The Play-off thread

[bristolhammerfc]

I don't want us to end up in the play offs. We have gambled the family silver and reputation on going straight up and thats what we should do.

We have suffered hoofball, a trashing of the West Ham traditions and John Carew. Spent a load of dosh and a five year contract on our equivelent of Stephen Gostkowski and surrendered two cup competitions without a whimper.

Playoffs wont be good enough for me.

[The Old Man of Storr]

I've got this theory , some may even go as far as calling it a ' Conspiracy Theory ' ....... here it is ....

G&S are deliberately relegating us and promoting us . This will happen for the next 2-3 seasons until some rich Arab buys us for zillions .
What better way to go up than through the play offs ?

[steveyrockstar]

I don't want us to end up in the play offs. We have gambled the family silver and reputation on going straight up and thats what we should do.

We have suffered hoofball, a trashing of the West Ham traditions and John Carew. Spent a load of dosh and a five year contract on our equivelent of Stephen Gostkowski and surrendered two cup competitions without a whimper.

Playoffs wont be good enough for me.

[Ron Manager]

Oh dear! Pass the laudenum - It's another West Ham fan passing an opinion

Pip pip

Ron Manager

[10 Iron]

Flying out on the 19thMay. So sod the playoffs 1 or 2nd is the least. Have faith.

[ymcahammer]

Now its obvious its play offs who do we want to play?

downs...

[Paddy O'Hammer]

Didn't you hear?..... Reading only drew last night with Doncaster. Everything is ok again now. The doom is over. We won't be in the play-offs after all. We are now gona win every remaining game 5-0 until the end of the season!

This thread will be up and down after each set of matches.

Mind you - 'tis a good idea of a thread, as reverse psychology goes!

[e17]

Despite some absolute tripe football at times and the fact I think we'll go up in one of the automatic places, I've actually quite enjoyed this season. Tin hat on, but I'm not really bothered if we're down here for another one to be honest. Or if we get a play off spot

Bolton & Stoke or Doncaster & Burnley... It makes no difference to me as a supporter really. You can definitely include the predictable procession of defeats to "the big 6" in that too.. I couldn't give a toss if we miss out on another season of 'exciting' high profile games against Chelski, Arsenal or Spurs.. I do not miss the endless succession of office chats about how good, bad or indifferent Wayne Rooney, Torres or some other high profile mercenary did at the weekend. Not bothering with the b.s that is the premiership this season has, for the most part, been strangely refreshing. I've attended as many games anyway!

I appreciate that it does matter to the owners and the finance men though, & I'm sure many of you could point out why we HAVE to be in the top flight for reasons attached to all of that.. I'm just saying that I've not missed much since we haven't been, & I don't think I did last time we were down here either, to be honest.

In fact, the frustrated football fan in me can see bonuses either way really. I doubt Allardyce would stick about if we don't go up, that MIGHT lead to some less terrible football, especially at home.. But then at the same time, I'm logical & thankful that the bloke has bought a bit of stability to the club & I hate the managerial merry-go-round that is modern football.

If we're gonna go up, I'd sort of rather it was automatic, & there's three words that sum up why:


Neil Shipperley. Dancing.


One of the worst days I can remember as a supporter, that. Far worse for me than the FA Cup final defeat. I watched the entire final the year after in a massive drunken haze, because the previous one had left me a complete wreck!

Unrelated, but amazes me how much of this league, & indeed most lower league success or lack of, seems to be based on having a proper goalscorer.

[10 Iron]

Despite some absolute tripe football at times and the fact I think we'll go up in one of the automatic places, I've actually quite enjoyed this season. Tin hat on, but I'm not really bothered if we're down here for another one to be honest. Or if we get a play off spot

Bolton & Stoke or Doncaster & Burnley... It makes no difference to me as a supporter really. You can definitely include the predictable procession of defeats to "the big 6" in that too.. I couldn't give a toss if we miss out on another season of 'exciting' high profile games against Chelski, Arsenal or Spurs.. I do not miss the endless succession of office chats about how good, bad or indifferent Wayne Rooney, Torres or some other high profile mercenary did at the weekend. Not bothering with the b.s that is the premiership this season has, for the most part, been strangely refreshing. I've attended as many games anyway!

