BETFINAL’S LOOK AT THE WEEKEND – PART ONE 

As we enter the final stages of the footie calendar, it’s make–or–break time for the teams in the English Football League’s. Things are hotting up on the field and we’re here to bring you the passion! After months of predictions, we take a look at our serious contenders for promotion, relegation, and the play offs as another season draws to a close. Been hibernating all winter? No worries! You’re about to become an expert thanks to our end–of–season review. This week, we’re bringing you a two–part special!

EFL: Premier League, Championship, League 1, League 2, National League Review (Part Two).

League 1

Promoted: Wigan, Blackburn

Playoffs:  Shrewsbury, Rotherham(W), Plymouth, Scunthorpe

Relegated: Bury, Northmapton, MK Dons 

Wigan and Blackburn sit top of tree and are closing in on promotion back to the Championship. The rivals have battled it out intensely at the top of the table all season long and after Shrewsbury fell out of the three-horse race and into the playoffs, the race for the Championship title was on in Lancashire. Wigan will seal promotion with a win at local rivals, Fleetwood, if the Shrews fail to pick up points.

There’s an almighty scrap for the playoffs and it looks like it’s going right down to the wire. However, Rotherham can cement their place in this year’s playoffs with 3 points this weekend, leaving 2 spots remaining. Charlton, Scunthorpe, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Peterborough, and Bradford City will scrap for the remaining spots. 

Down at the bottom, a defeat for either MK Dons or Northampton will all but certainly spell the end of their League 1 campaign this weekend as they look to join Bury in League 2 next year. Northampton are four points from safety and face promotion chasing Plymouth. While MK Dons have a five point deficit to overcome and there seems to be no sign of recovery having lost their last three. Although neither can mathematically go down this weekend, gaining anything but 3 points will leave them all but down. 

League 2

Promoted: Accrington Stanley, Luton, Wycombe.

Playoffs:  Wycombe, Exeter,  Notts County (W), Coventry. 

Relegated: Chesterfield, Barntet, Forest Green. 

For the first time in the history of the club, one of the smallest teams in English Football,  Accrington Stanley are in the third-tier of the Football League, having already sealed promotion in midweek.  This team with the second smallest average attendance have to rent a 3g pitch to train on as they do not have their own training ground. But that hasn’t broken their spirits.

League 2 sees three teams go up automatically and aiming to join them are Luton. Three points will be enough to seal their place in the playoff spots. Wycombe look increasingly likely to battle it out for the remaining automatic promotion spots. 

At the wrong end of the table , Chesterfield slip further away from safety and closer to back-to-back relegations. Alongside Barnet, who look to slip out the football league with them, we’re tipping Grimsby to survive the drop and Forest Green to replace them at the bottom.

National League

Promoted: Macclesfield, Tranmere, 

Playoffs:   Aldershot, Sutton, Fylde (W), Ebsfleet.

Relegated: Chester FC, Guiseley, Torquay.

Only Tranmere Rovers can now stop Macclesfield from claiming automatic promotion to the Football League. Champions-elect Macclesfield still hold a commanding 10 point lead at the top and a win in either of their two remaining games will seal the title and a return to the football league after a six year absence.

The playoff race grows ever more interesting with 9 teams fighting for the final 6 playoff places. With only two games remaining, 8 points separate 8 teams, there’s all to play for! We’re predicting Aldershot, Sutton, Ebbsfleet and Fylde to finish in the playoff places. As we all know, the playoffs are a lottery and we see new boys, AFC Fylde, seizing the chance to secure a dream move in the English Football League. Dreams can come true, they’re one step away from the promised land after 5 promotions in 10 years!

 

Down at the other end, up to 6 clubs are trying to avoid the 2 remaining relegation places. Chester became the first team to fall through the relegation trap door. Guiseley are still hanging on by a thread to their National League status. A miracle apart, they look set to join Chester. Torquay are the most likely to fall but they were the only one of the 6 to pick up three points last time out. But have they left the fight to late… we think so.