Official Coca Cola Leagues Thread

[Dan]

Ignore League 2 then

And for me the play-offs in league one is between Blackpool & Yeovil.

[JSV]

Ignore League 2 then

And for me the play-offs in league one is between Blackpool & Yeovil.

Edited April 15, 2007 by JSV

[IAceI]

I don't see Carlisle winning the play offs myself, but hurray for optomism!

I'd love it if they did, all my friends would be too big for their boots but it'd be great. Taking on Preston and old manager Paul Simpson

Since Preston sure as hell aren't going up. They're not good enough against the big teams, not now. Would love to see them go up, since I like Simmo - met him a couple of times, really sound bloke.

[Dan]

I think Preston might do it this year.

I can see them beating brummmmm in the final.

[IAceI]

Preston have been on a pretty shitty run, but they done well yesterday agaisnt Coventry - mind you there just a mid table side. I think they're going to struggle to beat two big teams in a row in the play offs, and Birmingham will just have the edge on that one since they used to play teams like that week in week out.

Who knows though, it's the play offs.

[Matt]

Preston usually do well going into the playoffs and then fuck up, this time they're playing shit going into the playoffs, and thus they could go up. I'd love to see Colchester go up though, just for the hilarity. Yes I'm aware they beat Leeds the other day before anyone points it out

[Farmer Reil]

I know "on paper" counts for shit, but come on... On paper:

Hartlepool and Walsall are up automatically, that's not on paper, that's assured.

Swindon are guaranteed a playoff place, and the only team that can take their automatic place is the Dons, and that is highly unlikely.

The Dons are guaranteed a playoff place, and are pretty much going to finish 4th unless something weird happens.

Lincoln have to play Rovers, Grimsby and Chester, and even though they got hammered by Wrexham (at home, lol), they're still pretty much shoe-ins for 5th.

Stockport look pretty safe to me, five points clear with nine to play for (12 for Rovers but we're only likely to get 6 of them at most). Still not completely safe, but I'd back them to be in the playoffs.

That leaves Shrewsbury. They're playing Chester today, and at the moment are doing a fantastic job of not winning. So that leaves them provisionally two points clear with a game in hand (except over Rovers). Which is very dodgy, even considering their remaining games are all easy (Accrington, Wrexham, Hereford, Grimsby).

Wycombe look to be out of it, Darlo, Dons, Barnet isn't an easy run-in, but I wouldn't count them out.

Rovers would need a semi-miracle, but I still have faith ¬_¬ Lincoln, Swindon, Macclesfield, Hartlepool is a fucking arse of a run-in.

Peterborough, County, Dale and Darlo all have remote outside chances, but I wouldn't back any of them. Too many teams that are in a better position to capitalise on the mistakes that would have to happen to give them a chance. It's also still mathematically possible for Barnet to steal Shrewsbury's place, but that's not even worth thinking about. Then from Hereford down it's impossible.

So I'd pretty much go with the current standings being the final ones. Shrewsbury are the only team I can see not making it, and that'd require a massive slip-up or four.

At the other end, Torquay are thankfully down already, and I'd pick Boston to join them. I think Wrexham will survive. I hope so, anyway.

Edited April 15, 2007 by Farmer Reil

[Dan]

Come to the vic on the last day..

You might see us win the title.

[Farmer Reil]

Multimap tells me that Hartlepool is way further north than I thought it was* ¬_¬ So I might, just for the hell of it

(* But then, anything north of Bristol is generally regarded as "Up North", other than selected cities such as Birmingham, Derby, Leicester, Norwhich, Newcastle, Manchester and Liverpool, which I could actually point to on a map).

Edit: Holy shit, if you open Multimap and enlarge it so that Leeds is in the top right, and Liverpool is in the centre-left, half the fucking Football League is on that screen

Edited April 16, 2007 by Farmer Reil

[Sir Alan LCSugar]

To Matt, we were shit before Blackwell, he has actually made us look like a team and is getting involved. At the moment I am encouraged, I'm starting with a clean slate with him, and so far I'm impressed.

To Dan, I want to see Boyd given a chance because his touch and his finishing looks good, but by god he is a lazy arse and is so slow. Easily our best finisher by far, though.

Just as long as the Dongs don't go up then i'm happy in terms of League Two. I would like Forest to stick around in League One so I can go to the County Ground and add that to the list of grounds i've been to. I would prefer Carlisle go up, because I'll be damned that I will go all the way up there, even if I might get a chance to see one of my favourite posters.

In terms of teams coming down with us to League One, I would love Leeds to go down as well as Hull. Both teams who people call 'Giants'.

[Matt]

Southend are all but down IIRC, it's between Leeds, Hull, Barnsley and Leicester, so really, only one of those can go down. Probably us. We'll probably beat Ipswich as they have nothing to play for right now, and it's at home. So we'll need another 2/3 points, so either 2 draws or a win from Southampton on Saturday and Derby on the final day. Not looking good. Then again, Hull's isn't too much better than ours Plymouth, Cardiff and Stoke. Leicester have got Brum, Preston, Barnsley and Wolves. Leeds' saving grace could be Leeds vs. Barnsley, really.

Eh, what am I kidding... Huddersfield derby next year... yay

[Sir Alan LCSugar]

Don't you forget that Southend still have us. So that could well be a free 3 points.

[IAceI]

I'd go gay for Grant Leadbitter.

I really would.

[Matt]

Don't you forget that Southend still have us. So that could well be a free 3 points.

I think it's too late for Southend now. With their goal difference, they're essentially 4 points behind us and Hull. Having said that they've got the easiest of the run-ins. To be honest, it's football, anything can happen. And, Brum beat Leicester tonight, so that's good.

[Farmer Reil]

I think Rovers' promotion chances have all-but gone with the draw at Lincoln. Don't get me wrong, a point against Lincoln isn't a bad result by any means, but we needed more for our miracle.

Now, as well as Shrewsbury tieing their boot laces together before every match, or spontaneously combusting, we HAVE to BEAT Swindon and Hartlepool (and Macclesfield, but that's almost a given). I just can't see that happening, but we are nicely poised for next season as long as we can keep our team together and buy a defence.

[Matt]

Thompson's ban uplifted... Flo possibly fit again... Michael Gray back... Too much is going right this week for Leeds, I fully expect relegation Saturday.

[Farmer Reil]

Is that Flo as in Tore Andre?

If so, holy shit, how the mighty have fallen

[Matt]

Yes Tore Andre. And who's the mighty? Flo or Leeds... Alternatively both.

[Farmer Reil]

Yeah, I guess it applies to both...

[Matt]

I seriously don't believe you didn't know he'd come to Leeds. It was all over the sports news (for some really strange reason) back in January when he signed (and scored on his debut before getting injured).