Ups & Downs 2008

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Yes, it's the return of the thread that keeps track of all the promotion/relegation issues towards the end of the season.

Here's a list of the teams who are already up/down:
15 Mar: East Fife (Scots. 3) promoted as champions
29 Mar: Derby (Prem), Gretna (SPL), Berwick (Scots. 2) relegated
5 Apr: Ross County (Scots. 2) promoted as champions
8 Apr: Stafford (Blue Sq Prem), Stirling (Scots. 1) relegated
9 Apr: Colchester (Champ.) relegated
12 Apr: Swansea (League 1) promoted
12 Apr: Luton, Port Vale (both League 1), Droylsden (BSP) relegated
15 Apr: Aldershot (BSP) promoted as champions
19 Apr: Swansea (League 1) champions
19 Apr: MK Dons & Peterborough (League 2) promoted; Hamilton (Scots. 1) promoted as champions
22 Apr: Wrexham (League 2) relegated
26 Apr: MK Dons (League 2) champions
26 Apr: Hereford (League 2) promoted
26 Apr: Farsley & Altrincham (Blue Square Prem) relegated; Forfar (Scots. 3) bottom
29 Apr: Mansfield (League 2) relegated
3 May: Nottingham Forest (League 1) promoted
3 May: Bournemouth & Gillingham (League 1) relegated; Cowdenbeath (Scots Div 2) relegated
4 May: West Brom (Championship) promoted (and champions), Stoke (Championship) promoted.
4 May: Leicester (Championship) relegated
11 May: Man United (Premier League) champions
11 May: Reading, Birmingham (Premier League) relegated

And a list of teams in definitely in the play-offs (promotion play-offs unless stated):
5 Apr: Stranraer (Scots. 3)
9 Apr: Airdrie Utd (Scots. 2)
12 Apr: Montrose (Scots. 3)
15 Apr: Torquay (BSP), Cowdenbeath (Scots. 2 relegation)
19 Apr: Raith (Scots. 2), Arbroath (Scots. 3)
22 Apr: Darlington, Wycombe (both League 2); Cambridge, Burton, Exeter (all BSP)
25 Apr: Leeds (League 1)
26 Apr: Bristol City (Championship); Southend (League 1); Rochdale, Stockport (both League 2); Clyde (Scots. 1 relegation); Alloa (Scots. 2)
3 May: Doncaster, Carlisle (both League 1)
4 May: Hull, Crystal Palace, Watford (all Championship)

European places confirmed:
25 Feb: Tottenham in UEFA cup (Carling Cup winners)
29 Mar: Rangers in Champions League
6 Apr: Man United in Champions League
12 Apr: Chelsea in Champions League
13 Apr: Celtic in Champions League
17 Apr: Arsenal in Champions League
20 Apr: Queen of the South in UEFA cup (Scottish cup finalists)
27 Apr: Liverpool in Champions League
May: Hibernian in Inter-Toto cup
11 May: Motherwell, Everton in UEFA cup
11 May: Aston Villa in Inter-Toto cup
16 May: Man City in UEFA Cup (via fair play league)
17 May: Portsmouth in UEFA Cup (FA Cup winners)

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A handful of teams in England and Scotland are in danger of being relegated this weekend... more on those stories later.

No teams are down yet, but one team has long since been promoted: East Fife were promoted from Scots. Div 3 on March 15th, with six games to spare!

[wonderwall]

Derby lol

[Thor]

I'm already laughing about Port Vale's fate..... although i'll be laughing less if Crewe get taken down with them

[frag]

This weekend's permutations (29-30 March):

ENGLAND

Premiership: Derby will be relegated this weekend if they lose at home to Fulham and either Bolton or Birmingham win (Bolton v Arsenal, Birmingham v Man City). They'll also be down if they draw and Brum win.

League One: Port Vale will go down if they lose at home to Leyton Orient and Crewe at least draw away to fellow stugglers Luton. If Vale draw, then a win for Crewe and a draw for Millwall (away to another struggling side, Bournemouth) will send them down.

SCOTLAND

SPL: Gretna will be down if they don't win at St. Mirren. (I'm assuming that they can fulfil this game; it looks like they should be able to at the moment...)

Division Two: Ross County will be promoted if they win away to 2nd-placed Airdrie Utd.
Berwick are almost certainly down already (they need to win all their games 3-0 while Cowdenbeath lose all theirs 3-0, or something), but their fate will finally be sealed this weekend, if they fail to beat Peterhead at home, or Cowdenbeath at least draw at home to Brechin.

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broomhelga said:

I'm already laughing about Port Vale's fate..... although i'll be laughing less if Crewe get taken down with them

Vale will probably manage to go down even before Luton and Bournemouth, who have both had 10 points deducted!

[Thor]

fragolata said:

broomhelga said:

I'm already laughing about Port Vale's fate..... although i'll be laughing less if Crewe get taken down with them

Vale will probably manage to go down even before Luton and Bournemouth, who have both had 10 points deducted!

Indeed, if I was Port Vale i'd go into administration now while I had the chance

[Thor]

Oh and aren't all the Scottish positions a bit irrelevant, especially the relegation places. I can't see Gretna being in any scottish league next season even if they do finish this one.

