An interesting story re the play offs.

[BLUEAWAY]

English Football League play-offs: Why you have to win your final http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44120535

[Llanedeyrnblue]

English Football League play-offs: Why you have to win your final http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44120535

A good read

[Des Parrot]

On the other hand, the last 3 National League losing finalists, Grimsby, Forest Green & Tranmere have won the Final the following season

[Rjk]

Gutting for Preston, they were permanent fixtures in the playoffs for years and never went up - then one by one all of their local rivals all spent some time in the premier league, blackburn, bolton, wigan even blackpool

[StraightOuttaCanton]

Didn’t know Eric also wrote for the BBC

[Eric the Half a Bee]

In the promotion run-in, Warnock kept iterating that we'd be happy with the playoffs, and if we didn't make it that way, we'd have a damn good go next season.

I wasn't sure about this approach. I had a feeling that this squad needed to win promotion this season or next season things might become more difficult, simply because of the disappointment that would have been felt having blown an almost unassailable automatic promotion position.

Thankfully we went up, deservedly.

[Eric the Half a Bee]

Didn’t know Eric also wrote for the BBC

I don't do pie charts. Pies, yes, but not charts!

[islandblue]

In the promotion run-in, Warnock kept iterating that we'd be happy with the playoffs, and if we didn't make it that way, we'd have a damn good go next season.

I wasn't sure about this approach. I had a feeling that this squad needed to win promotion this season or next season things might become more difficult, simply because of the disappointment that would have been felt having blown an almost unassailable automatic promotion position.

Thankfully we went up, deservedly.

Think Warnock was playing mind games with Fulham and just taking the pressure off the players. He would have been as gutted to end up in the playoffs as we would have been. As you say it felt like now or never this season, especially with the parachute payments ending.

[Eric the Half a Bee]

Think Warnock was playing mind games with Fulham and just taking the pressure off the players. He would have been as gutted to end up in the playoffs as we would have been. As you say it felt like now or never this season, especially with the parachute payments ending.

Indeed. I'd forgotten about the parachute payments.

[life on mars]

Indeed. I'd forgotten about the parachute payments.

Indeed I forgot about these points :

Like you the last year of parachute, we'd be in trouble after that .

OGS, Slade & Trollope , legacy damage.

18 months ago we were in the lower reaches of the league,going nowhere .

Crowds down & deflated,no atmospheres .

Warnock arrives to a un convinced and depressed fan base,as many fans disliked him.

Our squad devoid of team spirit.

Ralls, Gunnerson , Zohore , under performing players, lacking confidence .

No real replacement keeper after Marshall,until McGregor loan.

Team with no pace or a striker of note .

FFP Ban looming.

No real funds.

Rumours of Tan exit.

No future .

Tough watching the games , and seeing the 90 through .

Didn't like attending midweek winter fixtures.

Drinking heavily.

Depressed.

I still cannot believe we went up, with the team we have v some of the well funded squads around us .

Bloody remarkable, still smiling and chuckling to my self in work , as the plastics, now show some interest in us, and temporary move away from the usual wonders of rugger , micky mousers , Man'ure and Wales conversations .