Simple vote: Do you think whoever ends up in 11th will win the playoff?

[Ric]

Nothing is decided yet, which is what gives this poll a frisson of unpredictability, but for clarification the Championship currently looks like this..

..and remember that it's a 27 game season for them. While it would be hilarious for Hearts to somehow throw this league, successful businesswoman Ann Budge's team have it sown up. As for who will make the playoff games to start with, who knows? It literally could be any one of them barring perhaps Alloa. You'd probably assume Raith and Dunfermline are certainties. Dundee, well, it's Dundee so expect some calamity from McPake (ably assisted by Jack Hamilton) while Inverness have shackled their chances by appointing McCann as interim. Have QotS hit high tide mark or are they going to continue climbing the table? Maybe ol' Dick will force his way in with an unfancied Arbroath side? That's just qualifying for the play off, who comes out on top of those games is a different matter.

In terms of the premiership, it's a pretty safe bet it's between County, Killie and Hamilton for the 11th and 12th places. Sadly St Johnstone's relegation has been postponed for this season, but it's looking good for it to happen next one (*crosses fingers*).

Yogi has "history" in the playoffs, but he's certainly getting more out of that County side than Kettlewell did. You'd imagine Wright will steady the ship at Killie. Perhaps not necessarily have it sailing back to safer waters but perhaps stopping it being dashed off the rocks, and Rice's Hamilton, well, we all know the script there. Like the coin that Top Cat uses to tip the doorman, they are on a piece of string permanently attached to this league.

 

With so much to play for, so much undecided, it would be crazy to place your vote... right? But, go on.. live a little. Be brave, make that guess.

 

Edited March 4, 2021 by Ric

[Ric]

Oh, and just to confirm, I am very much in the yes camp. I don't think whoever ends up representing the Championship will manage to overhaul the Premiership side.

[Barry Ferguson's Hat]

#perthshire

[AndyM]

Assuming the Gorgie mob are home if not quite dry , I think the side with the best chance to overcome 11th place would be Dunfermline. They are a very decent side. 

Also think they would bring a lot to the top flight.

[Ric]

13 minutes ago, AndyM said:

Also think they would bring a lot to the top flight.

I mean if we are basing this on what they bring, then hell, chuck out perma-no-fan clubs like St Johnstone and bring in crowd pleasers like Dunfermline and Raith.

We're not though, sadly, and this is more about who will win on the pitch rather than what a team brings to the league, and I see from your vote you don't think any of the Championship sides will make the grade. To be fair, it's the position I hold too.

Edited March 4, 2021 by Ric

[Derry Alli]

35 minutes ago, AndyM said:

I think the side with the best chance to overcome 11th place would be Dunfermline. They are a very decent side. 

Just to clear things up : they're no. They're fucking awful, like the rest of the Championship. 

[Ira Gaines]

I've never been more certain that the 11th place side will stay up.

[D Angelo Barksdale]

Clearly the Premiership side will stay up.

Only a bunch of utter diddies would lose a play off to a Championship side...

Edited March 4, 2021 by Henderson to deliver .....

[Coventry Saint]

26 minutes ago, Andre Drazen said:

I've never been more certain that the 11th place side will stay up.

This. I can't for a second imagine that fatigue/games played will play a significant part, and the bottom end of the Premiership is broadly as competitive as it's been for a very long time. Whoever finishes 11th will actually not be a terrible side.

It's a shame, but I'd say the final is a foregone conclusion already.

[Comrie]

I'd feel pretty confident against any of those three.

[Sarto Mutiny]

I am 99% sure whoever finishes 11th will win the playoff, unless it's Ross County. Their manager has previous for fucking up playoffs.

[TheScarf]

Yes.  Despite what anyone says, there's a definite difference in quality between the 2 leagues.

[TheScarf]

1 hour ago, Sarto Mutiny said:

I am 99% sure whoever finishes 11th will win the playoff, unless it's Ross County. Their manager has previous for fucking up playoffs.

