Another Play Off format option | Vital Football

Another Play Off format option

MaltaRed

Vital Football Hero
Fellas what do you think of the Italian Serie B promotion play offs?

For those that dont know, it works like this:

First of all instead of four teams, they involve six teams (from third till eight). The eight and seventh team play a one off game against the sixth and fifth team, with the game played on the last two home turf.

From then onwards it is similar to the english play offs, the winner of these two games play the teams finished third and fourth on a home and away basis.

What is more interesting is that if the team finishing third finishes 10 points or more then the team arriving fourth, the play offs are called off and the third team gets promoted automatically with the teams finished first and second.

I think it is an interesting system to keep the interest in the league even for longer, to not also that they have also what they call the play out. Where teams at the bottom play games against teams at the top of the Serie C (third tier of Italian football), again more teams are kept involved.

If similar systems are incorporated in the Championship and English Leagues, chances are that games like we played v Bolton, QPR would have meant something...
 
Why bother having a league then?

Lets say somehow we sneaked eighth this season. Do you really think that we would have deserved a chance at promotion?

Absolutely no way as we were completely masterbate and would have made the league look like a joke.
 
Why bother having a league then?

Lets say somehow we sneaked eighth this season. Do you really think that we would have deserved a chance at promotion?

Absolutely no way as we were completely masterbate and would have made the league look like a joke.

Zed following your philosophy we might as well stop the play offs then ... purpose of the play offs is to keep interest in the league right till the end ...keep in mind that I doubt that there is another league in Europe with so many teams in it ...
 
Fellas what do you think of the Italian Serie B promotion play offs?

For those that dont know, it works like this:

First of all instead of four teams, they involve six teams (from third till eight). The eight and seventh team play a one off game against the sixth and fifth team, with the game played on the last two home turf.

From then onwards it is similar to the english play offs, the winner of these two games play the teams finished third and fourth on a home and away basis.

What is more interesting is that if the team finishing third finishes 10 points or more then the team arriving fourth, the play offs are called off and the third team gets promoted automatically with the teams finished first and second.

I think it is an interesting system to keep the interest in the league even for longer, to not also that they have also what they call the play out. Where teams at the bottom play games against teams at the top of the Serie C (third tier of Italian football), again more teams are kept involved.

If similar systems are incorporated in the Championship and English Leagues, chances are that games like we played v Bolton, QPR would have meant something...


I have a more revolutionary idea!

Why dont we take a group of teams, 24 say, and organise things so that they all play each other on a home and away basis.

You could give out points for winning and drawing games which would then be recorded in a tabular format in something called a league.

Once all the teams have played each other the top three in the league will be promoted and the bottom three will be relegated; these teams will be replaced by teams from the leagues above and below which have completed their games on the same basis.

I appreciate that there are a number of flaws built in to this format; the main one being that there will inevitably be a number of "meaningless games" each season with little more than points and pride to play for.

This could bring on problems with the Sky generation of supporter falling asleep at games; to make sure there are no legal issues emanating from this, I suggest that the following warning be printed on each ticket issued:

Dear Dilettante, we would like to point out that there may be a number of games played at the back end of the season which may fail to stimulate any level of interest or excitement in you whatsoever; in the event of this occurrence please feel free to go back to your computer games and set top boxes and leave the genuine supporters in peace.

You never know; the League may well manage to go over one hundred years before anyone decides to f*ck about with the format.
 
Zed following your philosophy we might as well stop the play offs then ... purpose of the play offs is to keep interest in the league right till the end ...keep in mind that I doubt that there is another league in Europe with so many teams in it ...

6th is just about OK - (top quarter of the league), but 8th (top third) is taking the piss.

Takes the piss even more so in Serie B where there are what? 20 teams?
 
6th is just about OK - (top quarter of the league), but 8th (top third) is taking the piss.

Takes the piss even more so in Serie B where there are what? 20 teams?
What do you think of the automatic promotion of the third team if the gap between them and fourth is 10 points or more ?
 
What do you think of the automatic promotion of the third team if the gap between them and fourth is 10 points or more ?

How about this scenario - the gap between 3rd and 4th is 9 points. The gap between 3rd and 8th is 25 points. The team in 8th is promoted via those ridiculous playoffs.
 
How about this scenario - the gap between 3rd and 4th is 9 points. The gap between 3rd and 8th is 25 points. The team in 8th is promoted via those ridiculous playoffs.
Could happen but highly improbable ... I am not saying which is the fairest or which is not , the 6 teams play off way increases interest and the one that promotes automatically the third team looks like the fairest ...as said this was just a thread to see the views of the fans on an option that is used somewhere else... and for a number of years now...
 
If there is an insistence to bleed the supporters dry, have the play off between the team in 3rd place and 3rd bottom in the league above.

At least you maintain the integrity of the League that way
 
I have a more revolutionary idea!

Why dont we take a group of teams, 24 say, and organise things so that they all play each other on a home and away basis.

You could give out points for winning and drawing games which would then be recorded in a tabular format in something called a league.

