Relegation Watch

[Mid Sussex Royal]

Our history of last day of the season needing to avoid relegation isn't great - I go back to 1970 and:

In 1971 we needed a point against Villa away and lost so went down to division 4.
In 1977 we went down on the last day though it was outside our hands, I think we beat Grimsby but results elsewhere went against us.
In 1983 we went down on the last day, beat Wrexham but Exeter ( I think) scored a late goal somewhere and we went down to div 4.
In 1989 we actually stayed up by winning at Chesterfield and relegating them.
In 2008 we won at Derby but still went down as Fulham won at Pompey.

The other relegations in 1998 and 2012 we were down before the last day.

[tidus_mi2]

Our history of last day of the season needing to avoid relegation isn't great - I go back to 1970 and:

In 1971 we needed a point against Villa away and lost so went down to division 4.
In 1977 we went down on the last day though it was outside our hands, I think we beat Grimsby but results elsewhere went against us.
In 1983 we went down on the last day, beat Wrexham but Exeter ( I think) scored a late goal somewhere and we went down to div 4.
In 1989 we actually stayed up by winning at Chesterfield and relegating them.
In 2008 we won at Derby but still went down as Fulham won at Pompey.

The other relegations in 1998 and 2012 we were down before the last day.

I don't believe we've ever been in such a favourable position in a relegation scrap before though. It would sum up our season if we limp over the line with a defeat just because 1 or more of the other 3 teams lose.

[Snowball]

Just imagine 1,000 fans bet £100 at 120/1 (12,100 return) = 12,100,000 in total

That 12 Mill would help the club in League One.

We don’t have 500 fans willing to pay £30 for an away ticket so not sure where we’re going to find all these fans willing to pop in £100 for the cause.

I know. Just sayin'

[bcubed]

1% equates well with the 100/1 on offer at SKY

It is, of course highly likely that Sunderland and two other teams will fail more than Reading but lose to Ipswich and it might all get too real

And a loss to Ipswich is really not that unlikely

Although we are on a run of 5 home games unbeaten!

You were saying?

[windermereROYAL]

Not ashamed to say I had a saver bet at 9/1 after the Sheffield United debacle and I stand to make a tidy sum if we go down. I`m now stuck between a rock and a hard place, I still don`t want us to go down, it will be like backing a horse in the grand national and falling at the last while leading.
I guess this bunch of losers have given me a good run for my money. if it`s bad news I will smiling.................just.

[marlowuk]

In 2008 we won at Derby but still went down as Fulham won at Pompey.

If I recall correctly, Portsmouth were in the FA Cup Final that year and fielded virtually a reserve side against Fulham to rest their players for that final. As a result we were relegated on GD. In fact we won 0 - 4 at Derby and I think a 0 - 7 win or better would have seen us safe!!

[Stranded]

In 2008 we won at Derby but still went down as Fulham won at Pompey.

If I recall correctly, Portsmouth were in the FA Cup Final that year and fielded virtually a reserve side against Fulham to rest their players for that final. As a result we were relegated on GD. In fact we won 0 - 4 at Derby and I think a 0 - 7 win or better would have seen us safe!!

Would have done. Isn't the old chesnut though that it was actually our defeats to Fulham that did for us, not just the defeats but late goals.

Going into injury time in both games we were losing 2-1 at the Cottage and 1-0 at home. We let in 90th minute goals in both. If we had not let those in. Fulham's GD would have been -24 and ours -23.

[Royal_jimmy]

After all the ultimatum occurrences with Fulham, it's ironic that us and them could be best friends after Saturday. If we get at least a draw whilst they beat Brum to ensure we survive and they get promotion as an award

[Snowball]

Cardiff's Recent Home Form

W7 D0 L1

That's the bad news

Latest Games First

Cardiff 2-1 Forest
Cardiff 0-1 Wolves
Cardiff 3-1 Burton
Cardiff 3-2 Birmingham
Cardiff 2-1 Barnsley
Cardiff 1-0 Bristol
Cardiff 2-0 Bolton
Cardiff 4-0 Sunderland

If there is a good side, it's this:

Interesting though that all those wins have come against clubs
in the bottom five, or the horribly off-form then Forest and Bristol

Sunderland 24, Bolton 23, Burton 22, Barnsley 21, Birmingham 20

In their defeat v Wolves they missed TWO penalties in injury-time

There is absolutely no doubt that Cardiff are a better team than Reading,
and that they are flying, guaranteed top-six and guaranteed 2nd/3rd,
needing that win, any win, to guarantee automatic promotion, no doubt
that their form is excellent and our is rancid.

There's no doubt that we should be 6/1 or 7/1 to win there, 7/2 or so to draw


BUT (please God, let there be a but)

They only beat Birmingham 3-2, Barnsley 2-1, Bolton 2-0, Burton 3-1

They aren't ripping teams apart, not even bad teams, so maybe, just MAYBE,
if the first eleven actually FIGHT, they could be drawing going into the last 15
minutes, or losing by a single goal.

The fat lady has a sore throat.

