EFL Extra: Southampton on a surge

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0:36Hello and welcome to the Game Football Podcast from The Times. This is our EFL Extra Show with all the latest from the Championship League 1 and League 2. I'm producer Neil, stepping in at the last minute because there's no Tom Clarke today because he's got far more important things to do because he's got a little baby. He's a dad. Congratulations, Tom. Alongside me, the encyclopedia of the Football League and former professional footballer, Gregor Robertson. Gregor, thank you for having me along and I think you'll join me in wishing our friend congratulations. heartfelt congratulations life has changed Tom he did say to us that he'd be listening to this at 3am we've both got kids do we believe him I mean you won't know the concept of time anymore yes that is absolutely Greg has got two so he knows yeah so anyway we wish him well um as ever loads to get into let's start in the championship we probably should start with what for us because we're recording Thursday afternoon was last night where Southampton won again I mean they are on absolute charge aren't they?

1:36They certainly are I mean between them and Ipswich this season they've been the team that we've kind of on the show the teams that we've spoken about if they click then they're going to be a force they're going to be ominous and it's happened with Southampton Ipswich haven't really still done it but they're still on the verge of automatic so that's the way as we said from the start that if you're a team with parachute payments and have the money that they had to spend in the summer or to retain the squad, then they've got a huge advantage. And since Don Dietrich has come in, the turnaround has been absolutely remarkable.

2:13He's won 14 of his 25 league games, climbed from 21st to 6th. I think that's since November, including a few games as an interim manager before he got the job permanently after Will still left. So an amazing turnaround. I think they've left it too late for the Autos. I mean, he did that. They did something similar under Russell Martin, actually, in 2024. And they did go up through the playoffs and beat Leeds in the playoff final. But towards the last few weeks, because the run was so, so impressive, that they briefly threatened to jump into that top two. I think they have left it too late for that.

2:52But it was a huge win against Coventry at the weekend. Went 2-0 up and then kind of were hanging on at the end, 2-1 victory. And then, as you say... They threw the kitchen sink, didn't they, Coventry? they certainly did Peretz in goal was some amazing saves yeah Brandon Thomas Asante had a great chance at the end there was like a ricochet off a defender and then a keeper saved a double save it was like heart and mouth stuff so yeah that was a big statement win continuing I think it's an unbeaten league and cup run goes to 13 games now they obviously beat Fulham in the FA Cup as well set up a big clash against Arsenal in the next round and that was after he got manager because he got manager of the month didn't he in February and then he'd gone on and beat Fulham in the cup and he's been Coventry top league at their place so it's not been a curse for him has it no I mean Norwich are a team in great form as well really climbed the table Fenerzaz with the only goal of the game you're getting him into double figures yeah Southampton look really ominous just now and you know to kind of knock Wrexham not Wrexham I'd finally got themselves into that playoff place themselves and they've lost I think two of the last three so to knock them out was a big gut punch for Wrexham but Southampton are definitely on the rise and you mentioned automatic they're 10 off middle spring second but obviously it's which you've got that game in hand which if they win they'll take them to 71 so they'd be 11 off with what eight to go and that was one of my notes actually with all the leagues is it's getting to that point isn't it where it's like we're running out of games if you're going to stay up or you're going to make it it's like how many games have we got left?

4:35Absolutely, yeah. And the run-ins are, you know, it's slightly different than this. I did a piece on the relegation picture in the Premier League just last week. And you look at the run-ins and you feel that's important. You look at, you know, the kind of points per game ratio of the teams that they have left to play home and away. But in the Championship, that kind of almost means nothing because teams rise and fall. You know, you think you're playing a team at the bottom of the table, but they're fighting for their lives and it's such a, it's just a completely different landscape. So, yeah, like, I mean, there are going to be huge games, like when I think Millwall and Epswich play each other this weekend.

