Into Stoppage Time...

The end of the EFL season is upon us, and with it comes the playoffs. The line-ups were confirmed last weekend, when the final fixtures were played, and now thousands of fans can only wait in hope to see if their club can reach the next level of English football. In this article, I will take an objective look at each club, their strengths and weaknesses, and whether they have the tools to succeed. Fixtures: Morecambe v Tranmere Newport v Forest Green  Morecambe have, without a doubt, been the surprise package of the season. Perennial strugglers since promotion to the EFL in 2007, this is only the second time that they have finished in the top ten, finishing fourth in 2010. Derek Adams has turned the club around; they finished 22nd in last season's shortened league, but were only denied automatic promotion on the final day this time. Only Cambridge, Oldham and Exeter have scored more than Morecambe (69) in the league this season. Carlos Mendes Gomes and Cole Stockton have 28 goals b...

It is the time of year where four clubs enter the playoffs for a chance to reach the next level of English football. This year, Blackpool, Sunderland, Lincoln and Oxford will face off for a place in the Championship next season. I will take an objective look at each club and try to make predictions on how the playoffs will go. Fixtures: Oxford v Blackpool Lincoln v Sunderland Oxford are arguably the form team in this year's playoffs - they have won six of their last seven games, and snatched the final playoff place from Portsmouth on the final day of the season. They are the third highest scorers in the league, outscored only by the two promoted teams. Top scorer Matty Taylor has 18 league goals this season, with on-loan QPR winger Olamide Shodipo joining him in double figures. Their defence will be a concern; their total of 56 goals conceded is the highest of the playoff teams, and no team above Gillingham in 10th have conceded more. Blackpool finished third, with 80 points, and h...

The end of the EFL season is upon us, and with it comes the playoffs. The line-ups were confirmed last weekend, when the final fixtures were played, and now thousands of fans can only wait in hope to see if their club can reach the top level of English football. In this article, I will take an objective look at each club, their strengths and weaknesses, and whether they have the tools to succeed. Fixtures: AFC Bournemouth v Brentford Barnsley v Swansea First up: Bournemouth, a team looking to bounce back from relegation at the first attempt. They have an excellent record in front of goal, with 73 in 46 games. This is a total only bettered by two teams in the league, with three of their players achieving double figures. Arnaut Danjuma and Dominic Solanke both registered 15 goals and 8 assists apiece, and could be a potent threat. However, their form leading into the playoffs will be a concern for Jonathan Woodgate - they have lost their last three games without scoring, including a home...

 The National League: The Run-In As April draws to a close, football fans look to the end of the season in the hope (or expectation) of achieving something special. Promotion, and the league title, are there for the taking.  This season, no league is more intriguing than the National League - the fifth tier of English football. A notoriously difficult league to escape, it only offers one automatic promotion place (for the champions) and one via the playoff route. Let's take a look at the run-in for each side, and whether they could be potential members of the EFL next season. 1st: Torquay (played 35, 67 points) Fixtures: Aldershot (H) Eastleigh (H) Chesterfield (A) Bromley (H) Stockport (A) Barnet (H) Altrincham (A) As of April 25th, Torquay are in top spot via goal difference. Their fixture list is far from straightforward, with three playoff hopefuls, a resurgent Barnet and an Eastleigh side who have already beaten Hartlepool and Sutton this season. The Gulls have a game in ...

A Month Of Madness It is common knowledge amongst football fans that in the current era, managers are not afforded the time that they once had to make an impact. Since March 1st, eleven managers in the top 5 tiers have left their clubs for a variety of reasons. In a six day period earlier this month, four managers from the top three divisions left their posts, with three of the vacancies being permanently filled shortly afterwards. Cull of the Wild Chris Wilder became a hero at the club he supported as a boy, Sheffield United. When he was appointed as their manager in May 2016, Sheffield United had been stuck in League One for five seasons. Wilder had won the League Two title with Northampton Town a few weeks before, and repeated the trick at Sheffield United, winning the League One title in his first season at the club (with a club record 100 points). He then took them back to the top tier in 2019, for the first time since their relegation in 2007, and followed that up with an impress...