Play-offs For Promotion - Thoughts?

[patoriku66]

It used to be the the top three were promoted. Someone thought it was a bright idea to make 3-6 places have a play off.

I'm really not a fan of this idea as you get a side who were sixth getting lucky on the night and going up. I'd just rather it went back to how it was. I follow Ipswich and the number of times they were screwed in the play-off's and unless Leeds his a run or poor form, it could happen again. Town are 5 clear of saint's and are only third on goal diff. They're also 16 points clear of the Baggies.

I'll await the backlash.

[Dave]

I remember one year where Ipswich had an obscene points advantage over 4th place and there was a real discussion over whether it was fair. But the playoffs make great drama and adds to the competition of the league by giving mid table sides an incentive to play with a third of the season remaining. Its up there with moving from two points to three points for a win as one of the best ideas to increase healthy competition and drama in the football league.

[Lucas]

We've never won the playoffs since they were formed. Our record is atrocious.

We've lost to Watford in the Championship final.

We've lost to Doncaster in the League One final.

We've lost to Millwall in a Semi Final.

We've lost to Derby in a Semi Final.

We have even lost an inaugral playoff to Charlton in 1987 when it wasn't even a thing to decide promotion.

I absolutely dread them and hooe to god we don't get in them again or we're likely done for. But it is what it is.

Of all the things the EFL has brought in and done over the years, creating the playoffs has been the best thing to happen to the Football League hands down.

It's just the luck of the draw. You know what the story is before you kick a ball. If you'd have asked any Ipswich fan at the start of the season what would be your expectation for the team, many would likely have said Midtable or Top 10, and some would have dreamed of snatching a palyoff spot with a little bit of luck, realistically or unrealistically.

Thats just what the playoffs do. They allow clubs to dream of having a shot to reach the Premier League even if their budget or circumstances wouldn't necessarily allow them to. Just look at Luton now as the classic example.

And coming from a club in the division that has come down with a higher wage bill, bigger transfer kitty and better squad than many down there, I will begrudgingly accept if we finish 3rd and lose playoffs. I'll be gutted obviously, especially if we finish 20 odd points ahead of say a Coventry or Hull but thats just tough shit. We would have had a significant advantage to get us Top 2 and failed so it'd be on us.

I get Ipswich are having a great season but to be perfectly frank, there is every chance Southampton finish above them anyway, maybe even 2nd still, and suddenly you'll be welcoming a playoff spot.

[Dan+]

If you don't have the play-offs then you have to cut the league to about 18 teams - I don't know the exact maths of it but it renders loads of the season completely pointless if you abolish them. Teams in midtable would have nothing to play for from about December.

[Coma+]

Awarding the 6th place club with a playoff spot seems a bit much.  Maybe just 3 & 4 going at it with 17 & 18 from the prem.

[Pyfish+]

I'm a big fan of the playoffs but I think bias comes into play with that for me as Grimsby have a fairly decent record with play offs. We've been in countless finals and only won 2 of them in the time I've supported the club but those two occasions and the games leading up to them have been some of the best times I've witnessed as a Grimsby fan. It's the luck of the draw and I think teams and players tend to show their true characters in those games. It's commonly said that being promoted via playoffs is better than automatic solely for the occasion of going to a big stadium (if you're a lower league team) and winning it in front of tens of thousands of fans.