We look at the nearby 'Rat Race' for the most realistic last two places available. And with confidence seemingly brimming from every quarter around us, should Barnsley fans start praying that a 'plague' of poor form consumes our rivals?
Rewind to 15 March 2015. Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal taunted his neighbours and City rivals by stating "Whether they want that or don't want that, that is the position," said Van Gaal after United's 3-0 win over Spurs. "It is a rat race. They are in it."
Whilst fancy, overpriced, Premier [Fantasy] Football is not our fayre or preferred topic, the observation Van Gaal made was probably a more accurate description of the pressure cooker that is League One and the intense battle that is being played out by almost every side in the top twelve.
In our recent post in this series, we gained an insight from those fans whose teams still have a realistic shout at an automatic spot. No doubt, last weekend's battling draw at Oakwell versus Preston North End, will have been appreciated at Stadium:mk and the County Ground.
Today, we look at the nearby 'Rat Race' for the most realistic last [two] places available. And with confidence seemingly brimming from every quarter around us, should Barnsley fans start praying that a 'plague' of poor form consumes our rivals?
We haven't got any of the teams [who are currently occupying] the top six left to play, but saying that, our current form has been poor, so I would be looking at maybe around 18 points [76 points in total].
Are there any potential banana skins during the final leg of the League One season or any specific fixtures you fear?
We have still got three local teams around us; Barnsley, Doncaster Rovers and Chesterfield. I see us getting all six points from the two fixtures against Doncaster (7 April) and Chesterfield [3 May] at home. Barnsley are in such good form at the minute, so I don't see us getting anything there.
Where do you think your team finish in the League One table?
I think we could finish in sixth position just, but with the form the teams in and around us are in then it will more than likely be seventh.
Would a play-off place be considered as success or failure for your club?
I think it would probably be considered a success, but I think for our club [Sheffield United] it should be at least the play-offs as a minimum.
Whilst it's slightly premature to be asking, can you sum up your season in a single sentence?
Poor, drab, unenjoyable football and lacklustre in the final third.
Thanks to Callum Cheswick for his contribution.
Follow on Twitter @Calblade147 or catch his updates on Vital Sheffield United
[Short and sweet] 69
Are there any potential banana skins during the final leg of the League One season or any specific fixtures you fear?
To me a banana skin would be a game which we lose and as result no longer have our play-off position within our own hands - so that would have to Barnsley away [Sat 18 April]. I personally fear every fixture now that we have sixth place though, I don't want to lose it!
Where do you think your team finish in the League One table?
[To the point] Sixth (just)
Would a play-off place be considered as success or failure for your club?
At the start of the season it would have probably been seen as a failure, but after the run we've had it can only be seen as a massive success.
Whilst it's slightly premature to be asking, can you sum up your season in a single sentence?
An absolute roller coaster, where we lost many games and lost many faces, but in the end it looks like everything has come good.
Thanks to Kelly Green for her contribution.
Follow on Twitter @kellmarie92
I reckon sixteen more points for us between now and the final game. That would take us to 69 points going into that last game of the season. Will 72 points get us in the play-offs?
Are there any potential banana skins during the final leg of the League One season or any specific fixtures you fear?
As above, that last game of the season at Oakwell sticks out somewhat. It could be a cracking winner takes all fixture for the final position in the play-offs, especially with the return of a certain Mr Hill. All the pressure will be on the home side, and I'm sure Barnsley fans will fear the obvious scenario.
Where do you think your team finish in the League One table?
My gut feeling says that we'll finish outside of the play-offs. We are in good form right now and with games in hand, the balls in our court and all that, but I reckon we will be hard pushed to fully maintain it between now and the end of the season.
Would a play-off place be considered as success or failure for your club?
If we finish in the play-offs, it will be our highest placed finish in the club's history, so it's fair to say that it will be a considerable success. The feeling seems to be that reaching the play-offs would be the success, and it being a stepping stone to the Championship seems almost secondary. I guess that is what comes from having spent most of your life fighting it out in the 'Rochdale Division'.
