Play-offs

[Down The Park]

Playoffs a concept adopted from the good old USA as a traditionalist not really a fan but (contradiction) I do enjoy watching the playoff games. The Championship one is pretty much always one of the best games of the season.

[thegaffer77]

The top 2 should really go up, especially when they are significantly ahead on points and goals. However, without it the top half of the table could be pretty pointless after Easter. This system gives added incentive to loads of teams pushing for a top 5 finish. I'll never forget our play off push season and the euphoric scenes at Burton. Without the play off system we wouldn't have had this experience. Good luck Chorley and Guisley, although I think Chorley could be a great day out again next season, and personally on 2O mins away!

[spirit of 1990]

I was never a fan of the play-offs from the start but I do think people have accepted them now (I have myself now) It's not always fair the way it works out where a team could've been in the top two for the majority of the season and then end up with nowt (the donkey fiddlers) but this is one reason why I now quite like them -

without it the top half of the table could be pretty pointless after Easter.

That charge we went on and eventually gained promotion through was probably one of the highlights of my time as a Barrow AFC supporter.

Unfair - probably yes, adds excitement to the end of season - definitely yes.

[Si_Nichols]

I don't have an issue with the play-offs personally. Everyone knows the rules at the start of the season and if you miss out then tough really.

It keeps far more teams involved and something to play for deep into the season which has to be a good thing.

[Suffolk Blue]

Was interested to see Edmo at Fylde on Saturday "having a look at a few players".

Wasn't rude enough to ask who he was particularly interested in. All I can say is that based on the match itself, Ollie Johnson stood out head and shoulders above the rest. That's the first time I've seen him play and he was class. Too good for this level certainly. If Chorley win the play off final I wonder if we might make a bid ... though since he wears Cookies number maybe not.

Hope he isn't thinking about messrs LLoyd, Allen, Rowe, Baker, Dredge or Boyes though.

[Matty]

I suspect all of them would do anything for a contract with us now.

[Si_Nichols]

Oli Johnson looked real top quality away at Guiseley and would take him in a heartbeat for next season. He played previously for Norwich, Oxford Utd, York City, Stockport County (when they were in FL) and Yeovil (on loan) clocking up more than 100 football league appearances mainly in League One but did even manage 4 for Norwich in the Championship. I think he had a few injury issues a couple of seasons ago but is still only 27 and has played the majority of games this season for Guiseley (albeit sometimes from the bench).

Also thought Wayne Brooksby looked good when we played Guiseley.

Hoping that Chorley win the final and that becomes the festive double header as from a purely selfish point of view I don't want it to be Tranmere as I usually can't make the games on Boxing Day and New Year and I wan't to make the Tranmere game next season.

[The Tomahawk Kid]

Would like Chester for festive season. Can't see it happening though. Chester AWAY on New Year's day. NEVER any trains on Boxing Day...

[The Tomahawk Kid]

Oooops! Wrong topic/thread...soz

[Moonwatcher]

Oli Johnson looked a real handful when we played Guiseley - ran us ragged at times. Very quick on the turn. To be fair one or two other Guiseley players looked useful too, but Johnson stood out.

[Kieran]

Oli Johnson looked a real handful when we played Guiseley - ran us ragged at times. Very quick on the turn. To be fair one or two other Guiseley players looked useful too, but Johnson stood out.

Yep, I've said that for a while. Always impressed whenever I've seen him, watched the youtube highlights of both legs of the Guiseley - Fylde semi-final yesterday and he looked very lively in both those games too. I'd definitely have him here if we can get him.

[mickmike wilson]

I was never a fan of the play-offs from the start but I do think people have accepted them now (I have myself now) It's not always fair the way it works out where a team could've been in the top two for the majority of the season and then end up with nowt (the donkey fiddlers) but this is one reason why I now quite like them -

without it the top half of the table could be pretty pointless after Easter.

That charge we went on and eventually gained promotion through was probably one of the highlights of my time as a Barrow AFC supporter.

Unfair - probably yes, adds excitement to the end of season - definitely yes.

Its not just the FA that profit from these playoffs....I am sure our attendances rose significantly during our late run into the playoffs places as it does with all the other clubs attendances/coffers, As opposed to the traditional way when the clubs there or thereabouts dropping off as its was impossible to get promoted.

[K_BFC]

Conference North play-off semi-final highlights...

1st Leg
Guiseley 1-0 AFC Fylde
Chorley 0-0 Boston
2nd Leg
AFC Fylde 1-2 Guiseley won 3-1 agg. ( highlights taken at Fylde? Watch it while you can )
Boston 2-2 Chorley won 5-4 on penalties.
Chorley's added time on equaliser (it's own).

[K_BFC]

I seem to remember play-offs became cemented in league football after formation of the Premier League. With the reduction of the top flight to 18 teams the football league divisions began to grow in size. It was leaving clubs playing lots of meaningless (non promotion/relegation) games at the back end of a season over a few divisional places. These clubs where clearly not in with a chance of automatic promotion and kept seeing their gates and income dwindle toward the end of a season despite the club doing well on the pitch. It's not all money for the FA and the respective league, remember the clubs had a lot of input about it as well and benefit from the extra income. Play-offs can be more profitable than automatic promotion.

Play-offs only ended up in non-league when the National League System (non-league pyramid) was reorganised in 2004. Lots of leagues had differing numbers of teams, so some clubs played more games and had more revenue than those in other leagues. It was decided this had to change and they standardised the number of teams to 22 across all leagues. With the increase in division size the play-offs were added to keep interest for mid-table sides and generate revenue for clubs.

My view of the play-offs is, if your not good enough to win automatic promotion then hard luck, but you do get a second chance. The play-offs are different from the league and are more about immediate form, being prepared, nerve and keeping your head up (take a look at the body language of the Fylde players in their 2nd leg when Guiseley scored, heads down), cup football really. A team winning the play-offs is often the better equipped side. Sometimes they are not but that is football, few games go according to plan. Barrow won through in 2008 from 5th place because we were in outstanding form that would have seen us automatically promoted had we played that way from the start of the season, we also turned out to be a decent cup side in the following seasons.

[xerxes]

My view of the play-offs is, if your not good enough to win automatic promotion then hard luck, but you do get a second chance.

I agree with this (apart from your spelling). The teams in the play-offs have one thing in common - they have failed to win automatic promotion. At one time that would have been it, season over. But now they get a second chance - they should be grateful for that, not whingeing about who finished highest.

As others have pointed out, it keeps the season alive for clubs who would otherwise have nothing to play for. The reason they are money spinners is because they are popular with the fans. So it's a win-win.