The Football League Thread 2024/25 Championship, League 1, League 2

dfx-

It's a fresh set of teams...not a huge fan of a Luton v Millwall type tie. Robins would be Manager of the Season in any fair world but Kompany will get it.

dfx-

Only Boro and WBA win from 3rd to 12th in a mad midweek.

Millwall lose to Birmingham, Luton draw with 10 man Reading, Norwich draw at QPR, Watford lose to Cardiff, Preston lose to Swansea, Blackburn draw with Coventry, Sunderland draw with Huddersfield.

jacool

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120497375#Comment_120497375

Three points now separate 5th from 11th, with three games left. These are how many points each team has taken from the last 15 (nerves much!)

Millwall(65) 5

Blackburn (64) 3

WBA (63) 8

Coventry (63) 6

Sunderland (62) 9

Norwich (62) 5

Preston (62) 9

I spoke to a Blackburn supporter who works with me about Leeds' successful season, when they either won or lost games. Draws just cost you. Blackburn didn't draw any league games until January 2023, and now have strung 3 draws back-to-back. They are still way one of only 4 sides in single figures for draws, but you're better winning 2 and losing 3 than drawing 5. The Baggies are hitting form at just the right time now and like Blackburn have a game in hand. Of these teams, only Millwall have a single home game left.

It is a Dunne Deal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120499732#Comment_120499732

Yeah its incredibly tight and WBA play Sunderland on Sunday an absolutely massive game. Another big story in the championship this season is the job Paul Heckingbottom has done at Sheffield United this season a team on a transfer ban in financial meltdown and has them on track for promotion incredible job. Seemingly they'd be absolutely fucked without this promotion. He has them in FA cup semi final as well.

Loafing Oaf

God if Blackburn miss out on the playoffs by a point the lad who got the OG will never forgive himself. Although I'd place more blame on the guy who dinked the ball into the Preston goalie's hands...

Mushy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120508877#Comment_120508877

A 94th minute OG to cost a win straight after a 95th equaliser by a goalkeeper....that's rough luck

Mushy

Wrexham on track for promotion tonight, 2-1 up after an early setback

jacool

3-1 now! Congrats Wrexham!!

If there's any justice (but there isn't!) then Notts County join them.

ShamoBuc

Delighted for Wrexham. Thoroughly deserved promotion and champions, eventually. They would have of course been champions alot sooner but for Notts County- who already have enough points to have won any previous year. I sincerely hope they get up through the play offs.

Mullin with 37 goals, 9 in the FA Cup alone- the Haaland of non league this year.

Over 10k at the game and it will be some night of celebrations!!

ctrl-alt-delete

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120508906#Comment_120508906

Making their own luck,

JDT didn't learn from the last game, same trick again of bringing on a defender to try and hold onto it.

dfx-

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120508906#Comment_120508906

An og from the player they bought from Coventry and was in their publicity shots for the game on Wednesday keeps Coventry in fifth with Burnley next...

I was at the Coventry Reading game. Aside from Lucas Joao, Reading have very little going for them. They're not good defensively, Gyokeres could've caught up with Chuba Akpom from this game alone.

Norwich and Watford are out of it. Preston probably. It looks like between Coventry, Sunderland, West Brom and Blackburn for two spots. Millwall are not far off dropping out of it with their form and Swansea might've left it a bit too late.

thebaz

Delighted for Wrexham , great to the passion and players that care - Pitch invasions and flares add to the occasion for me , it was a tiny few idiots who ruined it for the many last season - fans like to celebrate , and flares add something

ctrl-alt-delete

West Brom take the lead in a sort of playoff game for the playoffs against Sunderland.

A penalty, that was never a penalty and the West Brom player who was rolling about should be ashamed of that.

ctrl-alt-delete

Fantastic team goal from Sunderland with Cirkin scoring his second. WBA 1-2 Sunderland in the 85th Minute.

markest

Up The Cobblers, guaranteed a play-off spot again. Hoping for win on Saturday vs Bradford for automatic promotion. Don't want a repeat of last year's disappointment.

jacool

Carlisle United          15:00  Salford City

Leyton Orient           15:00  Stockport County

Mansfield Town        15:00  Harrogate Town

Northampton Town 15:00  Bradford City

6 of the top 7 playing against each other!

@markest better hope the O's aren't out on the lash!

Hammer Archer

Two thrillers in the National League playoffs. Notts County were 2 down at half time against Borehamwood but got a 97th minute equaliser to send it to extra time and a 120th minute winner. Chesterfield conceded a late equaliser themselves against Bromley to go to extra time but they had enough against 10 men in the extra 30 minutes. Poor Bromley defender had a mare, scoring an own goal before getting sent off 20 minutes later.

2nd against 3rd in Wembley next Saturday (even with 23 points between them at the end of the season).

4Ad

Derby didn't make the play-offs, dodgy penalty and sending off against them today but the damage was done in the last few weeks, if you cant beat Shrewsbury etc where are you going.

5 Irish in the squad, I wonder how many will be there next season, hope they all stay but I doubt it.

Oh Well another season away to Accrington Stanley !!

jacool

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120566777#Comment_120566777

One of the Irish 5, Cashin, got POTM on Sky.

