Promotion/Relegation Watch

[soggy biscuit]

AFC Wimbledon are promoted to the Conference

[Deathy]

AFC Wimbledon are promoted to the Conference

Chuffed for them. How's the stadium they play in if they were to be in this position next season?

[Whore Jackie]

Congratulations Wolves. It hurts to say, but you've deserved it more than anyone else in this division. Good luck.

[Deathy]

Congratulations Wolves. It hurts to say, but you've deserved it more than anyone else in this division. Good luck.

[Whore Jackie]

Congratulations Wolves. It hurts to say, but you've deserved it more than anyone else in this division. Good luck.

Combing the remnants of Polish spunk from Cilla's ginger thatch is only slightly less appealing than praising those scumbags from Molineux, but fair's fair.

[Deathy]

Lets celebrate by shagging our brothers and sisters.

[ShrewsandRoyals]

Congratulations to Leamington FC, promoted to the Southern Premier League as Champions.

As with AFC Wimbledon, it's another story of triumph out of adversity, and for those interested I've pasted a piece that was posted on the Marine forum by one of the supporters.

"It is a story of fact, rumour and conspiracy and is the most painful death imaginable for a football club. It is also a story of success over adversity.

In 1979 AP Leam became founder members of the Alliance (now the Conf premier). Relegation back to SLP followed 3 yrs later and 9 months later in May 1983 became SLP champions. Promotion was denied and given to Kiddy due to ground inspection criteria.

The conspiracy started in the relegation season (1982) where alledgedly a dispute occured during an Alliance General Meeting due to voting politics and the story goes Leam were as good as told they were not welcome in the league. The story goes Kiddy had their ground inspection Easter 1983 at a time when they were 2nd in the SLP. The Alliance did not feel a need to inspect Leam's ground as one was not required due to having been an Alliance side 9 months previously.

During pre-season 83-84 (as SLP champions) the factory who owned the ground ceased being sponsers and sold the land to a local buiding firm. The ground would be built on the following pre-season. Desperate for money, and backers, the club was faced to losing the manager Graham Allner and all the back staff to the club expressing the most interest........Kiddy. Half of the squad joined him over the next few months. All became first team players and many left for professional clubs. During this season Leam won the SL cup and the Championship Trophy - first team ever in 100 yrs of SL history to win all three at the same time. The club also won the Midland Youth Floodlight Cup. Several members of that team followed their contacts to Kiddy as well and all became established players.

In fact the success Kiddy achieved in the few yrs after (which you mentioned above) were as a direct result of having the majority of the team made from ex Leam players.

Threats of immenant ground closure remained for the next 5 seasons, during which time the club struggled to field players of the required quality as players would not join a club with no future and experienced 4 relegations in the final 5 yrs and ceased playing in 1988.

For 13 yrs the club remained dormant and homeless until planning permission was granted to turn two fields 4 miles out of the town centre into a football ground. (Added* The supporters continued to pay the club registration fee in this time, so they never officially folded). During the dormant yrs Warwick District Council refused many town centre planning applications to turn empty land into a football ground. The rumours suggest the Council were hoping to turn the rival team Racing Club Warwick into the area's premier team as it carried the council's name.

The first match played was in the yr 2000 with ropes marking the pitch perimeter. The ground was purchased by the fans through 13 yrs of fund raising. Over 800 fans turned up for a match 2 divisions below level 8 of the non league pyramid.

Today the club are on the edge of the 7th promotion in 9 seasons back into what is considered the rightful home: the SLP. The club is entirely self financing and all ground developments are paid from a combination of commercial and fans' fund raising.

Many a tear will be shed tomorrow if a home win is achieved as it will result in being champions.

[soggy biscuit]

AFC Wimbledon are promoted to the Conference

[Deathy]

Big day for NewcastLOLe United. They seriously need a win today, otherwise that trap door is opening!

[Deathy]

LOLz. Hoddle said it wasn't a must win. Corse not Glenn. Four points the gap, five games to play... Relying on the home games is not the answer.

