EFL Play Offs

Just tuned into the Wycombe v MK Dongs game

Hoping the franchise don’t get to the final ….

Reminded me of when I moved to MK years ago

Went to see MK v Wycombe in Bletchley in the Berks & Bucks county cup

It was a proper MK club who were playing that night & not one that Winkelman hijacked with the FA’s blessing

Nice to see plucky Wycombe sticking it to the BFS.

Red card for the Dongs, just as the same player was about to be subbed. Real shame.

WW have been value for their lead but they still need to be on their toes even if their job’s been made easier by the red

2-0

Hope they can turn the screw on the Donuts & make the second leg a formality

Always good to see those franchise illegitimates lose…

Wycombe continue to astound me, not just in terms of punching about their relative weight but also the players they manage to attract and yet still be financially sound.  Players like David Stockdale, Sam Vokes, Gareth McCleary....all players I would expect could command wages much higher than Wycombe's offering.

Even though they played the season behind closed doors, so reduced income levels, they still managed to make a profit of £3.2million.  Their wage bill was well below the average per player (£800,000 a year - jesus!) and only really went down because Derby got away with one.

The pushback whenever Gareth Ainsworth is linked with the bigger jobs is that he's got a unique style at Wycombe that might not transfer elsewhere.  I prefer to look at it that he's working with what he's got and doing a bloody good job of it, just imagine what he could with a bigger budget and infrastructure.

Quoted from diehardmariner

Wycombe continue to astound me, not just in terms of punching about their relative weight but also the players they manage to attract and yet still be financially sound.  Players like David Stockdale, Sam Vokes, Gareth McCleary....all players I would expect could command wages much higher than Wycombe's offering.

Even though they played the season behind closed doors, so reduced income levels, they still managed to make a profit of £3.2million.  Their wage bill was well below the average per player (£800,000 a year - jesus!) and only really went down because Derby got away with one.

The pushback whenever Gareth Ainsworth is linked with the bigger jobs is that he's got a unique style at Wycombe that might not transfer elsewhere.  I prefer to look at it that he's working with what he's got and doing a bloody good job of it, just imagine what he could with a bigger budget and infrastructure.

Ainsworth is an interesting one, he's got 10 Premier League appearances to his name and has played in every division from the Premier League to the Conference. He's a bit of a unique character off the pitch too by all accounts but I've only ever heard about him being a great guy. Managers are always one bad move away from the cards tumbling down; Hurst to Ipswich being a classic example of this but Ainsworth's experience across all the levels will help him command respect I'm sure; not to mention his management record at Wycombe which is remarkable.

It works for him at Wycombe and he's been there 10 years which provides a great case for those that believe success comes from sticking with your managers. They have to be good enough in the first instance which is half the battle but you have to commend the great work he's done at Wycombe. He will be a tough act to follow when he does eventually leave.

I don't know what his affiliation with Wimbledon is like but he spent 5 years there and played 45 games. I wouldn't expect him to rock up at MK and AFC Wimbledon would be a huge step down at the moment. I do think his next move; if he ever moves on; will be to a club he has an affiliation with so Preston, Port Vale, Lincoln or QPR are the other likely options. Given how he's doing at the moment, Lincoln would need a promotion first otherwise it's a very risky sidewards step, QPR is a bit of a basket case club and I don't think he's that stupid which leaves Preston who seem to give their managers a decent amount of time.

I seem to think he got shat on when he was caretaker at QPR.  It might even have been the Undr The Cosh podcast where he talked about it.  

He was linked with the Preston job when it came up last year but now linked with Blackburn (his home town club).  

Could be that he's settled in the South East and doesn't want to move.

On a complete side note, I seem to think he was linked with us when he was at Lincoln as a player.  Probably under Laws, which would certainly fit in with the 'Rough Diamond' approach to transfers we had then.  Looking at the time frames we probably got Darren Wrack instead.  

Quoted from diehardmariner

On a complete side note, I seem to think he was linked with us when he was at Lincoln as a player.  Probably under Laws, which would certainly fit in with the 'Rough Diamond' approach to transfers we had then.  Looking at the time frames we probably got Darren Wrack instead.  

That sell on clause will come good one day.

I think Wrack is still crawling over broken glass to play for us isn't he?

Ainsworth commands a lot of respect at Wycombe because he's part of the furniture. I doubt there are many people in his squad that have been there longer than he has.

But I do get the feeling he won't achieve the same level of success at a bigger club. Some managers are just made for managing with what they've got. When they're given huge sums to play with, relatively speaking, and they try to manage players who get more money than they know what to do with, they need motivating in a different way.

