has actually played 40 matches, one of only two clubs to have actually progressed that far in their season at this point. Fleetwood and Oldham (both 41) have played two matches fewer, and should they be able to take advantage of that they'll be out of the red in no time. Actually, Fleetwood is out, by virtue of goal differential. While Blackpool is in the most danger out of teams outside the red because of their high number of games played, Chesterfield (43), and to a lesser extent Shrewsbury (46), are likely looking back with some trepidation as well.


As for teams actually in the red, Doncaster (37) is sinking in the form quicksand as well, with the worst five-game form of any club in Div One. How's this for sad? One point in their last twelve League One matches. ONE. PERKELEEN. POINT. :P Even last-place Crewe (30) has done better than that over the same period of time! Heck, they even won in that stretch, even though they're now on a four-game losing streak. If Doncaster keeps losing - and they've dropped seven consecutive - they're boned. I am holding out some hope for Colchester U (34) though, as they've found a bit of good form, actually starting at Donny Rovers' expense with a 4-1 bollocking. You never know.


LEAGUE TWO

It's a wonder Northampton (86) haven't officially clinched first place yet, but they look uncatchable at the moment. They're thirteen clear up top, having left the likes of Oxford U (73), Plymouth Argyle (71), Bristol Rovers (70), and Accrington Stanley (68) to chew their increasing wake. It helps that they haven't lost since last December. ;) Now Pompey (63) have finally been able to gather some form in a season and are sitting in a playoff spot at the moment, four ahead of the first team out, Leyton Orient (59) and with Wycombe (61) sitting in between. They also have a game in hand.


As far as the teams outside the playoff picture go, I do also consider Carlisle (57), Wimbledon, Exeter (both 56), and Cambridge (55) to be more immediate playoff contenders. Mansfield, Luton (both 53), and Barnet (51) are more dark horse sides at this point.


On the other end, it seems like the two teams to drop this time are kind of obvious, although there is still some hope for them to survive. Dag & Red (25) and York (28) are well behind Stevenage (35) and none of these teams show any sign of improving their form. The bar of safety is a measly 49 as a result, and as such most of the table (down as far as fifteenth-place Barnet, in fact) is in the clear, and another loss for the bottom two would clear Crawley (47) as well.


NATIONAL LEAGUE

So it's not called "Conference" anymore, eh? Zippity-flipping-doo-dah. :P Same diff.


Anyway, we see yet again that two teams emerge ahead of the rest, currently being Cheltenham (86) and Forest Green (84). This is a bit deceiving, though. Grimsby (72) has three games in hand on both. If they won all three they'd be right up there as well. They actually have what I have called a "six-pointer" tomorrow against Cheltenham, so they could help their cause with a well-timed win. Or not. My name's D'Arcy, not Nostradamus. :P


The playoff battle is much closer. There's only a six-point gap between fourth-place Tranmere (69) and ninth-place Gateshead (63), and that range basically covers all the teams that I think are immediate contenders - the others are Dover (68, +20), Braintree (68, +16), Eastleigh (66), and Wrexham (65). Macclesfield (57) is picking up a bit of steam, so they could be a dark horse.


The bar of safety, though, is 58. For the same reasons as all leagues up as far as League One, the scheduling is a bit wonky at the moment, and so the four teams in the red aren't necessarily the ones who are overall the worst, as Altrincham (39) and Torquay (38) have games in hand on Boreham Wood (40) and Guiseley (42). Wish I could say the same for Welling (32) and Kidderminster (26), though. :P And then there's Halifax (also 40), who are simply lagging a bit in games played compared to everyone, and if they play their cards right they can get out of their current jam. If not... well... yeah, you know where I'm going with this. :lol:


NATIONAL LEAGUE NORTH

Appearances can be deceiving here. Solihull Moors (78) have twelve points on North Ferriby United and Fylde (66), that couple of plucky relative newcomers to this level of football. They also give up two games in hand to both, not to mention to fourth-place Harrogate (61). The low end of the playoffs is where things get a little headdesk-inducing. You see, Nuneaton (56) would be in the playoffs if only they hadn't fielded an ineligible player against Corby, bringing upon themselves a three-point penalty. That's not to say that they can't just up and pass Boston (58) again, even this weekend. They have two games in hand, and although their recent form hasn't been stellar, at least they've done better than Boston over the period of the last five matches! The Pilgrims recently snapped a four-game losing streak and still give up two games in hand.


Now should they not be able to make up ground through games in hand, they'll have competition from Tamworth (also 56), Chorley (53), and to a lesser degree, Stockport (51) and Curzon Ashton (50).


Bar of safety is 56. While this is relative to Brackley's (38) max point total, with the form they've been on of late relative to everyone around them, they might not have as much to worry about as their position may suggest, although they have to be vigilant nonetheless. Hednesford and Corby (both 31) aren't all that far out of safety, but they have games in hand that they give up to those in front of them that they have to worry about as well. Lowestoft (36) is the most immediately important of these, and should they be able to make up their games in hand they'll be either ahead of, or at least contending with, Brackley. Worcester (40) and Stalybridge (42) also have those games in hand, while Telford (42) and Gloucester (43) do not. Still, Telford's on a rather amazing run of form at the moment - five game win-streak and a sixth on top of that unbeaten in National North play.


NATIONAL LEAGUE SOUTH

More wonkiness. Ebbsfleet (75) sits atop the division, but they've also played a league-high 38 matches. I'd say Maidstone (70) and Sutton (69) are definite immediate threats, given this fact. Well behind them, but still in the playoffs, Truro (57) and Maidenhead (54) have their own problems to worry about behind them, with Oxford City, Gosport (both 52), Dartford (51), Hemel Hempstead, and Concord Rangers (50) all being in that "within six" range of the playoffs. Eastbourne's (47) a bit of a dark horse.

Bar of safety is 56, which will drop dramatically in the coming weeks due to makeup matches for the aforementioned wonkiness. :P Poor Basingstoke (30), though. They've got a hard fight ahead to stay afloat. Sure, having games in hand helps, but when the team right ahead of you does as well, it isn't quite so fun. Weston-super-Mare (37) has the same number of games in hand, and the team at the top of the read, St. Albans (38), is on blistering form, having won four in a row. If anything, it's teams like Hayes & Yeading (41) who should really be worried, since their form is kinda crappy at the moment, and they're one of three teams - along with Margate (44) and Eastbourne (47) - that have played 37 matches, one more than the league median/mean number.

In short, the relegation-avoidance race is going to be a real cracker.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 15, 2016, 04:32:11 AM
Update time!


CHAMPIONSHIP


Five matches to go for most teams.


Middlesbrough (82) has strung together some very good form to pass Burnley (80) and take top spot in the Champs, but they can't really let up, either. Brighton & Hove (78) is still looking dangerous up top as well. Hull (70) is a bit behind, even with their game in hand. Speaking of Hull, they, Derby (70), and Sheff W (68) are looking more like playoff teams, but even with five matches left for most of them, Cardiff (63) can still catch them. To be fair, mathematical contenders like far-off Wolverhampton (53) are extreme long-shots and should be treated thus. Cardiff, Ipswich (60), and Birmingham (59) are more likely, but even the latter two of those are starting to lose ground and are probably long-shots themselves.


The bar of safety, by the way, is 52. Not that it matters to Bolton (26), who are already doomed to relegation. Actually, the gap between top red-zoner MK Dons (37) and last safe teams Rotherham, Nottingham Forest, and Huddersfield (all 46), is such that we could see relegation locked up in two more games. If both MK Dons and Rotherham (36) lose even two of their last five, that's it.


LEAGUE ONE

Wigan (80) has since gone past Burton Albion (76), whose form has taken a wee dive since my last update. Walsall (71) still has a game in hand, but their form hasn't been without its flaws of late, which isn't going to cut it in a championship race against a team that hasn't lost since December (Wigan). At this point, they'd be better off turning their eyes backward towards the playoff race, since they're just six points ahead of first team out Barnsley (65). The teams behind the Tykes are a bit harder pressed to catch Gillingham (68), the bottom playoff team, but nonetheless Rochdale (61) and a whole host of sides with 59 points can't yet be ruled out. Bradford (70) and Millwall (69) hold the other two spots.


The bar of safety is 57. Blackpool (45) is now officially in the red, and while they are within a point of Shrewsbury (46), they also give up two games in hand to the same, plus they give up a game in hand to everyone else save Port Vale (59) who are already out of their reach. :P What this doesn't mean is that the likes of Shrewsbury, Fleetwood (also 46), Oldham (47), and Chesterfield (49) can breathe easy. I'd suggest even Swindon (51) should be keeping an eye over the shoulder, so to speak.


Crewe (30) is doomed to relegation. Doncaster and Colchester (both 38) still have some semblace of a chance, but it shrinks every time they lose.


LEAGUE TWO

You had to see this coming. Northampton (88) has just been too good for everyone else. Their draw against fourth-place Bristol Rovers (72) clinched them automatic promotion to League One for next season, and another win would give them the League Two championship, as second-place Oxford United (76) isn't really that much closer to them! Accrington Stanley (74) holds down the third auto-promo spot at present, but it will be close in the late going, with Bristol Rovers, Plymouth Argyle (71), and even Portsmouth (69) still being quite close - closer to auto-promos, in fact, than to the closest non-playoff team.


Mathematically, Notts County (48) is the lowest team in the table that can still make the playoffs, but realistically, the lowest team I'd give a shot at it is Barnet (54). It's going to be a wild finish, though, with last playoff team Wimbledon (62, +10) only holding the spot by goal differential over Wycombe (62, +6) and Exeter (62, +4). Furthermore, there are Carlisle (60, +2), Leyton Orient (60, -1), and Cambridge (59), all within a win.


Not quite thus at the other end, with the bar of safety sitting at a paltry 45. If not for a surprise win against Morecambe, last place Dag & Red (28) would be knocking on relegation's door already. York (30) isn't doing much better, being nine points behind the first team out, Stevenage (39). Everyone as far down as 18th place is safe for next season.


NATIONAL LEAGUE

One more win. That's all Cheltenham (92) needs to clinch the National League title. Their absurdly good goal differential (+52) would carry them the rest of the way, since there are only three matches left and second-place Forest Green (86) would need to score an equally absurd ten goals per match to pass them. (Well, minus one or two, anyway :lol: ) That said, Green seems to have forgotten how to actually win a match. Grimsby (76) blew their chance to be championship contenders, and will have to be content with jockeying for position in the playoff realm. They still do have a game in hand on third-place Dover (78), but they also have to watch behind them - Tranmere (72, +16), Braintree (72, +13), and Eastleigh (71) are jockeying for the last playoff spot and could still get up high enough in the last three matches to topple them. Wrexham (66) and Gateshead (64) are still mathematically in it, but are extreme long-shots at this point.


