Hats Off To Hatters
Luton Town have become the first Football League club to secure promotion this season with Tranmere Rovers’ defeat at Brentford on Tuesday. Hull City appear to be strong favourites to follow them but who will take the Play-Off route to the Championship?Luton Town have become the first Football League club to secure promotion this season with Tranmere Rovers’ defeat at Brentford on Tuesday. Hull City appear to be strong favourites to follow them but who will take the Play-Off route to the Championship?
The Tigers now need three points from their remaining four games to deny their former manager Brian Little guiding Rovers to automatic promotion. As with our Championship review, despite a season of consistent form, the history of the Play-Offs in the previously named Second Division / old Third Division grade offers little solace for the Prenton Park team.
Of those 16 previous seasons, the third placed club (or its equivalent) has gone on to win the Play-Offs only fives times. Tranmere had finished in the second Play-off place when they denied Bolton Wanderers in the 1991 Final who became the first of the 11 third-placed (or equivalent) failures. The club that has finished highest in the final league table have been eliminated in the semis six times.
The fourth placed club (or equivalent) has been promoted four times, the fifth (or equivalent) just once - Stoke City in 2002 - while the sixth (or equivalent) have had the most success with six Play-Off Final victories.
It looks like its down to Brentford, Sheffield Wednesday, Hartlepool United and AFC Bournemouth are the only remaining candidates left to vie for the three other Play-Off places although - despite having to make up a gap of seven points with only 12 available - Bristol City and Huddersfield Town will continue their quest until it becomes mathematically impossible.
A key game this weekend sees fifth-placed Sheffield Wednesday go to sixth-placed Hartlepool United on Friday evening.
Our photo shows the Sheffield Wednesday team that won promotion from the old Second Division in 1950.
