2011-2012 English Football League Promotion/Relegation

[Famine]

Same as last year, and the year before, keeping pace with the run-in to the end of the season from the point of view of the Promotion/Relegation contenders... It's getting close to the sharp end now - 6 or 7 games left for most teams in their leagues - and some teams' fates are almost decided already...

To May 27th 2012

Premiership​

​

Bottom 3 Relegated

Relegated
18. Bolton Wanderers - P38, 36pt
19. Blackburn Rovers - P38, 31pt
20. Wolverhampton Wanderers - P38, 25pt

Championship​

Top 2 Promoted, Next 4 into Playoffs for 1 promotion place
Bottom 3 Relegated

Promoted
1. Reading - P46, 89pt
2. Southampton - P46, 88pt

Qualified for Playoffs
3. West Ham United - P46, 86pt - promoted
4. Birmingham City - P46, 76pt - eliminated in semi-finals
5. Blackpool - P46, 75pt - eliminated in final
6. Cardiff City - P46, 75pt - eliminated in semi-finals

Relegated
22. *Portsmouth - P46, 40pt
23. Coventry City - P46, 40pt
24. Doncaster Rovers - P46, 36pt

League 1​

Top 2 Promoted, Next 4 into Playoffs for 1 promotion place
Bottom 4 Relegated

Promoted
1. Charlton Athletic - P46, 101pt
2. Sheffield Wednesday - P46, 93pt

Qualified for Playoffs
3. Sheffield United - P46, 90pt - eliminated in final
4. Huddersfield Town - P46, 81pt - promoted
5. Milton Keynes Dons - P46, 80pt - eliminated in semi-finals
6. Stevenage - P46, 73pt - eliminated in semi-finals

Relegated
21. Wycombe Wanderers - P46, 43pt
22. Chesterfield - P46, 42pt
23. Exeter City - P46, 42pt
24. Rochdale - P46, 38pt

League 2​

Top 3 Promoted, Next 4 into Playoffs for 1 promotion place
Bottom 2 Relegated

Promoted
1. Swindon Town - P46, 93pt
2. Shrewsbury Town - P46, 88pt
3. Crawley Town - P46, 84pt

Playoff candidates
4. Southend United - P46, 83pt - eliminated in semi-finals
5. Torquay United - P46, 81pt - eliminated in semi-finals
6. Cheltenham Town - P46, 77pt - eliminated in final
7. Crewe Alexandra - P46, 72pt - promoted

Relegated
23. Hereford United - P46, 44pt
24. Macclesfield Town - P46, 37pt

Blue Square Premier​

Top 1 Promoted, Next 4 into Playoffs for 1 promotion place.

Promoted
1. Fleetwood Town - P46, 103pt

Qualified for Playoffs
2. Wrexham - P46, 98pt - eliminated in semi-finals
3. Mansfield Town - P46, 89pt - eliminated in semi-finals
4. York City - P46, 83pt - promoted
5. Luton Town - P46, 81pt - eliminated in final


Timeline
April 14th - Doncaster Rovers relegated (FLC to FL1)
April 14th - Fleetwood Town Promoted (BSP to FL2); BSP Champions
April 14th - Charlton Athletic Promoted (FL1 to FLC)
April 18th - Reading Promoted (FLC to BPL)
April 21st - Reading FLC Champions
April 21st - Portsmouth relegated (FLC to FL1)
April 21st - Coventry City relegated (FLC to FL1)
April 21st - Charlton Athletic FL1 Champions
April 21st - Rochdale relegated (FL1 to FL2)
April 21st - Swindon Town Promoted (FL2 to FL1)
April 22nd - Wolverhampton Wanderers relegated (BPL to FLC)
April 27th - Southampton Promoted (FLC to BPL)
April 27th - Shrewsbury Town Promoted (FL2 to FL1)
April 27th - Macclesfield Town relegated (FL2 to BSP)
April 27th - Exeter City relegated (FL1 to FL2)
April 27th - Chesterfield relegated (FL1 to FL2)
April 27th - Wycombe Wanderers relegated (FL1 to FL2)
April 27th - Swindon Town FL2 Champions
May 5th - Sheffield Wednesday Promoted (FL1 to FLC)
May 5th - Crawley Town Promoted (FL2 to FL1)
May 5th - Hereford United relegated (FL2 to BSP)
May 7th - Blackburn Rovers relegated (BPL to FLC)
May 13th - Bolton Wanderers relegated (BPL to FLC)
May 19th - West Ham United Promoted (FLC to BPL)
May 20th - York City Promoted (BSP to FL2)
May 26th - Huddersfield Town Promoted (FL1 to FLC)
May 27th - Crewe Alexandra Promoted (FL2 to FL1)


