The most fantastic nonsense - the Play Off Final!!

[Kevin Hogg]

Firstly, I want to say the play-off's are exciting and great for football. They give mid table teams something to aim for after Christmas etc. and I am soooo excited about Saturday.
However, they are brilliantly absurd. Burton Albion, Shrewsbury Town & Bury achieved what all the clubs tried for - promotion over 46 games. They are now the forgotten men as supporters of Southend United and Wycombe Wanderers are wetting themselves with excitement over our play-off FINAL. Yes..Final. At Wembley, live on tv, media coverage, thousands travelling - the FINAL.
Either The Glorious Shrimpers or The Uninspiring Chairboys will win promotion at Wembley which surely is a greater memory, greater story for the grandkids than any of the automatically promoted clubs got.
But at least we came 4th & 5th and separated by a few goals. Plymouth Argyle were so far behind the promoted clubs - they were almost relegated. Yet could have been running round Wembley, showing off a trophy (you get **** all for 2nd or 3rd??) to 35,000 delirious Yokels. Ludicrous.
Ludicrous - but bloody brilliant.
C'Mon You Shrimpers - we are in the errr...FINAL!!

 

[southchurch]

How often does a mid table team sneak into the play offs having made a late run. Then because they are the form team often win the final. But it is the same for every one. I would still have swapped Wembley for a win at Morecambe though. Hang on that sounds like a whole new thread possibility and poll.

 

[Silencer]

It's a myth mate, I saw on FL review they the most successful teams in the play offs are the teams who just miss out on promotion (league placement wise).

As for the original post and as true as the point is, the play offs and special Wembley trip are not the only things that happen in the play offs....I would have rather nicked 2nd or 3rd placements than suffer the heartache of Donny, Crewe and Burton :'(

 

[BrettieAngell]

How often does a mid table team sneak into the play offs having made a late run. Then because they are the form team often win the final. But it is the same for every one. I would still have swapped Wembley for a win at Morecambe though. Hang on that sounds like a whole new thread possibility and poll.

My bank balance definitely would!

 

[wakes123]

How often does a mid table team sneak into the play offs having made a late run. Then because they are the form team often win the final. But it is the same for every one. I would still have swapped Wembley for a win at Morecambe though. Hang on that sounds like a whole new thread possibility and poll.

I think that's a tough one. If I could have been guaranteed a Wembley final, with us being favourites with the bookies...I would probably have just taken that over a win at Morceambe. Very very close though.

 

[Supernaut]

Having been at that Grimsby game, and then the win over Lincoln in Cardiff, I believe that if you don't finish as champions, then the play-off final is the second best way to go up.

 

[LCBB72]

How often does a mid table team sneak into the play offs having made a late run. Then because they are the form team often win the final. But it is the same for every one. I would still have swapped Wembley for a win at Morecambe though. Hang on that sounds like a whole new thread possibility and poll.

Could not agree more .

 

[Another Surrey Shrimper]

Having been at that Grimsby game, and then the win over Lincoln in Cardiff, I believe that if you don't finish as champions, then the play-off final is the second best way to go up.

I witnessed both of these two and it is being destraught then overjoyed within the matter of a couple of weeks that makes this silly sport feel like something.
Play offs is the best thing to happen to football as it keeps the season meaningful for more teams for longer - you have to have something to play for. You can finish 7th and still go up - harsh but we all know the rules and peaking at the right time is crucial - play to the final whistle of the final game.

 

[Harry Bullocks]

As Ron would say............."think of the money" :smile:

 

[Angell Delight]

Same for everyone and I'd certainly much prefer the play-offs to just the top 4 being promoted. If it was like that then for some teams their season could be finished by January. Not much fun. However I don't believe the play-offs are as fair as they could be. In my view (and using League Two for the following example):

* 6th vs 7th (with 6th at home)
* winner goes away to 5th
* winner of this plays 4th at Wembley (so 4th automatically get through to the Play-Off Final)

In my view teams who finish 7th should be made to do it the hard way. If they still win promotion from there then good luck to them. The team who just miss out on the automatics deserve the reward of a Wembley Final.