Whilst it's slightly premature to be asking, can you sum up your season in a single sentence?
A typical Keith Hill season where we've achieved beyond all expectations, making a mockery of the financial disparity between ourselves and our peers.
Many thanks to Col Cavanagh for his contribution.
Follow via Twitter @RochdaleAFC.com or catch his updates on RochdaleAFC.com
We have been very inconsistent of late, this coupled with the fact that we have some incredibly tough fixtures ahead of us in the coming weeks, it’s going to make it difficult for us to accumulate many points. I can see us finishing on the 66 points mark come the end of the season.
Are there any potential banana skins during the final leg of the League One season or any specific fixtures you fear?
The next game is always a potential banana skin! We have some big games coming up against the likes of MK Dons, Bradford City and Sheffield United to name a few, and if we buckle under the pressure against these promotion contending sides, it could have an adverse effect on our run-in.
Where do you think your team finish in the League One table?
I’ve said since the start of the season that we would finish around the ninth/tenth mark, so I’ll say ninth. There are so many teams in the play-off hunt who have a lot of momentum and we could struggle to catch-up if we lose vital games against them.
Would a play-off place be considered as success or failure for your club?
In the overall context of our season, not getting a play-off place shouldn’t be regarded as a total failure. Obviously, expectations are raised when you are in and around the play-offs at the ‘business end’ of the season. So for this reason, I feel that a handful of fans could see a finish lower than 6th place as a poor season, especially after competing very well against some very good Championship sides during the previous season.
Whilst it's slightly premature to be asking, can you sum up your season in a single sentence?
Tactical naivety and individual errors, coupled with poor home form.
Thanks to James Errington for his contibution.
Follow via Twitter @JimmyDRFC
Thanks for reading. If you have any views on how you think the final league table might look, we would love to hear from you. Get in touch with us on Twitter and Facebook, or leave your comments on this post below.
Whilst fancy, overpriced, Premier [Fantasy] Football is not our fayre or preferred topic, the observation Van Gaal made was probably a more accurate description of the pressure cooker that is League One and the intense battle that is being played out by almost every side in the top twelve.
In our recent post in this series, we gained an insight from those fans whose teams still have a realistic shout at an automatic spot. No doubt, last weekend's battling draw at Oakwell versus Preston North End, will have been appreciated at Stadium:mk and the County Ground.
Today, we look at the nearby 'Rat Race' for the most realistic last [two] places available. And with confidence seemingly brimming from every quarter around us, should Barnsley fans start praying that a 'plague' of poor form consumes our rivals?
Sheffield United
Based on your form and any remaining fixtures, how many points do you think your team will accumulate in total this season?We haven't got any of the teams [who are currently occupying] the top six left to play, but saying that, our current form has been poor, so I would be looking at maybe around 18 points [76 points in total].
Are there any potential banana skins during the final leg of the League One season or any specific fixtures you fear?
We have still got three local teams around us; Barnsley, Doncaster Rovers and Chesterfield. I see us getting all six points from the two fixtures against Doncaster (7 April) and Chesterfield [3 May] at home. Barnsley are in such good form at the minute, so I don't see us getting anything there.
Where do you think your team finish in the League One table?
I think we could finish in sixth position just, but with the form the teams in and around us are in then it will more than likely be seventh.
Would a play-off place be considered as success or failure for your club?
I think it would probably be considered a success, but I think for our club [Sheffield United] it should be at least the play-offs as a minimum.
Whilst it's slightly premature to be asking, can you sum up your season in a single sentence?
Poor, drab, unenjoyable football and lacklustre in the final third.
Thanks to Callum Cheswick for his contribution.
Follow on Twitter @Calblade147 or catch his updates on Vital Sheffield United
Peterborough United
Based on your form and any remaining fixtures, how many points do you think your team will accumulate in total this season?[Short and sweet] 69
Are there any potential banana skins during the final leg of the League One season or any specific fixtures you fear?
