League 2 Play Off Final

[Scanlon's Hatrick]

Apologies if this thread has been started already.
Just watching the highlights now.

It's typical League 2, very physical and not great quality but that's what you expect.

Main difference between the two finalists and Notts ?
Well just about everything, pace, tough tackling, balls into box, battling qualities and a semblance of a team pattern.

Nicely worked Tranmere winner, great delivery for the header.

If only....

Just shows how far Notts have fallen.

Credit to both teams for making it to the final and to Rovers for two successive promotions.

I think it said the crowd was 25k.

I thought there would be more than that.

There was more at the F A Vase/Trophy final but maybe Orient being a London club skewed that figure.

[Frigiliana Pie 1]

The relatively low attendance may have been because both Newport and Tranmere have been to Wembley already in recent seasons. The fans of lower league clubs tend to grasp their first opportunity to see their club play at Wembley, no matter what the distance or cost, as it may prove to be the only chance they get for a long time.

But repeat visits are less tempting to the less committed among a club’s fan base. I can remember when Notts played Bradford City in the playoffs final in 1996. It was our fifth visit to Wembley in 6 years and there were only about 11,000 Notts fans there, far less than there had been when we played Tranmere in our first ever visit to Wembley in 1990.

If we reach the National League playoffs final next season, it’ll be Notts first visit to Wembley for 24 years and our first visit ever to the rebuilt stadium. I reckon we’d take more than 11,000, despite the match being at a lower level than the one in 1996.

[MAD_MAGPIE]

Tranmere - Another club that has fallen into non-league in recent times and have come back stronger and are now in League One along with Shrewsbury, Lincoln City and Bristol Rovers. Not forgetting Luton who are now in the Championship.

I have hope that we can follow in the footsteps of these clubs, and that we have gone backwards to go forwards.

[navypie]

Anyone else watching Charlton v Sunderland? I thought it was obvious goalkeeping error but after seeing numerous replays I do have some sympathy for him.

ps. Always had a soft spot for the South London side.

[navypie]

Brilliant.

[nw6pie]

Tranmere - Another club that has fallen into non-league in recent times and have come back stronger and are now in League One along with Shrewsbury, Lincoln City and Bristol Rovers. Not forgetting Luton who are now in the Championship.

I have hope that we can follow in the footsteps of these clubs, and that we have gone backwards to go forwards.

Couple of points about Tranmere:

1. Their centre half and centre forward - Monthe and Norwood - were excellent and highlighted what we’ve been lacking for a long time: A commanding centre half and a lively forward who plays on the shoulder of the last defender.

2 Perkins is 37 but had the energy to get through 120 minutes and covered a lot of ground. Compare him to the likes of Doyle and Vaughan, who always looked like they were wading through treacle.

3 Like Lincoln, Luton and Mansfield before them, Tranmere turned themselves around off the pitch after going down - let’s just hope we can do the same with new owners.