History repeating itself....?

[Dirk Gently]

I have a terrible premonition of what's going to happen next week.

All through the terrible run from January last season I wasn't particularly worried, because my mantra was "as long as we finish ahead of Birmingham we'll be fine" - because at the time Derby were doomed and Fulham looked it too. We did finish ahead of Birmingham but we weren't fine, because of Fulham's miraculous recovery.

This season, all through the terrible run from January my mantra has been "as long as we finish ahead of Birmingham we'll go up" - it was a three horse race for so long. A few months ago no-one considered Sheffield United's run of form.

Now I have a terrible vision next week of us finishing ahead of Birmingham - and again things not being alright.

Just to make it even worse, last season, on 12th April, we lost, at home, to Fulham, in a match that proved to be the crucial one in the final reckoning. If we'd won or drawn that we would have stayed up. Remind me what happened on April 10th this year?

Beware! Everyone on every other thread seems to be focusing on us and Birmingham, and completely forgetting about Sheffield United. It's not in our hands, and even if we absolutely slaughter both Norwich and Brum that may make no difference. Sheffield United are the ones who must be happiest from today's matches - by a long, long, way. Please remember that!

[cmonurz]

Snowball should contact the FA, as apparently it's 87 points minimum to be promoted, so none of us can go up.

[readingbedding]

I'm going to ignore all that.
Play-offs will only postpone the inevitable anyway.
We're going up.

[Drew_3]

I have a terrible premonition of what's going to happen next week.

All through the terrible run from January last season I wasn't particularly worried, because my mantra was "as long as we finish ahead of Birmingham we'll be fine" - because at the time Derby were doomed and Fulham looked it too. We did finish ahead of Birmingham but we weren't fine, because of Fulham's miraculous recovery.

This season, all through the terrible run from January my mantra has been "as long as we finish ahead of Birmingham we'll go up" - it was a three horse race for so long. A few months ago no-one considered Sheffield United's run of form.

Now I have a terrible vision next week of us finishing ahead of Birmingham - and again things not being alright.

Just to make it even worse, last season, on 12th April, we lost, at home, to Fulham, in a match that proved to be the crucial one in the final reckoning. If we'd won or drawn that we would have stayed up. Remind me what happened on April 10th this year?

Beware! Everyone on every other thread seems to be focusing on us and Birmingham, and completely forgetting about Sheffield United. It's not in our hands, and even if we absolutely slaughter both Norwich and Brum that may make no difference. Sheffield United are the ones who must be happiest from today's matches - by a long, long, way. Please remember that!

i agree but unlike last year, we have a second chance(in the play offs)if the players lose out next weekend then they have to make sure they don't feel disappointment twice in a season!

[T.R.O.L.I.]

i agree but unlike last year, we have a second chance(in the play offs)if the players lose out next weekend then they have to make sure they don't feel disappointment twice in a season!

'greed - seeing as it is now out of our hands vis-a-vis automatic promotion (and has been for a few weeks) I think the level of pressure on the squad has markedly decreased. As such, if we do "slaughter Norwich and Brum" and Sheffield Utd get a win at Selhurst then I expect us to win the playoff. Brum's morale will be shot to pieces, Cardiff are having a wobble and so the only team to worry about IMO is Burnley.

[Dirk Gently]

i agree but unlike last year, we have a second chance(in the play offs)if the players lose out next weekend then they have to make sure they don't feel disappointment twice in a season!

'greed - seeing as it is now out of our hands vis-a-vis automatic promotion (and has been for a few weeks) I think the level of pressure on the squad has markedly decreased. As such, if we do "slaughter Norwich and Brum" and Sheffield Utd get a win at Selhurst then I expect us to win the playoff. Brum's morale will be shot to pieces, Cardiff are having a wobble and so the only team to worry about IMO is Burnley.

Not Preston? If Preston win and Cardiff lose next week, then if we do finish 3rd we've got a 50/50 chance of meeting the real in-from team at the moment.

[readingbedding]

Fair point about Burnley, they've had lots of experience playing in very important games this season.

