Play-off/relegation watch.

[windermereROYAL]

Hudders is a huge game. Fancy us against Cardiff, Rotherham, Blackpool if we have to win and they’re safe or down

Lincoln could well be promoted by the time we play them. If they get a better result against Wimbledon at home than Bolton do away against Plymouth on Good Friday, then they're up. Maybe will lose a bit of intensity in the game immediately after.

Not strictly true. Stockport could still catch them, even if Lincoln win. Highly unlikely but mathematically possible,

Yes, Lincoln need to better the results of both Bolton and Stockport on good Friday to clinch promotion, if not they`ll likely be coming here for a party on Easter Monday.

[Sutekh]

Lincoln could well be promoted by the time we play them. If they get a better result against Wimbledon at home than Bolton do away against Plymouth on Good Friday, then they're up. Maybe will lose a bit of intensity in the game immediately after.

Not strictly true. Stockport could still catch them, even if Lincoln win. Highly unlikely but mathematically possible,

Yes, Lincoln need to better the results of both Bolton and Stockport on good Friday to clinch promotion, if not they`ll likely be coming here for a party on Easter Monday.

Current L1 table…




And since 28th October 2025, when LR was appointed, only Lincoln and Cardiff have taken more L1 divisional points than Reading.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Just looking at that table, we may well guarantee mathematical safety on Good Friday. We're currently 18 points clear of 21st with 6 games to go.

[Snowflake Royal]

So only 2 teams with games in hand can overtake us by playing them.

It still looks like we're probably going to miss out by a couple of points to Stevenage or Plymouth. But no one in the POs is basically safe already, quite.

[South Coast Royal]

So only 2 teams with games in hand can overtake us by playing them.

It still looks like we're probably going to miss out by a couple of points to Stevenage or Plymouth. But no one in the POs is basically safe already, quite.

I think that Wycombe are very much in with a shout.
The good thing all round is that many of the top 10 have to play each other.

[Whore Jackie]

At the bottom, it's looking pretty likely a team will get relegated on 50+ points. I've always thought the 4 relegation spots in L1 is unfair, and it is a bit of a joke that the team finishing 7th in L2 will get a shot at being in this division next season, when a team who have already proven that they can compete at this level won't.

Complete agree. Should be three up, three down across all divisions.

And should be the same for the 'Conference'. Seems patently unfair that only the top two get promoted, four get relegated, across National League, National League South, National League North.

[tidus_mi2]

Looking at our remaining 6, we are 9th in the overall home table, 5th in the overall away table.

Huddersfield (A) - 6th in the home table, only lost twice
Lincoln (H) - 1st in the away table, lost 4 times
Doncaster (A) - 17th in the home table
Cardiff (H) - 2nd in the away table, similar record to Lincoln
Rotherham (A) - 22nd in the home table
Blackpool (H) - 22nd in the away table

Very mixed bag, we might very well be needing wins against Donny, Rovrum and Blackpool and that still might not be enough.

[Hound]

Do think those last 4 look very winnable. Cardiff not on amazing form but basically up. Other 3 aren’t good sides.

Not saying we will win them of course but I do fancy all 4

[stealthpapes]

At the bottom, it's looking pretty likely a team will get relegated on 50+ points. I've always thought the 4 relegation spots in L1 is unfair, and it is a bit of a joke that the team finishing 7th in L2 will get a shot at being in this division next season, when a team who have already proven that they can compete at this level won't.

Complete agree. Should be three up, three down across all divisions.

And should be the same for the 'Conference'. Seems patently unfair that only the top two get promoted, four get relegated, across National League, National League South, National League North.

For that example, it is the tip of a pyramid, so yes, two get promoted from two leagues to replace four teams that get relegated.

[stealthpapes]

Do think those last 4 look very winnable. Cardiff not on amazing form but basically up. Other 3 aren’t good sides.

