Paullow

I'm thinking of going to the Heaton match with it being 18th vs 19th and pretty crucial in terms of relegation. I used to always go to Scarborough for my hols as a young lad and we always did a day in Bridlington during the week, so maybe a tiny bit more relevance / notability there with the opposition than against say a Brighouse or something, but I'll definitely be wanting Heaton to win. I would have considered doing Stockton with that being a big match in terms of playoffs places and the end carrot being a potential place in the National North next season, but I got the train from Tynedale to Newcastle for the final on Sunday and that was long enough in itself, and I noticed the train to Stockton was another 70 minute journey after Newcastle on top of that, so it's probably too far, and it's not really 'local' to me. Maybe I'll go next year if they get promoted and play the likes of Spenny, Darlington, Shields etc.

Gateshead vs Tamworth (Gateshead currently 6th, in playoffs but in poor form) Darlington vs Rushall Spennymoor vs Farsley Hebburn vs Guiseley Stockton vs Ilkeston (5th vs 6th, 5th is final play off place) Consett vs Brighouse Dunston vs Bradford PA (Dunston in 3rd place) Heaton vs Bridlington (18th vs 19th, 19th place gets relegated) Newton Aycliffe vs Stocksbridge (NA in 4th place) Then obviously a whole host of Northern League (and below) matches. Plus Carlisle vs Bromley in League 2. Anyone planning on going to a match on the Saturday with it being 'Non League day' and England not playing that day?

I'd imagine yesterdays result could add a couple of thousand regardless of whether the cup was there, due to the feel good factor and people wanting to be in SJP, but it would cool if the trophy was on show. Regarding the match, it's obviously still a big local derby, the first home league meeting with them possibly ever? and likewise, the first time to finish above them probably ever as well, but just from a match POV it is a bit of a shame that it is basically now a mid table match. Obviously the league was extremely tight and it was still relative early days, but back in mid January with Sunderland 3 points off top and us 2 points further back, but with a game in hand (presumably to lowly Blackburn), it looked like one, or both, could have been in genuine promotion contention, but both have stuttered since then, especially Sunderland who lost to lowly Portsmouth yesterday, and London and Birmingham seem to have pulled away a but. In terms of adding numbers though, the cup final result was probably more important than both sides winning their respective matches yesterday rather than losing.

You've left off arguably the best one as well, Sheffield Wednesday vs Sheffield United at 12.30pm. Huge game in terms of both playoffs and automatics promotion. It might be somewhat telling that Celtic vs Rangers is on Sky Sports 'Main Event' at the same time, but other than bragging rights (albeit a lot of them, ha), there's very little else riding on that match and absolutely no jeopardy whatsoever. Celtic are definitely finishing 1st, Rangers 2nd. I'll be getting the train into town at that time, but I'd have definitely been watching the Sheffield match if I was having my usual lazy Sunday.

I thought Eddie and Jason would have had better things to do than that the day before a final.

How did that stay out?

In the league above, Blyth Spartans lost again and are now officially relegated with 7 games left to play... Looks like Morpeth and Hebburn will have to settle for mid table finishes, but a very good season for Hebburn with it being their first at this level. Great away win for Stockton today at 4th place Ashton to consolidate their final playoff position. They were in the Wearside league (step 7) in 2016, so they could be on course for their 5th promotion in only 9 years. A bit like South Shields, a lot of people in the town will likely support a bigger nearby club, but the town is big enough to have a team in the National leagues, and they already get reasonable crowds.

Huge win for the Stan away at Ossett (1-3). Bit of a gap with the bottom 3, Liversedge and Sherwood are in awful form (plus there was talk of the latter's ground not meeting standards for next season), but Sheffield have won back to back matches, or 9 points from their last 4, so they could maybe close the gap, especially with games in hand, but it is really tight for that 4th and final relegation spot - 3 points separating 6 sides. I was debating going to Consett vs Bishop Auckland on Easter Monday, but Ashington vs Heaton looks the biggest match that day - in theory you could do both as the Northumberland match kicks off at 12pm.

They'd only taken 4 points from 5 games directly before the Man City match and were looking like they would fall off, but that result last week was massive for them, and even if it is 'just Ipswich' this will be another big win, especially as the games are starting to run out now, and it is hard to string wins together given the relative strength of the vast majority of the league.

It is going to be really hard to catch Forest, that late win against Man City last week was a real blow. The Chelsea game at SJP looks like it will be massive in terms of top 5.

Would people prefer a Man City win (or draw) vs Brighton? Shit. Brighton winning is surely the worst outcome.

Yeah, since their PL relegation in 2018, this is Stoke's Championship record, pretty consistent really. QPR were a yo-yo club about 10 years ago when they had a bit of money about them, but they've been shite as well for a while, as you say.

? Since 2002 Stoke have only been promoted and relegated once each. We ourselves have had 2 promotions and relegations since 2009.

Cracking match between QPR and Leeds. QPR were 2-0 up, but ended up 2-2.

My train gets into central at 1.26pm, so I'll just head to where everyone is at from there.

I know there's other benefits, corporate, concerts etc. but just from a pure capacity POV, 12-13,000 extra seats hardly seems worth the hassell of a new build. 70-75k would have been much more of a statement and felt far more significant. I'd image a fair few clubs will be going over 65k in a few years, a bit like what happened when we originally increased to 52k.

They played Barca, and that was on the Thursday night, so much less turnaround, but it didn't go to extra time.

They didn't in 2023.

Likely wouldn't / won't make that much of a difference to the end outcome, but it does feel we have been a bit unlucky with the scheduling of these Champions League games when it comes to our opponents. When we played Man City the other week, they played Real on the Tuesday and following Wednesday with our game sandwiched in between on the Saturday, but when we play Liverpool they are doing the Wednesday and Tuesday combo with them having an extra days rest (than they could have) when it comes to play us. It would have been favourable if it was the other way round in both ties (although again, probably academic as far as the results went).

If Joelinton picked up another yellow card last night, he would have missed Brentford and Leicester, not the cup final. He's still got 4 league matches to go to avoid the 2 match ban as well.

Those are the current 'top 4' odds. Doesn't appear to be 'top 5' odds, despite it being fairly apparent 5th in the PL will get CL football next season.

It doesn't actually feel that much of an advantage when you consider the 1-4 to Bournemouth, losing to Fulham and then Brighton in the cup recently, and somehow coming out with a win over Forest , but 6 of our last 10 are at home, which should be an advantage. Unlike EVERY other team in the top 11, our non league campaign ends (win or lose) on Sunday, we then have 16 days to prepare for our next league fixture Brentford at home, and the next 2 after that are well spaced out (Wed-Mon-Sun). As others mention, our next 6 games are pretty kind on paper, 4 at home all to current bottom half sides, as well as Leicester away, and if we do get say 11-13 points from those 6 games, we'll be well placed to attack the final 4, 2 at home, 2 away where some of those teams might have nothing to play for, or preparing for European / FA Cup semi's etc. The position does feel a lot better after that result.

Can't string a pass together here like

Finally a positive PL result this weekend. Bournemouth will be kicking themselves for letting that slip. Decent spectacle in the end.

Still in mate, just me, likewise with KI, just PM me the details.