2023/24 League Two Promotion Thread

[JJ1990]

92 - Predicted Champions
91 -
90 -
89 -
88 -
87 - Average Champions
86 - Stockport(43)(P)
85 - Predicted Automatics
84 -
83 -
82 - Average Automatics, Wrexham(44)(P)
81 -
80 -
79 - Mansfield(43)
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78 -
77 -
76 -
75 -
74 - MK Dons(44)
73 -
72 - Average Play Offs
71 -
70 - Predicted Play Offs, Crewe(44)
69 -
68 -
67 - Barrow(42)
66 -
65 - Crawley(43)
-------------------------------------------------
64 - Doncaster(43)
63 - Gillingham(44)
62 - AFC Wimbledon(44)

The race for the automatics went from interesting to over pretty quickly didn't it. Stockport promoted and now 1 win from the title. Fair play to them, they've been excellent most of the season. Wrexham also up and whilst the title looks a long shot, they'll surely still be gunning for 2nd place ahead of Mansfield. And speaking of the Stags, it looks like they've finally shed their "bottlers" tag. Only need 1 more point to all but secure promotion, which you'd back them to get on Tuesday.

The play-off race is looking like more of a crawl right now. All 4 sides lose, none of them in any sort of form. Suddenly Doncaster, who've been threatening to make a late charge, come roaring into view and you'd back them to finish in the top 7 now. Teams like, Gillingham, Wimbledon and Walsall are still in the mix, but look long shots.

1st - Stockport, 86 points, GD 44: Notts County(A), Accrington(H), Wrexham(A)
2nd - Wrexham, 82 points, GD 33: Crewe(A), Stockport(H)
3rd - Mansfield, 79 points, GD 41: Accrington(H), Gillingham(H), Barrow(A)
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4th - MK Dons, 74 points, GD 13: Harrogate(A), Sutton(H)
5th - Crewe, 70 points, GD 7: Wrexham(H), Colchester(A)
6th - Barrow, 67 points, GD 9: Crawley(A), Doncaster(A), Bradford(H), Mansfield(H)
7th - Crawley 65 points, 4 GD: Barrow(H), Sutton(A), Grimsby(H)
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8th - Doncaster, 64 points, 0 GD: Barrow(H), Colchester(A), Gillingham(A)
9th - Gillingham, 63 points, -10 GD: Mansfield(A), Doncaster(H)
10th - Wimbledon, 62 points, GD 10: Tranmere(A), Walsall(H)

Lots of tasty fixtures coming up in the last 2 weeks of the season. So many games with potentially massive stakes on them.

Tuesday 16th April
Crawley Town v Barrow
Mansfield Town v Accrington Stanley
Notts County v Stockport County

The permutations for Tuesday are simple. Stockport win the title with a win. Mansfield are officially promoted with a win, but will all but promoted with a draw. Neither Barrow nor Crawley can confirm the top 7 with a win, but will take a massive step forward should they win.

 

[Master D]

It's lovely now watching the playoff struggle knowing we've done it.

Our lot could still be pissed up and turn Crewe over with the way they are playing right now. Them and Barrow playing like bags of shite and probably deserve to play each other in the playoffs.

If MK Dons get their shit together they are clearly the best side when they are on it but looking at how they did Saturday in a crunch match it doesn't bode well.

Doncaster are the favourites for it even though they aren't in them yet!

 

[chief]

Doncaster are the favourites for it even though they aren't in them yet!

You can get 18/1 on them to get promoted even now. If they face MK in the semis, the winner of that goes up imo.

 

[Gladders]

If it was Grimsby that won 11 in a row to get to the play offs out of the blue they would then lose the first game of the play-offs!

Donny fans probably feel the same

 

[DearneValleyRover]

If it was Grimsby that won 11 in a row to get to the play offs out of the blue they would then lose the first game of the play-offs!

Donny fans probably feel the same

I’m refusing to comment yet we still need to win our last 3 games

 

[Richard Cranium]

Crewe want to home the Wrexham lads have been on the lager but even then I can’t see them winning. Like when Orient won the title and came to us the following Tuesday all bladdered and bopped us off the pitch for 90mins last season..

I think they may miss out but it probably would take Doncaster winning all 3 remaining games. Either way they’re in horrendous form and you don’t really want to be going into the PO’s like that.

With us beating MK Saturday it may do them a favour in the fact they can now prepare for the play offs instead of when they did us on the final day and put us into them and the heartbreak that comes with missing out so late..

Personally I’d like Doncaster to come up as it’s another local one. League 1 could be remanned the league of fucking Yorkshire next season

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

You lot must have completely forgot last season if your all writing off Crewe and Barrow…….Carlisle were sinking faster than the titanic this time last season and easily to everyone the least favourites to go up due to strength of side and current form.

