We went on a really dire run but then had a good go at giving ourselves a chance in the Spring before running out of gas at the end. I seem to recall Easter being pivotal. IIRC we lost at Stoke on the Saturday and failed to beat York at home on the Monday.
I'd booked the weekend in Stoke and ended up staying over an extra 2 days because whilst there The Hilton bizarrely offered us a family room with breakfast and full evening meal ('Yes Sir that does include anything you want from the menu') for £9 per night - for all of us, not each.
I've no idea what the marketing ploy was behind that but it wasn't getting turned down, Just needed the football results to have been different for the perfect weekend.