Kiwi_knock

Great to see Cambridge stay up, like Mark Bonnar so glad to see the decision to stick with him worked out. Brilliant to see Plymouth win the title and break 100 points, some achievement with the quality of teams in League 1.

Tom Mann Centuria

This game (Tranmere v Cobblers) is torture. Need Hartlepool to score another 2 or 3 because the Cobblers have a knack of fúcking things up.

Tom Mann Centuria

Phew. Delighted, and delighted for Brady after Scunthorpe royally screwed us last season. Hartlepool showed how it was done. (despite it not mattering in the end)

COBBLERS!

adaminho

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120570317#Comment_120570317

Well done.

https://twitter.com/BBCMOTD/status/1655568795577008128?t=0ptxP6h7gWwS9AOSp4CzQQ&s=19

Tom Mann Centuria

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120570337#Comment_120570337

Love that stat, also proves how many times we get relegated 😂. Used to have to seek re-election bitd when we'd finish bottom of the old division 4.

Tough league to stay in League One but this seasons been great with whopping load of injuries and I'll certainly celebrate today.

Hammer Archer

Delighted for Northampton after the bizarre final day last season.

Loafing Oaf

Playoff places got to Luton, Middlesbrough, Coventry, Sunderland

I guess Middlesbrough would be faves there?

ctrl-alt-delete

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120571080#Comment_120571080

You don't want to be favourites but I think they would be yeah.

Phenomenal final 45 minutes of the season.

I'd fancy Sunderland only for they have too many injuries now (Cirkin and Gooch picking up knocks Today), they are wonderful to watch going forward.

dfx-

Luton would be the favourites...Boro aren't in great form.

Coventry selling their centre half to pay for a pitch, no home games, suspended points penalty, bottom in September, Wasps gone bust, stadium company gone bust, takeover, fifth smallest budget and a small squad with injuries. It's a remarkable achievement for Coventry.

Hammer Archer

As a West Ham fan, that final 45 minutes was absolutely glorious to see.

Kiwi_knock

Rowett is great at getting top half finishes, but just lacking something in his management style to push his teams into the playoff spots. I wonder Millwall will look at moving him on, even if he is outperforming in terms of their budget.

Playoffs should be good though hard to call. Boro have the best squad and have goals but also not the best defence. Luton have a good balance but hard to know how they will cope with the pressure of being favourite in their semi. Both Coventry and Sunderland have momentum and could easily get through.

thebaz

like to see Sunderland go up , proper club with fantastic fanbase

HalloweenJack

Would love to see Coventry do it, given what they've been through with the stadium. I think they'd be the first team in the Premier League era to drop all the way to League Two and make it back.

Luton have also been on a wild ride in that period.

I'm not too mad about Sunderland or Boro but I have a lot of time for Tony Mowbray.

jacool

Sheffield Wednesday fans getting annihilated online after their 4-0 tonking last night. Apparently they gave Derby fans a good slagging last weekend. Ironically, that win was how Posh sneaked in!

ShamoBuc

2-2 at Wembley - Notts County back in it with 10 to go in ET

ShamoBuc

It goes to pens.

ShamoBuc

Considering how they pushed Wrexham all the way in a Record points total season, I'm delighted Notts County won on penalties and get promoted.

The Sub-Keeper came on in the last minute of extra time for the penalty shootout and he was the difference, saving not 1 but 2 penalties.

jacool

Chesterfield 2 Notts County 2

AET (HT 1-0 FT 1-1 )

Notts County win 0-0 on penalties Delighted!!!!!!!!!!

thebaz

well done Notts County , hopefully Sunderland can finish the job at Luton.

adaminho

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120573137#Comment_120573137

Don't forget Luton were relegated from the last ever first division before the Premier league and then went non-league.

Weepsie

There was more atmosphere at the vanarama game than there was at either cup semi, particularly the city one

ctrl-alt-delete

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120592472#Comment_120592472

Great performance Today from Sunderland. Luton pressed hard in that first half and played to their strengths and Sunderlands' weakness at the back. Moment of magic from Diallo to have it level at the break.

Luton didn't manage to keep up the intensity and let Sunderland into the game.

It really is some achievement from Sunderland given their current defensive troubles, it will be another tough game on Tuesday.

Mr.Crinklewood

Almost half time,Luton 2 up on the night, 3-2 up on aggregate.

Mushy

Luton into the final, great stuff. Hopefully they win it out now

dfx-

Sunderland needed an extra goal lead from Saturday. Luton away really the hardest game you could get. Comical open goal miss too that should've sealed it.

They're not a great side to watch but they are very good at what they do.

Mushy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120605913#Comment_120605913

Drameh with the miss, doing some early pre-season for his return to Leeds

Kiwi_knock

WEDNESDAY!!!

citytillidie

Sheffield Wednesday just brought their game to 4-4 at the end of the 2nd leg going into Extra time now

Hammer Archer

The playoffs in every single division are just pure entertainment! Not when you're supporting a team involved, mind you.

adaminho

The brother is a Wednesday fan and sent this into the family group chat earlier.

Mr.Crinklewood

Peterborough retake the lead