[Forbury Lion]

Cardiff's Recent Home Form

W7 D0 L1

That's the bad news

Latest Games First

Cardiff 2-1 Forest
Cardiff 0-1 Wolves
Cardiff 3-1 Burton
Cardiff 3-2 Birmingham
Cardiff 2-1 Barnsley
Cardiff 1-0 Bristol
Cardiff 2-0 Bolton
Cardiff 4-0 Sunderland

If there is a good side, it's this:

Interesting though that all those wins have come against clubs
in the bottom five, or the horribly off-form then Forest and Bristol

Sunderland 24, Bolton 23, Burton 22, Barnsley 21, Birmingham 20

In their defeat v Wolves they missed TWO penalties in injury-time

There is absolutely no doubt that Cardiff are a better team than Reading,
and that they are flying, guaranteed top-six and guaranteed 2nd/3rd,
needing that win, any win, to guarantee automatic promotion, no doubt
that their form is excellent and our is rancid.

There's no doubt that we should be 6/1 or 7/1 to win there, 7/2 or so to draw


BUT (please God, let there be a but)

They only beat Birmingham 3-2, Barnsley 2-1, Bolton 2-0, Burton 3-1

They aren't ripping teams apart, not even bad teams, so maybe, just MAYBE,
if the first eleven actually FIGHT, they could be drawing going into the last 15
minutes, or losing by a single goal.

The fat lady has a sore throat.

god im anxious

Please don't use my real name in public (and it's capital G)

short for Godfrey?

[Hound]

One thing that seems almost certain, if we stay up it is likely to have oxf*rd all to do with us picking up a result and everything to do with someone else failing to.

And that is pretty much the story of the season

[MmmMonsterMunch]

Not posted on here for a good 2 years but been reading with interest. I am genuinely quite sad as to what has happened to RFC. Gave up my ST at end of 15/16 season thinking things were bad then, but my god it really has taken a turn for the worst.

Thankful that Barnsley & Burton have Derby & Preston away. Surely one of Derby & Preston will get the win.

The club just sounds rotten. Admire PC for giving the players a roasting on BBCRB. Hopefully by the time my kid is old enough to want to start going to football, RFC will be something resembling watchable. It's been 5 years of utter sh1t.

[Maneki Neko]

didn't we get to a playoff final last year?


otherwise, agreed

[MmmMonsterMunch]

Wasn't the football last season pretty tedious though? It certainly was in the PO final...

I am nervous for Saturday I really am. Derby are chokers & could easily screw their game up. Likewise pressure could get to Preston.

Bolton look the least likely to be up for a win but saying all that Forest have nothing to play for. How has it to come to this?!

I'm really rooting for Burton to stay up (not at our expense of course).

[genome]

didn't we get to a playoff final last year?


otherwise, agreed

People were saying that the club was dead after 15/16, then we got to the playoffs and we "had our club back", and now the club is dead again.

I mean, we are horrendously shit this year, but the hyperbole just gets out of hand

[MmmMonsterMunch]

I'm trying to think back to the last home game I genuinely enjoyed watching & the one that springs to mind is the last game in Reading v Burnley May 2014 under Adkins when McCleary scored that wonder goal. Was it 2-2 & we needed a win?

None of the home games from the following 2 seasons are memorable!

[LUX]

but the hyperbole just gets out of hand

+1

if I read any more hyperbole on here, my head will literally explode.

[Double d v2]

Wasn't the football last season pretty tedious though? It certainly was in the PO final...

I am nervous for Saturday I really am. Derby are chokers & could easily screw their game up. Likewise pressure could get to Preston.

Bolton look the least likely to be up for a win but saying all that Forest have nothing to play for. How has it to come to this?!

I'm really rooting for Burton to stay up (not at our expense of course).

Last season was tedious.

This season has been just atrocious. It will be amazing if we stay up, and only due to other teams somehow being even more shit.

[muirinho]

I'm trying to think back to the last home game I genuinely enjoyed watching & the one that springs to mind is the last game in Reading v Burnley May 2014 under Adkins when McCleary scored that wonder goal. Was it 2-2 & we needed a win?

None of the home games from the following 2 seasons are memorable!

So - not the win over West Brom in the FA Cup in 2016? Or the 4-0 over Walsall in the previous round?
Not the 5-1 over Ipswich in 2015?
Not the win over Villa early this season?

Zilch?

Maybe you should consider another hobby....

[genome]

I'm trying to think back to the last home game I genuinely enjoyed watching & the one that springs to mind is the last game in Reading v Burnley May 2014 under Adkins when McCleary scored that wonder goal. Was it 2-2 & we needed a win?

None of the home games from the following 2 seasons are memorable!

So - not the win over West Brom in the FA Cup in 2016? Or the 4-0 over Walsall in the previous round?
Not the 5-1 over Ipswich in 2015?
Not the win over Villa early this season?

Zilch?

Maybe you should consider another hobby....

Reading 3 Brentford 2 was a cracking game last year. Even the 1-0 win against QPR this season was pretty memorable.