5:10That's a huge one. I've written that down. Yeah. And you mentioned that kind of anyone can be anyone type thing. Great example of that, which is the one I wanted to come on to, was Millwall in the fourth, lost to Blackburn, who were fighting for their life. But there's a red card in it, and there's a red card in the game we're going to talk about, or one of the teams we're going to talk about in a sec, West Brom, when they played Hull. Have you seen the two? I have. I think it was... Zach Sturge yeah that's right really harsh I mean they're just for anyone that hasn't seen it he's the Millwall Blackburn he's running through he's got a defender almost within an arm's reach either side of him yeah and then he gets pulled down by the guy that's running back with him and he gets a red card yeah Zach Sturge is kind of oh actually the Blackburn striker runs across him which is always a dangerous position to be in and but you're right there are recovering defenders really close by I think you know there's been so many changes to the the rule they call dog so now in football, denial of a goal scoring opportunity I don't think that actually matters anymore there's been tweaked and changed so many times so still it just feels in your gut really really harsh and it was a big moment because there were half an hour to play there were 1-0 up and Jorgensen banged in two goals for Blackburn in the last 10 minutes and you know.

6:26And Alex Neil wasn't happy afterwards because he referenced it, said you know it wasn't a red card changed the game and sort of stalled them a little bit maybe well as we say they play Ipswich on Saturday both tied on 68 points Ipswich have a game in hand Millville have not lost back to back games I think they've lost once all season in December so they have their form of even when you get these setbacks managing to turn it around but this is a huge game for them because they are in the mix they are and they've been on such a good run that they're looking at automatics now. Millwall, all season we're thinking, are they going to last the pace in the playoffs?

7:07They're doing more than that. They're looking up and this is a big opportunity for them to kind of really make a statement in that chase for the second place. That second place currently taken by Middlesbrough, but not one at home in four now, I think, but perhaps the bigger news is the injury, maybe, to their star man, Hayden Hackney. I don't know if you've seen the last minute goal. It's 96th minute, I think. Bristol City at the weekend, all the possession, couldn't get a second. And then with the, what was it, 30 seconds to go, Bristol City send the keeper up. And he does quite a good job, doesn't he, blocking off the front man.

7:44And then there's a bullet header and that's it, 1-1. They've not won at home in four. And if Ipswich win their game in hand, that's them back in the playoffs. Do you think, are they storing at the wrong time? Do you think they can come back? I mean they had one kind of wobble just after Christmas I think and they've had some really strange periods in front of goal and that has been an issue for them I remember they racked up something like 70 shots without having a goal but the thing that you say that's the important thing is the home form I mean losing to Charlton at home the week before that was a real shock result and drawing with Leicester before that Leicester are fighting for their lives a bit and despite it all I've still got some talented players that was a bit less of a kind of a shock but for them to lose their sort of aura at home is big at this time of year and I don't think it's like crisis time for them and as I say the games they're going to have the opportunity between the end of the season to beat the teams around them they play Millwall at Easter and they play Ipswich on April 19th that's their their direct opposition as long as it's like as long as it's close they are huge games and actually they finish at Rex on the final day too so yeah this is the point in time you look at the run-in and you see some like mouth-watering games yeah that we were saying about the shots I mean 70 % possession there against Bristol City just couldn't couldn't get a goal before we go down to the bottom of the league you've talked about how tight it is to get in the playoffs then are you gonna I mean Norwich stalled a bit last night obviously but came up against Southampton the form team how far down are you looking?

9:26I mean you think Birmingham's still in it or you think too far? I think with eight to go surely that's too much isn't it? I think it would be pretty miraculous if it's happened before but I'm not sure the teams above them will drop enough points. I'm not even sure Watford I was about to say but only five for Watford and you think too far though? Well I'm not sure they're consistent enough I mean they obviously had a great result against Rexham in midweek some great goals and great attacking play And when it clicks for them, they're really, you know, Ed still has not done too bad a job. It's been inconsistent, but he's got them looking up.

10:02I would personally think that it's down to Derby, who are three points behind Southampton. And got a big win against Portsmouth, who are fighting for their lives, as we keep saying.

10:16And I don't know, I think under John Eustace as well, they just have a bit of nous. so because I mean Derby historically in recent season definitely don't have any now but he's signed a lot of players from his old Blackburn team who are up at the right end of the table and he does yeah so I think he's created a team that kind of knows knows what it takes to be up in and around there at the end of the season in the championship so I would say it's down to Derby in eighth so then where does the relegation fight start because we were chatting beforehand and we probably differ a little bit. And this is not because I'm a Blackpool fan.