The bar of safety is 50 on the dot, which means that everyone as far down as 16th is in the clear for next season. Kidderminster and Welling (both 35) would already both be relegated if not for recent victories. Halifax (43) has a game in hand on Boreham Wood (41, -10) and Altrincham (41, -25) but also has the joint-worst goal differential in the league (with Welling, -26), so they need to smarten up fast or they'll be, in the words of Chevelle, seeing red again. :P Chester (45), Guiseley (46), and Torquay (47) are also in danger.


NATIONAL LEAGUE NORTH

Solihull Moors (84) has clinched the NL North championship, being far enough ahead of Fylde (71, 3 matches left) and North Ferriby U (70, 4 matches left).


Again, Nuneaton (61) would be in the playoffs now if not for that infamous points penalty. But on the plus side, they have a game in hand and far superior goal differential to the team they're chasing, Boston (64). Let's be honest here. No penalty and Nuneaton would have that spot by a goal-differential differential (YO DAWG I HEARD YOU LIKE DIFFERENTIAL  :ohyeah: ) of 14. Theoretically, they could even finish as high as second. Very improbable, but possible.


There are only two other teams that are capable of even making the playoffs - Tamworth (59) and Chorley (56). If Boston beats Harrogate in their next match, Chorley's toast.


The bar of safety is 52. But that's relative to Brackley rather than Lowestoft (both 40), since Lowestoft seems to be a bit behind on matches. What the crap?  ???  Not that this matters to last-place Corby (31), because even a point for either Brackley or Lowestoft in their last matches will spell relegation for them. Hednesford (34) isn't looking great, either. Of the three in the red, it seems only match-laggards Lowestoft really have much of a chance of staying afloat.


As for those out of the red, Telford (43) is the one in the most immediate danger, while Gloucester (45) and a trio of teams at 46 are also needing to be careful.


NATIONAL LEAGUE SOUTH

Almost a two-horse race, now. Sutton (81, +46) and Ebbsfleet (81, +37) are even in the points atop the South, and they've both almost shaken slumping Maidstone (73) off completely. Two points for either team means Maidstone can't win the divisional championship. They are a lock for the playoffs, though, being more than ahead enough of Maidenhead (57). Now fourth-place Truro (60) needs to start playing those games in hand that they've been amassing from the number of postponements they've had, jockeying for rank, and getting ahead of the game. Most teams in the div only have three matches left. They have six. (There is also a team with only two, that being Ebbsfleet. That could bite them in the botty. :P )


As for teams that can still make the playoffs from outside, there are still quite a few, including a couple who are still in by virtue of scheduling lags. Hemel Hempstead (58) is the most immediate target, and they're being chased by Maidenhead, Dartford, (both 57, +6), Gosport (56), Oxford City (53, +13), Concord Rangers (53, E), and Whitehawk (51), who has two matches in hand on most of the pack, having played just one more match than Truro.


At the other end, Basingstoke (31) just didn't have it in them to stay up, but they never did actually quit per se, given the close scores of their most recent matches. The bar of safety is 51, although I can't see any of those red-zoners catching Whitehawk! It is going to be incredibly close in determining the other two drop-spots, as red-zoners Havant & Waterlooville and Hayes & Yeading (both 42) have the same number of points as St. Albans (also 42), and only two more than ice-cold Margate and Bath (both 44). Seriously, Margate is on a nine-match losing streak! St. Albans, inversely, is quite on-form at the moment relative to their neighbours, having a 5W 1D 1L record in their last seven outings.


Gonna be interesting!
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 17, 2016, 03:59:50 AM
Update:


CHAMPIONSHIP

TOP RUNG: After Cardiff (64) drew earlier today (or yesterday for you Brits), Brighton & Hove (81) has clinched at least a playoff spot. The great thing is, they didn't even need to do anything, but they did anyway! :P They handed Fulham a 5-0 kick in the trousers. All three top teams won, though, meaning that Middlesbrough (85) is still top and Burnley (83) is still in second.


PLAYOFF RACE: QPR (56), Leeds (54), Brentford, and Wolverhampton (both 53) have been eliminated from contention.


RELEGATION RACE: The bar of safety is 50. Charlton (36) is at relegation's door, knocking loudly, after losing to Derby. Anything less than a victory on Tuesday and they're done-diddly-doodly-done for. Here's a scenario for you - if MK Dons (38) lose and the four teams they are chasing, Rotherham, Fulham, Nottingham Forest, and Blackburn (all 47) draw, on Tuesday, relegation is officially locked in.


LEAGUE ONE

TOP RUNGS: I have to say, this Saturday session really made things closer up top. You see, had Wigan (80) done the expected and beaten Donny Rovers (41), they would have been six clear of Burton (77) and nine clear of Walsall (74) at the conclusion of the day's affairs. But no, they actually lost. Not only does this really tighten things up top, with Walsall still having that ever-important game-in-hand and also another win under their belts (over Southend), but it breathes new life into Doncaster's push to stay afloat. Some silver lining? With Barnsley's (66) scoreless draw against Burton, Wigan can no longer finish any lower than the last playoff spot. Had Burton won that match, they too would have clinched their at-least-a-playoff-spot status and pulled even with hapless Wigan in the points.


PLAYOFF RACE: a number of mid-table teams won on the Saturday session, meaning that, in spite of the low number of games left, the lowest team that can qualify for the playoffs is all the way down in fifteenth place - Bury (57) - although I'd still call them long-shots. This was helped by the fact that the only playoff-spot team that actually won was Walsall; Bradford (71) drew, and Millwall (69) and Gillingham (68) both lost. Barnsley made some ground up on them with their draw, but they also now have their rivals closing on them - the likes of Rochdale (64), Sheff U, Sc*nthorpe, Port Vale (all 62), and so forth.


RELEGATION RACE: The bar of safety is 54. As mentioned earlier, the big move was Doncaster's shock win over first-place Wigan, and while they still have a ways to go to catch Shrewsbury, or more likely, Fleetwood (both 47, but Shrewsbury has a game in hand), six points are easier to make up than nine. :P Blackpool (45) doesn't look good at the moment, having played more matches than most other teams in the league and now being two back of present safety. Now with the shift in the bar of safety, Bury and Peterborough (both 57) are clear, both teams also having won.


LEAGUE TWO

TOP RUNG: That is it! Northampton (89) are officially this year's League Two champions! This comes after Oxford United (76) lost against Luton (59), and Northampton got a point against playoff hopefuls Exeter (63). Automatic promotion is still close, with four teams (mainly) competing for the other two spots:


(42) 2. Oxford United - 76
(42) 3. Bristol Rovers - 75, +25
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
(42) 4. Accrington Stanley - 75, +21
(42) 5. Plymouth Argyle - 74
(41) 6. Portsmouth - 69
(41) 7. AFC Wimbledon - 65
-------------------------------------
(42) 8. Wycombe Wanderers - 63, +6
(42) 9. Exeter City - 63, +4
(42) 10. Leyton Orient - 63, E

In the interest of fairness I added those who are still able to mathematically qualify, although even so much as a draw from either Bristol or Accrington Stanley come Tuesday will eliminate those teams outside of playoff spots. Of course, this would also clinch at least a playoff spot for the same.

PLAYOFF RACE: I think the above chart makes it go without saying that the teams gunning for the playoffs are chasing Wimbledon first and foremost. Oxford has already clinched at least a playoff spot and it would take only a draw for Bristol or Accrington Stanley, and a win for Plymouth, for those teams to do likewise. Of course, it would also help if all three of the immediate outsiders drop points. :P Plymouth could do themselves a favour in a sense, since they play Leyton Orient on Tuesday.

What could help Wimbledon and Portsmouth is their game in hand. They're the only teams in League Two that have 'em at the moment, and they make it up on 26 April against one another. If Pompey wins this, Wimbledon is in a bit of a bind! :P

As such, 15th-place Barnet is the lowest team that can still make the playoffs, but a Wimbledon win - likely, given their last-place opponents Dag & Red (28) - will eliminate them. Not only that, but a Wimbledon win would put pressure on Luton and Mansfield (both 59) to win, as a loss in that situation would all but eliminate them and a draw wouldn't be much help either.

RELEGATION RACE: Not really a race at all at this point. Dag & Red is already relegated, and even sagging Newport County (41) will be in the clear should York (30) lose or even draw. Considering York's next opponent is Portsmouth, I can see a strong likelihood - albeit not a foregone conclusion until the final whistle, of course - of relegation being locked up by Tuesday.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

TOP RUNG: The Nat-League is a bit further along, and they too have a champion - Cheltenham! (95) Forest Green (86) blew it in the end, with a bizarre draw streak coming to an end with a loss to mid-table Woking (55). With that said, they have locked up a playoff spot pretty securely.[/font]

PLAYOFF RACE: Forest Green aside, the playoff race is still surprisingly tight considering most teams only have two matches left. Eastleigh (74) has a game in hand on two of the three other playoff holders (Grimsby (77) being the exception) and can max out at 83 points. Tranmere (72) on the other hand, can only max out at 78, so if both Braintree (75) and Grimsby win, Tranmere's toast. Braintree will be in tough, though. Their next opponent is Wrexham (69), who are barely clinging to playoff life and will want to make the most of their last two matches. Wrexham has to beat both Braintree and Barrow (61) and hope Braintree loses against red-zoners Altrincham (41), so it seems the odds are stacked against them.

RELEGATION RACE: The bar of safety, which is relative to Boreham Wood (44) rather than Halifax (43) due to the latter's game in hand, is 50. Torquay (50) does need a point to clear themselves, since Boreham Wood has a far superior goal differential. This is also problematic for Altrincham. Although mathematically they can top out at 47, if they lose once they're done in anyway, provided Boreham Wood doesn't lose by an astronomically improbable score close to 20 goals :lol: (I don't like Altrincham anyway, so I hope Boreham Wood puts them out of my misery. :P ) Not surprisingly, Kidderminster (36) and Welling (35) are now relegation-bound. Halifax and Altrincham are still very much alive, but for how long? One more thing - Chester can pull clear with a win.

NATIONAL LEAGUE NORTH

We already know Solihull (84) has won the division, so let's proceed to...

PLAYOFF RACE: North Ferriby (73) and Fylde (71) have clinched their playoff spots, with Harrogate (69) and Boston (65) holding down the other two at present. With Nuneaton (61) now behind even further on playing its matches, though, those two should be somewhat concerned, as should Tamworth (62). Other than those two, though, no outside teams are playoff-eligible. While Boston and Harrogate drew, Chorley did as well - with lowly Brackley (41).

