The Play Offs

[lucy6lucy]

The playoffs offer the incentive for clubs mid table to fight. Let's remember we beat Shrewsbury, and Cambridge, both of those had better league places against us.

[merse btpir]

Anyone denigrating the concept of the play-offs is denying themselves of the very fact as to why they were established.......to open the season up to as many clubs as possible rather than the balls achingly old style of meaningless mid-table games that came around so early in the season. They have been a God send!

hector has a point though and his preferred system operates in levels below the National League whereby the higher you finish within that group who qualify for what is in effect a knockout competition the higher the likelihood of you getting home ties.

The huge temptation to stage a Wembley final is not there at that level and it is a more affordable and accessible for the fans to whom Wembley is a huge racket as they struggle with ticket prices, inaccessibility of trains etc. We're now seeing that with the Exeter City game being played at faraway Carlisle on Sunday evening without any consideration for the travelling fan whatsoever; a disgraceful state of affairs.

[hector]

Next Saturday, I will go to Sandy Park to watch Chiefs play Saracens, with home advantage for finishing 2nd, as opposed to the opposition's 3rd place. Chiefs get something for finishing higher.

In football, they probably would not want to do without the revenue of the two-legs. So, why not do as they do in baseball/ice hockey and play more than two legs? Play a three-leged tie, with the team finishing higher having two home games. If one team wins the first two games then there would be no need for a 3rd leg. Probably not the best idea but one that at least offers an advantage to the highest place team.

[bixieupnorth]

i'd like it to be halifax, we've won on the last two visits, love the three pigeons, plus i've just started seeing a girl from mytholmroyd, could almost walk from hers to the ground along the canal! fylde is doable, not been to any of the grounds along that coast except the three merseyside clubs. FGR still makes a good derby for us

[SuperNickyWroe]

i'd like it to be halifax, we've won on the last two visits, love the three pigeons, plus i've just started seeing a girl from mytholmroyd, could almost walk from hers to the ground along the canal! fylde is doable, not been to any of the grounds along that coast except the three merseyside clubs. FGR still makes a good derby for us

didn't realise we used the forum for personal confessions..... :}
Halifax at home today v chorley having beaten them 2-0 away a few weeks ago. be nice to have them back.
and as the lovebird

[merse btpir]

Living in Essex I'd like to see Chelmsford go up.

My friend's son (Bagasan Graham) plays for them and they've got financial trouble because the prospective buyers (Jade Global) who have been accommodated on the board all season have now resigned due to the fact that when push came to shove they didn't have the promised funds to put in leaving the entire squad and management not knowing where they stand for next season; so watch out for wholesale departures.

There is another deal on the table and the Board have been given permission to pursue it, but right now things are looking very shaky.

[Gulliball]

Both ties 0-0 at half time. Halifax v Chorley kicked off 15 mins late, and Ebbsleet are down to 10 men after a bad tackle on Josh Rees.

Edit: Chelmsford 1-0 up.

[SuperNickyWroe]

Halifax 1-0 Chorley. Kieran Charnock playing for Chorley

[Gulliball]

Both play-offs now 1-1.

Edit: Ebbsfleet now 2-1 up, 76 mins. Other game 15 mins behind.

[merse btpir]

Ebbsfleet get through and will be in the National League next season. Result: 2-1 (att: 3,134)

[SuperNickyWroe]

Halifax 2-1 at end of 1st half of ET
Attendance is 7920 with 1941 from Chorley a Nat North record apparently.

[Glostergull]

amazing support from both teams. never thought a national north match would ever have an attendance like that. But Chorley have had pretty good attendances all season. when you consider the competition. and as I mention that Halifax are promoted.

[SuperNickyWroe]

Congrats to Halifax.

[Gullscorer]

Nope, I still don't like play-offs. If creating some end-of-season interest for mid-table clubs is a reason for having pay-offs, then a fairer method would be to have, instead of play-offs, a system of eight up and eight down. That way, every team in the league would be involved, one way or another, right to the end !

[lucy6lucy]

With the village boys 3-1 up at half time, is Eastleigh our derby match next season