Not quite the same but I look at Nathan Jones and how he took Luton from non-league to where they are now. Went to Stoke and it just didn't work. Luckily he had the chance to return to Luton and he's picked up from where he left off. They're having a remarkable season. Imagine if they make it to the Prem?!

As has been pointed out, Hurst's move to Ipswich didn't work out. Think about the players he'd been working with previous to that move — players playing at a level where they'd probably need to get a job away from football after retiring. Suddenly he's trying to manage players who are unmotivated, frustrated and all the while earning astronomical amounts while sat on the bench.

I don't think Hurst was given enough time to turn the tide at Ipswich, but they were desperate and sacked him. He may have been able to make a fist of it, in the end, but managing players on big wages out the door while bringing in cheaper options was a) going to take a few transfer windows to do, and b) going to hit their league position.

Ainsworth is revered in these parts, mainly for the job he’s done but also his loyalty and rapport with the fans
They were in massive financial trouble not too long ago and he steered them through it with a pitiful budget and more loanees than any other club
Since the takeover he’s got them playing much more attractive football. They named a bus after him a couple of years ago- made me smile thinking about the prospect of JF having the same honour bestowed on him!!

Quoted from RichMariner

Ainsworth commands a lot of respect at Wycombe because he's part of the furniture.

Oh that's first class

Big game tonight (Friday) between two clubs that don't belong in League One going on their size.

19:45
Sunderland v Sheffield Wednesday
League One Play-Off Semi-Final 1st Leg

(Sky Sports)

Matete and Embleton on for Sunderland.

1-0 Sunderland as it stands

And just coming on for the last 10 minutes

Jay Matete & Elliot Embleton

Should be an interesting end to the game

What are the odds on Matete getting a yellow?

Quoted from AussieMariner

What are the odds on Matete getting a yellow?

He put his foot in a couple of times but nothing untoward

Funny how he played for us in empty stadia yet tonight it was a record attendance for a League 1 play off semi … nearly 45000

The tie is nicely set up for the second leg now with just the one goal in it…. that’s my Monday night viewing sorted 📺

Can anyone name me a more dislikable footballer than super-scab Dean Lewington?

Danny Wright

Richard Brodie, Neal Bishop, Alan Power, the entire Bromley team.

Nah, still not worse than Lewington. 50 odd appearances for Wimbledon; 800+ for MK Dons. Says a lot about the principle of the bloke.

Quoted from Poojah

Can anyone name me a more dislikable footballer than super-scab Dean Lewington?

The ultimate scab and that banner franchise scum illegitimates had was flipping sickening…

Wycombe through. Good on ‘em. Fúck MK.

intercourse Milton Keynes the club stealing illegitimates…

You have to feel sorry for a club getting to so many playoff semis and never making it to the final

Unless it’s the MKDonkeys

😂😂😂

Quoted from Poojah

Nah, still not worse than Lewington. 50 odd appearances for Wimbledon; 800+ for MK Dons. Says a lot about the principle of the bloke.

Post summer 2002 though, so Wimbledon by name only.

(obvs came through the yoof system though, so your point stands!)

Principles or paying the mortgage?

Only in sport do we expect people to look after anyone but themselves.

I don't like what MK Don's stand for and I'm pleased Wycombe have got to the final instead of them. But you can't blame a guy for looking after himself and his family first.

The Owls & the Mackams tie is finely poised

1-0 to Wednesday tonight going in to the last 10

They’ve been the better side tonight but still not a lot between the two

10 minutes added time

Sunderland equalise on the night after 93 so 2-1 up

The pain of the footy fan to see your team concede a killler goal in the 93rd minute, after being the better side.

That’s the playoffs for you. Sudden death almost

12 minutes of added time though before Sunderland could get over the line.,. my heart would have been in my mouth to say the least

Noticed Matete came on in 97th min and still had time to get booked.  

I didn’t see the Luton v Huddersfield game last night but the way Forest are playing at Sheffield Utd (2-0 up) they’re looking like they may well be the team to go up alongside Fulham & Bournemouth

Quoted from FishOutOfWater

I didn’t see the Luton v Huddersfield game last night but the way Forest are playing at Sheffield Utd (2-0 up) they’re looking like they may well be the team to go up alongside Fulham & Bournemouth

Sheff Utd get a last minute goal to give themselves a lifeline, which is the least they deserve having to play against a team in that godawful kit Forest were playing in.

Encouraging for us after Forest won away.  York and Boston also won away in playoffs - both against higher-finishing teams in the league.  