10:52I was just reading up on different teams. Preston in absolute free fall. And I know you say they did it last season, but they've gone from 21st of January, I think, they were in the playoffs. They're now 17th, not one in seven, lost again the other day on Saturday, rather. And even Paul Heckenbottom came out in an interview at the weekend and said, yeah, we need to be looking over our shoulder. But you think you're going to put me in my box. Go on. No I mean I think he's probably Saying that I'm sure he I'm sure he believes it But it's probably a message To his team as well I mean They don't want to get Complacent They don't want to Keep leaving it And really getting Kind of To squeaky bum time Because that's exactly What they did last season I think it went down To the final day And they'd been You know They kind of plummeted They should never have been In that In that mix For relegation So The same is true now They're on 49 points But They're still seven teams beneath them I'm not I think one win might be enough and when you put it like that it's a different story isn't it it's like one's in like you said there's so many teams that would have to do so well to get past them yeah I mean even big result Oxford obviously been on a really good run they they'd won three in a row before they faced Charlton the weekend and they came with like I think it was a 93rd minute penalty away from a fourth win in a row and that wouldn't not only have been important to get two more points, which would have helped them climb out of the bottom three, it would also have kind of brought them closer to Charlton and helped kind of draw them back in who are on 48 points.

12:30They're not entirely safe yet either. But again, personally, I think it's from Blackburn in 19th down. There's only between Blackburn in 19th and Leicester in 23rd, there's four points, there was a blanket over those teams. and Portsmouth have a game in hand, but I think, you know, Sheffield Wednesday are obviously already relegated. I think it's between those five teams. And we mentioned a minute ago, or I did, the red card with West Brom putting an amazing win against Hull 3-0 at home. James Morrison, he's starting to turn it around, isn't he, there? They're building a bit of momentum, and at this time of the season, that's all important.

13:07They're looking like maybe they pull out of it. Yeah, it's all changed. I mean, when he got the interim role... Sorry, first in 14, wasn't it, that? In all competitions, I think. First win in 14. Yeah, and that's three unbeaten now as well. His first game he was scathing when they lost against Oxford. He was really scathing of his players. And since then, they've drawn with Sheffield United, drawn with Southampton, two difficult games, and beaten Hull over in the playoffs. And Hull, as we talk about again, had a slightly dubious red card. in the first half so that obviously tilted the game in their favour but they really, really took advantage they had 26 shots to Hull 6 6, sorry Hegebo and Josh Madjug scored the first goal since December and October respectively they've been players who are like he should be good at the level but it's just been a really disappointing season for them often not really, in Madjug's case not even being involved for periods of the season and Morrison just seems to have sort of managed to lift the mood.

14:13He revealed that before this game he took the players to a spa on the Thursday, a couple of days before the game. Did you ever get taken to a spa? We did actually, yeah. Did you ever? Sometimes. It's a Champney Springs in Leicester. Yeah, it's quite posh actually. It's nice, yeah. You just find lots of lads in kind of towel robes sort of sleeping on sofas for most of the afternoon. So I think that's probably... He just said, I saw him in an interview just saying, like the weight of pressure is enormous at this point in the season and just wanted to kind of lighten the load for them. And like it's only a little thing, but it's interesting what managers will try to kind of change the mood.

14:52I was going to say, what do you think is the motivation? I think you probably just explained it. It's about lifting the pressure, is it? Just taking the stress out of it? Yeah, just taking a day away from the training ground and helping everyone relax. And clearly that's a way to relax. but they're more important things that he's done. He's simplified things dramatically, just switched to a 4-4-2. He's got getting attacking players in attacking areas, good defenders, defending, doing the thing they do best and a bit more athleticism in midfield. I think suddenly they're a team who, as we say, look dead and buried and now have a little bit of momentum, if you can call it that, out of any of the teams at the bottom end of the table.

15:35Leicester on the other hand I was just going to say like you know that whole thing about too good to go down surely if you look at the championship you look at their squad you look at their players they've got Ayo up front they've got Oliver Schip in midfield they've got Chowdhury and Thomas as full but like they've got some for that level yeah plenty good enough players Jordan James like those two players are players who should like will be playing in the Premier League you know Mavididi even he blows a bit more hot and cold but he's he's a really talented really talented player yeah look it's been such a mess of a season for Leicester City from the start.

