I thought I'd have a statistical look over the last 20 seasons in the Championship to see what chances we have, based on that.

On average, 74 would get a team into 6th place. That figure has been as low as 68 or as high as 78 points. What sort of points tally might we expect this season? Well, Leeds have the lowest points per game average in the top 6 at 1.76, which would result in 81 points over the course of the season. The average number of points a team might have in 6th place after a similar number of games is 1.63, or 54 points at this stage - 4 lower than Leeds. In fact, Leeds current points per game tally is higher than any side sitting in 6th position at the same stage of the season. That suggests to get into the playoffs will require a higher than normal number of points - arguably higher than at any time over the last 2 decades. Let's say, for argument's sale that 78 points (the joint highest) gets you into the top 6, albeit the figure could end up being higher.

That leaves us needing 33 points from our last 14 games at 2.36 points a game! That's Championship winning form, which would equate to 108 points over the course of the season! Unlikely? Yes. However.....

In 2010/11, Reading were languishing in 12th place with 44 points after 32 games. They won 33 points from their last 14 and ended up in 5th. The first part of that sounds highly familiar.

In 1997/98, Ipswich were in 12th and won 38 points from their last 15 to finish in 5th with 83 points at a whopping 2.53 points a game.

Hull in 2007/08, Preston in 2000/01 and Bolton in 1999/2000 all won 2 or more points a game from this point in the season to finish in the playoffs from some distance away. Crystal Palace in 2007/8 and Burnley in 2008/9 both averaged over 1.9 points a game to do the same.

In short, only one team since the millennium has achieved what Cardiff City will likely need to achieve if we are to finish in the playoffs.