RELEGATION RACE: In spite of stunning first-place Solihull, Hednesford (37) is clinging to life in the red, and if two of Brackley, Lowestoft (both 41) and Telford (43) hit 44, that's it for them and they're down to the feeders. Because of games in hand, though, the battle between those three to stay out of that last relegation spot is going to be very interesting. The bar of safety is 50, which encompasses quite a few teams, but that will change on Tuesday, when eight clubs go toe-to-toe.

NATIONAL LEAGUE SOUTH

TOP RUNG: It's down to Sutton (84) and Ebbsfleet (81) in the championship race, since the former beat the latter earlier today and thus eliminated Maidstone (76) in spite of the fact that they also won.

PLAYOFF RACE: While Truro (60) is the lowest team in the playoffs, though, I'd argue that, unless they lose all three of their games in hand, the teams on the outside are really chasing Hemel Hempstead (61). Speaking of games in hand, Whitehawk (54) remains alive in the playoff race after winning one of them. Wish I could say the same for Oxford City (53) - they lost against Hemel Hempstead and have been eliminated, a fate Concord Rangers (54) will share with them if they lose against Truro on Tuesday. Whitehawk has an extra game in hand, so they have a bit more wiggle room, so to speak. Gosport (56) picked up a knock by losing. Maidenhead and Dartford (both 58) are the most likely challengers to Hemel Hempstead and Truro at this point.[/font]

RELEGATION RACE: Oh man is this close. Other than already-relegated Basingstoke (32), nothing is even close to certain. Havant & Waterlooville (42) has a game in hand, and if they can make it up fully they'll be golden. Margate continues to lose, extending the streak to ten and looking more and more like they may just go under. I would hazard a guess that this streak will continue next week against Hemel Hempstead. Hayes & Yeading (43) is also very close to safety. Margate, being the first team out of the red, must really be feeling the heat after losing 4-1 against Bishop's Stortford, which simultaneously pushed the latter to safety. (Bar of safety is 50.)

FEEDERS

Poole Town has won the Southern Premier League, and will play in the National League South next season. :)
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 23, 2016, 02:06:08 AM
Mini-update:


CHAMPIONSHIP

- Cardiff (64) loses, clinching playoff spots for Hull City and Derby County (both 76), who also both won.
- Birmingham (60) and Preston North End (58) eliminated from playoff contention.- Bar of safety is 48. Five teams (Blackburn (GD -3), Nottingham Forest (-7), Fulham (-9), Rotherham U (-13), and Bristol City (-20)) sitting right at that.
- Charlton Athletic (37) doomed to relegation and MK Dons (39) not looking too much better; one team of the five sitting at 48 points needs to lose all three (most likely Bristol City) and MK Dons needs to win all three of its last matches (Brentford, Ipswich, and Nottingham Forest), in order for that team to stay up.




LEAGUE ONE

- Not much change up top.
- Southend (59), Peterborough, and Bury (both 57) eliminated from playoff contention.
- Bar of safety is 53.
- Colchester United (39) needs to win all its remaining matches to stay up; even a draw would doom them to relegation.


LEAGUE TWO

- Still a very close race for the other two auto-qualifier spots; all teams with at least a playoff spot at this point have a theoretical chance of claiming one. Portsmouth (69) and Wimbledon (68) have games in hand on the five teams ahead of them, and of those, only Northampton (now 92) are a sure lock for League One next season.
- Barnet (58) eliminated from playoff contention.
- York (33) are still clinging to life after a surprise win over Portsmouth. Still unlikely they'll stay afloat as even one point for Newport County (42) means they're toast.


NATIONAL LEAGUE

- Grimsby (80) are ever-so-close to clinching a playoff spot after beating Woking on Tuesday.


NATIONAL LEAGUE NORTH

- Nuneaton (64) won one of its games in hand (against Gloucester) to keep up somewhat with Boston (65) in the playoff race.
- Telford (44) drew against Brackley (42) and Lowestoft (also 44) beat Worcester (47), eliminating Hednesford (37) from the National League North.


NATIONAL LEAGUE SOUTH

- Concord Rangers (54) are out of playoff contention.


FEEDERS

- Darlington 1883, the "successor team" to folded Darlington FC, have won the Northern League and promotion to the National League North. :)
- Last game-day of the regular season is tomorrow in the Northern and Isthmian Leagues, and for most of the Southern Premier League as well - four teams have makeup matches on Tuesday, none of which are in contention for playoff spots. :P
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on April 24, 2016, 07:05:44 AM
Mini-update:


CHAMPIONSHIP

- There is now a three-way battle up-top, with Burnley, Middlesbrough, and Brighton & Hove all having 87 points. This comes after Middlesbrough managed a mere draw against Ipswich (63)
- Speaking of Ipswich, they're now out of playoff contention, leaving only Cardiff (67) as a team outside the playoffs that can still make it.
- Relegation is now locked in, as MK Dons' (39) loss against Brentford damns them to relegation.


LEAGUE ONE

- Wigan Athletic (84) have all but clinched promotion to the Championship. If Walsall (75) blows another game in hand like they did today, that will do it. If Walsall drops any points, not only is Wigan in for sure, but Burton Albion (81) would join them by taking just one of the last six points of the season.
- Gillingham's (69) loss against Shrewsbury (50) has left Walsall in a situation where they can clinch at least a playoff spot with a point. Of course they'll be going for the win and pushing for that automatic promotion spot!
- Furthermore, Millwall (also 75) can clinch a spot with a point, and Bradford (74) can lock up a playoff spot with a win.
- Coventry (63) is out of playoff contention.
- Colchester United (39) is doomed to relegation.


LEAGUE TWO

- all teams in the playoff-plus zone won except for Plymouth Argyle (77); all still in the running for automatic promotion. :P
- Cambridge United (66) is the only team left outside of the playoffs that can make them, and their hopes are also fading fast. Wimbledon (71) and Portsmouth (72) play each other in a game-in-hand resolution match on Tuesday, if Wimbledon wins that, Cambridge is basically toast.
- York City's (33) slim hopes of staying afloat in the Football League were snuffed out with authority by Accrington Stanley, who beat them 3-0. They would have been relegated regardless, as Newport County (43) drew against Luton (63).


NATIONAL LEAGUE

- Grimsby and Dover (both 80) have clinched playoff spots; this in spite of the former losing. With just one match left, Braintree (78) only needs a draw to seal up the final playoff spot; should they lose, Tranmere (75) can snatch the spot from them at the last moment by merely winning. Should they also lose, Eastleigh (also 75) would need to win by no fewer than three goals to get the playoff spot, but a playoff spot is still somewhat possible.
- a 5-0 drubbing of Welling (35) keeps Altrincham (44) alive, if only just. Halifax (47) needs a point to ensure safety, but since it's highly unlikely that Boreham Wood will get flattened by Welling or that Altrincham would flatten Braintree (especially given their circumstances :lol: ), I think we can count Boreham Wood as more or less safe from being overtaken by Altrincham. Guiseley (46), on the other hand...


NATIONAL LEAGUE NORTH

- Boston (65) are now on the outside looking in, and at that, the only such team that can still make the playoffs. Nuneaton (67) can actually eliminate them from playoff contention by defeating Bradford Park Avenue (50) on Wednesday. This comes after Nuneaton beat Boston 2-1.
- Lowestoft (45) can doom Brackley (43) to relegation by beating North Ferriby (73) on Tuesday. Yeah, easier said than done. :ohyeah:


NATIONAL LEAGUE SOUTH

- Sutton (87) clinched the Nat League South title with a 2-0 win over Ebbsfleet.
- Truro's (63) loss to already-relegated Basingstoke (35) does present some concern to the southwestern side, but with that said, they still have two games in hand to make up, as most teams in the division have just one match left to play. They play red-hot Whitehawk (60) next (white-hot? :P ) who are just one point out of the playoffs after winning their fifth straight. They still have Hemel Hempstead (61) as a buffer as well. They also have an extra match this week, playing red-zoners Havant & Waterlooville (45) on Thursday.
- Margate (47) snapped a lengthy losing streak by shocking the aforementioned Hemel Hempstead with a 4-3 victory. But they aren't out of the woods just yet, with the bar of safety at 49.
- Hayes & Yeading (43) are all but done; they need a miracle to catch St. Albans (46) because of the massive goal differential disparity between the two, and they're up against mid-table Gosport (56) in their closer.


FEEDERS

- With the exception of two rather inconsequential matches in the Southern Premier's lower ranks, the seasons are over. Here's how things line up:


Champs

Isthmian - Hampton & Richmond Borough (95)
Southern - Poole Town (93)
Northern - Darlington 1883 (104)


Playoffs

Isthmian - (2) Bognor Regis Town vs. (5) Dulwich Hamlet; (3) East Thurrock U vs. (4) Tonbridge Angels
Southern - (2) Redditch U vs. (5) Leamington; (3) Hitchin Town vs. (4) Hungerford Town
Northern - (2) Blyth Spartans vs. (5) Workington; (3) Salford City vs. (4) Ashton U
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 01, 2016, 02:30:36 AM
Mini-update:


(Will do Championship and League One Monday, since some pretty important matches have been scheduled for that day)


LEAGUE TWO

- The race for the remaining two auto-qualifier spots is down to three teams, Accrington Stanley (84), Oxford U (83), and Bristol Rovers (82). It will be close at the end, although a certain disadvantage lies with Oxford, since they have the last-day opponents highest in the table of the three, Wycombe (64). Whoever loses out in the three-way battle will have the top seed in the playoffs.
- The playoff race is more or less over; the last team in at least playoff position - Wimbledon (72) - is too far ahead for last team out Cambridge (67) to catch. It's down to position-jockeying now.


NATIONAL LEAGUE

It's over, ladies and gentlemen!


- Cheltenham finish the season in triple digits (101) after a 3-1 win over Lincoln, their 30th of the season. They finished the season with a run of form where they won five in a row and six of their final seven.
- Braintree (81) not only clinches the last playoff spot, but leapfrogs Grimsby and Dover (both 80) to claim home pitch second-leg by finishing third. Here's the matchups:


(2) Forest Green (89) vs. (5) Dover Athletic (80, +22)
(3) Braintree (81) vs. (4) Grimsby Town (80, +37)


- Halifax (48) couldn't quite keep step. The northern side was relegated on account of wins from Boreham Wood (50) and Guiseley (49). Even if they hadn't won, though, Altrincham (44) would still have been eliminated, especially after their loss to Braintree. No sympathy from me. I can't stand Altrincham. :P My best guess is that it will be the two teams behind Altrincham, Welling U (35) and Kidderminster (40), that will be playing Nat League South next year, while Altrincham and Halifax will play Nat League North.