Rhys Oates on the scoresheet for Mansfield against Northampton

Funny how his goals more or less took Hartlepool up last season and he’s the Mansfield top scorer too yet I can barely remember any of his time with Town 🤔

Quoted from FishOutOfWater

Rhys Oates on the scoresheet for Mansfield against Northampton

Funny how his goals more or less took Hartlepool up last season and he’s the Mansfield top scorer too yet I can barely remember any of his time with Town 🤔

Northampton have absolutely bóllocksed it. 2-0 at half time in the first leg; no coming back for them from where they’ve come from.

On the one hand I find it fúcking hilarious, on the other it serves as a reminder that a crestfallen Stockport might well be the better opponents in any potential play-off semi.

Quoted from Poojah

Northampton have absolutely bóllocksed it. 2-0 at half time in the first leg; no coming back for them from where they’ve come from.

On the one hand I find it fúcking hilarious, on the other it serves as a reminder that a crestfallen Stockport might well be the better opponents in any potential play-off semi.

I’ve said this all along…and actually, whilst they did batter us for 25 minutes, they did create their own problems proving they’re beatable like everyone else…

Quoted from Poojah

Northampton have absolutely bóllocksed it. 2-0 at half time in the first leg; no coming back for them from where they’ve come from.

On the one hand I find it fúcking hilarious, on the other it serves as a reminder that a crestfallen Stockport might well be the better opponents in any potential play-off semi.

They've stated that they had a conversation with the EFL about the rules going forward but I wonder if that conversation becomes a full blown complaint when they get knocked out next week?

I’d say this tie isn’t over yet

Game of two halves and still could go Northampton’s way if they play like they did second half

Funny to think we could be playing them next season

Meanwhile in Nottingham, Forest are in very real danger of completely bollócksing their play-off semi-final. After absolutely battering Sheffield United for much of the away leg, and then going in front again tonight, it’s about to go to penalties.

Jammy Forest through. Some decent saves from their keeper in the shootout.

Got in the blades heads did Samba

Quoted from Hagrid

Got in the blades heads did Samba

He made a fantastic point blank save in normal time too

Samba is excellent and earned his coin in that shootout.

Forest probably had their worst game for weeks tonight but managed to salvage it in pens. The turnaround from Forest and the job Cooper has done is quite remarkable really…

Forest fans are only 90 mins away from being unbearable,fingers crossed for Mansfield mucking it up tomorrow as i don't think that I could stand the two Nottinghamshire clubs in the finals and not Notts

Hadn’t realised that this is Forest’s first trip to Wembley since the 1992 Rumbelows Cup final. We’ve been there 7 times in that period.

I digress slightly, because that cup final is one of the first games I can remember watching on the telly, being only 6 years old at the time. I remember it in particular because they had some bizarre 100m race between players of various teams before the game. Managed to dig it out on YouTube; anyone remember this?

https://youtu.be/wjCcVMyaZLo

That's now nine unsuccessful play off campaigns for Sheff Utd.

Only watched the penalty shoot out but fair play to bamba, proper excrement houser but pulled off some blinding saves!

Northampton successfully bottled it after missing out on automatic promotion thanks to Scunny’s final day capitulation.

Can’t be nice missing out on promotion in the dying moments of the season and then not winning the play-offs. I hope no one rubs it in their faces.

Quoted from Poojah

Northampton successfully bottled it after missing out on automatic promotion thanks to Scunny’s final day capitulation.

Can’t be nice missing out on promotion in the dying moments of the season and then not winning the play-offs. I hope no one rubs it in their faces.

My thoughts exactly.

Quoted from lukeo

Only watched the penalty shoot out but fair play to bamba, proper excrement houser but pulled off some blinding saves!

Samba did well too 😬

Quoted from Poojah

Northampton successfully bottled it after missing out on automatic promotion thanks to Scunny’s final day capitulation.

Can’t be nice missing out on promotion in the dying moments of the season and then not winning the play-offs. I hope no one rubs it in their faces.

Yes, and can't have helped when the Mansfield fans started singing 'there'e only one Bristol Rovers'  near the end. That was rubbing it in a bit.

If this League Two play-off between Port Vale and Swindon is anything to go by, whoever goes up from the National League will do alright next season. Absolutely zero quality in the final third on display from either team.

Penos at Port Vale

Quoted from Poojah

If this League Two play-off between Port Vale and Swindon is anything to go by, whoever goes up from the National League will do alright next season. Absolutely zero quality in the final third on display from either team.