Yet they were in the end the only one of all four clubs who actually turned up to the play off games.

Play offs can go to the side in form but it is still a fresh set of games and pressure will be more on my dons than anyone.

 

[Stocky]

Play Offs is anyone's game.

Not a literal example of this league but you hear people say the side who just sneaks in wins them, some say the teams who's finished highest most likely wins them, some say another team will be better because player X will be back, another team will say another team has blown up and yet is due a win. I bet if you got the stats of who goes up from 1-4 EFL play off positions I bet it's quite an even spread.

It's just anyone's. It's a cup competition.

 

[GTFCfish]

I’m a bit disappointed with Stockport to be honest, they were our promotion buddies a couple of years ago, but instead of waiting for us to sort our shit out and go up together again they dump us for Wrexham and fucking Mansfield.
Well Wrexham and Mansfield I tell you what, you’re welcome to the fucking slags.

 

[JJ1990]

You lot must have completely forgot last season if your all writing off Crewe and Barrow…….Carlisle were sinking faster than the titanic this time last season and easily to everyone the least favourites to go up due to strength of side and current form.

Yet they were in the end the only one of all four clubs who actually turned up to the play off games.

Play offs can go to the side in form but it is still a fresh set of games and pressure will be more on my dons than anyone.

Whilst what you say is true, we are in a completely different situation.

Looking at your results from your last 11 games last season, you went 2-6-3 and your heaviest defeat was by 1 goal. Plus, 2 of your defeats were to promoted Orient and Play-off rivals Salford. Your manager was also an experienced guy who'd done it all before.

We are 2-3-5, losing more and by much bigger margins, plus to some much worse teams. We are battered by injuries to important players, our other key players that are fit are running on fumes.

I can't speak for Barrow, but I would be shocked if we managed to reset ourselves and made a run in May.

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

i can understand your reason for lacking confidence the Carlisle fans were the same at this stage and your telling me there your doing even poorer but it does still work against the odds at times.

Doncaster do remind me a lot of Blackpool who went up back in 2001 if I remember surging from relegation fodder to play offs……but that’s the one I remember and it’s 20 years ago.

I find the main difference is Crewe/Barrow/Crawley they will have to keep it tight, their form suggests they ‘may’ get back into a game if a goal down, but realistically if they go two goals down they have not the current molars or ability to get back into it.

If it were MK Dons they could muster a second surge, same currently if Doncaster get in.

I mean there is even Gillingham who are completely indifferent but if they scrape in have a team ‘on paper’ better than the others if it clicked for couple of games.

Key is getting into it and that is at present tje worry for Barrow and Crawley who both play each other and could both be almost out of it by next week. Crewe at least look likely to be there.

I never k ow whether sides who ‘rest’ players benefit or not always personally felt that is a killer blow to sides chances as it loses momentum but never sure and will no doubt play a part with MK Dons and maybe yourselves.

 

[AdamStag]

Straight shoot out now between us and MK, again.

Hopefully can put it to bed tonight

 

[Ninety Per Cent]

It's lovely now watching the playoff struggle knowing we've done it.

Our lot could still be pissed up and turn Crewe over with the way they are playing right now. Them and Barrow playing like bags of shite and probably deserve to play each other in the playoffs.

If MK Dons get their shit together they are clearly the best side when they are on it but looking at how they did Saturday in a crunch match it doesn't bode well.

Doncaster are the favourites for it even though they aren't in them yet!

Doncaster Media hype Rovers are back.

 

[saddler78]

We need to win and hope Barrow beat Crawley to have any hope left if neither happens its over for us its our own doing we have been shit recently and its a miracle we can still have a chance with 3 games left.

 

[DearneValleyRover]

Doncaster Media hype Rovers are back.

Obsessed

 

[joethegill]

i can understand your reason for lacking confidence the Carlisle fans were the same at this stage and your telling me there your doing even poorer but it does still work against the odds at times.

Doncaster do remind me a lot of Blackpool who went up back in 2001 if I remember surging from relegation fodder to play offs……but that’s the one I remember and it’s 20 years ago.

I find the main difference is Crewe/Barrow/Crawley they will have to keep it tight, their form suggests they ‘may’ get back into a game if a goal down, but realistically if they go two goals down they have not the current molars or ability to get back into it.

If it were MK Dons they could muster a second surge, same currently if Doncaster get in.

I mean there is even Gillingham who are completely indifferent but if they scrape in have a team ‘on paper’ better than the others if it clicked for couple of games.

Key is getting into it and that is at present tje worry for Barrow and Crawley who both play each other and could both be almost out of it by next week. Crewe at least look likely to be there.

I never k ow whether sides who ‘rest’ players benefit or not always personally felt that is a killer blow to sides chances as it loses momentum but never sure and will no doubt play a part with MK Dons and maybe yourselves.

