Paullow

Hope Sheff Wed don't sneak 2nd place. I'd like to see them up, but would rather they were in the playoffs as they currently seem the biggest threat. Rotherham 2-0 down to Burton, they seem determined to blow automatic when they were in a fantastic position only a month or so ago. MK Dons still drawing.

I thought you would have meant that season as that is on we missed out on, but we drew with Blackburn at SJP in October, and lost to them at EP in May: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1994–95_Newcastle_United_F.C._season That was pretty much my first season getting into football as I can only remember bits and pieces of the 3rd place season the year before, and remember watching the Man Utd vs Everton FA Cup final, and we would have got into Europe had MU won, but Rideout's goal sealed it for Everton.

I couldn't remember specifics, although have just looked it up, and aye, put out A Madrid in 2007/08. They also got a draw in Munich (Bayern) in the group stages that year, and two years earlier they qualified unbeaten (again) in their group under Sam.

To be fair, if you're under 55 then you have at least seen Bolton finish in the top 6 in the top flight, and played in Europe...

When was this? I'm looking at past seasons but can't see one that would reflect what you're saying.

I'd rather it was the other way round personally. I'd send him out on loan at the start of the season to a lower mid table Championship side (if possible), or a top end League One side (or possibly Rovers if they go up) for 6 months and then review the situation, possibly extending it, but if we are looking like a comfortable 8-12th type season with no real hope of top 6, or relegation, then potentially ease him in to the final 8-10 games.

Man Utd 17/2 at some places (Unibet being the most familiar bookie). Obviously there's clear daylight between the sides, a couple missing for Man Utd, and Liverpool are at home so it's kind of understandable, but at the same time, who would have thought Man Utd would ever be those sort of odds to win a Premier League match. Crazy.

The table of every teams last 14 games. 15 points from 14 matches, 1.07 PPG, which averages out at 49 over a season, just about enough to keep you up. I knew Blackburn and QPR were in poor form, but didn't think they would both be bottom 2. Blackburn were a legit threat to the top 2 in December, but now look like they will miss out on the playoffs altogether (although that kind of applies to WBA as well, but not quite as alarming).

Christ, they are making a massive hoo-ha in the post match analysis out of that throw in on the halfway line. They could have easily regrouped, and then it went out for a corner, another chance to regroup, so ages before the actual goal went in. It was obviously a wrong call, but not directly related to the goal.

Finished 4-0, with another with basically the last kick of the game. Not a bad read - http://westbrom.com/forum/index.php?topic=26689.1325

COLBACK!!!

'You just can't legislate for this horrendous run of bad luck...' Well that's surely game over, normally 2-0 and away side down to 10 I would switch off (if watching as a neutral), but I'm be thoroughly enjoying the rest of this one.

Nooooooooo . I kind of know what you mean, but imagine - my record speaks for itself, 1000 games ya kna, that'll shut a few people up. Please god no

I'd like to see Nottm Forest because I think it's about time they got back. Big city, good history, but a whole generation of fan won't have seen them in the top flight. I thought it was quite funny them being out for so long, but happy for them to come up this year. If not, then Sheff Utd, and then probably Boro.

Bristol City 1 Sheff United 1 heading into injury time. Crazy to think Brewce will only be 3 points behind 6th if WBA beat Forest later on with the grand points total of 63, whereas Sheff Wed are currently outside of the League One playoff places on 76 points.

Looks like South Shields have blown automatic promotion to the National North. They were neck and neck with Buxton with two game to go after they got an 89th minute winner on Saturday and Buxton conceded a 88th minute equaliser, but they lost at home to Whitby today while Buxton beat their Derbyshire rivals Matlock (who are in the playoffs, but not guaranteed), so Buxton are 3 points clear with one to go, and crucially, a GD of 11 better off, so like 99.99% confirmed. I thought it might have been in S Shields hands heading into the last day, but obviously not. https://www.thenpl.co.uk/match-info/tables

I think they'd have taken the results today, especially with Wycombe also dropping points at struggling Wimbledon. The way the remaining fixtures have worked out (Wycombe's next match is Sheff Wed), they are now very likely to make the playoffs, 1/7 at SkyBet, but it's really unclear who they would face as they could finish anywhere from 4th to 6th, so could play MK Dons (or Rotherham) if 6th, or any combo of Plymouth, Sheff Wed, or Wycombe (maybe not so much the latter). I'd like to see them against Sheff Wed in the semi finals. They also have got as many points as they had last season, with 3 games to play, plus more PPG than the curtailed 2020 Covid season, so they haven't really gone backwards in that respect and someone will likely miss out on the top 6 with 80 points, which is very unlucky, but they could really do with coming up as it'll be (at least) 5 seasons in League One if not, and I don't think any of the 'bigger' clubs who have been down there in recent years have had that length of unbroken time in the third tier, and it will start to feel pretty normal them being down there the longer they remain, and that's if it doesn't feel normal already. The playoffs are a lottery and you can get them at 7/2 for promotion, so still more likely than not they will be playing 3rd tier football next season.

Plenty of early goals in the 3pm's, especially in the Championship. Bristol Rovers an early goal down unfortunately.

Just looking at the table, while it's still a long shot, especially with Bruce, and they would need at least 10 points from their last 4 games, probably 12, which isn't likely, but, with Sheff Utd stuttering, Blackburn being poor for ages, Middlesbrough with only one point from their last 3 games, and behind here, WBA are only 5 points off the playoffs and could ask a few questions if results continue to go for them today. Hopefully Forest will beat them on Sky tonight to effectively end any tiny hope.

I was just going to ask what everyone's thoughts were on Boro. Whether you'd like them up for a more local match than say Luton, or whether you might want another season of being the only Premier League club in the region so the gap will be much bigger if / when they do come up, whether they are completely insignificant to you, or whether you don't like them at all. I see Stiffler certainly has his opinion . I don't really mind them to be honest, and probably would want them back up at some point soon, just for a more local / Northern side up there, but maybe once we are more established, just to alleviate the chances of any 'top dogs' stuff their fans might try to manufacture. It'll be a huge blow if they were to lose today.

In terms of how the table looked, ignoring other emotions like the 4-0 drubbing of Leicester, or Watfords late equaliser, at what point would you consider the table looking at its absolute worst? No wins in 14 was abysmal and 1 win in 20 not much better, but thankfully I don't think we were ever more than 3 points off 17th, which is pretty crazy, and significant. Burnley have had a number of games in hand throughout the season, but have never really been well clear of us.

Well of course, the thread is literally 'Sunderland', a place to discuss Sunderland, and it's a huge game for them, just like Port Vale vs Bristol Rovers is a huge game for the Gas lads who post on here, and no doubt various other matches at this stage of the season.

Well, a degree of relativity of course, but in terms of the league, with one likely to be 7th and the other 4th heading into it, and the team in 4th fairly likely to be 7th if they lose, it's pretty big.

Plymouth vs Sunderland live on Sky on Monday is massive. Sunderland still have to play Rotherham as well who will almost certainly still be looking for points there. They'll likely get in the playoffs, but it's an exciting end in terms of both automatics and playoffs. It'll take 80 odd points to get in the playoffs which is crazy.