Playoffs
May 2nd - Blue Square Premier Play-Off Semi-Final 1, 1st Leg - York City 1-1 Mansfield Town
May 3rd - Championship Play-Off Semi-Final 1, 1st Leg - Cardiff City 0-2 West Ham United
May 3rd - Blue Square Premier Play-Off Semi-Final 2, 1st Leg - Luton Town 2-0 Wrexham
May 4th - Championship Play-Off Semi-Final 2, 1st Leg - Blackpool 1-0 Birmingham City
May 7th - Blue Square Premier Play-Off Semi-Final 1, 2nd Leg - Mansfield Town 0-0 York City (0-1 After Extra Time; York City win 2-1 on aggregate AET)
May 7th - Championship Play-Off Semi-Final 1, 2nd Leg - West Ham United 3-0 Cardiff City (West Ham United win 5-0 on aggregate)
May 7th - Blue Square Premier Play-Off Semi-Final 2, 2nd Leg - Wrexham 2-1 Luton Town (Luton Town win 3-2 on aggregate)
May 9th - Championship Play-Off Semi-Final 2, 2nd Leg - Birmingham City 2-2 Blackpool (Blackpool win 3-2 on aggregate)
May 11th - League 1 Play-Off Semi-Final 1, 1st Leg - Stevenage 0-0 Sheffield United
May 12th - League 1 Play-Off Semi-Final 2, 1st Leg - Milton Keynes Dons 0-2 Huddersfield Town
May 12th - League 2 Play-Off Semi-Final 1, 1st Leg - Crewe Alexandra 1-0 Southend United
May 13th - League 2 Play-Off Semi-Final 2, 1st Leg - Cheltenham Town 2-0 Torquay United
May 14th - League 1 Play-Off Semi-Final 1, 2nd Leg - Sheffield United 1-0 Stevenage (Sheffield United win 1-0 on aggregate)
May 15th - League 1 Play-Off Semi-Final 2, 2nd Leg - Huddersfield Town 1-2 Milton Keynes Dons (Huddersfield Town win 3-2 on aggregate)
May 16th - League 2 Play-Off Semi-Final 1, 2nd Leg - Southend United 2-2 Crewe Alexandra (Crewe Alexandra win 3-2 on aggregate)
May 17th - League 2 Play-Off Semi-Final 2, 2nd Leg - Torquay United 1-2 Cheltenham Town (Cheltenham Town win 4-1 on aggregate)
May 19th - Championship Play-Off Final - Wembley - West Ham United 2-1 Blackpool; West Ham United promoted
May 20th - Blue Square Premier Play-Off Final - Wembley - Luton Town 1-2 York City; York City promoted
May 26th - League 1 Play-Off Final - Wembley - Sheffield United 0-0 Huddersfield Town, after extra time; Huddersfield Town win 8-7 on penalties; Huddersfield Town promoted
May 27th - League 2 Play-Off Final - Wembley - Crewe Alexandra 2-0 Cheltenham Town; Crewe Alexandra promoted

Notes
*Portsmouth (Championship) deducted 10pt for entering administration
*Port Vale (League 2) deducted 10pt for entering administration

 

[Liquid]

I am hugely impressed with my Wrexham team considering that we are up against Fleetwood who have the deepest pockets this side of Bernie Ecclestone and Sheik Mansour's silver spooned love child, and we don't have a pot in which to urinate.

Today's results:

Cambridge 1-1 Wrexham
Fleetwood 4-0 Bath

We slipped up here. We've done incrediby well under the player/management of Andy Morrell but I fear his lack of management experience is seeing us go off the boil. It's still possible that we can do it automatically given that we have a game in hand and still have to play Fleetwood, but we need them to drop points elsewhere.

 

[Famine]

Today's games could see the first League relegation or promotion of the season - the relegation of League One's Chesterfield.