[RoyalChicagoFC]

After the conclusion of play Tuesday 21st April

LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP
Minimum points to safety: 53 (SAFE: Wolves, Brum, RFC, Burnley, Sheff Utd, Cardiff, Preston, Swansea, Ipswich, QPR, BristolC, Wednesday, Palace, Donny, Coventry)

Minimum attainable total points to top six: 72 (OUT: Charlton, Saints, Forest, Plymouth, Norwich, Blackpool, Barnsley, Donny, Derby, Watford, Coventry, Palace, Wednesday, Ipswich, QPR, BristolC)
Minimum attainable points to top two: 80 (OUT: add Swansea, Preston, Burnley to preceding)
Minimum attainable points to top spot: 86 (OUT: add RFC, Cardiff, Sheff Utd)

Of note:
Wolves promoted
Brum to finish top five, Sheff Utd top six
Charlton relegated


LEAGUE ONE
Minimum points to safety: 53 (SAFE: Leicester, Peterborough, Millwall, MKD, Leeds, Scunthorpe, Tranmere, Southend, Oldham, Huddersfield, Walsall, BristolR, Stockport, Colchester, Orient)

Minimum attainable total points to top six: 72 (OUT: Cheltenham, Hereford, Brighton, Carlisle, Crewe, Hartlepool, Swindon, Northampton, Orient, Yeovil, Walsall, BristolR, Stockport, Colchester, Oldham)
Minimum attainable points to top two: 85 (OUT: add Huddersfield, Southend, Tranmere, Scunthorpe, Leeds to preceding)
Minimum attainable points to top spot: 92 (OUT: everybody)

Of note:
Leicester promoted as champions
Peterborough assured of finishing no worse than fourth, MKD no worse than fifth, and Millwall no worse than sixth
Hereford are relegated

LEAGUE TWO
Minimum points to safety: 43 (SAFE: Brentford, Gillingham, Wycombe, Rochdale, Bury, Exeter, Shrewsbury, Bradford, Dag & Red, Chesterfield, Morecambe, Darlington, Lincoln, Rotherham, Aldershot, Accrington, Barnet, Notts County, Port Vale, Macclesfield)

Minimum attainable total points to top seven: 65 (OUT: Luton, Grimsby, Chester, Bournemouth, Barnet, Macclesfield, Port Vale, Accrington, Notts County, Aldershot, Rotherham, Lincoln)
Minimum attainable points to top three: 75 (OUT: add Darlington, Bradford, Morecambe, Dag & Red, Chesterfield, Shrewsbury to preceding)
Minimum attainable points to top spot: 79 (OUT: add Rochdale, Gillingham)

Of note:
Brentford assured of finishing among the top four
Wycombe assured of finishing among the top five, Exeter among the top six and Bury among the top seven
Luton are relegated


CONFERENCE
Minimum points to safety from fourth bottom: 50 (SAFE: Burton, Cambridge, Torquay, Histon, Kidderminster, Stevenage, Kettering, Oxford, Crawley, Wrexham, Rushden, Eastbourne, Mansfield, Altrincham, Ebbsfleet, Salisbury, Forest Green)
Minimum points to safety from third bottom: 48 (add Grays, York, Barrow to preceding)
Minimum points to safety from second bottom: 44 (add Woking)
Minimum points to safety from bottom: 30 (add Weymouth, Northwich)

Minimum attainable total points to top five: 80 (OUT: Lewes, Northwich, Woking, Grays, Forest Green, Weymouth, York, Barrow, Altrincham, Salisbury, Rushden, Mansfield, Eastbourne, Ebbsfleet, Wrexham, Kettering, Crawley)
Minimum attainable points to top spot: 88 (OUT: add Oxford, Stevenage, Kidderminster, Histon, Torquay to preceding)

Of note:
Burton Albion assured to finish no worse than second
Cambridge assured to finish among the top three
Northwich assured to finish no better than third bottom
Lewes assured to finish at the bottom of the division

[Arch]

Short version:

Woking relegated

Oxford Utd still alive, and ashamed as I am to admit it, I find myself rooting for them. If its the pox or Histon in the FL, I'd choose the former. Call me a traditionalist.