County easily have enough quality to see the off any of the Championship sides.  Including Hearts.  Regardless of their manager.

[YassinMoutaouakil]

OFW, Dom Thomas, Euan Murray, Steven Whittaker and Craig Wighton are getting starts for Dunfermline for f**k sake 

They'll get absolutely scudded by whoever they come up against.

[Sortmeout]

Pretty sure Dundee would relegate Kilmarnock.

[DA Baracus]

Having seen every team in the Championship playing multiple times due to seeing my team play them and the BBC Friday night games, I think 11th would have very little trouble winning the tie.

Should ourselves or Dundee somehow make the final, 11th would be up against two teams who have the potential to the home leg, but this would be dependent on the manager of either club playing to their strengths and not setting out to not lose (rather than win). Both teams have noticeable deficiencies as well. We seem happy to let players have plenty of free shots from outside the box, despite having a keeper who was born with soggy cardboard for wrists. Dundee seem to have soggy cardboard as an overall defence at times.

The biggest obstacle for either team though would be the away leg. Crawford and McPake are absolute shitebags when it comes to away games. If 11th don't get at least 2 or 3 at home then they will only have themselves to blame, as Pars and the Dees will play meek, timid, scared football. Think of most Scotland away games.

Should QOTS reach the final they too have a shitebag manager. However, their recent reversal of form is interesting and could prove to be an unknown factor should they get to the final. The question then is if Johnston goes against type in big games or sticks with the new, winning way?

The real dark horses here are Raith I think. They went to Tynecastle and smashed Hearts. They've pumped Dundee at Starks. They are though fairly erratic, as their recent form is win, loss, win, loss etc. The big factor is how McGlynn would approach the away leg in the final. Would he give it a shot or would he too revert to caution overall?

Can't see any other teams making the playoffs.

 

TL/DR: The Championship team could beat 11th at home if they turn up and go for a win over a draw, but the away leg will almost certainly cost them the tie due to shitebag managers.

Edited March 4, 2021 by DA Baracus

[Scotty Tunbridge]

Dundee would beat Accies in the play off, because history.

[MS RR]

Whoever finishes 11 should be massively confident of winning the play-off. The standard of the championship this year is as bad as it's been in years. Teams like Raith and QoS are not top 4 championship teams. Dunfermline haven't been great either. 

I think the championship play-off will be good for league 1 teams as well considering the standard of the championship. 

[Ray Patterson]

Since the Playoffs were restarted in 2013-14, the Championship side has only won on two out of six occasions

Spoiler

• 2013-14: Hamilton Accies 2-2 (4-3 pens) Hibernian (0-2 first leg)
• 2014-15: Rangers 1-6 Motherwell (1-3 first leg)
• 2015-16: Falkirk 1-4 Kilmarnock (1-0 first leg)
• 2016-17: Dundee United 0-1 Hamilton Accies (0-0 first leg)
• 2017-18: Livingston 3-1 Partick Thistle (2-1 first leg)
• 2018-19: Dundee United 1-1 (0-2 pens) St Mirren (0-0 first leg)
• 2019-20: Not Held

It's usually a narrow win for the Premiership side. Considering that this season seems like a very average Championship, you'd have to say that the Premiership club are definitely favourites.

[Ric]

1 hour ago, ArabAuslander said:

• 2013-14: Hamilton Accies 2-2 (4-3 pens) Hibernian (0-2 first leg)
• 2014-15: Rangers 1-6 Motherwell (1-3 first leg)
• 2015-16: Falkirk 1-4 Kilmarnock (1-0 first leg)
• 2016-17: Dundee United 0-1 Hamilton Accies (0-0 first leg)
• 2017-18: Livingston 3-1 Partick Thistle (2-1 first leg)
• 2018-19: Dundee United 1-1 (0-2 pens) St Mirren (0-0 first leg)
• 2019-20: Not Held

 

Unsure if I find 14/15 or 18/19 the more enjoyable.