I know it counts for absolutely nothing, but in all the campaigns we've made the play-offs, we've always got to the final. I'd also back us at home against anyone, we're unbeaten against the entire top half at home (with Donny to play) and only conceded an incredibly dodgy goal to Mansfield from the top 3, so we show up against decent sides.

I still don't think we'll make it, but after the bizarre season we've had then who knows, just needs a couple of Barrow results to go our way in the next 5 days and we could go into the final day with a chance, and then you just never know.

 

[devilofajob]

I know it counts for absolutely nothing, but in all the campaigns we've made the play-offs, we've always got to the final. I'd also back us at home against anyone, we're unbeaten against the entire top half at home (with Donny to play) and only conceded an incredibly dodgy goal to Mansfield from the top 3, so we show up against decent sides.

I still don't think we'll make it, but after the bizarre season we've had then who knows, just needs a couple of Barrow results to go our way in the next 5 days and we could go into the final day with a chance, and then you just never know.

Crawley are in the top half you know! Pretty sure we won 2-0.

 

[northstandexile]

We’re all you Stockport and Wrexham fans as nervous as I am now on Saturday morning before winning your game.
A massive game for us tonight and it looks like we have the sprinklers on after driving past a couple of hours ago.

 

[leedsvaliant]

Football goes in circles doesn't it? 2 years ago, I walked away from Wembley, having seen us comfortably beat another very good league 2 team. Their fans were magnificent on that day. They were really sporting in defeat and I chatted to a number of them in Baker Street afterwards.

They must have been absolutely gutted and we were on top of the world, dreaming of playing Sheffield Wednesday and Derby the following season. Fast forward to now, after an awful 2 seasons for our club and it looks like that same team that were so disappointing at Wembley will replace us in league one.

It just goes to show for all us perennial lower league clubs that you have to enjoy the good times when they're here, as you can bet your bottom dollar there'll be a shite period around the corner.

Pleased for all 3 clubs coming up to be honest, they've all had some pretty dire times. Our time will come back around but it never feels like it in the moment.

 

[chief]

We’re all you Stockport and Wrexham fans as nervous as I am now on Saturday morning before winning your game.
A massive game for us tonight and it looks like we have the sprinklers on after driving past a couple of hours ago.

No, but many didn't expect it to happen on Saturday either. I thought MK Dons would've beaten you.

Congrats on the win. 3 cracking sides have gone up in my opinion.

 

[BarraMatt]

Nice one Mansfield and Stockport.

Three points from three games is the challenge for us.

 

[Stocky]

Football goes in circles doesn't it? 2 years ago, I walked away from Wembley, having seen us comfortably beat another very good league 2 team. Their fans were magnificent on that day. They were really sporting in defeat and I chatted to a number of them in Baker Street afterwards.

They must have been absolutely gutted and we were on top of the world, dreaming of playing Sheffield Wednesday and Derby the following season. Fast forward to now, after an awful 2 seasons for our club and it looks like that same team that were so disappointing at Wembley will replace us in league one.

It just goes to show for all us perennial lower league clubs that you have to enjoy the good times when they're here, as you can bet your bottom dollar there'll be a shite period around the corner.

Pleased for all 3 clubs coming up to be honest, they've all had some pretty dire times. Our time will come back around but it never feels like it in the moment.

Happened one season sooner in re: to us and Carlisle from last year. No grudge against them at all.

 

[Stocky]

Champions with two games to spare.

The experts tell us we don't have the best goalkeeper, the best defenders, the best midfielders, the best strikers, the best manager etc.

They're probably right to be honest.

But we were the best team.

 

[Conker]

Well done to Stockport, I am a tad miffed because I do think we should have won the title this season but that late wobble but it to rest whereas you hit hot form at the right time.

I know it’s going to be tough and the jump is sizeable but I do genuinely think all three can make a decent go of it in L1.

 

[DearneValleyRover]

Congrats Stockport

 

[joethegill]

Crawley are in the top half you know! Pretty sure we won 2-0.

Fair point, I missed that!

 

[Richard Cranium]

Yeah well in Stockport, those winning runs you’ve been on this season have been ridiculous. Looking forward to going there again next season!

Ooo promotion friends

 

[AdamStag]

I think all 3 could make good efforts next season, all have experienced managers, decent crowds (mansfield would be 15th, stockport 9th and wrexham 7th in league 1 crowds this season) and can see all 3 selling out pretty much every game next season - whether we’re able to do anything with the bishop street before next season is going to be a talking point.

We’ve a keeper and a defence good enough for league 1 but work to do in midfield and attack, certainly on the pace front.

 

[Amber Nectar]

Congrats to Stockport on the title, well deserved.

 

[lordofthepies]

Congratulations County and Stags! Well deserved