[Platypuss]

Short version:

Woking relegated

Oxford Utd still alive, and ashamed as I am to admit it, I find myself rooting for them. If its the pox or Histon in the FL, I'd choose the former. Call me a traditionalist.

I'm a traditionalist too - I'm quite happy with Oxford returning to their Headington United roots.

[Alan Partridge]

I don't kow if i can even take Sunday. Might just go out for the day come back around 8 and look at the final table.

There is so many different scenario's that could see the not so Mighty Gulls finish between 3rd and 7th.

The easy version is beat Burton and we are in the playoffs, i've got a horrible feeling we are going to miss out which is absolutely criminal when 4 games ago there was a genuine outside chance of challenging Burton. All season they've chucked points away against God awful crap sides and it may just come back to bite them. The other side of the coin is we've done ok against the top teams. Burton will come to Plainmoor and defend for 90minutes,they will be delighted with 0-0,again this worries me. If we don't score early then that's it, start the car.

[Ian Royal]

Short version:

Woking relegated

Oxford Utd still alive, and ashamed as I am to admit it, I find myself rooting for them. If its the pox or Histon in the FL, I'd choose the former. Call me a traditionalist.

I'm a traditionalist too - I'm quite happy with Oxford returning to their Headington United roots.

Screw that! Histon all the way, real success story, and I'm reasonably fond of Oxford for a rival club.

[Victor Meldrew]

I don't kow if i can even take Sunday. Might just go out for the day come back around 8 and look at the final table.

There is so many different scenario's that could see the not so Mighty Gulls finish between 3rd and 7th.

The easy version is beat Burton and we are in the playoffs, i've got a horrible feeling we are going to miss out which is absolutely criminal when 4 games ago there was a genuine outside chance of challenging Burton. All season they've chucked points away against God awful crap sides and it may just come back to bite them. The other side of the coin is we've done ok against the top teams. Burton will come to Plainmoor and defend for 90minutes,they will be delighted with 0-0,again this worries me. If we don't score early then that's it, start the car.

Sounds as though Torquay mirrors Reading.
BTW I backed Torquay at 16/1 each-way 1,2,3 after 4 games and Oxford to be promoted a few weeks ago at 16/1.
It looks quite likely that I will miss out on both counts and I need Torquay to finish 3rd to collect on an each-way treble placed at the start of the season on Liverpool,Peterborough and Torquay.
So near yet......story of my life.

[Arch]

Short version:

Woking relegated

Oxford Utd still alive, and ashamed as I am to admit it, I find myself rooting for them. If its the pox or Histon in the FL, I'd choose the former. Call me a traditionalist.

I'm a traditionalist too - I'm quite happy with Oxford returning to their Headington United roots.

I'd say it's my traditions I care about, not some poxy club's. I always like to see the clubs back in the league who were there when I was a kid. So come on Barrow next year, and up the league ladder Southport.

[Deathy]

I can't bare the thought of any happy Oxford United fans. It's bad enough they're the selfproclaimed Chelsea of the Conference

I hope they rot!!

[RoyalChicagoFC]

Friday 24th April:
Weymouth, who had to win today to retain hope of avoiding a final placement among the bottom four, now irredeemably stuck there after losing at home to York, who themselves would have remained under threat of relegation had they not at least drawn the match.

So your bottom four in the Conference will be Lewes (now on 23 points), Northwich Victoria (40), Weymouth (43) and Woking (44), with potentially key final placements of the latter trio to be sorted out on Sunday.

In League One, Crewe took a major hit in losing 4-3 away to Scunthorpe and are now sat in a relegation position, third bottom and level on 46 points with Carlisle and Northampton and now having played a game more than both of them.

[SLAMMED]

Dont forget Southamptons relegation to league 1.