[azza]

so another defeat on the road after the poor performance at home the following week seems to have dented the title hopes but with teams below us having 1 2 3games in hand on us do you feel we are already a certainty for the play offs?

i believe if we maintain our strong home form then pick up lets say 4/5 victories on the road starting tuesday then i feel its basically in our own hands. we still have nearly everyone to play at away so win half of them could see us end up around the 55 point mark

what do others think?

[The Shire Voice Of Reason]

In the previous 2 / 3 years we have watched both Cowdenbeath and Stenhousemuir throw away 10+ point leads at the end of February to end up 2nd / 3rd / 4th, so nothing is set in stone. Despite recent results, I still expect Livingston to win comfortably, though a lot will depend upon their three games against the Shire. I'm going for Livingston, Forfar, Shire & Berwick in that order.

[SaltyTON]

azza, on 08 February 2010 - 10:38, said:

so another defeat on the road after the poor performance at home the following week seems to have dented the title hopes but with teams below us having 1 2 3games in hand on us do you feel we are already a certainty for the play offs?

i believe if we maintain our strong home form then pick up lets say 4/5 victories on the road starting tuesday then i feel its basically in our own hands. we still have nearly everyone to play at away so win half of them could see us end up around the 55 point mark

what do others think?

Well you're the worst team I've seen all season, and given I've seen Raith that's saying A LOT!!!!

But given Spiers unwillingness to play two up front, and they are the only other team who would be likely to catch you, I think it should be in the bag IMO.

[GordieBoys-livi-lass]

I think Shire will win the league, & IF we do make the play-offs I've no doubt it will be with Forfar, If this was the case I would need to get something from the doctor, otherwise this would really finish me off & I'd never see another season! Please NO FORFAR ever again!!!!

[The 2nd Ukrainian Front]

azza, on 08 February 2010 - 10:38, said:

so another defeat on the road after the poor performance at home the following week seems to have dented the title hopes but with teams below us having 1 2 3games in hand on us do you feel we are already a certainty for the play offs?

i believe if we maintain our strong home form then pick up lets say 4/5 victories on the road starting tuesday then i feel its basically in our own hands. we still have nearly everyone to play at away so win half of them could see us end up around the 55 point mark

what do others think?

I think we'll finish 3rd or 4th - probably the latter. I also think we'll get the show back on the road at Annan tomorrow night,bringing our barren run to an end. Tough one against Forfar next Saturday mind. We'll need to bring some physicality to the party to get something out of that one.Don't see us getting through the play-offs,which might not be that bad a thing.

Looking further ahead,it's fair to assume Meadowbank Lite will go up. If we can build on this season's achievements next season,with no cuckoos in the nest, we should have a decent tilt at the title. And with no reptiles in the frame,that should be a happy,sparkly,shit-free experience for everyone.Woohoo!

[BerwickMad]

If we make the playoffs, I think id rather finish 4th than 3rd.

[Sevennil]

Stranraer seemed to have strengthened during the window quite considerably and also seem to be scoring for fun at present. Wouldn't be surprised to see them nick 4th spot come the end of the season,especially if they can keep Agnew and One injury-free.

Had a tenner on them at 23/10 on Saturday aswell and they were my only winners all weekend! Had 25 on in total though so they covered the rest of my bets.

[Sevennil]

BerwickMad, on 08 February 2010 - 16:51, said:

If we make the playoffs, I think id rather finish 4th than 3rd.

Spot on! Nothing much at the tail-end of the 2nd Div to worry about for a confident 3rd Div team anyway.

[EdinburghLivi]

Top 4 are set, in my opinion, but the order is undetermined. If I had to predict, it would be the following:

1. Livi
2. Shire
3. Forfar
4. Berwick

This post has been edited by EdinburghLivi: 08 February 2010 - 18:41

[berwick-the-unbeatable]

Agree that 4th would be the preferable position if we were to reach the play offs. The 2nd Division isn't that strong this season in my opinion and I think that if it were Shire, Berwick, Forfar and a second division club in the play offs it's anybodies. Hopefully we will reach the play offs and be part of what would be one of the more exciting ones in recent times, though I expect the likes of QP and Stranraer to make a late surge.

