The English Lower League thread (Part 2)

[Venkman]

Seems like nobody wants to get promoted. Leicester lose in Plymouth, Leeds lose at home to Blackburn. Ipswich go top after a 1-1 draw against Middlesbrough. Southampton in 4th six points behind Leeds with two games in hand.

Ipswich are playing Hull and Coventry away then Huddersfield at home.

Leicester play WBA and Southampton at home, Preston away then Blackburn at home.

Leeds play Middlesbrough and QPR away then Southampton at home.

Southampton play Preston at home, Cardiff and Leicester away, Stoke at home then away to Leeds.

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

Seems like nobody wants to get promoted. Leicester lose in Plymouth, Leeds lose at home to Blackburn. Ipswich go top after a 1-1 draw against Middlesbrough. Southampton in 4th six points behind Leeds with two games in hand.

Ipswich are playing Hull and Coventry away then Huddersfield at home.

Leicester play WBA and Southampton at home, Preston away then Blackburn at home.

Leeds play Middlesbrough and QPR away then Southampton at home.

Southampton play Preston at home, Cardiff and Leicester away, Stoke at home then away to Leeds.

Playing at an insanely high level all season is catching up with those four teams. It has to be put into that context. All four are having promotion-tier seasons and only haven't clinched because each other are in the way.

This is the 20th season of the Championship.

Leicester are on track for 96 points. This would win the Championship in 13/19 previous seasons. It would be enough for promotion in 19/19 previous seasons.

Ipswich are on track for 95 points. This would win the Championship in 13/19 previous seasons. It would be enough for promotion in 19/19 previous seasons.

Leeds are on track for 93 points. This would win the Championship in 10/19 previous seasons. It would be enough for promotion in either 17 or 19/19 previous seasons (in 2014 and 2017, second place landed on 93.

Southampton are on track for 91 points. This would win the Championship in 8/19 previous seasons. It would be enough for promotion in either 11 or 14/19 previous seasons (in 2010, 2021, and 2023, second place landed on 91).

This has been an absolutely wacky campaign in the Championship. Four sides are having historically good seasons. Whoever finishes in 3rd and 4th will have point totals that historically would've guaranteed top two. Sides all the way up in 14th aren't safe from the drop with only three matches left.

 

[spintheblackcircle]

Ipswich-89
@hull (7th) @Coventry (8th) Huddersfield (22nd)

Leicester-88
West Brom (5th) Southampton (4th) @Preston (10th) Blackburn (17th)

Leeds-87
@Middlesborugh (9th) @QPR (19th) Southampton (4th)

 

[HoseEmDown]

Ipswich-89
@hull (7th) @Coventry (8th) Huddersfield (22nd)

Leicester-88
West Brom (5th) Southampton (4th) @Preston (10th) Blackburn (17th)

Leeds-87
@Middlesborugh (9th) @QPR (19th) Southampton (4th)

Why leave out Southampton? They got 2 games in hand, on Leeds and Ipswich, so could be level with Leeds as early as this weekend.

Not even sure who has the hardest run in because they all play playoff or playoff chasing teams and the lower table teams are all on the road. Gonna be a good finish. The bottom is another tight race as well.

 

[GabeTravels]

E I E I E I O! UP THE FOOTBALL LEAGUE WE GO! LEAGUE ONE CHAMPIONS!!!

 

[bluesfan94]

E I E I E I O! UP THE FOOTBALL LEAGUE WE GO! LEAGUE ONE CHAMPIONS!!!

Hopefully y'all still go all out for MW46. Although my Oxford could just win out and remove any of the drama.

 

[GabeTravels]

Hopefully y'all still go all out for MW46. Although my Oxford could just win out and remove any of the drama.

I think they will... trophy will be in the building and we wanna end on a good note.

I hope so too, since I'll be there!

Edit: Well, for MW45 anyways, haha. Not sure about 46. But we still have a shot at 100 points so that'd be nice.

 

[HajdukSplit]

Derby, Bolton and Peterborough (game in hand) are still alive for the final automatic promotion spot in League One, Derby have control of their own destiny only needing a draw in their final match. Derby play already relegated Carlisle. Both Bolton and Peterborough need to hope Derby lose that match and they win their remaining game(s), then it will come down to GD

 

[Venkman]

Leicester beat Southampton 5-0, hatrick and an assist by Abdul Fatawu. Leicester are four points ahead of Leeds with 2 games left. Ipswich are 3rd, a point behind Leeds with a game in hand.