NATIONAL LEAGUE NORTH

- Boston (71) survived the late Nuneaton (70) charge. Oh what could have been had they not fielded that ineligible player. :P Oh well. Here are the playoff matchups:


(2) North Ferriby U (76) vs. (5) Boston U (71)
(3) AFC Fylde (75) vs. (4) Harrogate (72)


- Brackley (46, -9) made a dramatic last push to freedom after Lowestoft (46, -20) blew its games in hand and finished the season with a 1-1 draw against Gloucester (50). Brackley, on the other hand, won 1-0 against Tamworth - not only a huge upset, but a match that will make Glenn Walker a Brackley legend.


It'll be interesting to see where the relegated teams end up. Yes, Lowestoft is squarely within Isthmian League territory, and Hednesford is squarely within Northern Premier League territory, but Corby could go to either the Northern Premier or Southern Leagues as they're in the "swing zone."


NATIONAL LEAGUE SOUTH

- Ya gotta hand it to Whitehawk (64). They played their butts off down the stretch, dropping just two points out of the last 21 and beating their playoff-race rivals Hemel Hempstead (61) with authority to close out the season, to the tune of 3-0. Truro (65) were able to hang onto their playoff spot in spite of sloppy form late. The matchups:


(2) Ebbsfleet U (84) vs. (5) Whitehawk (64)
(3) Maidstone U (77) vs. (4) Truro City (65)


- That late win for Margate (47, -22) did the trick in the end, as they held on by one goal's difference in goal differential  :o  to stay afloat, after Havant & Waterlooville (47, -23) managed a mere draw against Weston-super-Mare (51). Hayes & Yeading (46) finished with a win although they were already consigned to relegation.


Who goes where? My best guess is that Hayes & Yeading joins Lowestoft in Isthmian next season while Basingstoke and H&W go to the Southern League (which in turn would force Corby north).


That said, the crap do I know? :P


FEEDERS

Perkele... I can't even blink without the playoffs whipping right by down at this level!  :lol:  The Northern Premier League playoffs are already done, with Salford City winning the playoffs with a 3-2 win over Workington, who had previously upset top playoff seed Blyth Spartans.


How's this for bizarre, though? Not a single top playoff seed survived the opening round. Bognor Regis and Redditch suffered the same fate as their Northern counterparts from Blyth. Actually, of the six home-pitch advantage teams, only two got past the first round (Salford being one). The Isthmian final features one of these, with East Thurrock beating Tonbridge Angels 2-0 to face Dulwich Hamlet in Monday's final. The Southern League has a final of first-round away teams, though. Hungerford edged Hitchin 3-2, while Redditch lost to Leamington on penalties.
Title: Re: Football League + Conference
Post by: DC76 on May 02, 2016, 11:37:27 PM
Mini-update:


CHAMPIONSHIP

- Burnley (90) has pulled ahead in the championship race, as they won and fellow title contenders Middlesbrough and Brighton & Hove (both 88) drew. Middlesbrough has the edge on goal differential (+22 vs. +20) and this will possibly come into play as the two play each other on closing day. ZOMGDRAMAZ!!!  8D  Burnley plays relegated Charlton Athletic (40), so their chances of winning the League Championship are pretty good. Still, they have to take this match seriously. A loss would put them out of the championship spot, although they have clinched promotion because, as I said, Midds and B&H play each other on closing day, so it's impossible for both to win. :P


- Playoff spots plus are now locked in. Cardiff (67) lost, clinching a playoff spot for Sheffield Wednesday (74), who are also stuck in sixth and awaiting whoever loses the Middlesbrough-Brighton matchup. Hull (80) and Derby (78), therefore, are playing each other as well, and all that remains is to see who gets advantage. If both teams have equal results, obviously, it's advantage Hull, but Derby can take the second leg home if Hull loses against Rotherham - highly unlikely given how low they are in the table, but still possible. That's football for ya. ;)


LEAGUE ONE

Wigan (87) are on the up back to the Championship!  :dance:  (I've had a soft spot for them since the captain of Canada's Golden Generation, Jason DeVos, played for them) They haven't, however, clinched the League One title, although they may as well have given what Burton Albion (84) have to do to catch them. Now sure, they're playing red-zoners Doncaster (45). But Doncaster will be playing desperate football in hopes that last-place Crewe (34) will do what Walsall (81) did and beat Fleetwood, by a significant-enough margin to bridge the ten-goal differential gap and keep their chances alive. It's a slim chance, yes, even astronomically improbable. But compare that to the gap between Wigan and Burton, which is twice that size. That's right. Wigan's +40, Burton's +20.


It's not like Wigan has it completely easy themselves, as they will be facing a Barnsley (71, +13) team who is going to fight tooth and nail to keep their playoff spot. While the aforementioned Walsall still has a shot at automatic promotion, Millwall (78) and Bradford (77) have to be content for jockeying for position. Walsall could always lose to mid-table Port Vale (65), which would allow Millwall or potentially even Bradford to pass them for top playoff spot.


Now, although their form has dropped them out of the playoffs for now, Gillingham (69) still has one last shot at the playoffs. They have to beat Millwall and hope Sc*nthorpe and Barnsley both lose; an entirely possible scenario given that Barnsley faces first-place Wigan, and Sc*nthorpe faces a Sheffield United (66) side that until two days ago were themselves still very much in the playoff race. With this in mind, though, Sc*nthorpe's only lost once in their last seven matches.


It's going to be a photo finish at the bottom. If Crewe does somehow beat Fleetwood, then both Doncaster and Blackpool (46) could potentially pass them, although the odds are against them because of goal differential. If Fleetwood even gets a draw, it's curtains for Donny Rovers and Blackpool would have the unenviable task of beating Peterborough (60) by fourteen goals. :lol:


NATIONAL LEAGUE "PREMIER"/NORTH/SOUTH

Playoffs start Wednesday in every division and for every matchup except Braintree-Grimsby, which starts Thursday.


FEEDERS

Congratulations to East Thurrock United (Isthmian) and Hungerford Town (Southern) who won their respective leagues' playoffs and gained promotion!  :up:


So who will play where next season as far as teams going up are concerned? Here's my predictions:


To Nat League North

Darlington 1883 (Northern Prem)
Salford City (Northern Prem)


To Nat League South

Hampton & Richmond Borough (Isthmian)
Poole Town (Southern)
Hungerford Town (Southern)
East Thurrock United (Isthmian)


Because of the number of deep southern teams promoted, I have to change my tune on Kidderminster. I think they'll be playing in the North next year. Who else would they transfer over to North? Bishop's Stortford? Oxford City? Nope. Because Harriers are in the "swing zone," they would have gone south if a team from further north within the Southern or Isthmian leagues (given this year's playoffs, only Southern sides Leamington FC or Redditch U would have qualified) had gotten promotion from the playoffs.
Title: Re: Football League + National League
Post by: DC76 on May 08, 2016, 03:34:03 AM
A change in league name means a change in topic name. :P


But also, it's time for an update!


CHAMPIONSHIP

League play is all said and done, with Burnley (93) being this year's Football League champions, and Middlesbrough (89, +32) squeaking out a narrow automatic promotion victory over Brighton & Hove (89, +30) to return to the Premier League after an eight-season hiatus.


As such, the playoff matchups are:


(3) Brighton & Hove Albion FC vs. (6) Sheffield Wednesday FC
(4) Hull City FC vs. (5) Derby County FC

Congrats to zee winnahs. :up:


(League One finishes tomorrow)


LEAGUE TWO

A last minute derp saw Accrington Stanley (85, +26) slip out of automatic promotion from second place coming in, as they managed a mere draw against lowly Stevenage (48); this allowed victors Oxford United (86) and Bristol Rovers (85, +31) to both pass them and thus join Northampton (99) in League One next season. But at least there's still playoffs. ;)


(4) Accrington Stanley FC vs. (7) AFC Wimbledon
(5) Plymouth Argyle FC vs. (6) Portsmouth FC


And we already knew who was relegated, so ha!  :ohyeah:


NATIONAL LEAGUE

In the playoffs, Forest Green managed a draw against Dover in the second leg to win 2-1 on aggregate. They await the winner of Braintree-Grimsby tomorrow, with the latter going into the latter leg with a 1-0 lead aggies.


NATIONAL LEAGUE NORTH/SOUTH

The second leg of the playoffs goes Sunday for both North and South semis.


- North Ferriby took a slightly shocking loss to Boston, losing 2-0.
- Fylde edged Harrogate 1-0 to go home with the lead.
- Ebbsfleet beat Whitehawk 2-1.
- Maidstone asserted its authority, beating Truro 2-0
Title: Re: Football League + National League
Post by: DC76 on May 09, 2016, 12:39:16 AM
LEAGUE ONE

There's a lot of luck up top. Wigan (87) were lucky to emerge the victors of the overall standings in spite of losing against Barnsley (74). Burton Albion (85) were lucky to keep automatic promotion after they only drew against Donny Rovers (46) while Walsall (84) won. Had they actually lost, Burton Albion would've been consigned to the playoffs.


Speaking of playoffs, though, Barnsley is also fortunate that they were able to not only beat Wigan, but do it 4-1. Had Sc*nthorpe (also 74) won by more than the 2-0 they did against Sheff U (66), they may actually have made the playoffs. Had Barnsley dropped points in any fashion, they would have made the playoffs.


In spite of all these what-ifs, though, it finished how it finished. Wigan won the division, Burton Albion now goes higher than they've ever been before, and the playoffs line up thus:


(3) Walsall FC vs. (6) Barnsley FC
(4) Millwall FC vs. (5) Bradford City FC


NATIONAL LEAGUE

Grimsby came from 1-0 behind to win the overall tie 2-1 aggies; they needed extra time, though. (The leg itself, they won 2-0.) So they now face Forest Green in the final, one week today.


NATIONAL LEAGUE NORTH/SOUTH

- Wow. Now that's what I call a comeback! Down 2-0, North Ferriby United won the home leg 3-0 against Boston to win the tie 3-2 aggregate and book a matchup against Fylde.
- Fylde basically did the same thing Forest Green did one level higher. They got the draw and won the overall tie. I'm actually rather pleased with this final - both Fylde and North Ferriby are relative newcomers to this level of football and are doing surprisingly well. :) They meet on the 14th, next Saturday.
- Speaking of newcomers, poor Whitehawk still ended up losing in spite of giving Ebbsfleet one hell of a fight, with extra time solving nothing and the match going to penalties at 3-3 aggies. What's more, Whitehawk only lost pens by a single goal, 3-2.
- And then there's Truro, whose relatively poor end-of-season form bit them in the butt and carried into playoffs, where they got goose-egged by Maidstone. :P Two clean sheets later, Maidstone sets up a duel with Ebbsfleet next Saturday, winning 3-0 aggies.
Title: Re: Football League + National League
Post by: DC76 on May 14, 2016, 05:57:59 PM
Mini-update:


- Maidstone won the Conference South playoffs on penalties after finishing 1-1 in regulation and 2-2 after extra time.