[azza]

berwick-the- unbeatable, on 08 February 2010 - 20:01, said:

Agree that 4th would be the preferable position if we were to reach the play offs. The 2nd Division isn't that strong this season in my opinion and I think that if it were Shire, Berwick, Forfar and a second division club in the play offs it's anybodies. Hopefully we will reach the play offs and be part of what would be one of the more exciting ones in recent times, though I expect the likes of QP and Stranraer to make a late surge.

still believe it would be in our hands but 4th sounds a very good achievement and i think shire will pip livi to the title, an away day at clyde in the play offs would be nice though, get a few lads going up on the train would make for a great atmosphere and i think we could coast past them!

[chub]

ScottR96, on 09 February 2010 - 08:42, said:

May aswell post here as we will most likley be in the play-offs. I don't want Forfar as they pumped us at Broadwood in the cup. I certainly don't want Livi after our last visit to Almondvale… I would like Berwick aslong as we had them down there on a Saturday. I'm hoping to f**k that we get Queens Park, easy enough to get to if the away tie is midweek, and I've never seen Clyde at Hampden .

Clyde will go straight down surely and it will be Arbroath in the playoffs?

Anyway, it's nice to see a few folk tipping up to win the title, i'm not sure what to think really, Livi should win the title in all honesty and it will be a total embarrassment for them if they don't but as the season goes on and we keep in there close to them i'm getting more and more confident of winning it, it would be class if we won it on the last day of the season at Almondvale. If we are in the playoffs I'd rather play Berwick than Forfar, as without trying to sound too disrespectful to Berwick I think we'd have more chance over 2 legs against them and it would be more of a football match than it would be against Forfar and that would suit us.

[GoodyWoody]

I keep expecting Livi to pull clear but we seem to keep hanging in there. Might take its toll once we're having to play two games a week. Reckon the next 2 days could define the season. We could creep ahead with a game in hand or Livi could open a gap.
Really hate the idea of being in the playoffs. It's such a lottery. I can see us finishing a point behind Livi and 10 ahead of thid place and then lose the playoffs.
As for Berwick although they've faltered a bit I reckon it's a wee blip. Can't see Queens Park or Stranraer really making a sustained impression.

[Ivo den Bieman]

The play offs are a load of shite. It's a league season, promotion should be determined over the course of 36 games, not some half-arsed cup competition after the final game of the season. If you finish third on goal difference, then bad luck, try again next season.

Anyway, I'd expect the current top four to remain unchanged at the end of the season. None of the other six teams are anything like good enough to make a late run, nor are the top four bad enough to slide from contention. A*****th and the Bully Wee (whoever finishes 9th) are rank rotten so the team finishing fourth should have no fears of them. the second division does seem very, very poor this term so whoever wins promotion should be looking to do well again next season, rather than the traditional route of "consolidation" for promoted sides.

[chub]

Ivo den Bieman, on 09 February 2010 - 14:09, said:

The play offs are a load of shite. It's a league season, promotion should be determined over the course of 36 games, not some half-arsed cup competition after the final game of the season. If you finish third on goal difference, then bad luck, try again next season.

Anyway, I'd expect the current top four to remain unchanged at the end of the season. None of the other six teams are anything like good enough to make a late run, nor are the top four bad enough to slide from contention. A*****th and the Bully Wee (whoever finishes 9th) are rank rotten so the team finishing fourth should have no fears of them. the second division does seem very, very poor this term so whoever wins promotion should be looking to do well again next season, rather than the traditional route of "consolidation" for promoted sides.

I honestly don't know what the big fuss about the playoffs is, I like the playoffs(and remember we lost out on promotion in them last year) it adds a bit of excitement at the end of the season because lets be honest if the playoffs weren't there and it was 2 up 2 down then already the mid-table sides would be losing interest and by about the end of February if things keep going the way they're going then the promoted 2 would proabably all but be decided. Everyone knows the playoffs are there at the start of the season so can have no moans about not getting up because of the playoffs and if the playoffs weren't there they would've won promotion etc, the league would be a lot more boring without them.

[EdinburghLivi]

Shire still have to play us twice at Almondvale. The gap will open up after the first game and we get at least a draw at Ochilview.

I also like the play-offs, for the record. It adds a bit more excitement to the league, even if it is unfair on the team or teams finishing 2nd and/or 3rd.