[frag]

broomhelga said:

Oh and aren't all the Scottish positions a bit irrelevant, especially the relegation places. I can't see Gretna being in any scottish league next season even if they do finish this one.

The promotion ones certainly aren't. As for relegation, they could have a 2 up, 1 down system, with or without some kind of play-off system.

[Thor]

fragolata said:

broomhelga said:

Oh and aren't all the Scottish positions a bit irrelevant, especially the relegation places. I can't see Gretna being in any scottish league next season even if they do finish this one.

The promotion ones certainly aren't. As for relegation, they could have a 2 up, 1 down system, with or without some kind of play-off system.

People have suggested that the teams in 9th will be safe and the team in 10th will go into the play-offs instead. This sounds like a good solution and one Stirling and Berwick might be keen on

I'm interested to see who might be elected into Div 3.

[o]

That would help Berwick, not that we deserve it all, absolutely appalling season, cant see us bouncing back next year either Stags are bad as well, it's not been a good year at all, unless we can do the great escape, but I think the Stags Lads think they are down already, their hearts have gone

[Panda]

broomhelga said:

I'm interested to see who might be elected into Div 3.

The most likely candidates would be Gala Fairydean, Edinburgh City, Preston Athletic, Spartans and maybe Linlithgow Rose. There's also talk that Clydebank, who exist these days as a junior club, could apply...

[o]

I'd like to see Clydebank back, if that is possible. I remember reading about some team, that was having a new ground complex built, cant remember who, but would expect those type of facilities would get them into the league? And how many times can east stirling finish bottom of the league before being booted? This will be #6 if it happens!

[musicfan2000]

east stirling will lose full license to the sfl if the finish bottom, they have 2 years a a sort of guest then the others decide whether to give them a boot or reinstate their license

[frag]

This is the season where, if they finish bottom, they face being booted. But I imagine that Gretna's plight might give them a stay of execution if there aren't enough good applications from non-league teams.

[Panda]

fragolata said:

This is the season where, if they finish bottom, they face being booted. But I imagine that Gretna's plight might give them a stay of execution if there aren't enough good applications from non-league teams.

I think what musicfan says is right. They can't actually be booted out for another 2 years...

Really the whole thing just shows what a joke Scottish football is beyond the SPL. There should at least be some sort of pyramid system, possibly with a Scottish version of the Conference at the top, to allow teams the opportunity to get into the Scottish League and to get inferior clubs like East Stirling playing at a level where they can actually compete.

[Thor]

misterhamster said:

fragolata said:

This is the season where, if they finish bottom, they face being booted. But I imagine that Gretna's plight might give them a stay of execution if there aren't enough good applications from non-league teams.

I think what musicfan says is right. They can't actually be booted out for another 2 years...

Really the whole thing just shows what a joke Scottish football is beyond the SPL. There should at least be some sort of pyramid system, possibly with a Scottish version of the Conference at the top, to allow teams the opportunity to get into the Scottish League and to get inferior clubs like East Stirling playing at a level where they can actually compete.

They should regionalise at about step 3 if you ask me. I can't see the good in having all these teams travelling round the country.

[o]

The thing with East Stirling is that one man is trying to run them into the ground in order to sell the land and end the club So to boot em out would help his cause no doubt. And let's not forget that we used to have reelection not so long ago. I guess there aren't that many teams that want to step up to div 3 rather than the highland or eastern league, not sure. Have to remember that Elgin came in and have been basically rubbish, rest have done amazingly well.

[frag]

Premiership: Derby will be relegated this weekend if they lose at home to Fulham and either Bolton or Birmingham win (Bolton v Arsenal, Birmingham v Man City). They'll also be down if they draw and Brum win.

Derby are relegated: they could only draw with Fulham, and Brum did beat City. They're the first Prem team to be relegated before the clocks go forward.

League One: Port Vale will go down if they lose at home to Leyton Orient and Crewe at least draw away to fellow stugglers Luton. If Vale draw, then a win for Crewe and a draw for Millwall (away to another struggling side, Bournemouth) will send them down.

Port Vale gave themselves a stay of execution by winning. Crewe lost anyway.

SPL: Gretna will be down if they don't win at St. Mirren. (I'm assuming that they can fulfil this game; it looks like they should be able to at the moment...)

For what it's worth, Gretna are relegated[/color], losing 2-0.

Division Two: Ross County will be promoted if they win away to 2nd-placed Airdrie Utd.
Berwick are almost certainly down already (they need to win all their games 3-0 while Cowdenbeath lose all theirs 3-0, or something), but their fate will finally be sealed this weekend, if they fail to beat Peterhead at home, or Cowdenbeath at least draw at home to Brechin.

Erm, Ross County's match was postponed!
Meanwhile, Berwick are relegated[/color] as they only drew.

[frag]

Meanwhile, the SFL have said that if Gretna do fold, then:

• There will be no relegation from the SPL
  
• The relegation playoffs will continue, but both finalists will be promoted
  
• They will seek to elect another club to Division Three
  
• If no replacement is found, Division Three will have nine teams next season
  

[o]

Nine teams next year would be sh*t!