16:13I mean, there have been a lot of things behind the scenes in terms of breaking financial rules, historic ruling for that. And they were very late in the day in appointing Martí Sifuentes, Gary Rewitt. It's kind of been a bit of an uptick, but there's still also been performances that have been a shambles and there were a shambles in this game against QPR defensively. And actually now the problem is that they're really creating very little in front of goal as well for all the talent we've just spoken about there. And, you know, as I say, players like Fatahou, it shouldn't be the case. So, you know, there've been some positive on the ground that a draw against Borough, another draw against Ipswich.

17:00But the goals they conceded against QPR were pretty embarrassing really and it just I don't know it just feels like as we approach the 10 year anniversary of Leicester City winning the Premier League title the chances of them dropping into League One are looking really really strong it's looking bleak for them they could travel to Watford on Saturday and the only thing you can see is Gary Rowe has been here before he's an experienced manager I think out of all the decisions the kind of wacky decisions that are being taken at all levels of the game at this time of year to try and claw something back, appoint someone like Gary Rourke who was one of the better ones.

17:44It's just whether he can get this team to perform consistently enough to drag themselves out of the relegation zone. Well, on that bombshell, 10 years after they won the Premier League, could Leicester be dropping into League One? A bit early for predictions, eight games to go. I won't wait to do them just yet, but I think we know probably where your money lies at this point in time. We're going to take a quick break. Join us after the break. We'll be looking at League One and League Two.

18:30Now, get it all, buy one, get one 50 % off during the semi-annual LiveWell sale. From crushing workouts to leveling up your nutrition and everything in between, get the best deals on the latest innovations. All the newness is all on sale right now during the LiveWell sale. On the drop by GNC.

18:56Welcome back to the Game Football Podcast from The Times and our EFL Extra show. we're going to move on to League One. I'm a Blackpool fan. It's my league. It's been a dreadful season. Greg is going to grill me on it in a minute, not because I'm on, but actually because it's relevant to us talking about the bottom of the table. Before we do, I was just doing a bit of research, Greg, and looking at goals, because I know that we've got a forward at Blackpool, Ashley Fletcher, who's got plenty of goals this season. So we've not struggled in front of goal. And I went to watch them at Orient earlier.

19:25They've also got Don Ballard, of course, who's scoring hatfuls this season. And so I had a look at the top goal scorers for League One. And there's three in the bottom five because there's also Jadon Wareham at Exeter. And Exeter, Orient and Blackpool have been in and around the bottom all season. But you look at the top two, Cardiff and Lincoln, there's one player from those two in the top 10. And there's actually more than 10 players because it's like joint ninth, joint eighth, whatever. And it just struck me as, you know, are they playing different football or are they just scoring all over the pitch?

19:55But it's quite interesting that you've got these goal scores, but they're all in teams that are struggling. It's very interesting, yeah. I mean, look, I think the truth is the good teams don't want to be over-reliant on one source of goals. And if you look at the expected goals table, you look at Cardiff with 73 goals and they wildly over-performed their expected goals. And Lincoln got 71 goals and they've wildly over-performed as well. And they've done it in very different ways. Cardiff are the most possession dominant team in the league, one of the most in the country, create chance after chance after chance.

20:35And Lincoln do it in a very different way. They kind of see possession. But as Michael Scabella told me in an interview earlier this season, when they win the ball back, they take more risks than anyone else. And they try and make the quickest beeline towards goal. So it's more of a team ethos as opposed to a reliance on one striker. and I think a lot of teams when they're down the bottom of the table, they often struggle to find goals from various sources and they do rely upon one person. It's better to have one goal scorer than none, but it's not always a panacea either. And you brought us neatly on to Lincoln and he's not here, but we might as well promote them while he's not in his absence.

21:20I'm sure he'd be thrilled that we've done that slash really annoyed and petrified because we've jinxed it. but there's nothing to jinx now not even Tom can believe that there's anything to jinx now they're away and clear aren't they? I mean yeah they're 15 points clear of third place Bolton Wanderers they're five points clear of Cardiff both of those teams will be playing in the championship next year I'd be amazed if Lincoln aren't champions as well they are 21 games unbeaten now Riley Towler equalised against Huddersfield in the fourth minute stoppage time in the last game from a long throw-in.

