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Play-off Rant
Views: 2371
I've just absorbed the lastest FA implementation regarding the play-offs. I'm not even angry anymore. So the intention of the shake-up was to play less games and reduce traveling time/expenditures. Mission accomplished. Now its going to take an additional play-off fixture. Heaven forbid you start that journey away. 3 potential away games, presumably in a week, literally anywhere across the whole Southern bottom third. Imagine that - 2 away in Dorset and a third in Suffolk - one's bound to be mid-week and one on a Bank Holiday.
It gets even more palatable. Last season there was a 19 point gap between the play-off sides in our division and the cut-off. So now we have the genuine possibility of a team finishing 7th (with no more than around 75 points), becoming 3 games away from promotion. This makes a complete mockery of an entire league campaign.
With dodgy winter pitches and a possible 2 legged Southern League Cup Final thrown in the mix, the end of the season is effectively a wonky lab experiment. I don't think it's remotely fair on clubs, players and supporters - just about anybody who actually gives a damn in the first place. If it ain't broke in the first place then don't fix it. Even with regards to the advantage being given to the team with most points, that's a bit rich when teams finishing mid-stream are invited to the party. If the play-offs have to in-corporate separate divisions, then surely less is more - maybe at neutral venues. At least make it a proper cup final. I cannot see one single benefit of this.
Re: Play-off Rant
Views: 2467
Strikes me that these arrangements will make promotion even more difficult to obtain. I think they will favour the wealthier clubs that can afford large squads and will be able to rest players in between games.
Give the longer distances over which play-off games may well take place might it not have been fairer to have the ties over two legs? Both of the competing sides would then have the chance of a decent gate and each set of supporters would get the chance of seeing their side at home.
Re: Play-off Rant
Views: 2192
When you live in the West Midlands, every game is like an away game! The (now defunct) game at Banbury would have been our shortest trip of the season. Midweek games during School term time are difficult but we still managed a few at the tail end of the season. If you are in the mix, the logistical issues become incidental and you simply keep turning up.
Re: Play-off Rant
Views: 2276
Also being based in the Midlands, I think the Banbury decision was probably the key for my angst. The ground is right next to the train station. It's a dump, but at least you can get to it. Wimborne's train station is in Poole! (30 miles away).
Andy of Kent fame has updated the travel insights into these grounds over on the Non League Matters Forum under the heading of 'Getting To Football Is Back'
There's some really invaluable information on there.
Most these damn places require buses into the unknown from the train stations and require military precision. In terms of complexities, it's epic.
Re: Play-off Rant
Views: 2235
Cheer up Mr W, it may never happen!
Re: Play-off Rant
Views: 2264
It could be worse.
At the level below us, between 2 or 8 sides will start the playoffs knowing that they cannot possibly get promoted, regardless of whether they win them.
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