[spireitematt]

Yes and they are. They have done well to keep it going.

Fingers crossed we do the same.

I think it's unlikely but you never know.

[Devongone]

Congratulations to Sutton. I wasn't expecting them to win it today. I thought Hartlepool would hang tough as Stockport are starting to struggle. Hartlepool will now probably end up playing whoever finishes seventh. There's no reason they should fear us, but it looks as though to grab seventh a team will have to show some form. Teams in form usually do well in play-offs.

Interestingly Bromley's manager absolutely slagged them off for yesterday's performance and they won.

By the way Warrington Rylands won the FA Vase yesterday. My man young Kane Drummond played well and got an assist, but another name to conjure with is their 21 year-old Elliott Nevitt who played as a lone centre forward and got a hat trick. He apparently also got the winner in the national Sunday Cup final the week before.

[Devongone]

Well Eastleigh drawing at Altrincham sorted nothing out. I've never been in favour of teams finishing as low as seventh going into play offs, but I have to admit it has added a whole layer of interest to this season. Now as far as I can see Sutton and Torquay are safe in first and second, Stockport, Hartlepool and Notts County have made the play-offs but their final places could change and the rest are rats in a sack:-

Wrexham - need to win their last game at Dagenham to guarantee a play-off place and a sixth place finish at least. If they lose any three of four clubs could overtake them and push them out of the play offs altogether. Dagenham's home record is very slightly better than Wrexham's away record. But of course Chesterfield and Halifax might draw and Bromley and Eastleigh both might fail to win too, which would put Wrexham in the play offs almost by default.

Chesterfield - need to win their last game at rivals Halifax to guarantee a play-off place. Losing would end their hopes. A draw could be enough if Bromley and Eastleigh both fail to win against Notts County and Solihull respectively.

Eastleigh - have to win at Solihull, who have the best home record in the league. If they only draw then either Chesterfield or Halifax would certainly finish above them.

Bromley - beating Notts County could see them finish as high as sixth if Wrexham and Chesterfield lose. A draw wouldn't be enough, because Chesterfield would remain above them with a draw and were they to lose then Halifax would go above Bromley.

Halifax - have to beat Chesterfield and hope that two of Wrexham, Bromley and Eastleigh lose.

Higher up it's between Stockport and Hartlepool for third, which is advantageous. Notts County could finish third if they win at Bromley and Hartlepool lose at home to Weymouth.

I hope that's right and has clarified the picture.

SGB got it right about Sutton and they now have to dig up their pitch and change their whole way of life. Meanwhile Torquay have to wait to find out who their visitors might be in the semi and who they would certainly avoid until the final.

[Dancingwilldoit]

If we do what's required Saturday we can do this. If the gods are with us and the planets align, I believe we could beat Notts County, Hartlepool, Wrexham, or Torquay. Stockport are a different matter especially away. What will be will be.

After the soul destroying last 4 years, this season has put the life back in my club and my support. I am proud of my team and the way the club is now run.
If we fail to do it then so be it, at least we have tried. Things may be tough getting out of this league next season but whatever happens it will be a massive improvement on everything we have had to endure in the recent past.

I will be sat in front of my computer watching the game Saturday and if we win I will be running down our street starkers as "Blue" used to say. Ashton Gate beckons. Maybe Blue will be there with me, who knows? My health hasn't been so good the last couple of years but its just so great to have a smile back on my face and renewed pride in my club. Come on you Blues, we can do it. Whatever happens, a massive thank you to James Rowe.

[SaltergateBorn]

Well, it`s good to get something right occasionally; doesn`t happen very often. Mind you, I also said some weeks ago that our place in the play-offs was a `gimme` so I suppose that balances things out. Yin and yang, as they say.....

To my thinking, such as it is, I`d make Stockport favourites for the other promotion spot. They`re the only one of the contenders showing anything like consistent form at the moment and they`ll have the advantage of playing at home until the final. It`s consistency over the last few weeks that will have done for us if we don`t make the play-offs; especially at home. We`ve played some really good stuff from what I`ve seen but we can`t put one in the net against Wealdstone, who everybody else seems to be scoring against for fun. If we don`t make it, that`ll be the one that did for us; those extra 2 points would make all the difference.

The situation with us and the play-offs on Saturday is pretty straightforward as I see it. To be in it, we need to win it; if we don`t we won`t. What makes it intriguing to me is that Halifax are in a very similar position and they need to win just as much as we do, if not more. Should make an entertaining game and, like Dancing, I`ll be in front of the computer screen. I`ve got a sneaking feeling we might just do it. Oh dear.....I wish I hadn`t said that.

Whatever happens on Saturday I`m certainly a much happier bunny now than I was at the start of the year. I agree that James Rowe has done a fantastic job for us but I think we`ve also got to give a lot of credit to the Board; they appointed him and, so far at least, they seem to have backed him all the way. If they`ve been able to do that without venturing too far out onto an overly fragile financial limb I reckon that they deserve a round of applause too.

Regardless of what happens over the next few days / weeks I really do think that the club is going in the right direction again. Please let that feeling turn out to be a yin and not a yang.

[Devongone]

I haven't got much right since I said James Rowe was the one we should appoint (before anyone else anywhere as far as I could see!)

It was an impressive peak, but it was far too early. I've been on a slow puncture ever since.

[Lord Snooty]

Unlucky Spireites. Better luck next year. At least you've had a better season than the last few and stopped plummeting.

[Dancingwilldoit]

Watched the final yesterday. 2 teams actually competing and trying to win. Great advert for NL football.

A world away from from that totally abysmal shower of shite served up by our so called national team on Friday. In all honesty Tom Denton (even with his injury) would have done better than golden boy Kane. He has surely replaced Rooney on the plinth of most overrated overhyped underperformer.

[Devongone]

Well Dancing you were right that Hartlepool turned out to be the best team, but I don't think any team EVER should be promoted by penalty shoot-out. Danny Wright has been absolutely central to keeping Torquay in the picture. His injuries were also central to them losing top spot. And now the poor guy has missed a penalty and ruined a whole season for a team he's tried to give so much. It may be exciting, but it's an even more shite end to a campaign than watching a lifeless Harry Kane. (You do realise England will be better off if they avoid finishing top ...... not that I think Southgate is that Machiavellian.)

I've been telling anybody who would listen (ever since the groups were drawn) that England would play badly against Scotland. It was almost bound to happen. My only hope was that we'd have enough sense to select Jack Grealish to enliven our approach, and of course we didn't.

I do feel very sorry for Torquay. A whole season down to that? It's neither football, nor sport.

[Lord Snooty]

If teams didn't get promoted by penalty shoot outs, we'd still be in division 4.
Agree though, it is awful, but what other alternative is there? Apart from scrapping the play offs and the top 2 go up, which is not going to happen. Not now.