Ups & Downs 22/23

[Winston Biscuit]

Amazing that Stevenage are going up automatically after the 2nd half of the season they have had. Also Orient have had a weird season.

[Sutekh]

League 1 promotion all but done after last nights results. Plymouth and Ipswich both win, and are now 5 and 4 points clear of 3rd placed Wednesday with 2 to play.

Wednesday already have 90 points but will most likely have to navigate the play-offs. Barnsley already assured of at least 4th place but 5 points behind 3rd, so likely to stay there.

Other 2 play-off spots between Bolton, Derby and Peterborough - the latter 2 points behind the other 2. Derby have the toughest fixtures on paper but Pompey can't now make the play-offs and Wednesday may well rest players on the final day with an eye on the play-offs - where they would likely meet Derby.

At the bottom, Oxford put 4 past an "on the beach" Cheltenham, to move 3 points clear of the drop and Accrington win 1-0 at Bolton. Stanley play Cambridge on Saturday, Cambridge will be relegated if they lose.


League 2

Stevenage win at Swindon to move 4 points clear of Stockport, to all but guarantee that it will be Orient, Northampton and Stevenage taking the automatic spots.

5 teams challenging for the play-off spots - Stockport, Carlisle, Salford, Bradford and Mansfield - all 5 on either 75 or 72 points - Mansfield sit in 8th on GD - Bradford have a game in hand as well.

Just like to give a shout out to Barrow who look like they'll finish 9th after almost making the POs, quite a turn round from the seasons of struggle they've had since rejoining the league. Would have been brilliant to have both them and Carlisle get promoted!

[NathStPaul]

League 1 promotion all but done after last nights results. Plymouth and Ipswich both win, and are now 5 and 4 points clear of 3rd placed Wednesday with 2 to play.

Wednesday already have 90 points but will most likely have to navigate the play-offs. Barnsley already assured of at least 4th place but 5 points behind 3rd, so likely to stay there.

Other 2 play-off spots between Bolton, Derby and Peterborough - the latter 2 points behind the other 2. Derby have the toughest fixtures on paper but Pompey can't now make the play-offs and Wednesday may well rest players on the final day with an eye on the play-offs - where they would likely meet Derby.

At the bottom, Oxford put 4 past an "on the beach" Cheltenham, to move 3 points clear of the drop and Accrington win 1-0 at Bolton. Stanley play Cambridge on Saturday, Cambridge will be relegated if they lose.


League 2

Stevenage win at Swindon to move 4 points clear of Stockport, to all but guarantee that it will be Orient, Northampton and Stevenage taking the automatic spots.

5 teams challenging for the play-off spots - Stockport, Carlisle, Salford, Bradford and Mansfield - all 5 on either 75 or 72 points - Mansfield sit in 8th on GD - Bradford have a game in hand as well.

Just like to give a shout out to Barrow who look like they'll finish 9th after almost making the POs, quite a turn round from the seasons of struggle they've had since rejoining the league. Would have been brilliant to have both them and Carlisle get promoted!

Why would it have been brilliant? Have I missed something?

[Sanguine]

Amazing that Stevenage are going up automatically after the 2nd half of the season they have had. Also Orient have had a weird season.

Yep, five win in Stevenage's last 17 games, they are hardly bouncing into League One.

Orient are going up thanks to their defence. Just 30 goals conceded in 44 games. They have scored more than two just four times.

[Whore Jackie]

Thank god, some of us have already ticked off the Lamex with our shocking FA Cup match from 2018. Decent enough lower-league ground, but a pretty grim town all told.

[NathStPaul]

Because Reading is a real glamour spot.

[Winston Biscuit]

Shef Utd about to go up. Pitch invasion around 90 seconds away.

[Winston Biscuit]

Not even an attempt at a pitch invasion

[Loafer]

Not even an attempt at a pitch invasion

Is being 2nd worthy of one?

[Winston Biscuit]

Don't remember the last EFL promotion without a pitch invasion.

[Sanguine]

Sort of don't want Everton to go down. No particular affinity for the club, but they have been a constant at the top since most of us were playing football with jumpers for goalposts. Nearly 70 years in the top division, since their last promotion in 1954.

[Winston Biscuit]

would be funny though

[NathStPaul]

Kind of with Sanguine here.

They are pretty harmless, much the better half of the Merseyside big two.

[genome]

I think it will be Leeds, Everton, Southampton now. Leicester I think will just have enough quality to see them over the line. Everton have got some really tricky fixtures and might be out of touch before their game against Bournemouth.

[Sutekh]

Sort of don't want Everton to go down. No particular affinity for the club, but they have been a constant at the top since most of us were playing football with jumpers for goalposts. Nearly 70 years in the top division, since their last promotion in 1954.

Promotion in 1954 and then 2024.

[Stranded]

Morecombe's relegation is the first in the history of the club.

[NathStPaul]

Morecombe's relegation is the first in the history of the club.

Some going that. Shame they went down, it is nice to see small clubs like them overachieving. Same with Accrington.

[Loafer]

Morecombe's relegation is the first in the history of the club.

Some going that. Shame they went down, it is nice to see small clubs like them overachieving. Same with Accrington.

They also went down. HTH.

[Sutekh]

Morecombe's relegation is the first in the history of the club.

Some going that. Shame they went down, it is nice to see small clubs like them overachieving. Same with Accrington.

They also went down. HTH.

Though Accrington had survived 5 years I think in tier 3.

[Sanguine]

Race for CL spots is on a knife-edge.

Liverpool - have to beat Villa and Southampton and hope results go their way.
Newcastle - host Brighton on Thursday and then Leicester, before going to Chelsea on the final day.
United - go to Bournemouth, before home games against Chelsea (who could have quite a say in things!) and Fulham.

Liverpool can get to 71 points with two victories, so Newcastle and United need two wins of their own to secure a CL place next season. 5 points might be enough for Newcastle owing to their superior goal difference (for now). Can see United winning all three, so Liverpool's qualification probably depends for the most part on Brighton finding a result at St. James' Park.

At the bottom of the table, West Ham will have a big say in the relegation story, their last two games being at home to Leeds, and a trip to Leicester.