- North Ferriby United won the Conference North playoffs in extra time, 2-1, over Fylde.


National League proper has its finals tomorrow.
Title: Re: Football League + National League
Post by: DC76 on May 16, 2016, 11:58:05 PM

CHAMPIONSHIP: Sheffield Wednesday beat Brighton & Hove 3-1 aggies, while Hull City has a sizable 3-0 lead over Derby. Not insurmountable, but tough to beat.


LEAGUE ONE: Barnsley and Millwall hold the halfway aggregate lead, with the former leading Walsall 3-0 and the latter leading Bradford 3-1.


LEAGUE TWO: Plymouth Argyle got the better of Pompey, edging them 3-2; Wimbledon has a 1-0 lead over Accrington Stanley, but we all know how fragile one-goal leads are. :lol:

And the National League is now done. Grimsby is back in the Football League after a six-year hiatus, having beaten Forest Green 3-1 in the final.
Title: Re: Football League + National League
Post by: DC76 on May 23, 2016, 07:46:04 AM
CHAMPIONSHIP: Hull City vs. Sheffield Wednesday.


But boy, did Hull almost blow it or what? One more Derby goal in leg 2 and it would have gone to extra time. Finished 3-2.


LEAGUE ONE: Barnsley vs. Millwall. Man, did Barnsley smoke Walsall or what? 6-1 aggies!  :o  Millwall played for the draw and a more modest 4-2 aggregate win.


LEAGUE TWO: Plymouth vs. Wimbledon. Both of them won one leg 1-0 and drew the other 2-2; thing is, Wimbledon did it in the reverse order that Plymouth did, with the draw second.
Title: Re: Football League + National League
Post by: DC76 on May 31, 2016, 03:04:35 AM
And we have playoff winners!


CHAMPIONSHIP: Hull City edged Sheff W 1-0.


LEAGUE ONE: Barnsley didn't look like they had trouble with Millwall - 3-1


LEAGUE TWO: AFC Wimbledon beat Plymouth 2-0.


Aaaaaaaaaaaaaand that's a wrap!  :up: Hopefully work, depression, and liver trouble don't get in the way of me starting on time next season! :P
Title: Re: Football League + National League
Post by: DC76 on November 05, 2016, 03:58:28 AM
(https://i.guim.co.uk/img/static/sys-images/Film/Pix/pictures/2012/5/22/1337709078456/The-Shining-008.jpg?w=620&q=55&auto=format&usm=12&fit=max&s=c5862fbcad6609789536c64588ab0560)


I'm baaaaaaaaack :P


Okay, here's the scoop for the opening stretch of the season!


CHAMPIONSHIP

Up top is a mix of last year's relegation teams from the Prems and their close-but-no-cigar counterparts from the Championship. Newcastle (34) leads the way, having recovered from a two-game losing skid right out of the blocks and currently sitting on a seven-game unbeaten streak and a six-game winning streak. Brighton & Hove (31), who finished third in last year's regular season before losing in the first round of the playoffs, seem to really be pushing for that promotion spot early. Can't fault them for that really. Now, Huddersfield (28) only managed 51 points last season, so their current progress has to have their fans happy! If they played this rate all season, they'd end up with 86. (That said, it's hard to believe that we're already basically a third of the way on already!) They're only the first team out of a sizable logjam, but this is still early in the season, so it's to be expected. In the midst of this you also have Norwich (27) who are also looking like strong promotion contenders, Reading (25), Bristol City, and Fulham (both 24), who were in the lower mid-table last year (and indeed Fulham was uncomfortably close to the red), Birmingham City (also 24), playoff final losers Sheff W (also 24!), Leeds United (23), and Brentford (22). Barnsley (20), for having finished sixth in the regular season in League One before winning the playoffs, is looking pretty good in the Champs, considering their previous stint didn't end so well. :P


At the other end, Rotherham (7), who only just survived last season, are off to an atrocious start, but it's more recoverable-from since it's early in the season and they are just six behind Blackburn (13), who after a couple of modestly successful seasons are off to a surprisingly bad start, but are just a couple points from being out of the red anyway. Oddly, Wigan (14), who won League One last year, is also in the red, but they're just six behind the aforementioned Barnsley. Cardiff and Nott Forest (both 15) are the first teams outside the red.


LEAGUE ONE

Very similar situation to the Championship. Sc*nthorpe (34) are killing it right now, and Bolton (31), whose humiliating season last season was well-documented, are looking to turn it right back around. They had a rough start to the fall, gaining just one point of a possible dozen in a span between 17 September and 1 October, but since that streak ended they've started a new streak, and have won five in a row. If they can stay consistent, they'll be back in the Champs in no time.


Bradford (29) are trying to improve upon their playoffs-making performance last season, which saw them lose in the opening round to Millwall (21), who themselves eventually got run through by a ruthless Barnsley. Sheffield United (28) are just hoping they don't choke like they did last season! :lol:  Bristol Rovers (26) and Northampton (24) are continuing the rivalry they had last year, but this time it seems the former has the upper hand... for now. Northampton has Rochdale (also 24) to worry about early, along with a host of teams all the way down to 18th-place Coventry (19). Ahh, the closeness of the early season - gotta love it!


At the other end, the only teams that really seem to be lagging at all are Chesterfield (12) and Shrewsbury (11) - the latter of whom were fortunate to come out of last season still at this level. Oldham (15) and Swindon (16) are also in the red.


LEAGUE TWO

Early on, it's Plymouth (35) up top, trying to improve on their close-but-no-cigar performance last year, where they lost out in the playoff finals against Wimbledon. Carlisle (31) is a surprise early, as they still have yet to lose. Donny Rovers (27) round out the current auto-promo spot holders.


If you follow the six-point rule (which I tend to), what follows next is a pretty big logjam, although not quite as bit as the one in League One. This one runs from 4th-place Luton and fifth-place Pompey (both 24) down to 15th-place Blackpool (18) - and the gap even between them and 23rd-place Leyton Orient (15) is hardly insurmountable at this point! With that being said, it's still early. Anything can happen.


The only team at the other end that really sticks out as a laggard is Newport County (11), who were the last team in the clear from last season. It's not like the Nat-League champs from last year (Cheltenham, with 17) are doing too much better, but the playoff winners, Grimsby, sit just outside the playoff spots with 21 at the moment, which is kind of impressive if you ask me!


NATIONAL LEAGUE


Forest Green (40) is hungry! After a playoff choke last year against Grimsby, last year's regular-season runners-up are really turning up the heat, although they've played three more games at this point than their League-based counterparts. Three teams sit four points back at 36 - Lincoln, Tranmere (who were dead-last in the League two seasons ago and just missed the Nat-League playoffs last season), and Dag & Red (who were relegated after last season). Barrow (34) rounds out the playoffs, with six other teams within two wins - Aldershot (32), Dover (31), Eastleigh, Boreham Wood, Macclesfield (all 30), and Gateshead (29).


At the other end... poor North Ferriby (10). :P I think they're in over their heads! But it's a learning experience, as they've never been at this level before. Guiseley (also 10), after barely surviving last season in the Nat-League proper, have gotten off to a rotten start in their own right. One that's really disappointing me right now, though, is Braintree (13). BTFC finished third in the regular season last season, but have started out third-from-last after eighteen matches. Woking (also 13) has taken quite the tumble in their own right, going from playoff contention two and three seasons ago, to mid-table madness last season, to the red this season. WAKEY WAKEY! :tickedoff:


Southport (16) and Torquay (18) are more or less where they were late last season - in danger of relegation but not quite there. But behind them is York (15), who finished last in the League last season. It would be quite the kick in the pants for them to drop again this season, though.


NATIONAL LEAGUE NORTH

Fylde (37), dissatisfied with last season's third-place finish and eventual playoff bow-out, are pushing themselves again this year to try to get to the next level, but they have close competition in Darlington 1883 (36) - very impressive for a team fresh outta feeders, even if they're a phoenix club. Kidderminster (31) and Halifax (30) are gonna try to yo-yo back up to the Nat-League proper, especially Halifax, after being the last team relegated last season (and only by a point at that). But those two are in the playoff range at the moment. It could be much worse. They could be Altrincham.  :ohyeah:


Chorley (31), who finished out the playoffs last season, hold down the other playoff spot at the moment, a point ahead of Halifax. There's a slight dropoff after the playoff teams, but only by three points. One of the teams three points back is Harrogate (27), who had a strong start but for whatever reason have now found themselves in the midst of a four-game losing streak. Another, Brackley Town (also 27), are already looking much better than they did last season, where they survived on goal differential alone. Sure, there's still time for an outright implosion, but don't expect such things until they start happening!


Did I mention Altrincham? (7) After finishing third-from-bottom last year in the Nats, they have a pathetic seven points from sixteen games! Sure, Bradford Park Avenue are down there as well, but they didn't drop from the division above! They were lower-mid-table in this division last year, so less could be expected of them! And I suppose the same could be said of Stalybridge Celtic (9) as well. Still, single digits at this point really isn't good at all. Curzon Ashton (14), and mind-bogglingly, Nuneaton (15), who finished just outside the playoffs last year, are also below the point-per-game mark.


NATIONAL LEAGUE SOUTH

Is Storts even still here? Because he wouldn't want to look at the bottom of the table at the moment! Bishop's Stortford (8 ) is right down there in the gutter. But you'd also notice that there isn't the same notable gap between teams that there is in the North, with Concord Rangers (10), Weston-super-Mare, Welling U (both 11), and Oxford City (12) being within relatively close range, not at all like the seven-point gap between the two bottom teams and the first team in survival position in the North. Truro (15) has had a disappointing start given their playoff-spot finish last year and are in the less-than-point-per-game club as well.


But you know what I just noticed? Not one of the teams I mentioned was a new promotion. Heck, the lowest-ranked of those is tenth-place Hungerford (22)!