I'm sure others will disagree but to me this is a fairer method than 2-legged semi-finals.

 

[Pubey]

It's a myth mate, I saw on FL review they the most successful teams in the play offs are the teams who just miss out on promotion (league placement wise).

As for the original post and as true as the point is, the play offs and special Wembley trip are not the only things that happen in the play offs....I would have rather nicked 2nd or 3rd placements than suffer the heartache of Donny, Crewe and Burton :'(

The more straight forward way to see it is that the most successful teams in the playoffs are the ones who finished highest in the league.

 

[ozzie]

Firstly, I want to say the play-off's are exciting and great for football. They give mid table teams something to aim for after Christmas etc. and I am soooo excited about Saturday.
However, they are brilliantly absurd. Burton Albion, Shrewsbury Town & Bury achieved what all the clubs tried for - promotion over 46 games. They are now the forgotten men as supporters of Southend United and Wycombe Wanderers are wetting themselves with excitement over our play-off FINAL. Yes..Final. At Wembley, live on tv, media coverage, thousands travelling - the FINAL.
Either The Glorious Shrimpers or The Uninspiring Chairboys will win promotion at Wembley which surely is a greater memory, greater story for the grandkids than any of the automatically promoted clubs got.
But at least we came 4th & 5th and separated by a few goals. Plymouth Argyle were so far behind the promoted clubs - they were almost relegated. Yet could have been running round Wembley, showing off a trophy (you get **** all for 2nd or 3rd??) to 35,000 delirious Yokels. Ludicrous.
Ludicrous - but bloody brilliant.
C'Mon You Shrimpers - we are in the errr...FINAL!!

as we know Kev,last time we took 33,000....if this had been late 60s-70s..how many would we have TAKEN then???

 

[SARF]

120,000 and a white horse

 

[BrettieAngell]

I think that's a tough one. If I could have been guaranteed a Wembley final, with us being favourites with the bookies...I would probably have just taken that over a win at Morceambe. Very very close though.

Not for me, I just want to get out of this league and it was in our hands on the last day. Of course if we do it tomorrow it will be fantastic but doing it at Morecambe would have been one for the ages! Remember when we went up at Morecambe after winning the last 8 games of the season??

 

[Jedi Shrimper]

However, they are brilliantly absurd. Burton Albion, Shrewsbury Town & Bury achieved what all the clubs tried for - promotion over 46 games. They are now the forgotten men as supporters of Southend United and Wycombe Wanderers are wetting themselves with excitement over our play-off FINAL. Yes..Final. At Wembley, live on tv, media coverage, thousands travelling - the FINAL.

Remember when we won league 1 at Roots Hall, we got a trophy and were on the pitch (can't do that at Wembley)?

I didn't give two figs who was in the play-off final a few weeks later.

 

[Jedi Shrimper]

I think that's a tough one. If I could have been guaranteed a Wembley final, with us being favourites with the bookies...I would probably have just taken that over a win at Morceambe. Very very close though.

A win at Wembley to go up would certainly be more memorable than going up in 3rd, but it's a gamble to rely on the playoffs, and I'd always take an automatic promotion if it were possible.

 

[RHB]

A win at Wembley to go up would certainly be more memorable than going up in 3rd, but it's a gamble to rely on the playoffs, and I'd always take an automatic promotion if it were possible.

What, and miss the opportunity to go to Stevenage on a Sunday evening, another leg at Roots Hall in the pouring rain, missed penalties and extra time and then the tension of a play-off final? How could you possibly prefer an automatic place?

 

[BrettieAngell]

Because we would already be promoted?

 

[RHB]

Because we would already be promoted?

Not quite enough irony in the mix obviously

 

[BrettieAngell]

Not quite enough irony in the mix obviously

went straight my over my head mate!! :smile: