Thetownend.com

I see Stockport have only got 536 tickets for their game at Salford  :eek:

Stockport have a very unsavoury element of fans, the police asked for a reduced amount to make the very local game far easier to police. Normally it can hold 1,420 away fans so thats about 1/3 of the normal allocation.

National league play off final worth a watch tomorrow. I'm also looking forward to the championship play offs, would love to see Luton go up to give hope to clubs such as ours.

L2 looks a good contest and I'd prefer to see a Bradford v Stockport final to fill up Wembley.

Surprised to see Coventry going into the play offs on the best form with 3 wins and 2 draws in the last 5. Often its momentum that gets teams over the line in the play offs.

I hope Luton win promotion.

In L1 Sheff Weds must be favourites having won their last 4 in a row.

In L2 I want Bradford to go up for their long suffering fans.

In the Conference it would be a travesty if County do not gain promotion after their points total in the season, but funnier things have happened.

Sunderland
Sheff Wednesday
Bradford
Notts County

Agree with all of that PV.

Play Offs are the best bit of the season for me, love the drama despite our dreadful 21st century record.

This but Stockport over Bradford for me

Either or Joe but went for Bradford just to get rid of their big crowds out of league 2

TBF Stockport's aren't as big but had a higher average than us last season

Proper old school football club in the shadow of Man City so do well to get decent crowds.

They have benefitted by the fervour of the new owners, doing away with the previous owners who were as dodgy as Power it seems.

Now run by a lifelong fan of Stockport who has used community spirit to gain extra backing of fans by investing in the ground and the playing staff, they were a top 2/3 budget squad this season and as such are probably underperforming in all honesty.

Lets face it though, Stockport, albeit in the lower leagues can benefit from having a population of almost double that if Swindon at near 300k.

They also have the Lincoln effect, having had a good season in the NL and got promoted the crowds have gone up

They did have a great season last year in the Conference, a huge expense of wages though with them offering Sarcevic, Horsfall, Knoyle, Bardsley and Madden very large wages probably on par with Wrexhams budget last season.

The owner has put his money where his mouth is and backed the manager.

Am I missing something, why would you specifically want to get a club with a big support who would bring a fair few down to us out of the division?

Rather offset by having two whacking great big clubs (3 if you count Salford  ;) :D) pretty much on their doorstep.

Stockport will bring a few😀
Just feel Bradford deserve to be in a higher league with their large loyal fanbase with Leeds right on their doorstep.

I remember a few years back, when I was working 'in football', going to a non-league club in the area. The guy could not stand Stockport because of their 'Bobby big boots' attitude to local non-league teams. Must have been the previous regime, but not a good image.

I still have a soft spot for Bury

Luton
Bolton
Bradford
Notts County


County especially as that final day when they went out was shit....even though it wasnt really down to us in the end.

For me.

I thought the Town fans were shite that day

Some taking the piss?

I had a word with a couple i know...i was cringing and tried to offset it with chatting to a few Notts County Fans outside.

Hope Notts County win tomorrow

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=K4cVkVoiS8g

Wednesday can't enjoy playing Friday.

The irony is that they beat Derby on the last day to let Peterborough into the playoffs.
There were also videos going around of the fans taking the piss out of Derby fans, can imagine they might be getting some of it back now

Play of finals Flint? No no no.

https://youtu.be/j4vjVetZPpM

Notts County up on pens

Congratulations to Luke Williams & Notts County.....you proved them all wrong :pint:

Bostock nearly fucked it up for them!

Cracking game. Play Offs are the best.

I'd take Luke Williams back in a heartbeat.

We did him dirty under Lee Power. Sherwood looming over him. He must've been fuming.

 :clap:

Lovely, another (localish) ground (for me) to tick off next season.

Fair play to Luke Williams. A midfield pairing of Bostock and Matt Palmer, both ex of the SN1 parish.

Pleased for LW. Never hear a bad word and was the fall guy for those ‘orrible bastards.

Didn't people hate his style of football?

At the time,many. But we Town fans tend to do that retrospective reassessment thing quite a bit

Within STFC history there hasn't been many they've been happy with😆

Williams was out of his depth when he was here.
People can (obviously) improve with experience and time in different jobs.

I wouldn’t want the Williams we saw here back but it’s probably a safe bet he isn’t that Williams anymore

I don't get the sudden hard on for LW.   :hmmm:

Valid point he was shafted by Power and Sherwood.  :nod:
But he didn't inspire me back in 2016/2017 and still doesn't now, ok got Notts County up, wow big deal, lets see how he does in League two in the same vein Richie Wellens has to prove it in League one.

Jody Morris will probably get a team promoted in six years, but his time with us he could inspire a fly to buzz round shit. :no:

Didn’t particularly rate LW when he was with us but he picked up an insane number of points this season so he has clearly come up with a winning formula. I think he was probably operating under difficult conditions when with us with those above him stipulating that he must play our duff loan signings to avoid financial penalties etc.

LW used to say three draws was a win. Today one draw was.

He was ahead of the game 😀

County v Chesterfield was a very good game, County played the football but Chesterfield looked more like a team, some excellent players for both sides, Dallas, Colclough, Dobra all skillfull and the big captain and CB Grimes was excellent.

Bostock was the best player on the pitch for me. Countys leading scorer Langstaff showed absolutely nothing all game missing his 2 best chances. The little black winger Nemane looks a real find, the rest were decent players but not outstanding.

County lined up with 3 at the back and Chesterfield constantly found ways behind them down the wings and could have won easily with the chances they created.

2 poor keepers on show though but the winning move was obviously Williams subbing the keeper for the loanee who saved 2 pens in the shoot out at the end.

Williams team played how we did under Lindsey, lots of passing but few clear cut chances in the box, but at least he emplyed 2 wingbacks who could actually cross a ball.

County's high defensive line was constantly caught out by Dallas running in behind in the first half. Not sure they'll be able to be so 'cavalier' in league 2.

Absolutely, against better players it wont work so well. That Dallas looks a good prospect.

For those who haven't seen them, these are Friday/Saturday/Sunday play off semi finals results.

Championship
Sunderland 2-1 Luton
Coventry 0-0 Middlesborough

League 1
Peterborough 4-0 Shef Weds
Bolton 1-1 Barnsley

League 2
Salford 1-0 Stockport
Bradford 1-0 Carlisle

Nice to see Coventry’s ground full again

Agree, they've certainly had some shit to contend with for several years

I just turned this on and was thinking how on earth are Coventry in the championship play offs?

Just shows how quickly things can turn around and how the doom and gloomers of our fans that say we should expect to be in the basement forever are well off base.

Update on play offs

Championship
1st leg results
Sunderland 2-1 Luton
Luton 2-0 Sunderland

2nd leg results
Coventry 0-0 Middlesborough
Middlesborough 0-1 Coventry

Final Saturday May 27 4.45pm
Coventry v Luton

--------------------------------------------

League 1
1st leg results
Peterborough 4-0 Shef Weds
Bolton 1-1 Barnsley

2nd leg Thursday/Friday
Sheff Weds 5-1 Peterborough
Sheff Weds win 5-3 on pens
Barnsley 1-0 Bolton

Final Monday May 29 3pm
Sheff Weds v Barnsley
--------------------------------------------

League 2
1st leg results
Salford 1-0 Stockport
Bradford 1-0 Carlisle

2nd leg Saturday
Stockport 2-1 Salford
Stockport win 3-1 on pens
Carlisle v Bradford 3pm

Final Sunday May 28 1.30pm
Stockport v

Wendies 4 down after the first leg v Posh

Now 2-0 up after 24 minutes of the 2nd leg.

Yeah, just saw that. Might join for the second half at this rate!

3-0 with 25 min to go

Essentially route 1 hoofball at its best

Hope Wednesday end up winning, the meltdown from MacAnthony will be glorious

Flint is on. I'm assuming he'll spend more time in the Peterborough box than his own.

no way!

4-4, a minute over the 6 added on. Flint on the back stick heads it into the middle and it's scraped home

Glorious! 4-0. 97th min

Just after the Posh fans were singing ‘we are going up’.

Started watching at 3-0 just before Flint came on.

What a game!

Unbelievable viewing. Unsure how Peterborough can recover from this, their second half performance was shocking. Zero intent shown

Madness. How very “Swindon” of Posh!

Can’t ever remember a game where one team has slung in so many crosses into the box.

Just the sort of football I like. High intensity, relentless attacking.

Nathan Thompson scores

unbelievable Jeff

4-1 (4-5)

Well, that’s how they get back into it. What a game. Play offs are unbelievable to watch when you’re not invovled.

Nathan Thompson!

own goal more like!

Michael Smith gave away the free kick too

Wendseday score again

we want penalties, we want penalties

You’ve got them!

wendies win

All the Posh fans ridiculing Lisa the coach lady look a bit fucking stupid now

As do the supposed Wednesday fans who racially abused Darren Moore on social media & those who posted videos of themselves ripping up their own tickets for the second leg

Didn't it turn out that the photo was from a previous time they got to a Playoff final?

I could be wrong

That guy has gone viral now pretty much! (the ripping ticket fella, not Darren Moore or the racist fans.)

Lisa the Coach Lady should have her own fan zone at Wembley.

Stockport v Salford is not exactly an entertaining game, Stockport are very economical with their passing and like a long ball, Salford look the better footballing side with better individual players but poor in front of goal.

Considering these 2 teams had probably the biggest 2 budgets in L2 this season the quality on show is not very good. Salford like to make a meal of challenges too.

And with that Stockport get the equalizing goal!

Typical Charlie Austin style goal, deep cross from the left wing onto the strikers head just outside the 6 yard box.

For a game allegedly sold out there are loads of empty spaces in the ground.

3 ex Town players on the pitch now in Knoyle and Hussey for Stockport and Barry for Salford.

Is that because Stockport limited the number of tickets Salford could have, in response to Salford doing the same to them.

PS   I haven't seen as not watching the game

No mate its in the home ends all round the ground. Loads of random empty seats.

Fair enough, can't imagine it's fans not bothering to turn up

(https://i.postimg.cc/Tw0B6LkH/2.png)

I know we play in a library ourselves, but it's quite quiet for a playoff game

JJ is that photo the away end. wonder if Stockport fucked the allocation in retaliation to a low allocation at Salford?

behind the other goal is packed (Stockport fans)

No thats the home end mate. The Salford fans have a small part down the side and sold out. Hence many of them in that pic wearing the blue Stockport kit too.

couldn't really see the blue (can now). that is weird.

not a great game. but I l learnt Matt Smiths strike partner at uni was Jack Whitehall

I think it's too sunny for northerners in that stand so they stayed home.

(https://i.postimg.cc/Wp5nN8vm/3.png)

oh ffs. Salford

And the 200 Salford fans went wild.

He meant the shot but fucking hell that deflection was massive.

Just as Stockport looked to be getting the upper hand too.

yay. 2-1 (2-2)

Probably deserved.

Fancy dress, came as seats.

Salford get fucked.

Stockport win on pens. Good.

Awful pens from Salford there.

Gary Neville and chums won't be happy🤣

That was the away end when we played them (admittedly years ago), when Aljofree offered the entire terrace out.

I think it was the away end this season too but they gave it to home fans in retribution for Salford only giving them 500 tickets for the 1st leg.

I think they gave Salford 150 tickets, which Salford were fuming about as they could easily have sold 165!

Update on play offs

Championship
1st leg results
Sunderland 2-1 Luton
Luton 2-0 Sunderland

2nd leg results
Coventry 0-0 Middlesborough
Middlesborough 0-1 Coventry

Final Saturday May 27 4.45pm
Coventry 1-1 Luton
Luton win 6-5 on pens

--------------------------------------------

League 1
1st leg results
Peterborough 4-0 Shef Weds
Bolton 1-1 Barnsley

2nd leg Thursday/Friday
Sheff Weds 5-1 Peterborough
Sheff Weds win 5-3 on pens
Barnsley 1-0 Bolton

Final Monday May 29 3pm
Sheff Weds 1-0 Barnsley AET
--------------------------------------------

League 2
1st leg results
Salford 1-0 Stockport
Bradford 1-0 Carlisle

2nd leg Saturday
Stockport 2-1 Salford
Stockport win 3-1 on pens
Carlisle 3-1 Bradford

Final Sunday May 28 1.30pm
Stockport 1-1 Carlisle
Carlisle win 5-4 on pens

Best scenes at Brunton Park since Jimmy Glass.

Stuck with Bradfords big crowds again and vanity fair comes to Town Salford v Wrexham

I hope the jocks do it.

Salford are yesterdays news now.

Let's hope they slowly disappear back to where they came from!

Very low quality final Luton v Coventry do far.

Brilliant play by Adebayo sets up Luton’s opener

Never realised how hoofball Luton are

Adebayo misses a bit of a sitter

Would love it if we played like Luton next season.

I was just thinking the same thing. 100% effort, get the ball in the box quickly and pressure all over the pitch.

Luton have had their knockers on how they play but I would take it if it got promotion

Indeed, proper sexy football.

Coventry are pathetic. Looks like they’ve played football before.

Cracking equaliser. Coventry much improved 2nd half

Fandabi Dozi on for Coventry

Bloody hell,Holloway is such an annoying jerk . Talkshite

oh no. impact sub..

disallowed... lucky

Not having VAR all season and then having it for play off final is absolutely shit.

Carlisle v Stockport tomorrow 13:30 that's some quick turn around for the cleaners and Wembley staff😆

abra-ca-dabono

Capricorn is in the ascendant so I am going to make a Zodiac prediction. Luton will come down next season.

Hope they enjoy it though.

Interesting listening Rob Edwards talking about how ‘anyone could have done this job’ because of the club set up already in place. The board, Mick Harford (whatever his exact job title is) the back room staff

No doubt he’s trying to be humble to an extent but it kinda shows that there is a lot of emphasis on Manager being disposable & the real stability being out side of the dugout.

I can fully see why we tried to do something along those lines with Sandro. His type probably have a place in football but seems like we were asking too much of him / giving him too much responsibility

Also, sometimes it probably helps to hit rock bottom and start a fresh.
Helps clear the decks.