To me a banana skin would be a game which we lose and as result no longer have our play-off position within our own hands - so that would have to Barnsley away [Sat 18 April]. I personally fear every fixture now that we have sixth place though, I don't want to lose it!
Where do you think your team finish in the League One table?
[To the point] Sixth (just)
Would a play-off place be considered as success or failure for your club?
At the start of the season it would have probably been seen as a failure, but after the run we've had it can only be seen as a massive success.
Whilst it's slightly premature to be asking, can you sum up your season in a single sentence?
An absolute roller coaster, where we lost many games and lost many faces, but in the end it looks like everything has come good.
Thanks to Kelly Green for her contribution.
Follow on Twitter @kellmarie92
Rochdale AFC
Based on your form and any remaining fixtures, how many points do you think your team will accumulate in total this season?I reckon sixteen more points for us between now and the final game. That would take us to 69 points going into that last game of the season. Will 72 points get us in the play-offs?
Are there any potential banana skins during the final leg of the League One season or any specific fixtures you fear?
As above, that last game of the season at Oakwell sticks out somewhat. It could be a cracking winner takes all fixture for the final position in the play-offs, especially with the return of a certain Mr Hill. All the pressure will be on the home side, and I'm sure Barnsley fans will fear the obvious scenario.
Where do you think your team finish in the League One table?
My gut feeling says that we'll finish outside of the play-offs. We are in good form right now and with games in hand, the balls in our court and all that, but I reckon we will be hard pushed to fully maintain it between now and the end of the season.
Would a play-off place be considered as success or failure for your club?
If we finish in the play-offs, it will be our highest placed finish in the club's history, so it's fair to say that it will be a considerable success. The feeling seems to be that reaching the play-offs would be the success, and it being a stepping stone to the Championship seems almost secondary. I guess that is what comes from having spent most of your life fighting it out in the 'Rochdale Division'.
A typical Keith Hill season where we've achieved beyond all expectations, making a mockery of the financial disparity between ourselves and our peers.
Many thanks to Col Cavanagh for his contribution.
Follow via Twitter @RochdaleAFC.com or catch his updates on RochdaleAFC.com
Doncaster Rovers
Based on your form and any remaining fixtures, how many points do you think your team will accumulate in total this season?We have been very inconsistent of late, this coupled with the fact that we have some incredibly tough fixtures ahead of us in the coming weeks, it’s going to make it difficult for us to accumulate many points. I can see us finishing on the 66 points mark come the end of the season.
Are there any potential banana skins during the final leg of the League One season or any specific fixtures you fear?
The next game is always a potential banana skin! We have some big games coming up against the likes of MK Dons, Bradford City and Sheffield United to name a few, and if we buckle under the pressure against these promotion contending sides, it could have an adverse effect on our run-in.
Where do you think your team finish in the League One table?
I’ve said since the start of the season that we would finish around the ninth/tenth mark, so I’ll say ninth. There are so many teams in the play-off hunt who have a lot of momentum and we could struggle to catch-up if we lose vital games against them.
Would a play-off place be considered as success or failure for your club?
In the overall context of our season, not getting a play-off place shouldn’t be regarded as a total failure. Obviously, expectations are raised when you are in and around the play-offs at the ‘business end’ of the season. So for this reason, I feel that a handful of fans could see a finish lower than 6th place as a poor season, especially after competing very well against some very good Championship sides during the previous season.
Whilst it's slightly premature to be asking, can you sum up your season in a single sentence?
Tactical naivety and individual errors, coupled with poor home form.
Thanks to James Errington for his contibution.
Follow via Twitter @JimmyDRFC
Thanks for reading. If you have any views on how you think the final league table might look, we would love to hear from you. Get in touch with us on Twitter and Facebook, or leave your comments on this post below.
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