Div 1 Playoffs When do they start? Sheffield Utd play Forest and Reading play Wolves, correct? I haven't been able to find anything about the playoffs on soccernet. Thanks in advance.
The playoff starts on Saturday and the second legs are Wednesday for Reading vs. Wolves and Thursday for Sheff. Utd. vs. Forest. The full Football League playoff schedule is here: http://www.football-league.premiumtv.co.uk/today/view/breaking_news_detail/0,,10794~380012,00.html
I wish I knew who to support tomorrow. My heart has to go with Wolves, as my in-laws are all Wolves supporters (except for the ones who support Blues). And a former office mate was a Wolves supporter. However, I like Reading for two reasons: an American keeper and their rapid upwards movement. I've gotta support Forest just because of the way they treated Bennie Olsen. It'll be tough to watch these matches, but not as tough as it was 3 of the last 4 years.
I put an [R] in the thread--if you don't want to see results, don't read any more... ...First leg: Forest 1-1 Sheffield Utd
Since it has an R, I'll post here. Good job by Wolves today to withstand a very organized, disciplined Reading team. Very good job by Hahnemann, in what was the biggest match of his career thus far. Final: Wolves 2 Reading 1. The return match on Wednesday(?) should be interesting. Aren't Div 1 playoffs the ultimate?
Yeah-don't know if CrewToon is serious, but I came in on the 2nd half of the Forest match and thought it was pretty entertaining. And the ref in the Wolves match...hmm, that yellow on Ince was crap-as were several other calls.
3 div 1 teams promoted (the first and second place teams in the league, and 1 from the playoffs) and 3 prem teams relegated. WBA and Sunderland down. And either West Ham or Bolton, we'll find out in a few hours. Reading did well but when Fozzy went off injured it all fell apart. C'MON URRRZZZ
Yeah, Reading were doing quite well... they looked like they were going to scrape together one of those 1-0 away wins. Then Forster got injured and it seemed as though there was a big vaccuum where the Reading forwards should have been. But you've got to give Wolves credit, even with a disappointing start they kept chipping away. After a while it looked as if the tying goal would come, and when the game ended Wolves definitely had the upper hand. Wolves will have much more confidence heading into the second leg (even though it is at the Madejski and they're the ones who need to exorcise old ghosts).
Does the away goals rule apply in the playoffs, or will it go to Golden Goal/penalties if the aggregate is tied after 180 minutes?
Blade's or Reading to go up. I had a premenition the other day, RichardL was posting about Reading the Premiership forum. Remember you saw it here first!
At first Prenn I wasn't sure about this, but a 1-0 Reading win allows them to advance on away goals, right? Or is it considered even and they play extra periods then go to PKs?
The Blades did not play that well in the first leg, but I'm confident they will sort it out and get it right at home in the second leg. The Blades will advance to the final, (probably against Reading) and get back into the Premiership. Come on U Blades!!! Cheers, GQ
I'm puzzled by people tipping Reading to beat Wolves. Surely you must have read the papers and know Reading have no chance against teams who have a 'fine tradition'.
Hey, if Reading continues to take out the knees of Wolves' key players, anything can happen. By the way, I read this on the BBC's web site: Tyson was sent off for language? He should've been off immediately for that tackle. That was absolutely brutal.
Tyson's a young forward who made a young forward's tackle - all enthusiasm and no direction. He's hardly Terry Hurlock. Still, you needn't worry, Reading need to score at least another six goals to win according to your chairman. I assume he did mean over two legs when he said Wolves would knock six goals past us. Have you booked your coach to Cardiff yet? Plenty of flyers for coach companies taking bookings before the match on Saturday. I you do make it through I won't be too downhearted. We've had a great season and even made a profit, and besides, perhaps we owe you one after wrecking your promotion drive in 1997 when Archie scored in the 93rd and 95th minutes to allow Barnsley to sneak ahead of you in the final furlong. all that aside, Reading v Wolves matches always tend to be great games (apart from that turgid 0-0 in the last season at elm park) and unlike the Reading fans in the lower tier of John Ireland stand on Saturday, you won't have the pleasure of being gobbed on from a great height, although if Reading to maintain the Indian sign we've had over you in recent years, it might feel like it.
Alas, Richard, it's a hell of a lot harder to get to Cardiff from suburban Columbus, Ohio than it is to get there from Reading. I'll be forced to watch the second leg from the comfort of my home - and the only people spitting on me will be my two children. (Any they're too young to know they're doing it.) As you surmised, I am a Wolves fan, but I have absolutely nothing against Reading. It's great to see a top First Divison club give a guy like Marcus Hahnemann a crack at a First XI role, and it's even better to see him playing well. Growing up in the USA meant I didn't grow up a fan of any UK team in particular. I'm a fan of clubs that give American players a chance. Reading (Hahnemann) and Forest (Olsen) have done that. One of my best friends lived in Wolverhampton for a while and was a Wolves season ticket holder, so I've become a Wolves fan because of him. I really don't care much for the Blades, though. Never have. I'd like to see Wolves get promoted, but if they don't make it, good luck to Reading and Forest. They're my second and third favourite teams in the First Division. And if the chairman said Wolves were going to knock six past Reading, I hope he meant over the next four times the teams play. Reading's too good to get steamrolled. Oh, and as for the tackle, I really don't think there was any intent to injure Butler. Tyson was obviously overly excited to be in a playoff game, tackling's not his strong suit to begin with, and he made a bad decision. It's not like Keane attacking Haaland or anything. But clearly, at least from what I saw, he deserved to be sent off for that challenge. I was just a bit flabbergasted when I saw he was sent off for abusive language and not the tackle itself.
I really don't care much for the Blades, though. Never have. Is this because there is not an American on the roster? There is a Canadian in the side if that helps. Cheers, GQ