I think the main issue becomes obvious when you compare Sandro and Mick Harford's football credentials...

I think this would have worked if we had kept hold of Chorley, who could clearly spot a player.

Slight difference in that Luton appear to have chosen someone with more on their CV than handing out the Vol-au-vent's at Newmarket.

Didnt even do that did he? :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

Must admit that was possibly the poorest game I have ever seen in the Championship play off finals ever.

Without large investement I cant see Luton bothering the top 19 in the Premier League next year.

That said, they have team spirit and are on a roll, fair play to them and their true (non Wrexham and Bournemouth) "fairytale" rise from non league in 10 years.

Their style is not pretty but is successful and not all teams can be pretty and win games, staying up will be a great success for them if they can next season.

I’d settle for that style next season.

We do appear to have got caught up in the idea that we have to sign players that can play at a higher level, the same has appeared to be true of managers.

Interesting that Luton got John Still to get them out of non-league, not because they thought he could take them to the top end of the championship.

"FORWAAAARD!"

Stockport 10 miles
Carlisle 119 miles

Come on you Cumbrian chaps!

34,004?  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

Sheff Wednesday have sold 44,000 tickets for tomorrow 😀

Tinpot

It would be interesting to see the percentage of 2nd legs and finals that are going to penalties. It seems to be happening nearly every tie.  :sherlock:

I’d say bring back the golden goal but apart from the fact most teams seemingly tended to shut up shop, in this day and age, I dread to think what riots would occur if a goal went in.

Congratulations to Carlisle  :clap:

Carlisle & Hartlepool out of the way.
Still quite a northern bias to L2 next season with Morecambe & Accrington (who are they!) joining us.

Well that's my closest away game gone!

Me too...and Hartlepool gone too.

Yup likewise!

We'll always have Barrow, sadly.

Just looking at how Sheffield Wednesday have absolutely packed out Wembley.

How many fans do you think we'd of taken if we won the penalty shootout last year?

Got it into my head we’ve taken about 32k for all our three trips to the new Wembley…

Although after a 1-0 defeat, 2-0 defeat & 4-0 defeat - perhaps a few more would have given the inevitable 8-0 defeat a miss…

Thats way too binary.

Was just over 30k for millwall I think - we had most of the upper deck. My recollection was that we barrly scraped 20k for Preston, much of the upper tier was empty

I think it was 32k for Millwall, 30k for Chesterfield & 20k for Preston

30k v Sunderland, 35k v Leicester, 30k v Millwall, 22k v Preston (no trains between Swindon & Reading ) Chesterfield I think around 30k as Chesterfield only had 18k and remember the crowd was around 48k ish

I think that is right, for these games it was-

1990 we had 35,000 (total att:72,873) vs Sunderland
1993 we had 34,000 (total att:73,802) vs Leicester
2010 we had 32,000 (total att:73,108) vs Millwall
2012 we had 30,000 (total att:49,602) vs Chesterfield
2015 we had 20,100 (total att:48,236) vs Preston

Congratulations to Sheffield Wednesday but cruel on Barnsley conceding in the 123rd minute.

3 out of 4 aint bad, just got Bradford wrong.

I sort of watched that (in between dozing after a long bike ride). Switched on after Barnsley had a man sent off - At 10 vs 11 they were all over Wednesday! Then in extra time they defended like heroes. Cruel to concede with the last kick of the game.

Credit to Barnsley for playing almost the whole second half with ten men and taking the game to Wednesday then a further 30+ minutes of extra time defending until the last few seconds.

Josh son of Dean Windass scoring a play off winner at Wembley. Hopefully a few painful memories for Bristol City fans...

I forgot about his dads winner against Bristol City :clap:

Massive asterisk vs Preston with all the travel disruptions we had and losing twice in recent years.

I think we're far enough away not from those games that we'd probably take well over 30k again.

Ha, went to all those games.

I stopped after Leicester....... Shit.  It's not my fault is it?

No, it is the FA's fault.

We are unbeaten at the true Wembley. This current souless shithole doesn't count.

I’m 3 from 3 at the old Wembley but was out of the country for the games at the new Wembley so didn’t attend. Maybe it’s my fault. Still, back now and armed with a ST. What could possibly go wrong!

2 out of 2 old Wembley 2 defeats since they turned the pitch 90 degrees🤣

1 from 3. Sunderland, Millwall and Chesterfield.

My son is 0-4, Millwall, Chesterfield & Preston watching Town as well as watching Chippenham losing in the FA Vase final at the old ground. Even worse he hasn’t even been able to celebrate a goal.

I’ve at least got Sunderland & Leicester.

The only game he’s seen his team win at Wembley is the Cowboys beating Jacksonville:)

I was at the Chippenham v Deal Town vase game too