Football

Was it just 20 mins? Had to turn the sound down, it was bloody annoying.

I guess it will come eventually. It doesn't feel that long ago that there wasn't any automatic promotion from the conference.

very possibly longer. they were at it again after the match too

1987 was when it moved from a vote to proper promotion.

Yep, a time that lives long in Burnley fans' memory. Last game of the season we needed to win against Orient to stay in the league.

Should move to 2 automatic up/down then 3rd & 4th playoff against 22nd and 21st.
I'd go for that for all leagues - get some extra jeopardy in there from the league above.

Though I guess reduces the interest in play off places. Maybe 3rd to 6th play each other as is and winners of those matches play the teams outside automatic drop spots from league above in a winner takes all match.

Belgium has such a system: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgian_Pro_League

"
The team finishing in 18th place is relegated directly. However, the 17th place will battle for promotion-relegation play-off against 2nd place of the Belgian First Division B.
"

Germany does too, with the bottom two in the Bundesliga being relegated automatically, with the team finishing 16th playing a two-leg playoff against the team who finished 3rd in the 2.Bundesliga.

Argentina used to have a system, primarily to protect the biggest clubs, where the two teams with the worst three-year average points are relegated. Iirc River Plate were due to be relegated about ten years ago, so they introduced a play-off game as well, which they also lost.

Can't we just do a poll to see who want to go down?

The current bottom three will do me, thanks.

I'm a bit disappointed about Southampton (who my mum supports) but they deserve to be bottom.

Graham Poll?

Actually I like that. At the end of the season you just have a very subjective view from a former ref who decides who should go down. Done.

Leeds and Everton please.

I looked at the table, first time in ages (shock!), the bottom three are there for a reason. Everton are there for a reason, Forest and West Ham are probably lucky to be where they are? Moyes magic hasn't been working?
I mean, in the spirit of this thread, my preferred three would be obviously Forest, Leicester, and Leeds. But I don't really think like that any more.

The bottom three are there for problems at the club management really. If Forest stay up, I'd like to see them do more than keep avoiding relegation. Something like Brentford, Brighton, or Bournemouth would be radical. But then I don't know anything about the owners. I think I'd like to see Wolves go down though. Fucking Wolves.

I’d settle for Leeds, Leicester, Southampton tbh. Hopefully they stay down.

Fucking Wolves

Correct. Fuck the dingles.

I would prefer Everton, Leeds & Leicester to go down but we're competing against these teams next season and I think Everton & Leicester are too good not to occupy the top two spots.

I think Leicester could be in serious trouble regardless of whether they go up or stay down. They're probably going to lose a lot of players in their prime and will be left with half a team and I'm not sure if they have the will to reinvest it wisely.

Can't we just do a poll to see who want to go down?

Liverpool please.

Everton could be in real trouble too, what with the new stadium they can't afford, the £150m loan that would need repaying and the FFP breaches.

Yep. They’ve never replaced Vardy with anyone consistent and kasper has never been replaced. Their defence has been hilarious this season.

Leicester have a bunch of players out of contract this year, and a load the following year including Maddison who only has one year left, they are also financed to the hilt, it will be a rough few years for them I think.

Ref Forest, clearly the owner will back us with players if we stay up, the main issue is who is leading on those signings, that has been so disjointed this year.

.

More players? Haven't you bought about 30 in the last year.

I expect a fair few of them will 'sign' for Olympiakos over the summer, whatever happens in the next two games.