THE RUN IN

[Skyline Drifter]

2 minutes ago, Diamonds are Forever said:

Our game with Edinburgh will potentially be the killer for Montrose and/or Alloa. They've beaten us 3 out of 3 already and so with a reserve side out resting players they are a near certainty to beat us, at the very least a draw, which puts Montrose (and Queens) out. Also means Alloa will need a point, which won't be easy with those 2 fixtures.

Alloa should have enough to pick up a point but if they lose on Saturday suddenly it becomes a bit of a problem with the Champions to play the next week.

 

Edinburgh getting a point doesn't put either Montrose or us out. It takes them to 52. We can still get to 54, as can Montrose. Granted an Edinburgh win knock us out of it and almost certainly does the same to Montrose barring a cricket score against Clyde and a big win over Alloa.

[LeodhasXD]

This is not my first rodeo.

Fully mentally prepared for it going down to the wire and the tensest of 1-1 draw against Dunfermline on the final day.

[Diamonds are Forever]

2 hours ago, Skyline Drifter said:

Edinburgh getting a point doesn't put either Montrose or us out. It takes them to 52. We can still get to 54, as can Montrose. Granted an Edinburgh win knock us out of it and almost certainly does the same to Montrose barring a cricket score against Clyde and a big win over Alloa.

 

Yes, I phrased that poorly, was meaning a win takes Montrose and Queens out. You're correct, a draw for Edinburgh against us is the same as a defeat really.

Even if we weren't guaranteed 3rd spot before the last game I still think McCabe would rest our better players. I don't think finishing 3rd over 4th makes enough of a difference (if any) to risk injuries.

I said a few weeks ago that I don't think it's ideal that the play-offs start 3 days after the season as it lends itself to this issue of teams putting out weakened sides. As Dunfermline showed on Saturday you can have the league wrapped up with weeks to spare but teams will generally still put out strong sides and be fully committed because they have nothing to save themselves for. However when teams are assured of play-off spaces and don't want injuries or suspensions they are going to put out reserve sides which is unfair on other teams waiting on results. I don't think there is an easy fix but I think squeezing in an extra midweek game through the season, finishing the league a week earlier and then having 10 days between the league and play-offs might help a bit as teams wouldn't want their players losing sharpness, so would potentially play them in the last fixture.

[Skyline Drifter]

6 minutes ago, Diamonds are Forever said:

 

Yes, I phrased that poorly, was meaning a win takes Montrose and Queens out. You're correct, a draw for Edinburgh against us is the same as a defeat really.

Even if we weren't guaranteed 3rd spot before the last game I still think McCabe would rest our better players. I don't think finishing 3rd over 4th makes enough of a difference (if any) to risk injuries.

I said a few weeks ago that I don't think it's ideal that the play-offs start 3 days after the season as it lends itself to this issue of teams putting out weakened sides. As Dunfermline showed on Saturday you can have the league wrapped up with weeks to spare but teams will generally still put out strong sides and be fully committed because they have nothing to save themselves for. However when teams are assured of play-off spaces and don't want injuries or suspensions they are going to put out reserve sides which is unfair on other teams waiting on results. I don't think there is an easy fix but I think squeezing in an extra midweek game through the season, finishing the league a week earlier and then having 10 days between the league and play-offs might help a bit as teams wouldn't want their players losing sharpness, so would potentially play them in the last fixture.

It's not ideal, but nothing is and it's probably the least bad option. Your suggestion, which in reality would need to be adopted for all three divisions due to the involvement of team 9 from the division above in the playoff, would mean 15 clubs having a scheduled home midweek game instead of a Saturday and the resulting ramifications for gate receipts and hospitality income.  It would also mean the runner up in the Championship and the bottom side in League 2 having a whole extra week before they play the playoffs which is equally not ideal.

There's certainly nothing to be gained from Edinburgh settling for a draw in your game, although if Alloa get a point this week it's a dead game for them. If they are still alive entering the end phase of the game though and it's level they'd be as well throwing everyone forward. Could get interesting!

