Perryashburtongroves wrote: ↑Sun Apr 20, 2025 9:55 pm
We've been saying it for months Rodders. How long are we going to put up with this shit...but yay, never mind Leeds, Burnley and Sheffield United are all coming back up for 38 games of stinking the joint out again
Make it either a league of 18 teams, with 34 matches a season or have two up and two down for a few years and see if that makes any difference. The play-offs are a joke and always have been. If you finish sixth in the second tier, what fucking chance do you have of even competing in the top flight the year after? The whole league is being devalued as a competition with the dross that's down there year after year; Sheffield Utd were one of the worst teams of the last 40 years last season and are now well-placed for a return along with Burnley, who were a laughing stock and Weeds, a permanent mess of a club should just stay in the lower leagues.
If it's all about money, offer the football league £500m and tell them they can have one up and one down and the money or three up and three down and no money. I guarantee they'd take the 500m. When you've got to the stage where even the broadcasters and press are making comments about the lack of competition at the bottom of the table, you know you've got a problem.
I have been saying for years that the play offs are a joke. A league is a league and a cup is a cup. I know the CL etc are initially run on a league basis etc, and we all agree they are bloated.
A team finishing sixth can get to a Wembley final, get the suits , branded shirts and the open top bus and all that goes with a Wembley final , gain promotion , possibly through a penalty shoot out against a team they finished twenty points behind. Make that make sense. Oh and watch and listen to the pundits and traditionalists bemoan the demise of the FA Cup...Well your answer is in there boys.
First ever play off was 1987, Third from bottom of Division 1 Charlton Athletic beat Leeds United third for the top of Division 2 over two legs. Very simple formula. Charlton stayed up, Leeds had to fight another day.
The Premier League is bottom heavy with stragglers. Year on year it is the same thing. I know not everyone can challenge for the top places but it is too uncompetitive at the bottom this season. 16 teams, one automatic promotion/ relegation and one second bottom / second top play off.
Now tell the clubs they have to reduce season ticket prices and will lose TV revenue because there are less games. Therein lies the problem.
0-1 v Liverpool