Finally, I'll get to the top. Maidenhead (39) is ripping it up at the moment, having only lost once in sixteen matches. There is a distinct "playoff race bloc" forming behind them, and surprisingly enough, two of the new promotions - Hampton & Richmond (32) and Poole Town (29) are in it. The others? Chelmsford (also 32), St. Albans (30), Ebbsfleet, and Dartford (both 29). The other new promotion, East Thurrock United (23), is doing respectably, but is on the wrong end of a six-point gap between the playoff bloc and the rest of the upper mid table.
Title: Re: Football League + National League
Post by: DC76 on December 22, 2016, 03:40:36 AM
Time for a pre-Christmas update, no?  :up:


CHAMPIONSHIP

Just shy of the halfway mark (22 matches out of 46 played).


It's a bit of a two-horse race at the moment, with Newcastle (49) and Brighton & Hove (48) with a firm hold on the auto-promo spots up top. It's early enough in the season that the teams behind can still catch them, but it could also be turned into quite the chasm. Let's put it another way, though. Second-place BHAFC is as many points ahead of third-place Reading (40) as Reading is ahead of eleventh-place Preston North End (32), but there's quite the assortment of teams between the latter pair. :P Huddersfield (39), Sheff W (38), and Leeds U (37) hold the other three playoff spots, with Derby County (36) and Brum City (34) - the latter doing better than they have been in recent years - being immediate contenders. Norwich (33), the aforementioned PNE (BOO HISS), Barnsley, and Aston Villa (both 31), are also within relative striking distance of the playoff cadre.


At the other end, so much for Rotherham (10) playing catchup, as in the last six weeks they've gleaned precisely three points!  :lol:  They're now eight points behind struggling Wigan (18), ten behind Blackburn (20), and an even dozen from safety, trailing Burton Albion (22). Other teams in relative danger include Queens Park Rangers, Cardiff (both 23), Wolverhampton (25), and Nottingham Forest (26).


LEAGUE ONE


Sc*nthorpe (47) is still up top, but it's now Sheff U (44) sitting second, surprisingly enough, since it isn't like Bolton (43) has played poorly since last time - just that the Blades have been better, taking sixteen points to Bolton's twelve since last update. A bit back, we have Bradford (37), Rochdale (36), and Peterborough (35) holding the playoff spots, with Southend (34) :up: , Fleetwood (33), and Wimbledon (32) nipping at their heels, and Millwall (31), Oxford U, Bristol Rovers (both 30), and Gillingham (29) also fairly close back.


The other end is interesting. You have five teams jockeying for a single safety spot, with the four red-zoners - Oldham (18), Coventry (19), Bury (20), and Shrewsbury (21, -12, 22 GF) - and Chesterfield (21, -12, 27 GF) all having a rough year. That said, it's not like any one team is getting slapped silly. -13 (for Bury) is the worst goal diff in the league, and I've seen far worse before! MK Dons and Swindon (both 24) are playing the laggard at the moment as well, so they need to watch themselves.


LEAGUE TWO

Much like the Championship, there's a pretty clean break between auto-promo contenders and playoff contenders here. Up top, Plymouth (44) is holding off one-loss Carlisle U and Donny Rovers (both 42). The playoff picture is ridiculously close, especially at the bottom. Seriously, most of the table is within two wins of a playoff spot. There are more points separating Carlisle and Doncaster from fourth-place Pompey and fifth-place Luton (both 35) than there are separating 7th-place Cambridge (31) from 17th-place Mansfield (26)! This will hopefully make for some exciting football in the short, and possibly medium-term. :)


With the exception of sluggish Newport County (17), the nether end of the table is pretty close as well, with just two points separating our sole other red-zoner, Cheltenham (21, -9) from 18th-place Hartlepool (23), and mere goal differential keeping them from safety, which should concern both Accrington Stanley (21, -7) and Leyton Orient (21, -5), and also, to a lesser degree, Notts County (22), Morecambe (also 23), and Hartlepool.


Either way, it's going to be interesting to see what comes of this season in the Two!


NATIONAL LEAGUE

With the schedule a bit cockeyed (as it always is in the lower levels this time of year :P ) it's hard to gauge who's doing what with perfect accuracy, but I will say this, if Lincoln (52) continues its current form - a five-game win streak and a twelve-game unbeaten streak - it will be a definite favourite to win the whole thing! Of course, you still have to consider who's immediately behind them. Tranmere (50), in spite of having an unbeaten run of their own snapped recently, have also passed Forest Green (48) for second; Forest Green's had a rough deal of late, nursing a four-game winless streak, but they're still to be taken somewhat seriously, as are Dag & Red (46), and surging Barrow (45), who have a massive eighteen-match unbeaten streak going - they haven't lost since mid-August - as well as at least one game in hand on everyone else in the league save Macclesfield (37), who also have just 23 under their belt rather than the 24 or 25 that other teams do. The only other team that is in immediate threatening position for playoff purposes is Dover (44).


It's a little closer at the bottom. Yes, York (18), Guiseley (19), and North Ferriby (21) are lagging a little, but Southport (24, -22) is only behind Braintree (24, -15) and Woking (24, -8) by goal diff. Maidstone (25), having played one more match than these three 24s, needs to really be careful as well, while Torquay (26), Solihull (27), and even Wrexham (29) are in some danger as well.

NAT LEAGUE NORTH

I don't know why, but I get a certain perverse pleasure out of seeing Altrincham (7) struggle. Maybe it's the few seasons in a row way back when that they managed to weasel their way out of promotion in spite of admins penalties. Maybe I just don't like them. It's not like they're completely alone down there, though - Stalybridge Celtic (10) isn't exactly doing great either, some ten points out of safety and with two more matches played than Altrincham to boot! But Bradford Park Avenue (19) has decided to kick things up a few notches. While still in the red, they've won four of their last five (and five of their last seven). Methinks everyone from Gainsborough (20) all the way up to 14th-place Worcester (23) should be a little worried about them at the moment! While Gainsborough is the most immediately threatened team, Alfreton (21), Telford, Nuneaton (both 22), Curzon Ashton (also 23), and Worcester are also in pretty immediate danger, and even Boston (25) might want to think about upping the ante a little down there.

On the upside now, Fylde (50) continues to pile on the pointage, having lost just once this season - 1-0 to fourth-place Tamworth (40) - and now in the midst of a five-match unbeaten streak (4W 1D) that has seen them ravage certain opponents. Seriously. 5-1 against Gloucester, 5-0 against Staly Celtic, and a facepalm-inducing 9-2 against Boston! Since they're relative newcomers to this level, I can't help cheering for them, since I always did like an underdog and we need more fresh blood in higher levels anyway!

This isn't to say that there aren't teams behind them that aren't also doing quite well. I mentioned Tamworth already, plus there's Kidderminster (43) and Chorley (41) up there as well. Darlington 1883 (38) could be better off. They're on a five-match winless streak which has seen them drop from second, and one point back of Fylde, to fifth and trying to stay ahead of an aggressive Brackley (36), who are winners of four of their last five and have two games in hand on every team ahead of them. I might have reverse-jinxed them by talking about them potentially imploding, given how they finished last season! Ah well, as long as the team isn't Altrincham, I'd say more power to 'em! :up:


Salford, Stockport (both 35), and Halifax (34) are also in relative striking distance.


An aside here - I'd keep an eye on Daniel Lucas Rowe. He's putting up big numbers down here, but looking at the seasons before he joined Fylde, I have to wonder if he'd go from fifty goals in the Nat League North to five in the Nat League Premier. Not sure. I hope he does well, though.


NAT LEAGUE SOUTH

As with the North, the South has one team surging - in their case, Maidenhead (52), who have still lost just once this year - and a few other good teams. St. Albans (43), Ebbsfleet (42), Hampton & Richmond (40), and Dartford (38) are holding down the playoff spots, with Chelmsford (36), Poole, and Hungerford (both 35) within pretty good range as well. Last-place amongst the newbies is actually 9th-place overall, which is pretty flipping good. That would be East Thurrock U (31).


Bishop's Stortford (14) occupies the Nat South basement at the moment, but it isn't like they're that far out of safety. Margate and Weston-super-Mare (both 16) are also in the red, with Welling U (18) having clawed their way out of the red for now with a pair of wins. Concord Rangers (20) and Whitehawk (22) are also in immediate danger, while a few other teams are looking in reverse with some trepidation.


Well, that's it! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year - and I'll probably update this again some time in late January or early February! :santa_smiley:
Title: Re: Football League + National League
Post by: DC76 on February 09, 2017, 05:35:50 AM
Well, it's early February. :P UPDATE TIME!


CHAMPIONSHIP

The gap between auto-promos and mere playoff spot holders has closed up somewhat, but Newcastle (62) and Brighton & Hove (61) are still in a decisive lead; Reading (56), Huddersfield (55), and Leeds (54) are very much set in the playoff spots at the moment, but Sheffield Wednesday (49) has slipped up a bit since last time and lost pace with the rest of the playoff pack. That said, so have many of the followers! Norwich (47), Derby (46), and Barnsley (45) are the most immediate threats to their playoff spot, with Fulham (43), Preston North End (42), and Birmingham (40) being farther back.


Rotherham's (16) catchup distance is increasing. They're ten back of Wigan (26), a dozen behind Blackburn (28), and sitting at just more than half the point total of the first teams in safety, Burton Albion and Bristol City (31). To make matters worse, those two other red-zoners have a game in hand. Yyyyyyyyyyyyyeah. Rotherham is boned unless a miracle happens. :P The other two, though, are very much alive. Actually, BRFC could put Burton Albion in the red very soon by making up the game in hand with a win. There are a number of other laggards, but Burton and Bristol are really the only two in immediate danger. Further up, we have QPR (34), Wolverhampton (35), and a quartet of teams with 36 points - Aston Villa (with a game in hand on the other three), Nott Forest, Ipswich, and Cardiff.


LEAGUE ONE

Well now! It seems Sheff U (60) has overtaken Sc*nthorpe (58)! This may be temporary, since Sc*nthorpe does have a game in hand, but still, it's worth noting, since they were two back last time around.


The non-auto-promo crowd has slipped a bit, none more so than Bolton (51), whose mere one-point gap has become a seven-point gap! Granted, there's reasoning for that, as they're two matches behind Sheff U and one behind Sc*nthorpe. If they make those games in hand up with wins, they'll be right back up there. Fleetwood (also 51) and Bradford (50) are also established in their playoff spots for the moment, but Southend United (46) have clawed their way into the playoff spots for the time being, with Rochdale (also 46) nipping at their heels, and Peterborough, Millwall (both 44), Bristol Rovers (43), and Walsall (42) also within relative striking distance.