[Monkey Tennis]

Nothing of consequence really rides on the last round of fixtures at all then.

Some irrelevant squabbling over middling places needs sorted, as does the placing for 3rd and 4th that will dictate the play-off fixtures.

It's a pity nothing big is at stake at the end though.

[Mr November]

50 minutes ago, Monkey Tennis said:

Nothing of consequence really rides on the last round of fixtures at all then.

Some irrelevant squabbling over middling places needs sorted, as does the placing for 3rd and 4th that will dictate the play-off fixtures.

It's a pity nothing big is at stake at the end though.

Especially when I think Raith are the only team in the Championship with nothing to play for, while League Two still has the relegation play-off spot up for grabs. It is a shame that next week’s fixtures are essentially meaningless, though I’m mostly relieved that Airdrie don’t need to go to Meadowbank and get anything to make the top four which had been a fear for a while.

[printer]

3 hours ago, Monkey Tennis said:

Nothing of consequence really rides on the last round of fixtures at all then.

Some irrelevant squabbling over middling places needs sorted, as does the placing for 3rd and 4th that will dictate the play-off fixtures.

It's a pity nothing big is at stake at the end though.

Personally, I'm quite comfortable with that.

[Salvo Montalbano]

For anyone wondering if we'd let things slide a bit after securing the title, we've played in-form Airdrie away and held them to a draw despite playing a considerable time with only 9 players, then had no real centre backs today but kept plugging away until we scored a 93rd minute winner v Clyde. We just don't like dropping points, ever. Alloa next week might be a bridge too far though, and now we've secured the "unbeaten at home all season" record (first time since the 1920s for us I believe), I can see us dropping points next Saturday, especially with Alloa looking good for the playoffs.

[parsforlife]

Still got the unbeaten run to continue and a win gets us the club record points total

[printer]

7 minutes ago, Salvo Montalbano said:

For anyone wondering if we'd let things slide a bit after securing the title, we've played in-form Airdrie away and held them to a draw despite playing a considerable time with only 9 players, then had no real centre backs today but kept plugging away until we scored a 93rd minute winner v Clyde. We just don't like dropping points, ever. Alloa next week might be a bridge too far though, and now we've secured the "unbeaten at home all season" record (first time since the 1920s for us I believe), I can see us dropping points next Saturday, especially with Alloa looking good for the playoffs.

Will be interesting to see how we (and Dunfermline) approach the game. We have several players out injured and a couple who are carrying knocks. I expect we'll put out a weakish team and bring in a handful of reserves. 

No idea how it will go.

[Skyline Drifter]

Might as well deal with the formalities first..................

Week 35
Airdrie 1 - 3 QoS
Dunfermline 2- 1 Clyde
Kelty 2 - 1 Peterhead
Montrose 0 - 4 Alloa

The two remaining major issues were both sorted out today. Alloa wrapped up the last playoff spot (and could conceivably still be 3rd) with their comprehensive win at Montrose whilst Peterhead suffered formal relegation after losing at Kelty. Clyde clinched the relegation playoff spot as a result despite their last ditch loss.

Dunfermline kept their unbeaten home record and long total unbeaten run intact. Queen of the South bounced back from last week's red card debacle to beat Airdrie and jump back to 6th (in retrospect, even victory last week would have been worthless unless it had been by at least 7 or 8 goals). Kelty finishing their season with a home win was no doubt welcome but ultimately meaningless.

Congratulations to Alloa, and for a week or so at least, to Clyde. Commiserations to Peterhead.

Commiserations also to Falkirk on losing their Scottish Cup semi final to Inverness.

Edited April 29, 2023 by Skyline Drifter

[Skyline Drifter]

4 hours ago, Monkey Tennis said:

Nothing of consequence really rides on the last round of fixtures at all then.

Some irrelevant squabbling over middling places needs sorted, as does the placing for 3rd and 4th that will dictate the play-off fixtures.

It's a pity nothing big is at stake at the end though.

And yeah, @Monkey Tennis has pretty much summed it up. Not much to play for next week at all in the end and I expect to see pretty much every club toying about with their lineups and looking at some fringe players / resting key ones for playoff games ahead.

Week 36
Alloa Athletic v Dunfermline Athletic
Clyde v Montrose
Edinburgh v Airdrieonians
Peterhead v Falkirk
Queen of the South v Kelty Hearts

Dunfermline will be defending a long unbeaten record at Alloa and have nothing to save players for particularly. Alloa ar likely to be resting players for the playoffs. Hard to see anything other than a Dunfermline win really. Alloa could get 3rd with a point more than Airdrie but not sure it really makes much odds unless they desperately prefer to face Falkirk over Cove / Hamilton.

Clyde similarly likely to be protecting key players for the midweek playoffs. Montrose are playing for nothing of any significance though they could in theory get above QoS if Queens lose.

A win over Airdrie, also likely to rest players as they did today, would hand Edinburgh a highly creditable top half finish in their first season at this level. Anything less risks handing 5th over to QoS if they beat Kelty. Airdrie need a win to clinch 3rd but again, as with Alloa above, not sure how bothered they will actually be about that, and if Alloa don't get anything from the champions Airdrie will be 3rd anyway, regardless of the score.

Peterhead v Falkirk is a completely dead rubber with the two sides guaranteed 10th and 2nd respectively. One would assume Falkirk will make changes ahead of the playoffs like Alloa and Airdrie surely will.

QoS need to get a point more than Edinburgh to clinch 5th and get at least a point to stay ahead of Montrose if the latter should win at Clyde. Nothing really matters much though. Will finish somewhere between 7th and 5th. Kelty will be 8th regardless. The only thing of note being whether QoS can break their Kelty league duck and actually get their first ever point against them.

Game of the week? Meh...........Alloa v Dunfermline probably. Has to be that or Edinburgh v Airdrie. Both games are relevant to the 3rd/4th contest and Edinburgh are in theory playing for a position too whilst Dunfermline are playing to defend that unbeaten record. Nothing particularly important anywhere though. A good case could be made that the most important game for League 1 this coming weekend is Arbroath v Hamilton Accies!

[SouthStander1876]

Hopefully Alloa leapfrog Airdrie on the final day, would be great news for us.

[parsboi]

1 hour ago, SouthStander1876 said:

Hopefully Alloa leapfrog Airdrie on the final day, would be great news for us.

I’m curious.  Why would that be great news for you?  Alloa building up steam going into the playoffs I would have suspected would have been the last thing you’d want to have?

[SouthStander1876]

Just now, parsboi said:

I’m curious.  Why would that be great news for you?  Alloa building up steam going into the playoffs I would have suspected would have been the last thing you’d want to have?

Well we just beat them 4-1 for starters. Played them 5 times this season, 4 wins, 1 draw. Played Airdrie 4 times, 1 win, 2 draws, 1 loss. No-Brainer for me

[Kenny_m]

13 minutes ago, SouthStander1876 said:

Well we just beat them 4-1 for starters. Played them 5 times this season, 4 wins, 1 draw. Played Airdrie 4 times, 1 win, 2 draws, 1 loss. No-Brainer for me

I'd take dropping to 4th if it was Cove as I think there very beatable for any of the League 1 sides as they have been decimated with injuries. 

[Reggie Perrin]

8 hours ago, SouthStander1876 said:

Hopefully Alloa leapfrog Airdrie on the final day, would be great news for us.

Why?

Really getting a bit scunnered by some people’s utterly irrational fear of AIRDRIE!!!

[SouthStander1876]

11 hours ago, Reggie Perrin said:

Why?

Really getting a bit scunnered by some people’s utterly irrational fear of AIRDRIE!!!

Because Airdrie are a better side than Alloa. We surely want the easiest route

[Reggie Perrin]

3 hours ago, SouthStander1876 said:

Because Airdrie are a better side than Alloa. We surely want the easiest route

Still should not be feared!

[Vegetableman]

3 hours ago, SouthStander1876 said:

Because Airdrie are a better side than Alloa. We surely want the easiest route

I hope your players have the same mindset if We do actually play each other 

it is possible we don't