DE.

Have to admit I didn't expect Preston and Burnley to both help us out. Fact is Bristol City left it wide open for Millwall, Rovers and Boro, but none of us could do what was needed. Our failure ultimately wasn't today, but that awful run after Ismael first took charge. I would guess Millwall and Boro had similar runs which they'll look back on with regret as well. Unlike them, however, we were 5th and at one point had healthy breathing space. Only the annual Rovers post-Christmas collapse could take us out of contention, and so it did. Only 68 points needed for 6th this season. Averages suggest that will be a one off in terms of low points required to sneak into the playoffs. We didn't even need to do brilliantly in the second half of the season - below average would probably have been enough. But we blew it, as we do every year when it looks like we might actually break into the top six. Maybe it really is a curse. I said it in another thread, but at this point it almost feels like a game that's coded purposefully to never allow us into the top six, even when the odds are in our favour.

I possibly used the wrong word, but I basically meant amount of years in the division in the last 20 years without getting into top six (regardless of whether those seasons are consecutive or broken up).

Yeah but I'm talking Derby 2008 levels of embarrassment. It'd be the same if we went up, for the record. Sheff Utd/Sunderland may make it above 11 points as I imagine they'd spend big. Coventry or Bristol City though? Could be a proper bloodbath.

People often talk about it being a poor/average league in various years, but I think this season has the best justification. 5th and 6th didn't even need 70 points. Don't think both positions have had such a low combined score in a long time. Sunderland have had 4th sewn up for months but ended the season in horrific form and were nowhere close to 3rd, who also finished far off 1st and 2nd. As far as the top two are concerned, the first time two clubs have finished the season with 100 points. The division wasn't a challenge for either of them. There are a ton of very poor teams at the bottom as well, none of whom could have complained if they'd gone down today. I know our position is being touted as a success in some quarters because relegation was considered a possibility at the start of the season, but I don't think many would have foreseen so many other teams being so poor this season. Cardiff absolutely collapsed. Plymouth self-sabotaged by appointing Rooney. The clubs who continually underperform relative to their budget (Stoke, Watford, Swansea, etc) continued to do so. Luton had a shockingly bad season. Sheff Weds continue to be a basket case. Somewhat hilariously, we're in that group of somewhat stable clubs (along with Millwall, WBA, Boro, and a couple of others) who occasionally have a bad year but generally remain in and around the top half of the table. So it was again this season. So the pessimism was understandable, but in hindsight unnecessary. Could be warranted next season though, if we do lose a significant amount of the players that have kept us relatively stable for the past few years.

I wonder what the record is for cumulative seasons in the Championship without getting into the top six for the past 20 years or so? We're on, what, 12 seasons or something now?

Can't help but think whoever goes up in the playoffs is going to get obliterated in the PL next season. None of them even close to the required standard and would need seriously heavy investment to avoid being totally embarrassed, never mind staying up. First time two teams in the Championship have reached 100 points. Grim as far as the gap between the leagues is concerned.

Well, realistically we are nowhere near good enough to go up, so oh well. At least we had 6th for about 5 minutes. Now let's ramp the pressure up on the root cause of the club's problems over the summer.

Boro could still equalise.

Ayo, Preston fulfilling my prediction.

Bristol city are just as shit lately tbf, doubt it'd make much of a difference.

Yet if Hull concede in the next 15 mins or so they'll still stay up!

Burnley winning.

Well, would rather we fucked it up for ourselves than Preston or Burnley, I suppose.

Portsmouth equaliser gives Luton hope.

Oh God, Preston are going to fuck this up for us, aren't they?

In this crazy league you can't assume anything, even if things look to be going your way, so don't think it'll make much difference. If they fail to win it'll just be because they're generally shit.

Suddenly we're relying on Preston 😒

Cardiff going down in style. Losing 3-0 and down to ten men.

Amazing that Rooney has effectively tanked two clubs in a row so brutally that both ended up going down despite revivals in form after his removal.

Eustace's great escape looking good as things stand. Even if Derby lose they won't go down if Luton can't mount a response.

3-1 now, looking like it's Hull's to throw away

Or not, WBA now 2-1 ahead

Derby and Luton goals would now put Stoke in the drop zone...

Hull 1-0 up, real danger for Preston now.

Great article! Liked the pointed comment to the board at the end as well 👍