Alternative playoffs

  • Please bear with us on the new site integration and fixing any known bugs over the coming days. If you can not log in please try resetting your password and check your spam box. If you have tried these steps and are still struggling email [email protected] with your username/registered email address
  • Log in now to remove adverts - no adverts at all to registered members!
seagullhoop

seagullhoop

Well-Known Member
May 23, 2011
1,796
820
113
Brighton
Watching the playoffs and it seems that the 'advantage' of a home second leg in the semi-final is thin pickings when there might be such a big points difference between third and sixth

Was thinking an alternative would be a mini league between all 4 clubs (i.e. 3 games each) with the club that finished higher always playing at home

Would really reward those teams finishing higher, and still mean the same number of games to win promotion

So in the case of this season...

Brighton vs Hull
Brighton vs Derby
Brighton vs Sheff Wed

Hull vs Derby
Hull vs Sheff Wed

Derby vs Sheff Wed
 
And no one gets the big day out at Wembley and the telly can't go on about 'the richest game in sport'? Tempting.....
 
.......or perhaps the Scottish way, where potential relegation candidates fight for the right to remain in their division over teams from the next division down.

SPFL PLAY-OFF DATES 2015/16

Ladbrokes Premiership play-offs

Wednesday 4 May, 2016
Premiership play-off quarter-final, 1st leg
4th in Championship v 3rd in Championship
Raith Rovers 1-0 Hibernian, kick-off 7.45pm

Saturday 7 May, 2016
Premiership play-off quarter-final, 2nd leg
3rd in Championship v 4th in Championship
Hibernian 2-0 Raith Rovers, kick-off 12.30pm

Tuesday 10 May, 2016
Premiership play-off semi-final, 1st leg
3rd or 4th in Championship v 2nd in Championship
Hibernian v Falkirk, kick-off 7.45pm (live on BT Sport)

Friday 13 May, 2016
Premiership play-off semi-final, 2nd leg
2nd in Championship v 3rd or 4th in Championship
Falkirk v Hibernian, kick-off 7.45pm (live on BT Sport)

**Thursday 19 May, 2016
Premiership play-off final, 1st leg
2nd or 3rd or 4th in Championship v 11th in Premiership
Live on BT Sport, kick-off 7.45pm

**Sunday 22 May, 2016
Premiership play-off final, 2nd leg
11th in Premiership v 2nd or 3rd or 4th in Championship
Live on BT Sport, kick-off 3.00pm

** If Scottish Cup finalists Hibernian reach the play-off final, the dates will be Tuesday 17 May & Wednesday 25 May.

Ladbrokes Championship play-offs

Tuesday 3 May, 2016
Championship play-off semi-final, 1st leg
3rd in League 1 v 2nd in League 1
Peterhead 1-4 Ayr United, kick-off 8.00pm

Wednesday 4 May, 2016
Championship play-off semi-final, 1st leg
4th in League 1 v 9th in Championship
Stranraer 5-2 Livingston, kick-off 7.45pm

Saturday 7 May, 2016
Championship play-off semi-final, 2nd leg
9th in Championship v 4th in League 1
Livingston 4-3 Stranraer, kick-off 3.00pm (AET)

Saturday 7 May, 2016
Championship play-off semi-final, 2nd leg
2nd in League 1 v 3rd in League 1
Ayr United 2-1 Peterhead, kick-off 3.00pm

Wednesday 11 May, 2016
Championship play-off final, 1st leg
Stranraer v Ayr United
Live on BBC ALBA, kick-off 7.45pm

Sunday 15 May, 2016
Championship play-off final, 2nd leg
Ayr United v Stranraer
Live on BBC ALBA, kick-off 2.45pm

Ladbrokes League 1 play-offs

Tuesday 3 May, 2016
League 1 play-off semi-final, 1st leg
3rd in League 2 v 2nd in League 2
Clyde 3-1 Elgin City, kick-off 7.45pm

Wednesday 4 May, 2016
League 1 play-off semi-final, 1st leg
4th in League 2 v 9th in League 1
Queen's Park 2-0 Cowdenbeath, kick-off 7.45pm

Saturday May 7, 2016
League 1 play-off semi-final, 2nd leg
9th in League 1 v 4th in League 2
Cowdenbeath 1-0 Queen's Park, kick-off 3.00pm