[T.R.O.L.I.]

i agree but unlike last year, we have a second chance(in the play offs)if the players lose out next weekend then they have to make sure they don't feel disappointment twice in a season!

'greed - seeing as it is now out of our hands vis-a-vis automatic promotion (and has been for a few weeks) I think the level of pressure on the squad has markedly decreased. As such, if we do "slaughter Norwich and Brum" and Sheffield Utd get a win at Selhurst then I expect us to win the playoff. Brum's morale will be shot to pieces, Cardiff are having a wobble and so the only team to worry about IMO is Burnley.

Not Preston? If Preston win and Cardiff lose next week, then if we do finish 3rd we've got a 50/50 chance of meeting the real in-from team at the moment.

Fair point - didn't realise Preston's goal difference was that close to Cardiff's. Think Burnley will beat Brizzol City at Turf Moor so it just depends how the Taffs do at Hillsborough.

[JC]

Fair point - didn't realise Preston's goal difference was that close to Cardiff's. Think Burnley will beat Brizzol City at Turf Moor so it just depends how the Taffs do at Hillsborough.

You probably did not realise about the goal difference because 11 days ago Cardiff's GD was +22 and PNE +4. They are now +13 and +11!

[Big Ern]

The only history I can see repeating itself is another defeat in the play off final....this time at the hands of Sheff Utd

[readingbedding]

Nice day out though.

[Rex]

Hopefully anyway.

[Ian Royal]

What will be will, will be.

All we can do is go for the wins. If we get them we have a good chance of automatics and a fair chance of play off success. If we don;t, we have a reasonable chance of play off success.

If we don't make it the ideal solutionis Sheff Utd do, as they are the most in form team of the play off contenders. Cardiff are on the wobble, if Brum don't make it their confidence will be potentially shot and Burnley aren't doing so great. Preston are struggling to make it at all.

[furthest flung fan]

Sheff Utd will probably deal to Palace, which stuffs us. However, I've just realised that we've only lost 2 of our last 11 games since Feb. That has to be a pretty solid defensive record to take into the playoffs, where the main theme is not to lose? Sadly, I hate the playoffs, and see nothing but more trauma ahead. Still, one step at a time....

[Avon Royal]

What will be will, will be.

All we can do is go for the wins. If we get them we have a good chance of automatics and a fair chance of play off success. If we don;t, we have a reasonable chance of play off success.

If we don't make it the ideal solutionis Sheff Utd do, as they are the most in form team of the play off contenders. Cardiff are on the wobble, if Brum don't make it their confidence will be potentially shot and Burnley aren't doing so great. Preston are struggling to make it at all.

Agree with that last bit.

If the play-off four are Reading, Birmingham, Cardiff and Burnley I will be pretty confident. If Preston sneak into 6th place then we have to make sure we don't finish 3rd. A Friday night game at Deepdale and it would all be over before it had really begun.

[Schards#2]

I really wouldn' fancy it if I was a Birmingham fan, they must be praying we don't win at Norwich.

If we do, all the momentum is with us and, if they go into the play offs, they go in having already chocked horribly. I think their seasons rests on Monday night.

[Handsome Man]

I don't care what anybody else thinks, I dreamt that everything would be OK last night. We will be promoted.

The dream match did take place at Elm Park, and I did play in some of it, but I am sure it is an accurate premonition of ultimate success.

[CMRoyal]

It's certainly anything but dull and unexciting right now. A win at Norwich and boy are we set up for some fun and games next Sunday. The only wrinkle is that I have no faith in Palace stopping the Blades. Mentally, Warnock's men are on the beach right now. Still, Brum to finish fourth after spending virtually the whole season in the top two would be a smidgen of compensation.

[brendywendy]

Just glad weve managed to take it to the last week,and guaranteed an exciting finish whatever happens. We may lose to norwich,we may see warnocks revenge,we may blow it on the last day,but yet again the reading rollercoaster delivers the thrills, and just the chance that coppell can send us up on goal difference in his last game as he walks away a bone fide hero,putting last seasons ending right as he goes, what a story that would be.

[Rex]

Fingers crossed Brendy.