The last 10 seasons in League 2, here are the amount of points that teams need to secure play offs (finishing 7th) and the amount of points that teams need to secure automatic promotion (finishing 3rd) Finishing 7th 05/06 - 66 06/07 - 71 07/08 - 78 08/09 - 69 09/10 - 72 10/11 - 68 11/12 - 72 12/13 - 69 13/14 - 71 14/15 - 71 Average 71 points needed. Finishing 3rd 05/06 - 81 06/07 - 85 07/08 - 88 08/09 - 78 09/10 - 82 10/11 - 80 11/12 - 84 12/13 - 78 13/14 - 81 14/15 - 85 Average 82 points needed. We currently have 62 points with 10 games to go - 30 points up for grabs. Going by the averages, we need just 9 points to secure a play off spot! And we need 2o points to secure a top 3 plce. However I think we will need a lot more points than the average over the last 10 seasons! How many points do you think will be enough for 7th - securing a play off place and 3rd securing automatic promotion?
Its always been a good rough guide that you need; For automatic promotion an average of 1.75 points per game giving an 80-82 points total For play offs an average of 1.5 points per game giving a 69-70 points total To get relegated just one point average per game about giving 46 - 50 points is the drop zone!
We are on 62 points. Do you think 8/9 points will be enough to secure a play off spot with 10 games to go?
I have genially been having nighmares about the play offs! I keep seeing Portsmouth beating us with a last minute goal at Wembley!! I really believe we need that third spot, or we are going to bottle it! sorry for the negativity, but I just see Portsmouth in the final, and them winning it?
Its an odd situation. At the end of the season different rules start to apply. Teams threatened with relegation are no longer easy points, but they up their game and play much harder to avoid the drop. Teams who appear to be walking to promotion start to become nervy and start to wobble, then lose games that they would be expected to win easily. The other set of unusual conditions are that players are looking to keep their contracts by upping their game, so teams that are going nowhere in the middle of the table suddenly become difficult to beat and the form book goes out of the window.
I agree.... and where rovers are concerned we seem to be steadying up the ship now and being very consistent. we are strong at the back and not leaking goals,and we have some more than capable players in the side to score goals. if we can stay focused and not let the nerves get the better of the players, we have a very good chance of the third spot now....everything to play for.!
Totally agree, its always a nervy time of the season for all the reasons you've said. We need to try to take one match at a time and not plan too far ahead as things can change so quickly, especially in this league. When I first saw the Pompey v Newport result, I was a bit concerned as they are our next opponents, but having now seen the highlights on TV, I feel confident that we can come back with at least a point,and hopefully 3. Portsmouth looked as though they had a bad day at the office to say the least,and a mate that went to the game tells me that they were so confident of the expected win, the minute they fell behind and weren't having things their own way, they didn't appear to have a plan B, and ran out of ideas. It wasn't a case of Newport being particularly good but Pompey being over confident. Can't see DC allowing us to fall foul of that.
its done us a favour in more ways than one.....at least now the players can see Newport are capable of beating the top sides, and we can go there mentally better prepared.?
Some great comments here Taking 1 game (or project as DC says) at a time is key for the players and managers. But as fans, its good to think of these things. It helps us to stay sane
I'm trying not to think about how many points we will get or where we will finish in the league becoming a bit nerve racking now
After Saturday's results it's a lot more in our own hands. And DC and a lot of the lads have shown that they can finish a season strongly. Playoffs definitely, but I think we'll probably make an automatic slot.
I really hope you're right - for some reason I don't fancy the play off route this time. Plus it would be nice to sit back and relax in May for a change!
As much as I love a day out at Wembley, it's not the greatest thing for the nerves! We've now given ourselves a chance for automatic. We need to grasp it and I reckon 7 wins from 10 will do it. On paper we are capable of that - apart from Northampton & a long trip to Carlisle there isn't too much in our run in. But this all depends on DC's ability to keep the lads focused and to extract maximum effort and concentration as we enter the business end of the season. He did it last season and I believe that he'll do it again. If DC and the lads deliver a 2nd successive promotion then they'll go down as Gas legends and 2016 will go down as a fantastic year! Regardless of what happens, we have to remember where we were just 2 short years ago in the dark days of 2013-14. The fact we are challenging for our 2nd promotion at a debt free club with wealthy new owners is nothing short of miraculous.