This post has been edited by EdinburghLivi: 09 February 2010 - 16:27

[BerwickMad]

Ivo den Bieman, on 09 February 2010 - 14:09, said:

The play offs are a load of shite. It's a league season, promotion should be determined over the course of 36 games, not some half-arsed cup competition after the final game of the season. If you finish third on goal difference, then bad luck, try again next season.

Anyway, I'd expect the current top four to remain unchanged at the end of the season. None of the other six teams are anything like good enough to make a late run, nor are the top four bad enough to slide from contention. A*****th and the Bully Wee (whoever finishes 9th) are rank rotten so the team finishing fourth should have no fears of them. the second division does seem very, very poor this term so whoever wins promotion should be looking to do well again next season, rather than the traditional route of "consolidation" for promoted sides.

Don't agree. I don't see why there should be a reward of promotion for finishing 2nd. 1st of the losers. Teams who finish 2nd should just be greatful of another chance. I say that having us finished 2nd and missed out on promotion twice since I've been watching Berwick.

[Ivo den Bieman]

Hm, I've just never got having a cup competition to decide the outcome of a league, especially when that league has only ten clubs in it.

I don't think finishing runners up is as slight an achievement as you make out, either. Equally, why should a club which has been so pisspoor over thirty six games in the second division, as to finish second bottom, be given a completely undeserved chance to stay up at the expense of a team which has actually had a successful season in the league below?

(anyway, maybe this should be another thread...)

[chub]

EdinburghLivi, on 09 February 2010 - 16:25, said:

Shire still have to play us twice at Almondvale. The gap will open up after the first game and we get at least a draw at Ochilview.

I also like the play-offs, for the record. It adds a bit more excitement to the league, even if it is unfair on the team or teams finishing 2nd and/or 3rd.

Give up, you keep mentioning that you're going to get 7 points out of 9 against us and nobody's going to bite, we'll do the talking on the park

[GoodyWoody]

chub, on 09 February 2010 - 16:59, said:

Give up, you keep mentioning that you're going to get 7 points out of 9 against us and nobody's going to bite,

Hey Chub my friend I think you just bit!!

[azza]

Ivo den Bieman, on 09 February 2010 - 16:56, said:

Hm, I've just never got having a cup competition to decide the outcome of a league, especially when that league has only ten clubs in it.

I don't think finishing runners up is as slight an achievement as you make out, either. Equally, why should a club which has been so pisspoor over thirty six games in the second division, as to finish second bottom, be given a completely undeserved chance to stay up at the expense of a team which has actually had a successful season in the league below?

(anyway, maybe this should be another thread...)

the play offs are a great idea in any league. it brings about the "best" teams in the league fighting out for 1 spot. i presume you call them shite as montrose will be no where near the mix up come the end of the season?

[Ivo den Bieman]

no, I hated them even when Montrose qualified for them.

Surely the bit about the "best" teams "fighting it out for one spot" is the point of the 36 league games that take place between August and May?

This post has been edited by Ivo den Bieman: 09 February 2010 - 19:18

[Loondave1]

Ivo den Bieman, on 09 February 2010 - 14:09, said:

The play offs are a load of shite. It's a league season, promotion should be determined over the course of 36 games, not some half-arsed cup competition after the final game of the season. If you finish third on goal difference, then bad luck, try again next season.

Anyway, I'd expect the current top four to remain unchanged at the end of the season. None of the other six teams are anything like good enough to make a late run, nor are the top four bad enough to slide from contention. A*****th and the Bully Wee (whoever finishes 9th) are rank rotten so the team finishing fourth should have no fears of them. the second division does seem very, very poor this term so whoever wins promotion should be looking to do well again next season, rather than the traditional route of "consolidation" for promoted sides.

Totally agree two up two down and third place tough luck.The whole point is to prove your worth over the complete season not get lucky with some half arsed "wildcard"at the last minute.The team that gets that chance always has a mental advantage of thinking they have got lucky and the third team just feels they have arsed it up.

[chub]

GoodyWoody, on 09 February 2010 - 17:52, said:

Hey Chub my friend I think you just bit!!

Wouldn't have said that was much of a bite, I was merely saving his keyboard taking another needless hammering as he now knows he doesn't have to say it again.:-)

[GoodyWoody]

chub, on 09 February 2010 - 20:38, said:

Wouldn't have said that was much of a bite, I was merely saving his keyboard taking another needless hammering as he now knows he doesn't have to say it again.:-)

My policy is not to react at all - oh no have I bitten as well?!!