Chesterfield go into their 42nd game 13 points away from safety with 15pt left on the table. They need to at least draw against 4th-bottom Wycombe Wanderers while hoping that one or more of Leyton Orient (away at 2nd-bottom Exeter City), Bury (at home to 10th place Colchester) or Walsall (away to top side Charlton) lose or it's League 2 football for them next year. Lose and they're down...

 

[MagpieRacer]

Chesterfield giving Wycombe a hiding today so they survive for another week at least!

 

[Liquid]

The Race For The Football League

1st Fleetwood P42 +58 101pts
---
2nd Wrexham P41 +49 90pts

Wrexham vs. Fleetwood is tomorrow.

Nutshell

If Fleetwood win any of their remaining games, they go up.
If Wrexham win all of their remaining games and Fleetwood lose theirs, we go up.

The play-offs beckon...

 

[Famine]

Chesterfield giving Wycombe a hiding today so they survive for another week at least!

And how! That was a sponking.

 

[MagpieRacer]

Would be interesting to know if Chesterfield were brilliant or Wycombe were crap. Probably a combo of both.

 

[Famine]

Minor point of fascination - Bristol Rovers and Burton Albion both achieved an interesting feat today. They are the first teams for whom the season is over - they can neither be relegated (unless they are deducted points) nor reach the playoffs.

They took me by surprise - I was watching Crystal Palace (FLC) and Colchester United (FL1) to do it first and missed FL2 completely

 

[Liquid]

Doncaster Rovers look doomed after another defeat today. Dean Saunders is a tactical noob, frankly.

Burton and Bristol, eh? I would have thought that some teams would have done that by now already. Guess not.

How're you feeling about Wednesday, Famine? Looking good for play-off minimum.

 

[Famine]

Meh, we'll blow it.

(it's fun being a Wednesdayite )

For me, it hinges on one game. We need to outscore the Pigs by 3 points because of the goal difference, so we either need them to lose at least one of their last five or draw at least twice and McDons are the most likely - they are probably the only team the Pigs have got left to play who can properly challenge them.

They've got Rochdale (bottom) tomorrow then Leyton Orient (20th), McDons (5th), Stevenage (9th) and Exeter (22nd). We've got the points on the board from Oldham today, but then Colchester (10th), Carlisle (7th), Brentford (8th) and Wycombe (21st). On paper they have the easier run-in, but we're both playing teams fighting for playoffs (McDons, Stevenage, Colchester, Carlisle, Brentford) or their survival (Leyton Orient, Exeter, Wycombe), so nothing's sure.

Charlton have got a walk-in. It's a pity they recovered from their slump, 'cos a double-Sheffield automatic promotion would have been nice. Playoffs... a lottery - but we did it in League One's first season in 2004-2005 from 5th in the table. If we still have our full first team and loanees, we can do it again.


Right now if I was in League One, I wouldn't want to play Charlton, Wednesday or the Pigs. Huddersfield and McDons are dangerous teams, but it's now almost a different league (literally). I just hope someone buys Jordan Rhodes before the playoffs if we're going to be subjected to them

 

[Liquid]

On paper United do have the easier run-in and I'm sorry to say, I think they will get the automatic. Even though I do prefer the Owls to the Blades. I can't see them dropping as many points as Wednesday might.

Fleetwood (1st) v Wrexham (2nd) 19:30 GMT.
This will pretty much decide the automatic promotion slot for the football league. Wrexham drop points, it's over. Wrexham win, Fleetwood only need three points from their last three games anyway. Considering they haven't lost since December, it all seems academic...

It's 15:13 (GMT+1). I will be proved right when I say Wrexham will score draw at best.

 

[Famine]

I will be proved right when I say Wrexham will score draw at best.

Sho nuff... 1-1 - and Fleetwood scored their 100th goal of the season in the process.

So Wrexham need to win all four while Fleetwood lose all three with a change in goal difference of ten (or nine if they score 24 more goals). No problem, right?

 

[dhandeh]

After Portsmouth heroics on Saturday against 'them', we then fail miserably against Millwall at home, 9 points of safety, 12 to play for, 'doomed I tell thee doomed'.

Also the OP is incorrect it's Premier League, not Premiership, that's what the egg chasing top league is called.