21:58That kept their run going and you saw Michael Scubala celebrating wildly on the sidelines and everyone involved. They've just got a great spirit and momentum behind them. Before that, they beat Stockport 2-1. That was the first time they considered a goal in six games. This Huddersfield game was the first time they considered more than one goal for eight weeks. They're just an ominous team in every respect. they give up so few opportunities in their own box and as I said earlier they turn defence into attack quicker than any other team in the league really and are getting goals from various sources so yeah, I mean it's all but done what is fascinating is the kind of rest of the playoff picture because it's bonkers this season it really is it's not even worth trying to forecast really I think you could go all the way from Bolton in third down to Barnsley in 12th.

22:58Wow, you're going as far as Barnsley? I suppose they've got the games in hand, haven't they? Barnsley have got two games in hand over almost all of the teams above them, everyone except Stevenage. And while they are eight points behind, it's not impossible. I don't think they're consistent enough. They've drawn their last three games, won one of their last five. Luton got back to back wins against Wickham and Exeter to kind of keep themselves in the hunt as well they're only four points adrift of Reading but everywhere you look I mean Plymouth were like threatened to get threatened to be relegated not so long ago earlier in the season being on a fantastic run Wickham like they just lost against Bolton Bolton and Luton after being on a great run and they've sort of stuttered a bit but then beat Cardiff like it's just even Cardiff have kind of wobbled a bit really, lost two of the last four games, only won one of the last four.

23:52Stevenage have started to rise again after dropping way off. Huddersfield under Liam Manning kind of got a bounce and then it's sort of faded away a bit, but they're still really in the conversation. Reading, even Reading fans are not overly happy with Liam Richardson's football and his sort of vision for the team and what he thinks they're capable of, but they're sixth and in the playoffs. Stockport lost three games in a row until they beat Northampton in midweek. Dave Challenger always finishes in the playoffs, but I think he would have really been expecting a bit more this season. And Bradford's away form is absolutely woeful.

24:35And even Bolton have stumbled along in recent weeks. So none of them are in great shape. And there's some big beasts in there. and even when they're sort of, you know, stuttering and stumbling, a few of them are managing just to hang in there. You get the impression, I mean, this could be kind of putting a narrative on it that isn't there, but with some of them, I think they've been, the wind has been sort of knocked out of them because Cardiff and Lincoln have just kept winning. And so like Bolton, you say they've struggled a bit and it's almost like they were on a run and they were getting there, but they weren't making any progress.

25:08They weren't getting any, because they kept winning. And it's kind of seen everyone off, hasn't it? There was the game against Lincoln, I think it was last month, where I think they scored late on to equalise, but that was their chance to narrow the gap. And it wasn't much of a gap at that point, but since then, Lincoln have just completely turbocharged away and Bolton have had far too many draws. This weekend as well, you've got Stevenage in eighth against Reddick in sixth, and then you've got Plymouth in tenth, Huddersfield in seventh. so again at this time of the season those games big effect you know you win it and you're not only gaining but you're pulling the other team back so there's a lot on those two aren't there?

25:49There certainly is yeah Plymouth's turnaround has been pretty remarkable Tom Cleverley kind of hung in there at the start of the season brought Derek Adams back to the club to be a kind of director of football role and offer a bit of guidance to a young manager and I think it's been an inspired move so they're definitely in a good run and could well gatecrash it it's hard as I say I'm not even going to try and forecast it so please don't ask me Neil no 8 games to go I'm resisting it thus far and it's equally as difficult at the bottom of the table I was going to say there's another 6 point at the bottom as well because Wigan are playing Exeter 19th against 20th so it's another like again you win that it's just it's compounding the win isn't it and that's Gary Caldwell's old team he just left Exeter for Wigan he's elicited a bit of a bounce there and yeah he could well put his old club in a bit of danger who have not had a bounce themselves since he's left so yeah I think that brings us on to Blackpool Neil because I mean do we have to?

