begin this weekend. What do people think? Will Huddersfield do it or are Sheff Untd too strong? MK Dons are arguably the most entertaining but I think it will be a Huddersfield v Sheffield final with Huddersfield sneaking it. In League 2 we have Crewe, Southend, Cheltenham and Torquay. I would expoect Southend and Torquay to make it to the final and can see Southend winning through. Views?
What a great boon it would be for the 'little guy' if Stevenage won the League One Play-offs. It would also serve as n example of how quickly fortunes can change, when you consider that it would mean them being a division above us when, as recently as 2009-10 they were in the Conference and we were in the Premier League! As far as League Two is concerned, I'd like to see Torquay win them as Pompey fans will be able to enjoy a trip to the beautiful English Rivierra on Devon's South coast.
Cheering for Stevenage to gain promotion, as I suspect the vast majority of neutrals are. Would love for Crewe to win the League Two playoffs, as well.
I've been following Huddersfields fortunes all season after they ran us so close for 2nd spot the year before, and would love to see them go up. Until recently I worked with a Stevenage fan, and he has been adamant all season that they are not ready for another promotion, and it would be a disaster if they went up to the Championship. I think he may be right.
If Stevenage win the play-offs then that would be 3 promotions in a row wouldn't it...?? I'd have to agree that although it would be a remarkable achievement I think that after such a rapid rise they would find it extremely difficult to compete at Championship level.
Just found this preview for what it's worth. Sheffield Utd had automatic promotion booked until star striker Ched Evans [35, yes 35 goals] was jailed, and United LDD in their last 3 games. So to them being in the playoffs is a massive disappointment, whereas to ‘little’ Stevenage it is a real achievement. So mentally Stevenage enter the play offs with much higher morale than United. 2. United not only can’t play Ched Evans but his replacement CF James Beattie is now suspended. 3. Utd have lost ‘on the road’ in 4 of their 5 games against the other top 6 sides. They lost 1-0 at Charlton, Sheffield Wed, and MK Dons, and 2-1 at Stevenage. 4. Stevange have a good record against the top sides especially at home. They have beaten both promoted clubs Charlton [1-0], and Sheffield Wed [5-1], and they have won two and drawn one against the other play off sides ie MK Dons [4-2], Huddersfield [2-1], and they beat tonight’s opponents Sheffield Utd 2-1 in November. In the penultimate game of the season, they also drew 2-2 away to Sheffield United. 5. Stevenage are clearly a strong side on their own ground, they have scored in 9 of their last 10 league games, and they can handle big occasions as they showed when they won 1-0 away at Reading [who went on to win the Championship] in the FA Cup R3 ,and also in R5 when they held Spurs to a 0-0 draw at home. 6. Since losing at Charlton in late February, Stevenage have PL 19 W5 D10 L1 and they ended the season with a WWWDW sequence. IN SUM - I can’t see Sheffield Utd winning this match so although the draw is a real runner Stevenage looks solid bet at a very nice price.
I would like to see 'udders win through this time from League One, they were so unlucky last season. If not, then Stevenage would be a rags to riches story similar to Wimbledon. Prediction...Huddersfield Only one team i'd like to win through from League Two...Torquay, the nearest club to the place of my birth and my second club. They play good attractive passing football and would enhance League One....Prediction Torquay.
I have to admit to having a little bit of respect for 'uddersfield. Like the team and fans I like their approach to football or at least did last season 2010/2011. They went on a terrific run but just couldn't get over the last hurdle. I would like to think they could do it this year.....Good luck 'uddersfield..........
Crewe are the in-form team in League 2. They did extremely well to even make it into the playoffs, so they will be in good spirits for the Southend game and I really hope they beat them. A Torquay v Crewe final would be good. MK Dons v Stevenage would be my desired final for League 1. For Stevenage to go up again would be unbelievable.
1. MK Dons finished the season DWWWW and they then lost the final game when reduced to 10 men by an injury after they had used all their subs. They had scored in 11 games in a row until that final match. 2. Huddersfield have scored only 4 in their last 6 games, and in their last 9 league games they have won just 2 at relegated Chesterfield, and 20th Leyton Orient. 3. Both these clubs were in these play offs last year, with Huddersfield losing in the final, and the Dons losing in the first game. IN SUM - a difficult game to call. LEAGUE TWO PLAY OFFS PLAYING SATURDAY - CREWE v SOUTHEND - - 5.30pm. 1. Crewe, after a very poor start to the season when they lost 10 of their first 17 games, are now on a massive roll being unbeaten in their last 16, W7 D9. They have scored in all 16, and only two of the 16 were against bottom six sides when the game was played. That run of really good form has taken them into the play offs so they have real momentum. 2. During that run they have played 5 of the sides who finished in the top 7. At home they beat top side Swindon 2-0, and play off team Cheltenham 1-0, drew 1-1 at home to promoted Shrewsbury, and they drew 1-1 ‘on the road’ at both promoted Crawley and play off side Torquay. Crewe lost both home [1-3] and away [0-1] to Southend but those games came before Crewe’s run of success and while Southend were ‘on fire’. 3. Crewe, under manager Steve Davis, are essentially a young side with England Under 17 international Nick Powell [15 goals] one of several players attracting the scouts. 4. Southend have not scored in 4 of their last 6 games against sides in the top half of the table. Indeed over the season away to the other top 7 sides they didn’t score at Cheltenham [0-3], Torquay [0-0], Swindon [0-2] + Crawley [0-3] although they scored at Shrewsbury [1-2]. IN SUM - Crewe have real momentum, and a good record at home against the top sides so they could well gain a narrow win here with Powell the lad to Nick the goal!
Question is...will Rhodes stick with Huddersfield if they get promoted? If they don't surely he will move on. Do you think he will go straight to the Prem or make a stop off at the Championship?