The other end is close. Coventry (21) are in the basement, but they aren't nearly as bad off as Rotherham in the Champs, being eight behind Swindon (29). The other three red-zoners are very close to safety, though - Chesterfield (26) could actually pass Swindon from 23rd in the right set of circumstances (they win, Swindon loses, right amount of goals, and so forth) because of their game in hand; Bury (27) is in about the same position they were in last time; finally, Oldham (28) is off bottom and looking to make a bid for safety. Shrewsbury (32) have had a decent run of form, relatively speaking, and are unbeaten in five, putting them three clear of Swindon, but they still have to be careful, as also do Port Vale (also 32; in spite of their two games in hand, both could end up losses), Gillingham, and Northampton (both 33).


LEAGUE TWO

Losses against Barnet and Yeovil have caused Plymouth (57) to slip to second, giving way to more recently consistent Doncaster (62). Donny Rovers are on a nine-match unbeaten streak and recently had a five-game win streak snapped against Morecambe (35), who fought them to a 1-1 draw. Carlisle (52) have slipped a little, with the two-point gap they had against Plymouth enlarging to five and their gap from first enlarging to ten - with Plymouth having the game in hand, this is a bit inexplicable. They just ended up going on a winless streak, which was recently snapped after five games (3D 2L) - they had to fight to get by red-zoners Leyton Orient (25) 2-1. They will have to smarten up fast if they're going to hold that spot, because right behind them is red-hot Exeter City (48), winners of their last seven and ten of their last twelve (10W 2D) and showing very little sign of slowing down! Seriously, in their current win streak, they've only missed scoring at least three goals once!


Luton, Wycombe (both 46), and Portsmouth (45) hold the playoff spots at the moment, with another on-form team, Mansfield (43), being just outside, going seven games unbeaten (5W 2D) and being on a three-game win streak. Colchester and Barnet (both 41) are really slipping in form, on the other hand, but not quite as much as Cambridge (39; granted they also have a game in hand). Grimsby (40)? They're just trying to keep pace. They're not doing too poorly.


The other end is quite close. Newport County (23) may still be last, but a run of decent form by their standards (1W 3D in last four matches) has seen them close the gap between them and Leyton Orient (25) to two, and the gap from safety (and Notts County) to three, with a game in hand on both. Speaking of Orient, in spite of their keeping it close with Carlisle, their ability to win games has gone out the window in 2017. They gleaned four points since last update, all of which were still in 2016, and have started off the year with a seven-game losing streak. If they keep this up for much longer, they'll be last in no time!


Crewe, Accrington Stanley, and Cheltenham (all 29) are in less immediate danger, but still need to watch themselves.


NATIONAL LEAGUE PREMIER

I don't think I've seen it this close atop English footy's fifth level at this point in yonks! :lol: Usually by now you have two or three teams really start to pull away, but that isn't the case this year. I mean sure, you've got Lincoln (61) with a win's gap and a game in hand up top, but that doesn't mean that Dag & Red (58), Forest Green (57), or Tranmere (56) couldn't catch them in a couple games' time! The Daggers are the hot team up top, having won four in a row. Dover (52) is clinging to the last playoff spot at the moment, with Aldershot (50) right behind them. What the crap happened to Barrow (49), though? They've only won one of their last five! So much for that beastly run of form they had earlier this year; the unbeaten streak ended on New Year's Eve at the hands of Gateshead (46), who handed them a 4-1 slice of humble pie.


Not at all surprisingly, the games-played totals are a bit gimped at the moment, ranging from 28 games for Macclesfield (also 46) and Sutton (36) to a whopping 32 for Wrexham (45; they've been on good form of late, too). So perhaps we'll get a better idea of who's doing what without having to use copious amounts of math come the end of March or so. :P


Now at the other end, things are very close. Last-place York (26) has gained a bit of momentum of late and are just four points from safety, plus they have a game in hand on three of the four teams immediately ahead of them (the exception being Guiseley (28). I feel kinda bad for North Ferriby United (27), but they are still very much within reach of safety. Maidstone (29) is just one behind first teams out Woking (30, -15) and Southport (30, -29), and only the Lord knows how Southport has stayed up with the league's joint-worst goal differential!  :grin:  Braintree (31) and Torquay (33) also need to watch their backs.


NATIONAL LEAGUE NORTH


Fylde (62) has tripped up a tiny bit, but are still on top by a nine-point margin over a surging Salford and schedule-lagging Kidderminster (both 53); the latter has played two fewer matches than the table-toppers and could make things interesting should those both be made up as wins. Chorley (51) and Stockport (50) hold the other two playoff spots, although I'm not sure how long Chorley will hold up with two on-form sides right behind them - Stockport have a ten-game unbeaten streak (6W 4D) going, while Halifax (48) have won four of their last five on their unbeaten run. Stockport does have the disadvantage of an extra match played, but if they maintain their form, it won't be an issue. Also within a swing of that last playoff spot are Tamworth and Darlington 1883 (both 47).


At the other end... again, Failtrincham (9) continues to sag.  :2funny:  Stalybridge Celtic (15) has doubled the gap between bottom and next-to-bottom, not like that took much, and handed Halifax its most recent loss, but other than that really hasn't done much to improve their odds of staying alive. They're still ten back of Bradford Park Avenue (25) and another couple away from safety. Sure, BPA's slipped a tiny bit, but they're still very much alive. Telford (27) is the team to catch at this point, but Worcester (28), Gainsborough, and, in spite of two games in hand, Alfreton (both 29) are also in more immediate danger.


NATIONAL LEAGUE SOUTH

Man, that closed up fast! :o  Maidenhead (60), who had a nine-point lead last update, has seen that lead reduced to three; sure, they still have a game in hand on second and third place, and two in hand on fourth and fifth, but their form has slipped enough that surges in form from the two teams immediately behind them should have them panicking a bit! Both Ebbsfleet (57) and Dartford (56) are riding five-game winning streaks. Even though they are a bit farther back, I'd also have my eye on Hungerford (50), who hasn't lost a League match in about three months, going 8W 4D since then. Great form. Poole (also 50) has the last playoff spot, but they should be wary of Chelmsford (48) on account of them having played 26 matches to their own 28. St. Albans (also 48) and H&R (47) are also up their, but their inability to finish the job (both have only won once in their last five, and St. Albans only one of their last eight!) has hampered their progress. There is, however, a very sharp points dropoff after them in the table.


At the other end, Margate (16) is really starting to look dire, having lost eleven straight, and being pulled away from by Bishop's Stortford (20), who have won two in their last four. Not great, but better than they were! Whitehawk (23) is the closest to safety, but unless they start at least somewhat one-upping equally form-destitute Gosport (25), they won't be going anywhere! Also down there - Concord Rangers (26), Truro, Welling U (both 27), and Weston-super-Mare (28), but WsM has done well for themselves of late, winning four of their last five to surge out of the red. If they can maintain at least somewhat similar form, they should be fine. They needn't get cocky, though. ;)
Title: Re: Football League + National League
Post by: DC76 on March 19, 2017, 03:41:15 AM
Getting down to the wire!


CHAMPIONSHIP

Most teams have eight matches left. Huddersfield and Wolverhampton have nine.


The gap between front-runners Newcastle (78) and Brighton & Hove (77) and the pack chasing has widened by a single point, so not too much has changed. What has changed is who is in third - Huddersfield (71) and Leeds (69) have both passed Reading (67), and Hudds may prove to be dangerous because, as I indicated above, they have a game in hand on there rest of the league save lowly Wolverhampton (45).


There's also a gap between Reading and the last playoff spot, currently held by Sheffield Wednesday (62). The last playoff spot is going to be interesting to follow, though, with Fulham (61) hot on their heels, and Norwich and PNE (both 57) both within reasonable distance. There could be some dark-horses from the mid-table, but don't hold your breath. :P


I'll probably hold off on the "bar of safety" gauges until a couple weeks from now, because the only teams at the moment that cannot be relegated are the top five in the division. Still, it does look like it'll be a fight at the bottom, but not on account of Rotherham (17), who are all but eliminated already. Seriously. The odds are overwhelmingly against them at this point, as they can only max out at 44 points; if they lose but one more game, they're done-ski. And with a goal differential of -54 and a winless streak (1D 9L) that goes back to mid-January, who could see them going anywhere but down?


Wigan (34) still has a chance at staying afloat, but since they're seven out of safety, they do need to really smarten up if they're going to do so. On the other hand, Blackburn (40) is barely out at all, just one behind Burton Albion, Nott Forest, and Bristol City (all 41). BCFC is an anomaly in particular. They're down near the red, but they have a goal differential of -3. What the crap? :P Also, Birmingham, Ipswich, and Wolverhampton (all 45) can't get cocky.


LEAGUE ONE

The scheduling's a bit goofier here, with teams ranging from 36 to 39 matches played.


Sheffield United (78) is really starting to pull away up top, nine clear of Bolton (69) and ten clear of the playoffs - the first spot being held by Fleetwood (68). They do still have to be somewhat wary of Wanderers, as they have played 37 to the Blades' 38, but none of the teams in the playoffs-plus contingent have played fewer than Bolton. That's actually good news for the first team on the outside looking in, Millwall (59), as they've played fewer matches than any of them, being one of three teams (the others being Rochdale and red-zoners Port Vale) to have only played 36 matches.


One has to feel bad for Sc*nthorpe (64), whose cold streak has seen them win just once in their last eleven matches (1W 3D 7L) and slip from top spot two updates ago to fifth now. They've lost five of their last six as well, with their lone reprieve being a 2-1 win over Rochdale (53). Bradford (66) has turned things up a notch, being on a seven-game unbeaten streak (4W 3D). Southend United (60) has countered Millwall's charge with a couple consecutive wins, but to stay in that playoff spot is going to be quite the fight, especially since Millwall hasn't lost a League match since last December. 15-game unbeaten streak. That's right. They have yet to lose in 2017 in league play. If there's any comfort for Southenders, it's that three of their last five matches have been scoreless draws. All it'll take is the right team to come in and snap that streak and Millwall will be playing catchup to a much greater degree. (Plus all this doesn't count the humiliation Spurs handed them in the FA Cup. :ohyeah: ) Bristol Rovers (57) and Oxford United (55) are also relatively close.

At the other end, I wonder if Coventry (26) has somewhat given up. Poor buggers can't catch a break; they've only managed one point of a possible eighteen in their last six matches, putting them seventeen points out of safety, and their max-out is only 50 points - just seven more than first-team-out Shrewsbury (43) currently has - so things are looking kinda grim for them. Neither Chesterfield (33) nor Swindon (36) looks great either. Swindon still has some hope, I think, but that hope is fading fast. Both of these two are nurturing four-match winless streaks.