 

[HajdukSplit]

Damaging loss for Leeds at QPR, Leicester all but promoted and Ipswich control their own destiny

QPR mathematically safe with this result as well

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

Damaging loss for Leeds at QPR, Leicester all but promoted and Ipswich control their own destiny

QPR mathematically safe with this result as well

Leicester are fully promoted, not all but.

They're at 94. Leeds max at 93, Ipswich at 98, and Southampton at 90. So, at worst, they finish 2nd. They're mathematically up.

It would take a pretty major collapse of Ipswich to drop it now. Leeds have one game remaining, which is against Southampton. A win puts Leeds on 93. Ipswich need to take either 4 points from 3 games (with goal difference) or 5 point from 3 games (without goal difference) to beat that. Their games are against Hull and Coventry (who are still ostensibly fighting for playoff spots but are basically out) and Huddersfield (fighting for survival). They should pull it off.

Southampton are basically mathematically out of the race for automatic. Their two games (including against Leeds) could put them on 90 and, if Ipswich loses their three remaining, would put them level with Leeds in second. BUT Leeds's GD is significantly better than Southampton's. At this point, Southampton are fighting for third - although WBA and Norwich are pretty same diff, so it likely doesn't matter.

 

[robertmac43]

 

[PanniniClaus]

Wow - 132 years old and never in EFL.,

 

[robertmac43]

Wow - 132 years old and never in EFL.,

Such a cool story, hoping they can build into something that gets to stay in the EFL.

 

[SSF]

Ipswich won tonight so that means if they get at least a point, they are promoted.
If they do not get a point, Leeds will get promoted only if they win.

Ipswich hosts an essentially relegated Huddersfield while Leeds hosts Southampton in a meaningless game for Saints, they will finish 4th no matter what.

All of this Saturday at 7:30 am ET in the US

 

[bluesfan94]

Oxford made it to the playoffs!

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

Plymouth stay up, Birmingham down.

 

[Savant]

Glad Ipswich on the way up. Always seems pointless when it’s same three up and same three down

 

[Albatros]

Good job Tom Wagner, sacked the manager while heading for promotion playoffs, five (!) managers later relegation achieved.

 

[IslesNorway]

Birmingham's relegation should serve as a a blueprint on how to not run your club. They were doing fine until they decided to sack the manager and replace him with Wayne Rooney. Enjoy League One!

 

[Venkman]

McKenna has done a brilliant job with Ipswich. 12th in League One when he took over to back to back promotions.

8 of the starting 11 today also started their last game in League One. 9 with GK Walton getting subbed on. With the remaining 2, Clarke and Broadhead, on the bench but still regulars this season.

 

[luiginb]

McKenna has done a brilliant job with Ipswich. 12th in League One when he took over to back to back promotions.

8 of the starting 11 today also started their last game in League One. 9 with GK Walton getting subbed on. With the remaining 2, Clarke and Broadhead, on the bench but still regulars this season.

I've always been a fan of this approach, when a club gets promoted plug at most 2-3 holes in the starting 11 and strengthen the bench, but keep the core that promoted intact

 

[Albatros]

Bromley promoted to the Football League for the first time in club history (since 1892), Solihull loses after penalties but gets another Wembley final already next Saturday in the FA Trophy against Gateshead.

 

[NJDevs26]

Bromley promoted to the Football League for the first time in club history (since 1892), Solihull loses after penalties but gets another Wembley final already next Saturday in the FA Trophy against Gateshead.

Good for Bromley but sucks for Solihull, they’ve lost in the playoff final two out of three years. The FA Trophy Final next week has to be odd, playing a cup final right after failing to get promoted to the football league.

 

[spintheblackcircle]

McKenna has done a brilliant job with Ipswich. 12th in League One when he took over to back to back promotions.

8 of the starting 11 today also started their last game in League One. 9 with GK Walton getting subbed on. With the remaining 2, Clarke and Broadhead, on the bench but still regulars this season.

This is a quality piece, just came out an hr ago