Darrell Clarke sent off for a fracas on the touchline.

He's certainly feisty is Darrell.

Really want to see a massive centre back hit out at one of these chavvy tossers acting William Big Balls!

Quoted from Abdul19

Really want to see a massive centre back hit out at one of these chavvy tossers acting William Big Balls!

Just seen a video of someone - who clearly wants their family to go to a funeral next week - have a go at Patrick Viera at Goodison.

Quoted from LH

Just seen a video of someone - who clearly wants their family to go to a funeral next week - have a go at Patrick Viera at Goodison.

https://twitter.com/JDNalton/status/1527405376420954112

Go on Paddy!

He’s done fúck all wrong there. Given what’s gone on this week, if he feels someone on his shoulder he’s entitled to react.

Pitch invasions, in the right circumstances, are great. A minority of  bell ends are fast ruining football for the majority.

Quoted from Poojah

If this League Two play-off between Port Vale and Swindon is anything to go by, whoever goes up from the National League will do alright next season. Absolutely zero quality in the final third on display from either team.

Agreed  - I'll be piling on Stockport in season points spread on Sporting, equally the teams that have come down with a combined total of 24 fewer points than us and Southend the previous season are going to struggl. 3 particularly weak teams have gone down, whereas I expect Gateshead, York/Boston and Maidstone to be more competitive than those, if the bookies don't have Oldham and Scunny short odds for relegation I'll be piling in there as well.

Have to say, what I saw of the game last night, it wasn’t great. I get that teams get nervous and they’ve probably played well over the season but I reckon any of the top 7 of the conference would’ve given them both a game…

Quoted from aldi_01

Have to say, what I saw of the game last night, it wasn’t great. I get that teams get nervous and they’ve probably played well over the season but I reckon any of the top 7 of the conference would’ve given them both a game…

9 of the top half in League 2 have escaped this division in the last 10 years. Stockport have to be short odds for promotion next season and if Wrexham follow them, I expect they will be too but I'm sure the top 10 in this league would be pretty comfortable in League 2.

This league will be a difficult one to escape next season but I also think, Scunny aside, it will be a competitive division. Oldham will be bottom half I think but I expect Scunny will prop the table up from very early on.

Mansfield and Forest are both in playoff finals so that just leaves Notts to complete the pack,maybe it's Nottinghamshire clubs year  

Quoted from ncfc_chalky

Mansfield and Forest are both in playoff finals so that just leaves Notts to complete the pack,maybe it's Nottinghamshire clubs year  

Yes, that’s exactly how these things work.

Quoted from LH

Just seen a video of someone - who clearly wants their family to go to a funeral next week - have a go at Patrick Viera at Goodison.

It's getting well out of hand now. It's not just people running on the pitch to celebrate, its cretins targeting opposition players and staff. It has happened at three  grounds this week.

The authorities need to stamp this out. They should impose ground closures on offending clubs, perhaps even point deductions, and the police should arrest as many trespassers as they can, with the culprits being given fines and banning orders. Anyone found guilty of assaulting a player or official should be given jail time and life bans.

Don't want to come across as too much of a reactionary, but the alternative is to reintroduce fencing which no one wants to see.

I don't think they're allowed to reintroduce fencing, are they?

The system works on the basis that people behave themselves. I don't want to see an end to pitch invasions but I must admit, each time I've witnessed one in the past I've always wondered how the losing team get back to the dressing room without being antagonised by the winning fans.

I thought incidents like this would've happened long before now. You'd think they'd have been deterred by what happened to that Forest fan but if anything it just seems to encourage the behaviour even more.

Quoted from Poojah

Yes, that’s exactly how these things work.

Sometimes the stars just align 😎


Just got back from Arnold and there's two Del Boy types at each end of the town flogging red scarves and flags to the new lifelong fans,I hope to god that they don't go up otherwise they will be unbearable

Quoted from ncfc_chalky

Sometimes the stars just align 😎


Just got back from Arnold and there's two Del Boy types at each end of the town flogging red scarves and flags to the new lifelong fans,I hope to god that they don't go up otherwise they will be unbearable

Are they emblazoned with the words Notts Forest?

Quoted from Poojah

Hadn’t realised that this is Forest’s first trip to Wembley since the 1992 Rumbelows Cup final. We’ve been there 7 times in that period.