26:55I just you know I mean how they are in this relegation mix is kind of beyond me given the resources Steve Bruce was given in the summer some of the signings he made and actually a bit of expectation from outside, from externally, externally anyway. And internally, trust me, like you did look at the team at the start of the season and you thought, yeah, a couple of signings were not far off the playoffs. That was my thought. And I had not even been, and I kept, even till Christmas, you kept thinking, because historically lots of teams and you referenced them early, you can go on these runs, you put two or three wins together and you climb the table.

27:29Plymouth's a good example, Norwich in championship, Southampton we were talking about, just never happened, never even got close. and it's hard to know. I mean, there's a lot of upset behind the scenes, whether the club's up for sale or not. But I mean, you're an ex-player. It doesn't matter, does it really? If you've got the playing staff and you put in the right system, with those players, you would think they should be getting results. Well, they're clearly not getting, you know, they're not getting that much bang for their buck because they've got a pretty sizable budget, I think, for the division as well.

28:03I mean, there are teams with bigger budgets, but I would say it would be in and around the top eight. The games I've seen, and I don't know how many, it'd be interesting to know if anyone wants to email in who this applies to other teams in League One. They're all trying to play football that's very similar to what you would see at Premiership level and it just looks to me like you've got players that aren't quite comfortable enough doing that yet. I mean, we scraped a win against bottom of the league Port Vale. Well, that was a big win. I mean, 81st minute volley, Wolters volley and there were absolute seams at the end because that was big.

28:33kind of buried Port Vale yeah I think I was going to say are we saying they're gone they're done yeah they are now I mean they had a bit of a bounce there obviously on a cut run as well but they're on 28 points and everyone else down there is changing managers pretty much yes yeah there's been some more changes in the dugouts Kevin Nolan was sacked by Northampton 24 hours after going on a national radio programme you know a day before a game got two former managers in the dugout now and Colin Calderwood who is the technical director he's in temporary charge and he's assisted by Ian Sampson another former Northampton manager so it kind of I don't know it feels like the club's sort of running out of ideas a bit there and Rotherham finally kind of lost patience with Matt Hamshaw after a 5-0 defeat against Peterborough and made a really surprise appointment in Lee Clark 53 year old Lee Clark who does that smack of someone somewhere at the club knows someone has got a number or is there more, is that unfair, is there more to it than that no I'd say that's probably quite fair yeah I mean there's not much logic to this one he's not managed England since a spell with non-league Blythe Spartans in March 2020 you know obviously he had some success at Huddersfield this is going back to when I was playing so it's a long time ago I played against his team when he had Jordan Rhodes up front and a really good squad that was our afternoon was it?

30:01he was he's you know he managed Blackpool Borey and Kilmarnock slightly successfully and he also spent some time in Sudan and Oman but he said I think he posted something on Instagram two years ago saying he'd retired and he was focusing on supporting the career of his son Bobby who was at Liverpool went to RB Leipzig and is now at Derby County but he's obviously had the call and wants to try and help Rotherham avoid relegation to the fourth year for the first time in 13 years because Rotherham, we've got to remember a team have been yo-yoing between the Championship and League One on a consistent basis for eight or nine years and since the last relegation it's been calamitous really so big, big job on his hands and if I was a better man I'd wish him luck we can't move on to League 2 before we must mention before we go I mentioned him earlier on Leighton Orient who suddenly and again it's that thing isn't it if you can put two or three wins together at this time of the season what a big chance I mean I thought they were nailed on couldn't buy a win and suddenly yeah I mean the turnover in players there has been extraordinary it's been a lot of loans yeah they got rid of a lot of dead wood in January signed some more loan players most importantly they stuck with Richie Wellens who can be pretty scathing of everyone around him when things aren't going well.

31:35That was pressure on him as well, wasn't it? There was a lot of pressure on him, yeah. But he had a lot of credit in the bank from making the playoff final last year. And I think it's been rewarded. They hadn't won back-to-back games all season and now they've won three in a row. And it's good timing. It needed to happen. And Don Ballard, as you say, is a big reason for that. I've got to start from James, our boss, who told me that Ballard, who scored a hat-trick in the win against AFC Wimbledon at the weekend, that was his third hat-trick of the season. He's the first player to do that since 1958.