Once all the teams have played each other the top three in the league will be promoted and the bottom three will be relegated; these teams will be replaced by teams from the leagues above and below which have completed their games on the same basis.

I appreciate that there are a number of flaws built in to this format; the main one being that there will inevitably be a number of "meaningless games" each season with little more than points and pride to play for.

This could bring on problems with the Sky generation of supporter falling asleep at games; to make sure there are no legal issues emanating from this, I suggest that the following warning be printed on each ticket issued:

Dear Dilettante, we would like to point out that there may be a number of games played at the back end of the season which may fail to stimulate any level of interest or excitement in you whatsoever; in the event of this occurrence please feel free to go back to your computer games and set top boxes and leave the genuine supporters in peace.

You never know; the League may well manage to go over one hundred years before anyone decides to f*ck about with the format.
Love it! And absolutely my opinion on playoffs.

There wouldn’t be too many meaningless games though. It’s very easy for a mid table side to go on a late run and either challenge for promotion if the run is good or struggle against relegation if the run is bad.

In the prem most teams were fighting to the end on the basis of Europe, relegation and the small matter of pounds for places. Think someone mentioned £1.9m per place.

If the right bonuses are in place players will certainly play for them.
 
Fuck it.

Champions go up, bottom club go down.

2nd place Championship club play 19th in Prem over two legs.
3rd v 18th.
4th v 17th.
5th v 16th.

Winner get promoted/stays up.

Top 5 in Championship have something to play for, but the lower down you finish the harder the task becomes.
 
Fuck it.

Champions go up, bottom club go down.

2nd place Championship club play 19th in Prem over two legs.
3rd v 18th.
4th v 17th.
5th v 16th.

Winner get promoted/stays up.

Top 5 in Championship have something to play for, but the lower down you finish the harder the task becomes.

Can you imagine the meltdown in the PL if that was proposed...
 
Can you imagine the meltdown in the PL if that was proposed...

How about this:

Top 2 go up in Championship, bottom 2 go in PL go down.

Then as a Playoff:

PL 18th v CH 3rd
PL 17th v CH 4th
PL 16th v CH 5th
PL 15th v CH 6th

One leg. Prem team plays at home. Extra time + pens if scores level.

Winners of these quarter finals to play in PL the following season.

Then two legged semi finals between the losers of these quarter finals.

Winners of the semi finals to play in the PL the following season.

Losers of the semi finals play in a one off game at Wembley with the winner to play the Premier League the following season and the loser to play in the Championship.
 
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How about this:

Top 2 go up in Championship, bottom 2 go in PL go down.

Then as a Playoff:

PL 18th v CH 3rd
PL 17th v CH 4th
PL 16th v CH 5th
PL 15th v CH 6th

One leg. Prem team plays at home. Extra time + pens if scores level.

Losers of these quarter finals to play in Championship the following season.

Then two legged semi finals between the winners of these quarter finals.

Losers of the semi finals to play in the Championship the following season.

Winners of the semi finals play in a one off game at Wembley with the winner to play the Premier League the following season.

I've read that four times, & I still read as 3 teams being promoted/staying up with 7 getting relegated.
 
How about this:

Top 2 go up in Championship, bottom 2 go in PL go down.

Then as a Playoff:

PL 18th v CH 3rd
PL 17th v CH 4th
PL 16th v CH 5th
PL 15th v CH 6th

One leg. Prem team plays at home. Extra time + pens if scores level.

Losers of these quarter finals to play in Championship the following season.

Then two legged semi finals between the winners of these quarter finals.

Losers of the semi finals to play in the Championship the following season.

Winners of the semi finals play in a one off game at Wembley with the winner to play the Premier League the following season.

Don't think your math adds up sir.
 
Sorry, explained it the wrong way. Had a couple of beers and a valium and feeling bit 'relaxed'. Let me edit the post.
 
How about this:

Top 2 go up in Championship, bottom 2 go in PL go down.

Then as a Playoff:

PL 18th v CH 3rd
PL 17th v CH 4th
PL 16th v CH 5th
PL 15th v CH 6th

One leg. Prem team plays at home. Extra time + pens if scores level.

Winners of these quarter finals to play in PL the following season.

Then two legged semi finals between the losers of these quarter finals.

Winners of the semi finals to play in the PL the following season.

Losers of the semi finals play in a one off game at Wembley with the winner to play the Premier League the following season and the loser to play in the Championship.
So an SBC team's reward for doing well is having to win an away game at a PL team whose resources have been ten times greater?

No thanks. Might be a lot fairer between football league divisions but is fundamentally unfair with the PL unless the championship side has home advantage or a neutral venue at least.

Sheffield United Vs Fulham? I wouldn't necessarily bet on united even with Fulham having done badly. They spent £100m. What did blades spend?

I don't mind the idea of a limited 'playout' and it has been done before in the 80's.

But it has limited appeal to fans. The excitement of the playoffs is in winning something new rather than 'winning' the status quo.