I had a gripe earlier about GD, here’s another.
I don’t mind the playoffs, they allow for refereeing errors, but I do believe your seasons efforts should be recognised in the final league table.
For me you shouldn't be allowed into the playoffs unless you are within 9points of the first team outside automatic promotion.
With one game to play the National League could see York City,93pts, having to play Southend or Gateshead, 26pts behind them. That is not right.
If nobody is within 9 pts they should be automatically promoted. Sod how much money is made from the extra games.

Tricky Trevor wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 29, 2025 8:04 pm

I had a gripe earlier about GD, here’s another.
I don’t mind the playoffs, they allow for refereeing errors, but I do believe your seasons efforts should be recognised in the final league table.
For me you shouldn't be allowed into the playoffs unless you are within 9points of the first team outside automatic promotion.
With one game to play the National League could see York City,93pts, having to play Southend or Gateshead, 26pts behind them. That is not right.
If nobody is within 9 pts they should be automatically promoted. Sod how much money is made from the extra games.
IMG_4851.jpeg

not again

Tricky Trevor wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 29, 2025 8:04 pm

For me you shouldn't be allowed into the playoffs unless you are within 9 points of the first team outside automatic promotion...

Obviously excluding the 1993/94 2nd division play offs

At least in non league the team finishing highest gets home advantage. For me thats fairer than a 2 legged semi final.

I’d definitely favour a system where your position is rewarded, ala the National League - 2nd & 3rd effectively go straight into a one off semi final each at home.

Sheffield United are going to be facing a team who finished 20+ points behind them on a level playing field.

York unlikely to be playing either Southend or Gateshead unless 1 of them hits a purple patch.

Rochdale, Oldham or Halifax should have home advantage for the quarter final and York will have home advantage for the semi final..

The idea is to keep the season alive for more clubs. An interesting variation.

agreenwood wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 29, 2025 8:45 pm

Sheffield United are going to be facing a team who finished 20+ points behind them on a level playing field.

And there's a strong possibility that it could be our "friends" down the road.
(Can't see the Blades wanting to risk any injuries at the weekend and at least one of the play-off candidates will fail based on recent form.)

Tricky Trevor wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 29, 2025 8:04 pm

I had a gripe earlier about GD, here’s another.
I don’t mind the playoffs, they allow for refereeing errors, but I do believe your seasons efforts should be recognised in the final league table.
For me you shouldn't be allowed into the playoffs unless you are within 9points of the first team outside automatic promotion.
With one game to play the National League could see York City,93pts, having to play Southend or Gateshead, 26pts behind them. That is not right.
If nobody is within 9 pts they should be automatically promoted. Sod how much money is made from the extra games.
IMG_4851.jpeg

Why 9 points?

nil_desperandum wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 29, 2025 9:45 pm

And there's a strong possibility that it could be our "friends" down the road.
(Can't see the Blades wanting to risk any injuries at the weekend and at least one of the play-off candidates will fail based on recent form.)

They might not want to risk injuries, but they absolutely should be wanting to go into the play offs with a bit of form.

I expect them to dispose of Bastards at weekend.

BurnleyFC wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 29, 2025 10:26 pm

They might not want to risk injuries, but they absolutely should be wanting to go into the play offs with a bit of form.

I expect them to dispose of Bastards at weekend.

You’d hope they wouldn’t want to lose to a team and then have to play them twice straight after or in a final soon after.

Hibsclaret wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 29, 2025 10:45 pm

You’d hope they wouldn’t want to lose to a team and then have to play them twice straight after or in a final soon after.

On the other hand, they may get to half time and realise how bad Blackburn are and let them win because they do want to play them again.

3rd to 6th could operate similar to Scotland which benefits higher teams

6th plays 5th 2 legs
Winner plays 4th 2 legs
Winner plays 3rd - 2 legs or one game final
winner promoted.

The higher placed finishers should have some sort of reward. Maybe third place team goes straight into final. Then 4 plays 7 at home and 5 plays 6 at home then 2 winners play off with highest finisher at home. Winner plays 3rd at Wembley

TheFamilyCat wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 29, 2025 10:12 pm

Why 9 points?

Just a random figure that allows for errors in games but still respects the integrity of the final league table.
The play offs were only brought in because of all the “on the beach” matches at the end of seasons. That is down to the players but a 46 match season being boiled down to 3 or 4 play off games, which can be affected by injuries & suspensions just doesn’t ring right for me.

I think in every division, the team finishing higher should play the playoff semi at home, with no second leg.

I like it the way it is. The playoffs are one of the few non burnley games ill watch on tv and the only time I'll have a bet each year.

On a side note I just looked to see our points total in 2009 when we finished 5th (76) but how times have changed! Birmingham went up automatically with 83 points and wolves won the league on 90.

Tricky Trevor wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 29, 2025 8:04 pm

I had a gripe earlier about GD, here’s another.
I don’t mind the playoffs, they allow for refereeing errors, but I do believe your seasons efforts should be recognised in the final league table.
For me you shouldn't be allowed into the playoffs unless you are within 9points of the first team outside automatic promotion.
With one game to play the National League could see York City,93pts, having to play Southend or Gateshead, 26pts behind them. That is not right.
If nobody is within 9 pts they should be automatically promoted. Sod how much money is made from the extra games.
IMG_4851.jpeg

Whilst I tend to agree, I don’t really think we are ever likely to see the end of the play offs while there’s money to be made…

BurnleyFC wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 29, 2025 10:26 pm

They might not want to risk injuries, but they absolutely should be wanting to go into the play offs with a bit of form.

I expect them to dispose of Bastards at weekend.

Or they could do as Parker did at PNE in the cup
Rest all the best players and focus on the upcoming league games.
It worked out well enough for us
I just don’t see any point in the Blades exerting themselves in a game that is meaningless to them

Play offs don't sit well with a lot of people, but if anything they're becoming more of a necessity at our level. Becoming increasingly difficult to see teams not in receipt of parachute payments finish in the top 3, so at least play offs open up some kid of merit based lottery. I've recently been thinking that play offs could be one way to really put the cat amongst the pigeons in what's becoming a bit of a closed shop PL. Something revolutionary where as far up as 15th in the PL had to play 6th place in the Championship in a winner takes all game.

Is it fair? Course not. But it's no less fair than the way money is distributed so unequally across football.

FCBurnley wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 29, 2025 11:48 pm

The higher placed finishers should have some sort of reward. Maybe third place team goes straight into final. Then 4 plays 7 at home and 5 plays 6 at home then 2 winners play off with highest finisher at home. Winner plays 3rd at Wembley

Sounds like a good idea to me, certainly gives the advantage to the teams finishing higher.

I get the argument but I'd leave it as it is personally. It's entertaining. And it gives more teams a chance at a crack in the Premier League. Some fans already complain about yo yo clubs and how it's easier for those coming down to go back up. The play offs in its current format makes it less likely that all three relegated clubs go straight back up.

Stockport anybody ?