I digress slightly, because that cup final is one of the first games I can remember watching on the telly, being only 6 years old at the time. I remember it in particular because they had some bizarre 100m race between players of various teams before the game. Managed to dig it out on YouTube; anyone remember this?

https://youtu.be/wjCcVMyaZLo

Remember that fondly.  The winner John Williams got a move to top flight Coventry on the back of winning that sprint.  To this day I'm still stumped as to why the Town entry in the regional heats was none of other than the jet heeled.....yep, Murray Jones.  I can only guess Alan Buckley didn't see much value in the competition.  Bit finger in the air but I reckon back then we had an 18 man squad, Jones would have been the slowest with Paul Futcher and Steve Sherwood ahead of him.

Never knew Iffy Onuara was so fast.  Probably a fair assessment to say his legs had gone by the time he rocked up at Blundell Park 12 years later.

You just can't imagine football clubs signing up for that now can you?

Oh lovely stuff. Heats all shown on Saint and Greavsie in the weeks beforehand.

Elliot Embleton starts for Sunderland in the League 1 play off final at Wembley

I have a feeling that it’ll suit him down to the ground ( excuse the pun )

Oh Embo, Embo, Embleton as my mates in the Upper used to sing when he was on loan with us

Could be 2 in 2 years for him. Hope not though, hope to see Sunderland's bad playoff run continue.

What did I say? 😅

Wish I’d had that bet 🤩

Embo scores a 25 yarder (although a 25 yarder that Tommy Forecast would've saved!)

Shambles from Stockdale.

Football isn’t played on paper etc but this Sunderland side is crazy strong for League One. They are all over Wycombe.

… but come on the Wanderers.

Quoted from Abdul19

Embo scores a 25 yarder (although a 25 yarder that Tommy Forecast would've saved!)

Cracking goal, he scored some crackers for us, didn't he he get goal of the season for us?

Quoted from arryarryarry

Cracking goal, he scored some crackers for us, didn't he he get goal of the season for us?

Not sure about that but he did score a few goals for us

A shrewd signing by Jolley really

Quoted from arryarryarry

Cracking goal, he scored some crackers for us, didn't he he get goal of the season for us?

Aye, v Milton Keynes in the cup I think.

Quoted from arryarryarry

Cracking goal, he scored some crackers for us, didn't he he get goal of the season for us?

Erm goalkeeping disaster more like

Quoted from Abdul19

Aye, v Milton Keynes in the cup I think.

I was there but can’t seem to remember it

Couldn’t have done it against ‘a better club’ though

Sunderland promoted

FT 2-0

Wycombes keeper hardly covered himself in glory today.

Quoted from Les Brechin

Wycombes keeper hardly covered himself in glory today.

By conceding 2 goals  

Well done Embleton.  Wycombe finished on about the same points as Sunderland but second best today.

In other news Mbappe agrees to stay with PSG.  Real Madrid shocked at change of heart as they were confident the move was in the bag.

Quoted from Meza

By conceding 2 goals  

Did you seen the first? Plus, the second was hardly a bullet nor was it in the corner.

Wycombe were shite, Sunderland played well. Was that simple really.

Of course we’ll have to endure the whole ‘this is a big club, they’re back where they belongs’ blah blah…

The guy that interviewed Embleton really didn’t understand the North East though…

Quoted from smokey111

Did you seen the first? Plus, the second was hardly a bullet nor was it in the corner.

Exactly. Dreadful mistake for the first, just half-heartedley flapping his arm towards the ball when he had plenty of time to step to his left and catch it. As for the second, he was very slow to react to what was a pretty tame shot. I've seen harder pass backs. Easy to stick a leg out at least.

That said I thought Sunderland were by far the better side.
  

Interesting though that bottom two playoff positions made the final >.> national league north was 5th and 7th too

The Sky commentator made a bit of an bottom of himself at the start of the game, not sure he was reading off a script but when the referee blew his first whistle he said and both teams show their solidarity against discrimination but only one team went down on one knee.

Quoted from arryarryarry

The Sky commentator made a bit of an bottom of himself at the start of the game, not sure he was reading off a script but when the referee blew his first whistle he said and both teams show their solidarity against discrimination but only one team went down on one knee.

They always intercourse something up…when the game finished they said it would be rocking in Sunderland…weird thing to say when literally every Sunderland fan could get a ticket and was likely to be at Wembley, therefore anyone left in Sunderland you’d have to question their dedication…

Quoted from arryarryarry

Cracking goal, he scored some crackers for us, didn't he he get goal of the season for us?

Gotta love this post, even for my amusement.

Had to read it 3 or 4 times before I could stop doing the Michael Jackson voice halfway through


Sha mo!

Pleased for Sunderland, personally.

Their average home attendance in league 1 this season:  31,426

Them fans deserve it imo.