Paullow

How does promotion work in that league, is it just one up, and will get passed down if those at the top can't make it? Would have been cool for Wallington (from my perspective with there being very few teams who would get covered by a Hexham paper) to have gone up, but it's out in the sticks and it's kind of more like a Sunday league ground.

U N I T E D, United are...

2 matches in the league this evening, both currently 8-0 in the 80th odd minute. Wolves away at Stourbridge, Burnley at home to bottom club Flyde - the latter result helps keep the Newcastle-Huddersfield match live a week on Sunday. Forest and Burnley still have 2 games before we play - Forest need to win both (they play Stourbridge and 2nd bottom Huddersfield), Burnley need at least 4 points (one is against Huddersfield), if neither of those happen, then the title will be sewn up before kick off. Burnley won 9-0 to move into second.

FFS man. More points thrown away out of nowhere.

They are still favourites for the title, are possibly in the best position with their game in hand, and do look like they have the best run in, but they are making it so hard for themselves. Not sure what position of the below 3 tables is best, but they have been in fantastic positions throughout the season. 17 points clear of Leeds on NYD, and now they are behind. Crazy. 28/10/23 1/1/24 13/2/24

Aye, Home Park was a bit of a fortress earlier in the season, but they've lost their last 5 there, all without scoring, and drew the match before that. The manager who replaced Schumacher in January looks set to be sacked already. Massive match for them on Friday on Sky vs Rotherham, probably doomed if they don't win that. Bookies think 2 from 4 (SW, Hudd, Ply, Brum).

Fair play, great strike from there. 3-1 Leeds.

Looking like a fantastic set of results for Middlesbrough today with them winning and Norwich, Preston, Coventry, and seemingly Hull all losing. It will still be tough for them to make the top 6, but their season is at least still alive.

Some games will look different the more the seasons pan out, so you can't really tell - like Southampton would have looked tough fixtures for Leeds and Leicester a few days ago, but now might be a relatively nice fixture, but on paper, I think Leicester have the kindest run in, then Leeds, then Ipswich. Ipswich have some really tough looking matches in their final 6.

I know they had a good win earlier today, but must be shit being a Leicester fan, watching these games back to back, thinking rivals are dropping points, then a late goal. I was having a skim of their forum earlier after the late, late Ipswich goal.

1-1, and it kind of had been coming these last 15 mins, bar that Bamford sitter.

Results went for Hull earlier, so hopefully that can give them a bit of a spring in their step going into the Leeds game, although they will be up against it. Norwich vs Ipswich at 12.30 on Saturday, think I'll watch that over the Palace vs Man City match on TNT. Its probably still most likely to be a playoff semi final rehearsal.

We're between 4/1 and 9/2 to finish top 6, where we are currently 5 points behind. I don't see any 'top 5' odds (which I'm quite surprised about with that likely being CL football), but given we're a further 8 points adrift, and extremely inconsistent, I'd imagine it would be nearer 40/1.

Amazing. Hell of a recovery to score from there

Get the fuck in!!!!

Ipswich would take it after being 1-2 down and second best until the 2-2 equaliser, but a draw doesn't really do much good for either (if it stays like this). Southampton could kind of do a Huddersfield from our 2nd Championship season and start preparing for the playoffs. I don't see it, but hopefully Hull can get something at Leeds later.

SSN said that was only the 3rd time they had conceded 5 or more at home in 40 odd years. Was quiet surprised - I guess there wasn't a version of this City back then, but thought they would have had a lot of hidings in their 15 and 19 point PL seasons.

Bishop Auckland 1 Shildon 3. It looks like the below 5 will finish in the top 5, but just need to sort out 3-5 positions, and more importantly, 1 and 2. I was hoping Bishops would go up as it's a bigger town than Shildon, Shildon struggled last season in the NPL, Bishops used to be much higher up the pyramid when I was growing up, and it seems they have been hoping for promotion for a good few years, but have just never really in contention. Still in their hands, but much less margin for error now - they could have pretty much sealed the title had they won today. Edit - didn't realise WA had played 35 matches, so maybe a small chance for Guisborough or Boro Rangers, at a push, to make them, but they'd pretty much have to win every match, and still hope for favours.

Spennymoor won 3-1, Shields lost 0-2 to Curzon, Darlo with a great 3-1 win, but Blyth lost 0-2. Looking like 5 teams going for the final 3 playoff spots, hopefully at least one of Spenny or Shields get there. Alfreton play Curzon on Saturday, and they play Spenny the following week, but don't think there's any more H2Hs after that: Blyth back to looking over their shoulder again after back to back Easter defeats and conceding that 99th minute equaliser the week before: Blyth vs Rushall on Saturday, and Darlo vs Farsley the week after:

First time they've been in the bottom half since GW4:

Gateshead's match with Fylde was postponed after 2pm. Doesn't look like York have a match in that league, only 11 fixtures listed. Spennymoor currently 1-1 at home to Farsley, Darlington 1 up at Warrington, but Shields and Blyth are 0-1 and 0-2 down respectively in away matches to playoff hopefuls. All 6 NE sides were paired together in the 8th tier. Consett 2 up on Stockton, Newton Aycliffe vs Dunston abandoned at half time (was 1-2), Hebburn vs Ashington was postponed, but Hebburn and Dunston will both be encouraged by the score at Consett. I don't usually focus too much on the Northern League, but a big game at the top end with the top 2 playing, Bishop Auckland 0 Shildon 2 at half time.

Decent day of Championship football on Sky: 12.30pm - Leicester vs Norwich 3pm - Stoke vs Huddersfield 5.30pm - Ipswich vs Southampton 8pm - Leeds vs Hull

Burnley won, Forest drew Newcastle p19 pts 52 Forest p17 pts 38 Burnley p16 pts 36 Forest can get a maximum of 53 points, Burnley can get a maximum of 54 Wednesday 3rd Burnley vs Fylde Sunday 7th Burnley vs Huddersfield, Stourbridge vs Forest Thurs 11th - Halifax vs Burnley, Huddersfield vs Forest So 3 points for Newcastle in their final 3 games will officially seal the title, but it's basically a case of when and where it will be confirmed now. The 5 games listed above involving Burnley and Forest (before we next play) are all against the bottom 4, so on paper, bar Halifax (A) at a push, they should win them all comfortably, although if they are playing in such quick succession, matches may catch up with them. If Forest drop any points in the next two games, then they won't be able to catch Newcastle, but if Burnley get at least 7 points from their next 3 games, then the title won't be mathematically secured before we play Huddersfield at home on Sunday 14th, so I kind of hope that happens.

Just saw Forest (and Burnley) play twice before we next play, so the league could actually be won before out next match. In some ways it would be nice to actually seal it at home with a win, but the trophy could perhaps be presented vs Huddersfield with it being the final home match.

I guess some fixture, like say Hull, might become 'easier' as the season progresses and the opponents have less to play for, but on paper, Ipswich do have a really tough run in: Southampton H Norwich A Watford H Boro H Hull A Coventry A Huddersfield H 3 of the next 4 are at home, and if they can get 4 points from the next 2 that should give them a good platform, but they could easily lose both of those. I'm rooting for them to go up.