The playoff format.

[micklyons1hardbstd]

Since our progression to the final, there's been a lot of talk about how the playoffs are unfair......Brighton did indeed finish 15 pts better off, so some people feel, they should have a fair advantage over the teams beneath. First of all, having a top three automatic situation would kill the division as a spectacle......The season, more often than not, would be over with ten games to go..and as a result would create so many meaningless, dead rubber games, that nobody would care less...The only excitement then..would be the relegation battles....It would also create a insurmountable gulf between the have's and have nots......Ok Leicester have just broken the mould..But generally, teams like (off the top of my head) Preston, Birmingham, Hudds, Rotherham etc..would, more often than not have nothing to play or aim for...The playoffs keep the suspense going for most of the season, and keeps hope alive amongst the paying fans......And Brighton, after failing to beat Boro..DID have an adva

[Bluestripe]

Theres nothing wrong with the format.
Only got to look at the number of PO opportunities Brighton have prev had to go up.
Don't know that much about them, but isn't something tactically wrong with their approach if this keeps happening
Having had a quick look at their board, they don't seem to be too unhappy about it (doesn't make sense). Should be careful though...repeated PO failure gets you a listing in the 'Chokers' League table....look how everyone laughs at those bottlers

[Acido]

This is exactly what Ive been saying on our board Mick (have you been peeking at my notepad )
We also finished 6th and have a massive chance now against the team who finished 3rd, even though they finished 10 points ahead of us. Everybody knows that 3rd is not good enough for automatic promotion, but I can understand why they think they should have some sort of advantage over somebody who finished 6th.

[Bluestripe]

It's probably understandable that given points gap between 3rd and 6th, the 3rd finishing team is hacked off - but isn't the failure to get auto-promotion a more likely reason for frustration.....chance to avoid playoffs.
We all know how it works.

[Acido]

I know Bluey, and I dont feel sorry for 3rd place teams who lose over the 2 legs. If it was my team in their place though, I reckon Id think a bit differently
One of the best and only possible idea changes is to give the 3rd & 4th teams the added advantage of away goals if the tie is level on agg. Other than that, I dont think it can be altered.

[aussieowl]

[quote="micklyons1hardbstd"]Since our progression to the final, there's been a lot of talk about how the playoffs are unfair......Brighton did indeed finish 15 pts better off, so some people feel, they should have a fair advantage over the teams beneath. First of all, having a top three automatic situation would kill the division as a spectacle......The season, more often than not, would be over with ten games to go..and as a result would create so many meaningless, dead rubber games, that nobody would care less...The only excitement then..would be the relegation battles....It would also create a insurmountable gulf between the have's and have nots......Ok Leicester have just broken the mould..But generally, teams like (off the top of my head) Preston, Birmingham, Hudds, Rotherham etc..would, more often than not have nothing to play or aim for...The playoffs keep the suspense going for most of the season, and keeps hope alive amongst the paying fans......And B

[neil3841]

Everyone knows the rules top 2 you get promoted though the league finish 3,4,5 or 6 and you win entry into another competion and the winner gets promoted. Nothing wrong with it the way it is

[jolly_roger]

Whoa, just a minute here, the football league is planning to reduce the number of games played in a season. So why add some on with playoff games.

Also with 160 million up for grabs it shouldnt depend on a couple of lucky wins.

[aussieowl]

Whoa, just a minute here, the football league is planning to reduce the number of games played in a season. So why add some on with playoff games.

Also with 160 million up for grabs it shouldnt depend on a couple of lucky wins.

Read mick's post, it pretty much sums up why the playoffs are here to stay.

[jolly_roger]

Sky profits is the real reason, and somebody has to pay to get Wembley into the black.