 

[Famine]

That's what it was called from its inception (when we were in it) and for the whole time we were in it. Perhaps next time we're in it I'll give a crap.

The Championship is called the Championship because the Premiership. If we're renaming Premiership to Premier League, I'm renaming the Championship to Champions League.

 

[dhandeh]

The way Uefa carry on, it probably will be!

How many managers you had so far this season? Mad Milan was averaging about 1.4 a season at Portsmouth.

 

[Famine]

Just the one.


You can't seriously count Gary Megson as a manager.

 

[dhandeh]

For end of season promotion and relegation, I think for the top two leagues, it will stay as it is, Blackburn, Wigan, and Wolves. 'Them' and Reading to go up automatically, with West 'am in the playoffs. Pompey, Coventry and Doncaster to go down.
As for the bottom two leagues, I don't give a crap as we haven't been in them for 30 years (soon to change)!

 

[Famine]

Next fun:

Friday April 13th
Blue Square Premier Leagueship
If Fleetwood Town draw or win, they are promoted.

Saturday April 14th
Premier Leagueship
No-one can be relegated until at least April 21st. So nothing.

Championshipleague
If Doncaster Rovers do not win at home to Portsmouth, Rovers are relegated. If Bristol City win away to Birmingham City, Rovers are relegated anyway - though a point for Bristol will effectively relegate them due to goal difference. If Doncaster do beat Portsmouth, a Bristol City win or draw will relegate Pompey too. A Doncaster/Portsmouth draw relegates both teams if Bristol City win, but Pompey's superior goal difference will keep them up for now if Bristol draw too.

At the top, Southampton, Reading and West Ham have already confirmed a play-off place at the minimum. No-one can go up automatically this weekend, but Southampton play Reading on Friday and if West Ham lose to Brighton, the Friday game's winner will be almost certain of automatic promotion. If Birmingham City beat Bristol whil Brighton and Middlesbrough (away to Derby) lose, they confirm a play-off place too.

Leagueship 1
Charlton can confirm promotion if they win at Carlisle and Wednesday lose at Colchester. Any other permutation pushes it on to next week. Charlton, Wednesday and the Pigs have all confirmed play-off places, but everyone else will have to wait a week thanks to Carlisle's game in hand.

Bottom club Rochdale need to beat Exeter or they are relegated. Second bottom Chesterfield need at least a point away to Hartlepool or they join them - but if Walsall (home to Tranmere) and Leyton Orient (away to the Pigs) get a point or more each, Chesterfield are down anyway. If Rochdale do beat Exeter, the Grecians will also go down if Walsall and the Os win - but if both get any points Exeter will need three straight wins to Orient's three straight defeats (which will overcome the goal difference deficit).

Leagueship 2
Swindon and Torquay have at least a play-off spot and Swindon can get one foot into automatic promotion if they win while Crawley lose. A point for Shrewsbury confirms at least a play-off for them too - along with Crawley if they win while Crewe and Oxford lose.

Nothing is decided at the bottom yet, though Barnet play Hereford on the Friday night. A win for the former puts them 6 points clear with 9 left, a win for the latter ties them up and puts Macclesfield on the bottom 3 points behind both. If neither Macclesfield nor Hereford win, a Bradford City victory at the Cobblers sees them safe.

Blue Square Premier Leagueship
If Fleetwood lose on Friday, a Wrexham draw or defeat promotes Fleetwood anyway.

 

[dhandeh]

I see we are making progress on the league names, a good compromise no less!

Any chance of editing the 'S' word out and putting 'scum' in there? Pretty please!
Is the use of 'Pigs' the accepted term for Sheffield United from a Wednesday fan or is it the AUP friendly version!

 

[Liquid]

Blue Square Premier Leagueship
If Fleetwood lose on Friday, a Wrexham draw or defeat promotes Fleetwood anyway.

Fleetwood play 17th placed Lincoln, who have conceded 61 goals this season. Fleetwood have scored 100. They are assured of promotion, while Wrexham need to find some form in these last four games to give us momentum into the play-offs.

Also agreee with Famine about the division names. I still say Premiership. I don't really understand League 'One' and 'Two' when they are in fact divisions two and three. They only changed when Coca-Cola did the sponsorship, but it looks as though npower are keeping it. And as much as I don't like them being there, Wrexham play in the Conference.