32:12And Tommy Johnson, who has a stand named after him at Brisbane Road. So he's in good company to have done that for Leighton Orient. And, you know, as I say, they needed it. Good start. Four clear of the drop zone with a game in hand as well. so looking good for Leighton Orient quick look at League 2 and one team in particular again talking about form teams Oldham Athletic can't lose yeah I mean they had a really difficult start to the season they were yeah I think they won well they're unbeaten in their last eight now as you say and they've won six of those games and only four points off the playoffs when you consider that when the last lost was against Swindon on the 7th of February they were 16th 14 points away from the playoffs so it's been a very swift climb and well I've still got a couple of games in hand over some of the teams above them beat Chesterfield 3-0 convincingly on Tuesday night Your two teams last two games Cripsby and Chesterfield I had a look at that because they're still knocking around the playoffs aren't they going to Chesterfield Very much expecting to be in the playoffs this season, yeah.

33:30And Oldham beat them quite convincingly. So, yeah, it's been quite a turnaround for Mickey Mellon because it was a difficult start to the season for them. I think they failed to win their opening eight games in all comps after winning promotion from the National League after quite a long time in the doldrums. And they've kind of gradually acclimatised to the league and really kicked on since the start of February, really. So, yeah, amazing run. There's always a team at this time of year who come from nowhere and it's whether they can maintain this form to gatecrash the playoffs. That's the big question.

34:09Is another one of those teams under new stewardship going to be Walsall? I mean, who knows with Walsall? Who knows with Walsall? It's extraordinary, really. There's a team that we've returned to on a consistent basis for the best part of two years now because their story has been extraordinary. It's hard not to have sympathy for them and for Matt Sadler. Definitely. Matt Sadler is someone I know actually. I did my coaching badges with him. He's a good guy and he had a really promising start to life as a manager. And now he's probably going to be kind of, I don't know, weighed down by this perception of them choking really after Christmas in two consecutive seasons.

34:51Last season there were 12 points. They held a 12 point lead at the top of the table They won A club record 9 consecutive games And then they collapsed Went 13 games without a win Finished 4th Just outside the automatics And then lost in the playoff final And he's always maintained that the turnover Although it's happened again this season The turnover in the squad Has been big, I think they signed like 14 players In the summer But it still happened again and it's kind of got to the point where his football was fascinating actually. It was so low possession, very, very conservative and a real counterpunch.

35:37And when they were scoring a lot of goals, when they had Nathan Lowe on loan from Stoke last season, banging in the goals, when you're winning, everyone's happy. It's kind of that old story of when you play that kind of football and the results don't follow, the fans are probably going to be a bit quicker to turn. And they did turn recently, so he's finally gone after one win in the last 11 games. Darren Byfield, former striker there, has taken interim charge. And he's got a win in a draw in his first two games and there's been a bit of a change of formation, so you never know. You never know.

36:12Not out of it. You never know, yeah. But I think, really, we've got to finish with Barrow. because they're on to the fifth manager of the season. What did you say to me beforehand? I think I said, you know... Spurs hold my beer. Yeah, I don't know what Spurs hold my beer. Because Dino Mamria has been sacked after 28 days in charge. He got one win from his six games. Before that, Paul Gallagher had lost all five of his games in a 40-day spell. He replaced Andy Wing in January. so since January they're on to well there was three permanents and now they're on to a fourth Sam Foley who's a midfield one of their midfielders 39 year old he's in charge until the end of the season and they've got a tough they've got a tough running as well they face I think well the defeat against Salford this week was the first of six six games where they faced teams in the top eight so yeah really really tough task for them and it kind of it's all a bit bonkers really I don't know how any team can hire have five men in a dugout in one season you know we were talking earlier when Nottingham Forest got into the fourth manager of the season a couple of weeks ago that I think it was only Watford who'd ever done that in the season so I think actually although Foley's not permanent there have not been many teams who've had five in the dugout and it doesn't reflect very well on the people making decisions at Barrow Well you mentioned did your coaching course with Matt Sadler earlier maybe if it comes up again before the end of the season you can throw your hat in the ring You never know Greg, thank you for having me thank you for being patient hopefully Tom will be back in two weeks for the EFL Extra when it's back if not we wish him well and we'll be back on Monday with the regular show we'll see you then

38:43We'll be right back. innovations. All the newness is all on sale right now during the Livewell sale on the drop by GNC.