Saturday May 7, 2016
League 1 play-off semi-final, 2nd leg
2nd in League 2 v 3rd in League 2
Elgin City 0-2 Clyde, kick-off 3.00pm

Tuesday 10 May, 2016
League 1 play-off final, 1st leg
**Clyde v Queen's Park, kick-off 7.45pm

Saturday 14 May, 2016
League 1 play-off final, 2nd leg
**Queen's Park v Clyde, kick-off 3.00pm

** Fixtures reversed as Broadwood is unavailable on May 14

Ladbrokes League 2 play-offs

Saturday 7 May, 2016
League 2 play-off final, 1st leg
Highland League or Lowland League champions v Club 42
Edinburgh City 1-1 East Stirlingshire, kick-off 3.00pm

Saturday 14 May, 2016
League 2 play-off final, 2nd leg
Club 42 v Highland League or Lowland League champions
East Stirlingshire v Edinburgh City, kick-off 3.00pm

http://spfl.co.uk/playoffs/
 
  • Like
Reactions: Steelmonkey
Actually, the play offs came into being a long time before Sky!

Introduced to stop half the matches played in April being between two sides with nothing to play for not giving a damn. It was dreadful to watch!

Change the format by all means, but don't take us back to those days of yore.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Staines R's, Ranger74 and rangercol
terryb said:
Actually, the play offs came into being a long time before Sky!

Introduced to stop half the matches played in April being between two sides with nothing to play for not giving a damn. It was dreadful to watch!

Change the format by all means, but don't take us back to those days of yore.
Click to expand...

Totally agree... I think it's a much better way to generate interest in the end of season for more teams, but it just seems that there might be a way to weight it a little more to reflect the finishing positions
 
Hoops Eternal said:
I have to admit I am a great fan of the play offs, our home semi against Wigan and the final will live with me forever.
Watching Plymouth v. Portsmouth now, fantastic drama
Click to expand...
Agreed, not suggesting the playoffs are inherently bad, I just think they don't necessarily reflect the final table
 
Hoops Eternal said:
I have to admit I am a great fan of the play offs, our home semi against Wigan and the final will live with me forever.
Watching Plymouth v. Portsmouth now, fantastic drama
Click to expand...

Yes, I have enjoyed these lower league playoff matches too. Just watching the tail end of this one. So Plymouth it is with that late winner.

Well done Grimsby too, having their day out at Wembley, now promoted to League Two, beating Forest Green 3-1, didn't realize that the other "beast" Jon Parkin played for FG. They will be disappointed as they finished the season 9 pts ahead of Grimsby, and were likely shell shocked conceding two goals in two mins just before HT.

I see a second trip to Wembley on the cards for Grimsby too:-

The promoted Mariners return to Wembley on 22 May for the FA Trophy final against FC Halifax.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36244418
 
As Kilburn stated, the playoff situation up here in Scotland definately rewards the higher placed sides, although it is weighted in favour of the Premier League side who finish 2nd bottom of that league.

It retains all the fervour towards the end of season, but there is no final, as the matches are all played over two legs. This season we get a new team in the league - Edinburgh City finally breaking into the SPFL from the Lowland League, and the expense of East Stirling, whilst at the other end of the leagues, Hibs have paud the cost of not finishing 2nd by having to play 4 games in 9 days, and falling short - Falkirk going through to play Kilmarnock in the final round of matches.
 
Steelmonkey said:
........This season we get a new team in the league - Edinburgh City finally breaking into the SPFL from the Lowland League, at the expense of East Stirling........
Click to expand...

Perhaps next season our partnership with relegated Basingstoke Town will assist them in returning to the National League (South).
 
Last edited:
As an alternative, one of the play off scenarios here is quite good, it reduces the number of games to 4 and favours the higher placed teams:

3v4 (winner straight to final)
and 5v6 (loser goes home)
Loser of 3v4 v winner 5v6 (winner to final)
 
MelburnIAN said:
As an alternative, one of the play off scenarios here is quite good, it reduces the number of games to 4 and favours the higher placed teams:

3v4 (winner straight to final)
and 5v6 (loser goes home)
Loser of 3v4 v winner 5v6 (winner to final)
Click to expand...

I'd guess that reducing the number of games would probably strike fear into the money men at Sky!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back