On the flip side, I have to wonder how much longer Port Vale (41) will actually stay in the red. They've only played 36 matches, fewer than the teams immediately surrounding them, and have won two of their last three after snapping a lengthy winless streak. With two games in hand on the team they're chasing (Shrewsbury) and three in hand on the three teams in front - Bury, Gillingham (both 45), and Oldham (44) - they actually have a decent chance of seeing League One action next year... if they can keep their current form up. MK Dons and Charlton (47) are both somewhat in danger - the latter's fans are rather displeased with their owner as per SY's paper-talk thread and a couple articles I've read related thereto, so that can't be good for morale. While Northampton (49) could be considered in danger, their form has been decent of late, so I think they'll be okay. I might end up wrong, though. Wouldn't be the first time!


LEAGUE TWO

Surprisingly, the scheduling is more consistent than in League Two. Teams have played either 38 or 37 matches, except Accrington Stanley, who have only played 36.


And into this context, we bring a Doncaster Rovers (78) team that is seventeen points clear of the first team outside of automatic promotion. At present, the minimum number of points for them to clinch a spot in League One for next season is 87. Three wins in their last eight. That's all they need! But I don't think they'd be content with that - they are in it to win it, having lost just once in 2017 and won four of their last five! Plymouth Argyle (72) is on good form as well, if you disregard the 3-0 blushfest against Blackpool (57) four matches ago. :P Portsmouth (65) holds down the last auto-promo spot. Would be nice to see Pompey back on an upswing after all these years of being lower - actually making progress instead of just surviving.


Still, they'll have to hold off the playoff pack, led by Stevenage (61) and Luton (59, only team in the top ten with 37 GP).  But the playoff pack has its own problems. Carlisle (also 59), who were contenders for top even at the end of 2016, are now treading water in the playoff group, and in spite of a run of decent form in early February, are now on a six-game winless streak and have just one point in that span, plus their goal differential is now even. Not a good thing when you're surrounded by teams that are double-digits in the black! Although Exeter's (58) form has been better, they are also being pursued by red-hot Blackpool (57), who are on an eight game unbeaten streak. After a bizarre three-match run of 2-2 draws, the last five matches have been pretty solid, seeing them win four out of five and even beat second-place Plymouth!


Mansfield, Wycombe (both 55), Colchester U (54), and Cambridge (53) are also within striking distance, but their form has been patchy of late, although Wycombe is on a five-game unbeaten streak (2W 3D).


At the other end, it isn't that Newport County and Leyton Orient (both 32) haven't been trying. They're the best basement-dwellers in the top four levels of English football, and the closest to safety, being seven behind Cheltenham (39). Newport has a bit of a leg up on Leyton since they have a game in hand, and their more recent form has been better, with the Welsh side managing two wins in their last three matches. But still, they've got enough of a gap that I can say they are going to have a fight staying afloat. If I could call anyone else in danger, I'd say it was Notts County (40) and Hartlepool (41).


NATIONAL LEAGUE PREMIER

More screwy scheduling. I've come to expect it this time of year. Lincoln (72), who are atop the table on goal diffs over Forest Green (also 72), have three games in hand on the same. But at least it provides some interest to have it close for now. It's close in the playoff picture as well (games played in parentheses):


(34) 1. Lincoln - 72, +35
--------------------------
(37) 2. Forest Green - 72, +32
(35) 3. Tranmere - 67, +20
(37) 4. Dag & Red - 67, +19
(38) 5. Gateshead - 65
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
(37) 6. Dover - 63
(38) 7. Aldershot - 62
(37) 8. Barrow - 61
(34) 9. Macclesfield - 54


The only reason I included Macclesfield is because of the number of games in hand they have on everyone else. Were they to make up those games in hand with wins, they'd be right up in the thick of it. But as you can see from the above mini-table, it is very close in the upper and upper-mid table.


It's also close at the bottom. Last-place Southport (31) is still alive, but their form is fading. On the other hand, North Ferriby U (33) has picked up their game a bit, with a couple recent wins - they are still six points from safety, but that could easily be made up. Same can be said of York (also 33), and they have games in hand to work with, too. Woking (38) is sitting just out of safety, behind Torquay (39) and a Maidstone team that a Maidstone (40) team that has won three of its last five, in the midst of a five-match unbeaten streak.


Hard to say if anyone else will slip into the danger area. Sutton (44) might be a candidate if they don't start winning. :P


CONFERENCE NORTH

There are two things at the bottom that worry me. One - Altrincham (17) have mustered some form. They're still dead-last, but still. 2W 2D 2L in their last six matches isn't terrible form at all... and I WANT Altrincham to lose! :P The other thing is, what the crap is up with Stalybridge Celtic (19)? Pitch troubles or something? They've only played 31 matches, whereas most teams have played 34 (inlcuding Altrincham). Whatever. Both teams are still double digits from safety. Gainsborough and Worcester (both 30) are on opposite sides of the line of safety, with Worcester being ten goals ahead of them in differential. Bradford Park Avenue and Telford (both 34) aren't looking great, either.


Fylde (74) has increased its margin of lead to eleven over Salford and game-in-hand Kidderminster (both 63), although the Harriers have seen a dip in form. Chorley (62) is looking decent as well, and Darlington (60) is prolonging its unbeaten streak (four games currently) trying to stay ahead of Stockport (59), Halifax (58), and even Tamworth (56) for that last playoff spot. Harrogate (54), Gloucester (53), and Brackley (52) are dark horses.


CONFERENCE SOUTH

And now the lead is only one, but Maidenhead (77) are hanging on for dear life! Ebbsfleet (77) is on the mother of all hot streaks at the moment, having dropped just two points of a possible 36 in 2017 (11W 1D), and while Maidenhead hasn't exactly been bad, it's those little slips, like getting a draw instead of a win, that have made the gap between the two close.


The good news is, they're both going increasingly clear of third-place Dartford (68) and are practically a lock for at least the playoffs. Chelmsford (63) and Poole (60) hold down the other two playoff spots, while Hungerford (57) and Hampton & Richmond (55) are the best bets on the outside at the moment. Bath and Wealdstone (both 53) are potential dark-horse teams.


On the other end, the red-zone teams are fading fast. Gosport (28) only recently snapped a winless streak going back to the end of last October but by the time they had, Whitehawk (33), who at one point were behind them, had pulled into safety, having won three of their last five. It's Whitehawk, and also Truro (also 33), that are the main targets for the red-zoners at the moment, but Gosport, Bishop's Stortford (24), and especially Margate (20) are really tanking it. In fairness to Margate, though, at least they finally snapped the losing streak!
Title: Re: Football League + National League
Post by: DC76 on April 02, 2017, 04:47:09 AM
Mini-Update


CHAMPIONSHIP

Bye-bye Rotherham (17). :P They lost 1-0 to Fulham, putting them far enough behind Bristol City (41) that they are now guaranteed relegation... and there's still seven matches left!


LEAGUE ONE

Sheffield United (82) is now guaranteed at least a playoff spot after beating Millwall (63).


LEAGUE TWO

I'd say the league is far enough along that I can introduce the bar of safety. With six matches remaining, the bar of safety sits at 54 points, and Accrington Stanley (55) are only the latest club to pass that point mark, having beating Plymouth Argyle (75) in an upset win.


NATIONAL LEAGUE NORTH

PHEW! That was close! I thought Altrincham (17) might actually have a chance of staying afloat! But no, they're down to the feeders officially. :P Salford City (67) condemned them to their fate with a 2-1 win earlier today, while keeping their own playoff situation alive. (Just for context, three matches have been played by most teams since last update.) Stalybridge Celtic (20) is still alive for now, as they have only played 34 matches to most teams' 37. Bar of safety is 46 points.


NATIONAL LEAGUE SOUTH

With just five matches remaining, both Margate and Bishop's Stortford (both 24) are teetering dangerously close to relegation. Depending on what Whitehawk, Weston-super-Mare, and Truro (all 36) do in their next match or two, they could be out with just a single loss. The bar of safety is 47 points.


FEEDERS

Since it's late in the season, I can also start throwing in upper-table situations from the Isthmian, Southern, and Northern Premier Leagues.


Isthmian


Really a two-horse race at this point. Yes, Leiston (68) can still theoretically catch the two front-runners because of two games in hand, but on their current form, it seems very unlikely. So it's down to Bognor Regis (85) and Havant & Waterlooville (84) for top spot. Besides, Leiston has more pressing matters to worry about, like staying in the playoffs in the midst of a playoff logjam that's tighter than an undersized pair of shorts! :P


(All teams have played 42 matches unless otherwise indicated)


(40) 3. Leiston - 68, +35
4. Tonbridge Angels - 68, +12
5. Needham Market - 68, -3
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
(40) 6. Dulwich Hamlet - 67
7. Enfield Town - 66, +24
8. Billericay Town - 66, +22
9. Wingate & Finchley - 66, +1
10. Harlow Town - 64


Southern League

All the teams who are anywhere close to playoffs have played 42 matches, meaning there are just four to play in the regular season, and Chippenham (94) seem to be unstoppable at this point, having gone without losing since last mid-December. What's better, they've only dropped two points since January 10th, winning fourteen of their last fifteen! Leamington (88) was doing okay at keeping a step behind until quite recently, drawing against Hitchin (83) and losing a close one to playoff dark-horse hopefuls Frome (70).


Speaking of playoffs, it's getting down to the wire. Kettering (66) is such an outside shot that they literally need to win every single game to have a remote chance! A draw for Merthyr Town (77) or a win for Banbury United (76, first team outside) would eliminate them. Frome isn't doing much better. They may be only seven back compared to Kettering's eleven, but they also have Banbury between them and the promised land. Frome can't catch either Hitchin or Slough (also 83), so they have to get Merthyr and pass Banbury in the process. I honestly think it'll come down to Merthyr and Banbury for the last spot, and that Slough and Hitchin have very little to worry about.


Northern Premier

In spite of a couple recent losses, Blyth Spartans (88) are well ahead of the pack in first. If not for Spennymoor's (71) games in hand, they would actually be able to clinch the Northern Premier championship with either a draw, or a draw by Nantwich (74). But they need to add at least a win to that, or a Spennymoor loss. :P


Of course, there's also the playoff picture, which isn't quite as jammed up as the Isthmian League's, but still is very close:


(41) 2. Nantwich - 74
(41) 3. Stourbridge - 72
(39) 4. Spennymoor - 71, +36
(42) 5. Warrington - 71, +9
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
(41) 6. Whitby - 69
(40) 7. Buxton - 68, +26
(41) 8. Matlock - 68, +12
(41) 9. Grantham - 67
(39) 10. Workington - 64


Warrington is at a distinct disadvantage here, from having played more matches and having inferior goal differential to the almost all the teams surrounding them on both sides! (Whitby is only +8, though, putting them at something of a disadvantage as well.)