Not saying we will win them of course but I do fancy all 4

My initial prediction is W 3 D1 L1 and 1 could go either way. I do not think this will be quite good enough.
If we went W4 D1 L1, for 13 points (or better), then I think we scrape through.

[South Coast Royal]

Do think those last 4 look very winnable. Cardiff not on amazing form but basically up. Other 3 aren’t good sides.

Not saying we will win them of course but I do fancy all 4

It may depend upon where Rotherham and Blackpool stand in the relegation battle by the time we play them.
The last game v Blackpool could be a play-off and relegation decider.

[Hound]

Do think those last 4 look very winnable. Cardiff not on amazing form but basically up. Other 3 aren’t good sides.

Not saying we will win them of course but I do fancy all 4

It may depend upon where Rotherham and Blackpool stand in the relegation battle by the time we play them.
The last game v Blackpool could be a play-off and relegation decider.

Yes that is true

[South Coast Royal]

Do think those last 4 look very winnable. Cardiff not on amazing form but basically up. Other 3 aren’t good sides.

Not saying we will win them of course but I do fancy all 4

It may depend upon where Rotherham and Blackpool stand in the relegation battle by the time we play them.
The last game v Blackpool could be a play-off and relegation decider.

Yes that is true

Also we don't want to be playing a Northern club beginning with B needing a win for a play-off spot even if it is at home in front of the biggest crowd of the season (See Barnsley last season).

[tidus_mi2]

Also, Huddersfield always seem to F us over when it comes to promotion/relegation.

[SouthDownsRoyal]

Not strictly true. Stockport could still catch them, even if Lincoln win. Highly unlikely but mathematically possible,

Yes, Lincoln need to better the results of both Bolton and Stockport on good Friday to clinch promotion, if not they`ll likely be coming here for a party on Easter Monday.

Current L1 table…




And since 28th October 2025, when LR was appointed, only Lincoln and Cardiff have taken more L1 divisional points than Reading.

Yeah, this thread https://hobnob.royals.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=192558 has gone a bit quiet

[stealthpapes]

Think 'performatively failing to understand how match fitness works' might be a niche low there.

[Snowflake Royal]

Think 'performatively failing to understand how match fitness works' might be a niche low there.

I was rather non-plussed by that.

[stealthpapes]

3rd BOLTON WANDERERS
06 Apr - Stockport (h) - team in play-off contention
11 Apr - Cardiff (a) - promotion chasing
14 Apr - Stevenage (h) - team in play-off contention
18 Apr - Huddersfield (h) - team in play-off contention
25 Apr - Bradford (a) - team in play-off contention
02 May - Luton (h)

4th BRADFORD CITY
03 April- Northampton
06 Apr - Wycombe (a)
11 Apr - Stevenage (a) - team in play-off contention
18 Apr - Barnsley (a)
25 Apr - Bolton (h) - team in play-off contention
02 May - Exeter (a)
Plymouth (h) TBA - team in play-off contention

5th STOCKPORT COUNTY
03 Apr - Wycombe (h) - team in play-off contention
06 Apr - Bolton (a) - team in play-off contention
15 Apr - Wimbledon (a)
18 Apr - Exeter (a)
25 Apr - Peterborough (h)
28 Apr - Port Vale (h)
02 May - Barnsley (a)
Mansfield (h) TBA

6th - READING
03 Apr - Huddersfield (a) - team in play-off contention
06 Apr - Lincoln (h) - chasing title
11 Apr - Doncaster (a)
18 Apr - Cardiff (h) - chasing promotion
25 Apr - Rotherham (a)
02 May - Blackpool (h)

7th STEVENAGE
03 Apr - Rotherham (a)
06 Apr - Blackpool (h)
11 Apr - Bradford (a) - team in play-off contention
14 Apr - Bolton (a) - team in play-off contention
18 Apr - Lincoln (h) - chasing title
21 Apr - Barnsley (h)
25 Apr - Doncaster (a)
02 May - Wigan (h)