I appreciate that it does matter to the owners and the finance men though, & I'm sure many of you could point out why we HAVE to be in the top flight for reasons attached to all of that.. I'm just saying that I've not missed much since we haven't been, & I don't think I did last time we were down here either, to be honest.

In fact, the frustrated football fan in me can see bonuses either way really. I doubt Allardyce would stick about if we don't go up, that MIGHT lead to some less terrible football, especially at home.. But then at the same time, I'm logical & thankful that the bloke has bought a bit of stability to the club & I hate the managerial merry-go-round that is modern football.

If we're gonna go up, I'd sort of rather it was automatic, & there's three words that sum up why:


Neil Shipperley. Dancing.


One of the worst days I can remember as a supporter, that. Far worse for me than the FA Cup final defeat. I watched the entire final the year after in a massive drunken haze, because the previous one had left me a complete wreck!

Unrelated, but amazes me how much of this league, & indeed most lower league success or lack of, seems to be based on having a proper goalscorer.

With you alll the way on this sir.

[rare as rockinghorse shat]

Oh dear! Pass the laudenum - It's another West Ham fan passing an opinion

Pip pip

Ron Manager

Ronald

It's not the opinion, but the blasé 'let me make this a pop at the team by stating that we're not going to make automatic promotion' style of it.

[MilkyBarKid16]

This is actually just what I expected to see on here, a few poor games and the play offs are mentioned!

If you look at the league table, you will see this:

1 Southampton. Played 36, 69 pts.
2 Reading. Played 36, 67 pts.
3 West Ham. Played 35, 66 pts.

If West Ham win away to Peterborough and the gaps between the 3 teams stay the same, West Ham will go 2nd, LEVEL ON POINTS WITH SAINTS.

That means that if all the gaps stay the same until after the last games, West Ham will go up in 2nd place.

So there's no need to worry about the play offs!

PS. A boring 0-0 draw would do nicely at home to Reading.

[Ron Manager]

You encapsulate the notion and negativity to perfection RARS. I will be cheering the Irons on at Elland Road and as usual, using words of more than one syllable when questioned by the local constabulary !

Pip pip

Ron Manager

[Absentee Hammer]

Moot point at the moment, lets see where we are in 6 games then start worrying about the play-offs, if we are still 3rd.

Readings loss of 2 points last night helps us no end.

1 It proves Donny are no push-overs, so will hopefully give us some more faith following Saturdays draw.
2 It will slightly deflate Reading and more importantly help their next few teams playing them as they are not so invincible.
3 Our game in hand should be a win against the Posh, this means that it will be upto Reading to get a result at ours as they still have Soton to play (which also helps us either way that result pans out).

We just gotta concentrate on West Ham and win as many as we can.

[Knaphill]

Southampton play 6 of their next 9 games away - I can see them fluffing it big stylie and finishing 3rd place behind & Reading

[Chrissieboy]

We will finish third and lose in the play offs and then BFS will get us relegated to League One on the last day of the 2012/2013 season. My fickle view on things. It is the new West Ham Way. Gold and Sullivan to sell us to Noel Edmonds in 2014. Mr Blobby to then be our best ever manager with Uncle Avram as Director of Football. Stick a fiver on it down Ladbrokes.

[MancIron]

Funny as it may seem, the play off final defeat to Palace is one of my happiest memories as a West Ham supporter.

Just coming out of Cardiff station on the day and being confronted by a mass of Claret and Blue as far as the eye could see.

It just pulled me up sharp on how great our fans are, we hadn't had the chance to turn out like that since the Forest semi in 1991.

Good laugh on the train going down with about 200 norvern based hammers too. We more than matched the Preston on the train the following season.

Couldn't contemplate the pain of losing a play off semi though, that has got to be the most painful defeat in football I reckon.

[MilkyBarKid16]

Couldn't contemplate the pain of losing a play off semi though, that has got to be the most painful defeat in football I reckon.

To be honest I'd rather lose the 2 leg semi than watch West Ham lose in the play off final because when you're in the final you really believe you'll do it and then for it to be taken away would be terrible.

Of course the 2006 FA Cup final was different simply because the FA Cup is so special and its a huge achievement to even get to the final.

[the pink palermo]

For the benefit of Mr Davids Cross .......here it is !

[davids cross]

For the benefit of Mr Davids Cross .......here it is !

O my lord, lordy, lordy lord......

[hammerjohn]

I would rather see us finish outside the play-offs than go through that final again.