Hartlepool,Torquay,Stockport or Notts county? | Page 3 | Vital Football

Hartlepool,Torquay,Stockport or Notts county?

Entertaining game and a good atmosphere. Really pleased for Pools` boss Dave Challinor, who must have been more than a bit concerned when his star man, Rhys Oates, had to be substituted at 70 mins with cramp.
Game full of incident and a good watch. If I was a Torquay fan i might well be a bit miffed at their two disallowed goals. But, well done Hartlepool United, a good tonic for their town.
 
chris who said:
Spot kicks after extra time.No way to decide who gets promoted.
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Just read today that the Spanish 2nd division playoff final (which was played over 2 legs) wouldn't have had penalties if the scores were level, the team that finished higher in the league would have been promoted. I reckon that sounds like a fair idea - the team that finished lower knows they have to go all out for the win, a draw is no good to them.
 
madrid_gill said:
Just read today that the Spanish 2nd division playoff final (which was played over 2 legs) wouldn't have had penalties if the scores were level, the team that finished higher in the league would have been promoted. I reckon that sounds like a fair idea - the team that finished lower knows they have to go all out for the win, a draw is no good to them.
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I like that idea would be a additional benefit to finishing high up the play off places.Torquay were clearly the better side over the season that perhaps should count for more than it does.
 
ThreeSixes said:
And the team that finishes higher can park the bus and just try and avoid defeat, knowing a draw would be enough
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That's true, I guess. But I'd say that with it being played over 2 legs, and with extra time in the 2nd leg if required, the lower placed team has got plenty of time to try to break them down.

The whole idea of the playoffs is to keep teams' season alive for a bit longer when they've no longer got a chance of automatic promotion. As Chris says, the team finishing higher has earned the right to any kind of advantage. I don't think a team finishing 6th can have much cause for complaint if they're asked to specifically go and win a playoff match rather than just draw it to have any chance of promotion ahead of a team that's finished above them.
 
The National League already has a unique (for the UK) play-off structure and it`s fairly weighted in favour of teams that finish higher. No home and away ties, just the one tie with the team that finished higher having a home advantage (until the Final).

This was the 2020/21 final league table:

1. Sutton United - auto Promoted.
2. Torquay United
3. Stockport County
4. Hartlepool United
5. Notts County
6. Chesterfield
7. Bromley


This was the resulting play-off format. Note - the teams that finished the regular season in 2nd and third place don`t even enter the play-offs until the semi-final stage. One-off games (extra time & pens)


Elimination Round - Match A - Notts County vs Chesterfield


Elimination Round - Match B - Hartlepool United vs Bromley


Semi Final - Torquay United vs winner of Match A


Semi Final- Stockport County vs winner of Match B


Promotion Final – Ashton Gate


As seen, Hartlepool did exceptionally well to navigate through two rounds prior to winning promotion at Ashton Gate (first time that`s happened since the new format was commenced - which was 2017 - I think).

The above has proved a successful formula and has kept the Nat League well and truly "alive" up to and including the last day of the season. Could work in the EFL - but would clubs want it ?
 
LancsGordoRoad said:
The National League already has a unique (for the UK) play-off structure and it`s fairly weighted in favour of teams that finish higher. No home and away ties, just the one tie with the team that finished higher having a home advantage (until the Final).

This was the 2020/21 final league table:

1. Sutton United - auto Promoted.
2. Torquay United
3. Stockport County
4. Hartlepool United
5. Notts County
6. Chesterfield
7. Bromley


This was the resulting play-off format. Note - the teams that finished the regular season in 2nd and third place don`t even enter the play-offs until the semi-final stage. One-off games (extra time & pens)


Elimination Round - Match A - Notts County vs Chesterfield


Elimination Round - Match B - Hartlepool United vs Bromley


Semi Final - Torquay United vs winner of Match A


Semi Final- Stockport County vs winner of Match B


Promotion Final – Ashton Gate


As seen, Hartlepool did exceptionally well to navigate through two rounds prior to winning promotion at Ashton Gate (first time that`s happened since the new format was commenced - which was 2017 - I think).

The above has proved a successful formula and has kept the Nat League well and truly "alive" up to and including the last day of the season. Could work in the EFL - but would clubs want it ?
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Could fans keep track of it? It does seem to reward in-season performance appropriately but, only paying half-attention admittedly, it also seemed fiddly and drawn-out. I suppose not if your club is in it.
 
jokerman said:
Could fans keep track of it? It does seem to reward in-season performance appropriately but, only paying half-attention admittedly, it also seemed fiddly and drawn-out. I suppose not if your club is in it.
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Yep, easy to follow and a lot more fair than recent years, when there were no play-offs and only the team that finished the regular season top would go up !
 
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