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Play offs need to be restructured...but how?



Guy Fawkes

The voice of treason
Sep 29, 2007
8,222
The play offs, though exciting, ruin the integrity of football. If Sheffield Wednesday were to get promoted via the play offs, they have finished 15 points behind Brighton. That can't be right!! It may sound like sour grapes but surely the play offs can be restructured to give the third play team more of an advantage? Perhaps they should get a bye to the final and await the winners of the 4th and 5th placed teams? Any other thoughts?

And if all 4 teams in the play-offs had finished within a point of each other, then what? Do you propose having different systems to reflect the different points gaps?

Everyone had agreed to and were happy with the existing structure before the season started

Surely the team finishing that far ahead should take a lot of confidence and belief from that points gap into the play-offs because it shows how good a side they are
 




trueblue

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
10,468
Hove
Just one of those things. A bye to the final for the 3rd placed team seems a more fair structure (although still wouldn't always work that way) but would still throw up problems - not least the fact they wouldn't play for 3 weeks so it could actually end up a disadvantage!

The play-offs are great. Just a shame we got the wrong end of the shitty stick this time.
 


GT49er

Well-known member
Feb 1, 2009
46,915
Gloucester
The play-offs make for good TV so don't expect them to disappear anytime soon. I did hear of an idea to give 3rd place an advantage. If level after 2 legs go through without extra time and pens.
That's not a bad shout - the team that finished lower in the league should actually have to beat the team that finished above them to progress. That way, you'd have the same amount of tension we had yesterday, and the revenue streams wouldn't be affected,
 


The current system is floored but it's just the way it is. If we fail to go up through them then so be it.

I'd like to see, in future, 6 v 5, winner plays 4, winner then plays 3.

Or.

18 in prem v 3 in Championship.
 


southstandandy

WEST STAND ANDY
Jul 9, 2003
5,669
My view (and always has been) is that the 3rd team automatically goes to Wembley for the final, and there is a one off match with the 4th team playing at home to the fifth team so they have an advantage finishing higher. This way the 3rd team at minimun is guaranteed a big pay day and a day out at Wembley. Also then there is some weighting to the teams finishing 3rd, 4th, and 5th. No 6th team should be involved.
 




MrSnuggles

Well-known member
Apr 29, 2016
529
It might make good tv and a lot of money but it's the intergrity of the game that concerns me. Can you say hand on heart that a team finishing 6th and 15 point behind 3rd has an equal right to get promoted? It needs to be restructured or abolished. I like the idea of involving the 3rd from bottom v 3 from top suggestion
 


GT49er

Well-known member
Feb 1, 2009
46,915
Gloucester
Everyone had agreed to and were happy with the existing structure before the season started.

Point of order: we may or may not have been 'happy' about the existing structure before the season started - the reality is that we didn't have any choice except to accept it.
 


BensGrandad

New member
Jul 13, 2003
72,015
Haywards Heath
The biggest problem with that idea would be the 3rd placed team would be fresh and if a team played through from 6th they wouldn't have sufficient recovery time between games or we would still be playing when the fixtures come out in June.
 




MrSnuggles

Well-known member
Apr 29, 2016
529
I know that GT49er and l know they can't change it this season. It is what it is and we have to put up with it, but l would like to see it restructured to give more of an advantage to a team finishing third.
 


inland seagull

Active member
Aug 7, 2010
496
Northampton
The play offs are a good thing as they do continue the excitement at the end of the season. I do believe however that the semi finals should just be a one leg affair with the team finishing in the table enjoying home advantage. This will at least give some recognition to the team finishing in the higher league position which the current format certainly does not.

I guess its probably all about money so nothing will change
 


worthingseagull123

Well-known member
May 5, 2012
2,592
The play offs, though exciting, ruin the integrity of football. If Sheffield Wednesday were to get promoted via the play offs, they have finished 15 points behind Brighton. That can't be right!! It may sound like sour grapes but surely the play offs can be restructured to give the third play team more of an advantage? Perhaps they should get a bye to the final and await the winners of the 4th and 5th placed teams? Any other thoughts?

We wouldn't be moaning if we were 6th, 15 points behind 3rd.

We can't demand changes just because we support Brighton
 






TSB

Captain Hindsight
Jul 7, 2003
17,666
Lansdowne Place, Hove
We finished a long way clear of Wednesday = we should be able to best them over two legs.
The current system is fine..except that it takes far too long. May 28th, FFS.
 


OzMike

Well-known member
Oct 2, 2006
12,976
Perth Australia
4th, 5th and 6th play one game against each other in mini three game league and the winner of that plays us in the final, suits me.
 








Pavilionaire

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2003
30,681
Once the regular season is over none of the four teams have an advantage over the other. That actually doesn't make any sense when you've just played 46 matches.

The right thing to do would be to make the play-offs a one leg affair with 3rd and 4th playing at home, with no replay. Then those top two sides who have earned that advantage will get it. This arrangement seems to work well in rubgy union.

The other factor is that often teams that are in 4th and 5th spot have secured their spot with a game or two to go, while 3rd fight to the last game. This means 4th / 5th can rest players, levelling the playing field.

This last week or so could not have gone any better for Hull City.
 


KZNSeagull

Well-known member
Nov 26, 2007
19,937
Wolsingham, County Durham
The only way to ensure that a team finishing 15 points below us do not get promoted is to beat the buggers! I am sure that we will, but there is always a nagging doubt when playing a MASSIVE team like Wednesday.

The 5th vs 6th, then playing 4th, then playing 3rd idea is a good one. Over 2 legs for all games though.
 




MrSnuggles

Well-known member
Apr 29, 2016
529
I accept that Worthingseagull123 but if the rules were changed at the start of a season then we all know what we need to achieve. A team finishing 6th means that there are 5 better teams over 46 matches. In the current system there is no recognition or advantage for a team finishing 15 points ahead of them! We may just as well scrap the league and have an FA cup style knockout tournament for promotion!! That's not a serious comment btw before everyone jumps on my back. But the point I am making is we have a disadvantage in trying to push to the last kick of the season. Other teams have tested players and we are likely to be two key players short. Our players may possibly be a bit more game weary and have to pick themselves up from the disappointment of missing out on the last game. I hope we do it, we deserve it, but do Sheffield Wednesday!!?
 


pasty

A different kind of pasty
Jul 5, 2003
30,374
West, West, West Sussex
There should be a points difference threshold. For example, if the team finishing 3rd is say 10+ points clear of 6th, then 6th miss out and 3rd go straight to the final to play winner of 4th v 5th.

And no, I am not just saying this because of our situation. I said it as far back as '91 when we were in the play-offs finishing 6th it would have been unfair if we got promoted, and the same 2 years ago when we finished in 6th, something like 13 points behind Derby.

It makes a complete and utter mockery of a league based system that a team can finish 15 points clear of another team, who then get a chance to knock that team out of a promotion race.
 


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