Football League Play-offs

[Wanraya]

Last night Ipswich were knocked out of the race for the last premiership place by West Ham. Ipswich finished a massive 12 points ahead of West Ham and nine points clear of the 4th placed team.

Grossly unfair on Ipswich but how boring would the football league be without the play-offs?

They certainly generate excitement with normally around 6-8 clubs chasng the four play off places.

My own team Sunderland have in the past benefited from the system (Up from 6th place in 89/90) and suffered because of it(twice finished 3rd in 97/98 and 03/04 and failed to go up).

Do we need them or is there a fairer way without curtailing too much of the excitement?

[The_Doctor]

So long as Preston get through tonight, there is no problem with play offs at all!

What is unfair is that I can't find anywhere showing the final, so it looks like I'm going to miss out on watching the mighty North End whip the Hammers into shape...

[eddie11]

It seems that the winner of the play-offs

get more money than the actual champions,

and a day out in Cardif and a nice trophy for coming third.

[fw1]

From what I remember, they were introduced to make the leagues more exciting, so that teams in 8th/9th place with a month or two to go still had something to play for. Outside of that I see them as largely academic as teams that are promoted via them tend to go straight down the next year, this is especially so with The Championship, as it's called now. Yes, I suppose it's unfair as the lower leagues are primarily about consistency rather than beating any particular team on their day (which most teams can do).

[bartender100]

Ipsh*t got knocked out.

[ThaiPauly]

In 1995/96 season reading finished SECOND in thest division, but were NOT promoted as that year the number of Premiership clubs was being pruned by one.

If that's not UNFAIR what is?

Oh BT 100 looks like you do have something to smile about at last.

Unfortunatley I think West Ham will win the final and go up. I dislike Alan (Judas) Pardew with a pasion.