---

Reading and Southampton look set to be in the top flight next season. Doncaster are doomed. Charlton will seal it. Chesterfield got a stay of execution against Wycombe, but they will go down. Swindon are assured of at least going up. And it's goodbye to Hereford and I think Macclesfield.

Each of the play-offs look very interesting this year. I expected Huddersfield to go up at the start of the season, but it will be tight if it comes down to them and Wednesday. Blackpool are doing strongly, while West Ham are faltering.

 

[Famine]

Any chance of editing the 'S' word out and putting 'scum' in there? Pretty please!
Is the use of 'Pigs' the accepted term for Sheffield United from a Wednesday fan or is it the AUP friendly version!

Red & white stripes, just like bacon.

 

[Liquid]

I never knew that. You learn something new everyday.

We usually call our rivals 🤬

 

[Famine]

Also, because I'm ancient, Wednesday play in League Division Three.

 

[dhandeh]

Also, because I'm ancient, Wednesday play in League Division Three.

Portsmouth will be in League Division Tier Sector One (nee three, twice removed, shuffled sideways and up a bit) next season.

 

[Liquid]

Well I was born with Wrexham in Division Four, and they were in the Nationwide Division Two as I was growing up.

League Two and League One in new money. Did Coke change the name of Division One to the Championship so it sounded more attractive? It's a good league and I hugely enjoy the football on display there but the name can be confusing with the Premiership above them. And League One (Second Division) and League Two (Third Division) below.

 

[dhandeh]

Well I was born with Wrexham in Division Four, and they were in the Nationwide Division Two as I was growing up.

League Two and League One in new money. Did Coke change the name of Division One to the Championship so it sounded more attractive? It's a good league and I hugely enjoy the football on display there but the name can be confusing with the Premiership above them. And League One (Second Division) and League Two (Third Division) below.

£

 

[Liquid]

They'd got the sponsorship already. What difference does it make whether it's Coca-Cola Division One or Coca-Cola Championship except the latter sounding more classy?

 

[Famine]

Did Coke change the name of Division One to the Championship so it sounded more attractive?

Pretty much. The Championship play-off final is the richest single event in world sport and the new sponsorship wanted to make it big and razzamatazzy to go with the Premiership.

With Division Two, now One, renamed to the Championship it seemed silly to have Division Three, now Two, and Division Four, now Three, remaining as Division Two and Three without a Division One/Two now called the Championship, so Division Three, now Two, was renamed Coca Cola Football League One - or League One for short - and Division Four, now Three, was renamed Coca Cola Football League Two - or League Two for short.

If that's not confusing enough, Sheffield Wednesday were at the time (as they are now) in Division Three, now Two, and so despite not going up - and in fact almost being relegated to Divison Four, now Three - they went from Division Two, formerly Three, to League One, formerly Division Two, formerly Three, overnight.


Clear?

 

[dhandeh]

They were hoping to become the Premier(ship) League 2, and therefore get a bigger slice of the television financial pie.
League One, Two and Three were grouped together, so all clubs got similar money before showing games. If you have a Championship then a League one and two, the Championship then had a greater bargaining position when it came to negotiating television rights.
Then there was the ITV Digital fiasco, which made their little plan go belly up. Basically the teams in the League below the top league wanted more money and not wanting to share it with lower placed clubs.

Edit - Famine, you just made my head hurt.

 

[Liquid]

Absolutely. In 2002/03 Wrexham were promoted from the old Division Four, which was then known as Division Three into the old Division Three which was then known as Division Two. The season after next (2004/05) the old Division Three known as Division Two was renamed League One, but Wrexham were relegated and ended up in the new League Two from whence they came two seasons before but had been renamed League Two from Division Three from Division Four.

And then, we're now playing in the Blue Square Bet Premier formerly known as the Conference but also concurrently known as the Conference National to separate it from the Conference North and Conference South, otherwise known as the Blue Square Bet North and Blue Square Bet South, leagues which didn't exist at the time Wrexham were promoted from the old Division Four-Division Three current League Two into the old Division Three-Division Two current League One. Phew.

Where are the great sponsorships like the Milk Cup these days? That was such an odd name for a pseudo-prestigious trophy. Made it sound like a drinking beaker.