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Top 3 Promoted v The Play Offs



Bombadier Botty

Complete Twaddle
Jun 2, 2008
3,258
Can't remember how many decades ago the system reverted from the top three going up automatically to the current play off format to make the season 'more interesting' but maybe it's time to revert back to the top three going up :moo:

To finish in third and go out in the play offs to a team that has accrued 10+ less points than you over the course of the season must be quite galling. :wink:
 


T.G

Well-known member
Mar 30, 2011
620
Shoreham-by-Sea
Can't have it both ways I would have take promotion when we sneaked in two seasons ago. Certainly there is a element of injustice for the third placed team, but adds to a more exciting end to the season.
 


sparkie

Well-known member
Jul 17, 2003
12,466
Hove
Certainly a case for rethinking the format.

Perhaps 6th could playoff at 5th, the winner of which plays off at 4th, the winner of which plays off at 3rd for promotion.

The wembley showdown could be a playoff between promoted 1st and 2nd for divisional glory.
 


GT49er

Well-known member
Feb 1, 2009
46,480
Gloucester
Can't remember how many decades ago the system reverted from the top three going up automatically to the current play off format to make the season 'more interesting' but maybe it's time to revert back to the top three going up :moo:

To finish in third and go out in the play offs to a team that has accrued 10+ less points than you over the course of the season must be quite galling. :wink:

This came up on the Football League show - 3rd. place team goes up more often than any other position - 10 times out of 26. Worst place to finish, statistically, is 4th. (4 out of 26).
 


tomfitz12

CTRL+W to change this
Nov 25, 2012
1,107
southwick
The old serie B system, i believe, was that if the team in third finished ten, or more, points above fourth then they went up automatically rather than going through the play offs.
 




Sussex Nomad

Well-known member
Aug 26, 2010
18,185
EP
We got into the play offs via 6th place a couple of years back, I don't remember any threads then saying it wasn't fair?
 


GT49er

Well-known member
Feb 1, 2009
46,480
Gloucester
We got into the play offs via 6th place a couple of years back, I don't remember any threads then saying it wasn't fair?
True, but although we were disappointed, I don't think there were too many complaints about being tonked by the team that came third.
 










Mayonaise

Well-known member
May 25, 2014
2,114
Haywards Heath
Certainly a case for rethinking the format.

Perhaps 6th could playoff at 5th, the winner of which plays off at 4th, the winner of which plays off at 3rd for promotion.

The wembley showdown could be a playoff between promoted 1st and 2nd for divisional glory.

I like this idea :bowdown:
 




Brovion

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Jul 6, 2003
19,322
Playoffs. It keeps the season alive longer for more clubs. I know some people think it's unfair on the club who finish third, but actually (as I've said on another thread) the era of three-up-three-down between the top two divisions only existed for 13 years. It was introduced in 1974 and was replaced by the play-offs in 1987. For about sixty years prior to 1974 it was two-up-two-down.
 




Sussex Nomad

Well-known member
Aug 26, 2010
18,185
EP
Playoffs. It keeps the season alive longer for more clubs. I know some people think it's unfair on the club who finish third, but actually (as I've said on another thread) the era of three-up-three-down between the top two divisions only existed for 13 years. It was introduced in 1974 and was replaced by the play-offs in 1987. For about sixty years prior to 1974 it was two-up-two-down.

F*ck me I'm old, I remember that.
 




peterward

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Nov 11, 2009
11,235
Certainly a case for rethinking the format.

Perhaps 6th could playoff at 5th, the winner of which plays off at 4th, the winner of which plays off at 3rd for promotion.

The wembley showdown could be a playoff between promoted 1st and 2nd for divisional glory.

or something similar to away goals rule..... if the matches of 3rd v 6th or 4th v 5th end up all square after 180 mins, the 3rd and 4th teams would go through based on superior league pos. the 6th and 5th based teams would need to win over 2 legs, 3rd and 4th could win or draw.... seems fair
 






GT49er

Well-known member
Feb 1, 2009
46,480
Gloucester
I prefer the original play off format of 3rd 4th and 5th plus 3rd bottom of the division above who had the chance to stay up.
Far too desperate - as I remember these inevitably turned into clog-fests, fights and all that was bad about football. Much better now (though personally I still don't like the idea of playoffs at all, but I acknowledge that horse has bolted now).
 




BensGrandad

New member
Jul 13, 2003
72,015
Haywards Heath
Why should that format cause any more trouble than the existing assuming the play offs were Newcastle v Sunderland & Portsmouth v Southampton or similar. I think the trouble followed what was the norm at the time. We have all moved on from then and those days
 


Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo

Waxing chumps like candles since ‘75
Oct 4, 2003
10,899
I more than likely a crap idea but I think a system taking elements from the Rugby League format of old could work. Increase the number of teams in the play offs to 6, get rid of the 2 legged format and give home advantage to the team finishing higher. Two rounds, and then the final. Teams finishing 3 and 4th would get a bye to the second round.

So for example

Round 1

5th vs 8th
6th vs 7th

Winners go to second round losers are out.

Round 2

3rd vs lowest ranked side to go through from round 1.
4th vs other side to qualify from round 1.

Final at Wembley at normal.

No extra matches to be played as it gets rid of the two legged games and becomes a 1 game shoot out so won't take any longer to run. It would also mean Ipswich, Birmingham, Brentford, Preston, Leeds and QPR would still currently have a chance of making 8th (some quite a slim chance) so less meaningless games at the end of the season. Although it would be a bit galling to finish 3rd and lose to the team who finished 8th a massive 25 points or so behind.
 



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