Congrats last night making the final at Wembley. They hammered York 3-0 away which must have took some doing- York finished 23 points ahead of them with 96!

I'll be rooting for Oldham in the final, seeing I am an Oldham/Skipton hybrid.

Some good sized clubs at that level now, Oldham being one of the bigger I’d say. Noticed Rochdale got beat In their play off game, that would have been a lively day at Wembley them two in the final.

Going to game from Lincoln with my Oldham supporting Son-In-Law By Train . Hope they win for his sake

Time for an EFL League Three?

Most of the National League clubs are professional anyway.

Quicknick wrote: ↑

Wed May 21, 2025 8:14 am

I'll be rooting for Oldham in the final, seeing I am an Oldham/Skipton hybrid.

F**king hell, what do you run on, gravy and chip buttys?

It’s bonkers that a team finishing 13pts clear of 3rd doesn’t get promoted

Even if Oldham end up playing FGR in final, they finished behind them

ŽižkovClaret wrote: ↑

Wed May 21, 2025 10:34 am

F**king hell, what do you run on, gravy and chip buttys?

Haha. Good one.

York hadnt had a game for 15 days and it showed, they looked completely off the boil, where as Oldham have kept up their match fitness with the play off games. Oldham played well and I hope they get back up.

I wanted York to go up but now don't mind either Oldham or Southend. Anyone except FGR.

GoldenBoots wrote: ↑

Wed May 21, 2025 11:42 am

York hadnt had a game for 15 days and it showed, they looked completely off the boil, where as Oldham have kept up their match fitness with the play off games. Oldham played well and I hope they get back up.

I also watched the game, and I was expecting more from York, especially since they were at home, but I thought they looked lacklustre from the start.
I wasn't aware of their lack of game time, but their keeper certainly didn't help with that idiotic roll-out for Oldham's first.

Could be a final of Micky Mellon v Steve Cotterill, nothing against Cotterill but will be supporting Oldham in that game if FGR get to the final

claretburns wrote: ↑

Wed May 21, 2025 12:51 pm

Could be a final of Micky Mellon v Steve Cotterill, nothing against Cotterill but will be supporting Oldham in that game if FGR get to the final

We need a Grandad Roberts "Meat Pie, Sausage Roll" revival if its Oldham v FGR

Lewis Richardson played for York, got hooked early in the second half. Looked like he was playing right midfield. Did nothing

Hope Southend get to the final and win it. Have a mate from my student days a long time ago who was/ Is a Southend fan. Unfashionable back in the early 70's but he always supported them. Fantastic support at Rochdale last week, around 1300, which is a brilliant effort.

agreenwood wrote: ↑

Wed May 21, 2025 8:48 am

Time for an EFL League Three?

Most of the National League clubs are professional anyway.

5 up 5 down in every division - spread the money about

Vegas Claret wrote: ↑

Wed May 21, 2025 3:18 pm

5 up 5 down in every division - spread the money about

That's too much

You'd have clubs going bust

When we were in the championship for that 10 year period think every other club bar Preston had either gone up or down.

Vegas Claret wrote: ↑

Wed May 21, 2025 3:18 pm

5 up 5 down in every division - spread the money about

Too many, but still, I think the top 2 in the National League should get automatic and then a third team via a "conventional" play off system. I'm not sure why they invented the convoluted system they currently operate, but it seems exactly that..... convoluted!

Wokingclaret wrote: ↑

Wed May 21, 2025 3:42 pm

That's too much

You'd have clubs going bust

When we were in the championship for that 10 year period think every other club bar Preston had either gone up or down.

why on earth would you have clubs going bust ? You'll need to detail that out

There will be clubs budgeted for not going down, actually going down! then with premier league clubs for example you'd have 5 clubs needing to sell so you are narrowing the market for them. Championship clubs too. Not thinking about the 5 league clubs dropping out the bottom too, the thought nearly killed us in 87.

wilks_bfc wrote: ↑

Wed May 21, 2025 11:22 am

It’s bonkers that a team finishing 13pts clear of 3rd doesn’t get promoted

Even if Oldham end up playing FGR in final, they finished behind them

Going down to seventh is crazy with only one going straight up

Vegas Claret wrote: ↑

Wed May 21, 2025 3:18 pm

5 up 5 down in every division - spread the money about

Also we'd definitely become a cropper with this at some point, so, just on that basis I'm out.

ClaretTony wrote: ↑

Wed May 21, 2025 4:20 pm

Going down to seventh is crazy with only one going straight up

I agree, but it is heavily weighted in favour of the teams finishing 2nd and 3rd ... they go straight into the play-off semi-finals with a guaranteed home tie, whilst 4th play 7th and 5th play 6th, with the 4th/5th sides both having home advantage. With SIX teams eligible for a play-off place, it certainly takes interest right to the last games of the season. Yes, you could get promotion after finishing 6th or 7th, but you'd have to win away twice at teams who finished above you in the regular season, and then win the day in the play-off final, in all probability against another Club who finished above you !

I, for one, certainly wasn't complaining when we got promoted through the play-offs in 1993-94, by beating Plymouth and Stockport, both of whom garnered 85 points that season, compared to our 73 ...

Clarets4me wrote: ↑

Wed May 21, 2025 4:51 pm

I agree, but it is heavily weighted in favour of the teams finishing 2nd and 3rd ... they go straight into the play-off semi-finals with a guaranteed home tie, whilst 4th play 7th and 5th play 6th, with the 4th/5th sides both having home advantage. With SIX teams eligible for a play-off place, it certainly takes interest right to the last games of the season. Yes, you could get promotion after finishing 6th or 7th, but you'd have to win away twice at teams who finished above you in the regular season, and then win the day in the play-off final, in all probability against another Club who finished above you !

I, for one, certainly wasn't complaining when we got promoted through the play-offs in 1993-94, by beating Plymouth and Stockport, both of whom garnered 85 points that season, compared to our 73 ...

No, but we were only four places behind an automatically promoted team. With this system you can be six places behind them.

ClaretTony wrote: ↑

Wed May 21, 2025 5:16 pm

No, but we were only four places behind an automatically promoted team. With this system you can be six places behind them.

That is how the Conference wanted it. So it would keep the interest going for longer, they have 4 going down so that is 11 teams that have something to play for, with, I seem to recall (due to living less than a mile from the Solihull Moors ground), as happened a few seasons ago, with 2 (or 3) games left to play around 20 teams still had either an opportunity to go up or to be relegated.

bfcmik wrote: ↑

Wed May 21, 2025 6:31 pm

That is how the Conference wanted it. So it would keep the interest going for longer, they have 4 going down so that is 11 teams that have something to play for, with, I seem to recall (due to living less than a mile from the Solihull Moors ground), as happened a few seasons ago, with 2 (or 3) games left to play around 20 teams still had either an opportunity to go up or to be relegated.

Football League tried to implement it but the Premier League wouldn’t accept it and rightly so in my view.

Bit of a sleeper are York. Some money behind them too and a decent new stadium.

My mates a York fan ( born there & went on last night ) & a Utd fan ( glory hunter ).
Lost both matches.
He won't be happy tomorrow !