By Tony Alvarez
The last fixture of the season in the English Football leagues takes place at Wembley on Sunday as the league 2 play off final is contested between Crewe and Cheltenham.
Both sides are vying to make the step up and be playing in League One next year, there is also many players hoping this fixture can put them in the shop window for a move onto bigger and better things.
By Tony Alvarez
Today sees the final fixtures in the regular season for both League One and League Two earlier in the week I wrote a piece looking at the teams chasing automatic promotion and the play offs in League One, I will now focus on the positions up for grab in League Two.
As I earlier wrote an article on the relegation battle and who will survive the drop to non League Football I wont talk about that instead I will look at the teams battling for automatic promotion and play off positions.
The main talking point of the weekend is who will clinch 3rd place and an automatic promotion to League One. There are three teams in contention for just one position.
Crawley Town who recently lost manager Steve Evans to Rotherham are in pole position the currently occupy third spot with 81 points and a goal difference of +21 hot on their heels are Torquay who also have 81 points but only have a goal difference of +9 . The third team in with a chance is Southend United, they are a point behind bothCrawleyand Torquay but have a superior goal difference of +27.
By Tony Alvarez
Yesterday Macclesfield were relegated from the Football League and will ply their trade in the Blue Square Premier next season.
That’s one of the two relegation spaces filled, with one remaining with just one game to play its going to be a nervy time for Hereford and Barnet.
Barnet are in pole position. They are currently outside the relegation zone with 2 points more than Hereford, although Hereford’s goal difference which could come in to play is superior.
Both teams are not going down without a major fight, yesterday both sides had big wins against teams much higher placed inb the table. Hereford impressively beat automatic promotion chasing Crawley at Crawley 3-0.
Barnet also had an impressive win albeit at their Underhill home, they beat 17th placed AFC Wimbledon 4-0. These results ensure both teams will go into their final fixtures full of confidence. View full article »
By Laurie Fitzgerald
Throughout any football season, there are plenty of shocks, thrills and spills that make the game we love so unpredictable.
However, one of the biggest shocks of this current campaign arrived on Monday morning, when it was announced that Steve Evans had stepped down from his position as Crawley Town manager to take over at fellow League Two side Rotherham United.
The 49 year-old signed a three-year deal with the Millers and replaces Andy Scott with United four points adrift of the play-offs thanks to their last-minute win at home to Cheltenham on Monday.
But Evans leaves a Crawley side that are just two points adrift of the automatic promotion places going into the final weeks of the campaign.
He had taken the Red Devils out of the conference with a record total of 105 points, and had overcome recent departures of key players to help put them in contention for back-to-back promotions.
Evans, who previously guided Boston United to the Football League, clearly believes that he can guide the club into the top six in these final weeks, otherwise he would have waited to take the job until the end of the season. View full article »
Joyous scenes, Barnet's survival on the last day of last season
By Tony Alvarez
11 months ago I stood at Barnet’s Underhill ground cheering the players on a they fought for their Football League status for the second year in succession, thanks to an Izale McLeod penalty the Bees were successful in their survival bid and there were scenes of joy including fans invading the pitch in celebration.
The Barnet fans who were in attendance that day at Underhill truly believed they had learnt from past mistakes and this year would see the club improve and look at a mid table finish. This was something that throughout various points of the season looked realistic.
However as we enter the business end of the season with just five fixtures remaining Barnet lie just a single place above the drop zone in 22nd, they are just three points ahead of both Hereford and Macclesfield who lie below them but have a much worse goal difference meaning at the present the gap more resembles two points than three.
By Laurie Fitzgerald
Today sees one of the highlights in the calendar of the Football League season, as Chesterfield and Swindon meet at Wembley to decide who triumphs in the Johnstone Paint Trophy Final.
While the showpiece event pits opposition from League One against a League Two outfit, both sides have had differing fortunes in their respective division that means this is set to be a close encounter.
Chesterfield have been embroiled in a battle to stay in League One for most of the season, while Swindon currently sit atop League Two and very much favourites to secure automatic promotion. View full article »
By Tony Alvarez
For the second time in the last few years Portsmouth FC find themselves in dire financial problems which has led to them yet again being placed into administration, losing many of their players for nothing, not being able to pay wages and more seriously than before look like they wont be able to fulfil their fixtures until the end of the season.
It is widely thought that if the club is not brought in the next six weeks or the debts are not taken on by someone thenPortsmouthcould cease to exist something that has rarely happened in the Football Leagues.
By Tony Alvarez
Following Saturdays somewhat embarrassing loss at the hands of Cheltenham Town, Dagenham and Redbridge sit bottom of League Two and look in real danger of dropping out of the Football League.
The Daggers are three points off safety albeit with a game in hand however with their inferior goal difference largely due to Saturdays defeat the gap more resembles four points than three.
By Laurie Fitzgerald
One of the longest serving managers in English football ended an era this week when John Coleman left his role at Accrington Stanley to take the vacant job at League One side Rochdale.
Coleman had been in charge at Accrington since 1999, with only Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger currently having a longer reign with a league club in the country.
For Coleman and Stanley, it has been a partnership that has taken the club on an incredible journey since his arrival way back in 1999. View full article »
By Tony Alvarez
With 2011 coming to an end with most clubs only having a single fixture left or having already completed their duties in 2011 we look back to the stand out moments in 2011 and to see what yours are no matter how big or small.
The joy of this topic is it will be different for everyone and can span from a Champions League memory to one in the lowest of levels of Football.
For the sake of this article I will look back to my top 4 memories of the year. These are in no particular order but are all moments that have touched my heart, made my chuckle or just made me celebrate like a mad man.
View full article »