8th - WYCOMBE
03 Apr- Stockport (a) - team in play-off contention
06 Apr - Bradford (h) - team in play-off contention
11 Apr - Huddersfield (a) - team in play-off contention
18 Apr - Blackpool (h)
25 Apr - Lincoln (a)
May - Rotherham (h)

9th PLYMOUTH ARGYLE
03 Apr - Bolton (h) - team in play-off contention
06 Apr - Barnsley (a)
11 Apr - Exeter (h)
18 Apr - Wimbledon (a)
25 Apr - Port Vale (h)
02 May - Northampton (a)
Bradford (a) TBA - team in play-off contention

10th Huddersfield
Have Bolton, Reading, Wycombe but I think they’re slipping from contention.

TLDR, there’s still so many games between the possible playoff contenders that if any one team puts form together, it will mean beating teams around them (and us). Draws are probably what we want to see tbf tbh.

Not sure I can do the maths fully at this hour but my gut feeling is that it actually is in our hands. Too many points are going to have to be shared.

[windermereROYAL]

3rd BOLTON WANDERERS
06 Apr - Stockport (h) - team in play-off contention
11 Apr - Cardiff (a) - promotion chasing
14 Apr - Stevenage (h) - team in play-off contention
18 Apr - Huddersfield (h) - team in play-off contention
25 Apr - Bradford (a) - team in play-off contention
02 May - Luton (h)

4th BRADFORD CITY
03 April- Northampton
06 Apr - Wycombe (a)
11 Apr - Stevenage (a) - team in play-off contention
18 Apr - Barnsley (a)
25 Apr - Bolton (h) - team in play-off contention
02 May - Exeter (a)
Plymouth (h) TBA - team in play-off contention

5th STOCKPORT COUNTY
03 Apr - Wycombe (h) - team in play-off contention
06 Apr - Bolton (a) - team in play-off contention
15 Apr - Wimbledon (a)
18 Apr - Exeter (a)
25 Apr - Peterborough (h)
28 Apr - Port Vale (h)
02 May - Barnsley (a)
Mansfield (h) TBA

6th - READING
03 Apr - Huddersfield (a) - team in play-off contention
06 Apr - Lincoln (h) - chasing title
11 Apr - Doncaster (a)
18 Apr - Cardiff (h) - chasing promotion
25 Apr - Rotherham (a)
02 May - Blackpool (h)

7th STEVENAGE
03 Apr - Rotherham (a)
06 Apr - Blackpool (h)
11 Apr - Bradford (a) - team in play-off contention
14 Apr - Bolton (a) - team in play-off contention
18 Apr - Lincoln (h) - chasing title
21 Apr - Barnsley (h)
25 Apr - Doncaster (a)
02 May - Wigan (h)

8th - WYCOMBE
03 Apr- Stockport (a) - team in play-off contention
06 Apr - Bradford (h) - team in play-off contention
11 Apr - Huddersfield (a) - team in play-off contention
18 Apr - Blackpool (h)
25 Apr - Lincoln (a)
May - Rotherham (h)

9th PLYMOUTH ARGYLE
03 Apr - Bolton (h) - team in play-off contention
06 Apr - Barnsley (a)
11 Apr - Exeter (h)
18 Apr - Wimbledon (a)
25 Apr - Port Vale (h)
02 May - Northampton (a)
Bradford (a) TBA - team in play-off contention

10th Huddersfield
Have Bolton, Reading, Wycombe but I think they’re slipping from contention.

TLDR, there’s still so many games between the possible playoff contenders that if any one team puts form together, it will mean beating teams around them (and us). Draws are probably what we want to see tbf tbh.

Not sure I can do the maths fully at this hour but my gut feeling is that it actually is in our hands. Too many points are going to have to be shared.

Plymouth will be confident with that run in.

[Gunny Fishcake]

Just looking at that table, we may well guarantee mathematical safety on Good Friday. We're currently 18 points clear of 21st with 6 games to go.

That made me laugh