EFL Final Day - It's Massive!

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0:36Hello and welcome to the Game Football Podcast from the Times and Sunday Times. This is our EFL Extra Show with me, Tom Clark, and the former Football League legend Gregor Robertson. Gregor, we've made it. The end of the Football League season is here, but there's still absolutely loads to play for. We've just finished recording the regular Monday show talking about the Premier League and how exciting it was. also got a mention of the Scottish Premiership finale as well but the Football League there's so many storylines aren't there it's almost impossible I don't know where to start here we were discussing it before we came on air I was very tempted to start with the bottom of League too it's become my fascination in the last couple of weeks but I think it's only fair to start with Coventry because we've not quite given them much credit in recent weeks have we we've praised them throughout the season Frank Lampard's side confirmed as champions lifting the trophy on Sunday after a victory against Wrexham.

1:28This is a brilliant achievement for them as a club, isn't it? We've talked about some of the other teams in League One and League Two who perhaps wouldn't necessarily have been expected to be near the tops of their tables. I don't think any of us would have expected Coventry to finish first necessarily, maybe be in the picture, but to be up there by such a points total and under Frank Lampard, who, let's be honest, all of us, us included basically turned our noses up when he was appointed and said I'm not sure about this on all those levels it's a fantastic achievement brilliant brilliant achievement yeah for Frank

2:02Gregor Robertson: Lampard and for Coventry as a as a football club 25 years is a long long time in when you support any team and that's how long Coventry have been away and there've been some you know huge lows in that time all the way down to League Two and back again and as you say when we think about the championship landscape and the advantage that all the teams with parachute payments have, to be able to overcome that and to be able to, as you say, win the league by such a margin the 12 points there as it stands up such a game in hand, but it's going to probably be a double point figure tally incredible achievement, and even more so when you think about the wobble, which was a serious wobble they had midway through the season after the best start in 50 years they had a major, major wobble and to recover from that and you look back do you think back to that game against Middlesbrough which was first versus second when Middlesbrough were threatening to completely draw back all the points that they were behind and maybe challenge for the title that was a statement one that really kind of catapulted them forward and they haven't really looked back since then so now eyes kind of turn to the future and what what they need to do to stay up and that's not an easy question to answer because the teams that have done it this season will look like they're going to do it.

3:27Gregor Robertson: Leeds aren't there yet, but Sunderland have done it in very different ways. We've spoken for a number of seasons now about how season after season teams seem to have hoover up the best talent in the Championship and hope that they can make that step up and if not, it leaves them in a good position to recover again. I've thought for some time now that's not good enough you need to be smarter than that Sunderland have shown a way to be smart in terms of looking around scouring Europe and signing some really talented often quite young players and Leeds saw what they felt they needed to make that step up and that was to completely pile all their weight behind physicality and strength and how Covington are going to approach that it would be really interesting to see what we do know is there are some players in their ranks who I feel are going to be good enough to step up, I think Hadji Wright is someone who...

4:25Because I can't decide whether they're a bit like Sunderland last season where it was an amazing achievement but you actually looked at it and went, you kind of need to dump an entire first 11 on top of this and that these guys who've been brilliant will be like squad players in the same way that, you know, Wilson Isidore and some of these people at Sunderland were fantastic in the Championship and they've been good this season in the Premier League but they've had players on bolstering them and actually starting ahead of them a lot of the time you think some of these are good enough to go, I am your starting forward centre half, centre back

4:58Gregor Robertson: I think all you can say is if they're given an opportunity then they have to grasp it and I think some of these players are good enough to grasp it Frank Lampard spoke about Jack Redoni in terms of saying he's good enough in the Premier League, maybe Champions League a few weeks ago when he scored a couple of goals he's got that timing into the box that he recognises so well and obviously there have been quite a lot of reports about how much he works, how closely he works with him and that Grimes is someone who you feel like has been due this step up and it's happened a bit in his 30s when it maybe could have happened earlier in his career and players like Thomas Asante who just feel like it's a great finisher and if he gets chances when they're presented it doesn't really matter what level he's at so I think they have players I think they'll have they'll have to boast of their defence and every team that's promoted now have to improve everywhere but I feel there are players who are capable of stepping up they also probably have to keep Frank Lampard of course you know various people linking in with all sorts of different jobs somebody's got that big profile hasn't he of course has managed in the Premier League a couple of times already we always talk about this on the regular show on Mondays and Thursdays just how many jobs are going to be up for grabs this summer.

6:14Lampard speaking after Coventry had lifted the championship trophy. It's very interesting. Some of his comments, you know, we know him as a very eloquent talker, but almost political in the way he kind of phrased everything. He talks about a lot of work to do. We have to keep this spirit, but the quality level is about to go right up. We need to be diligent. We'll work hard and be very aligned in what we do. That is going to be vital. But these boys also deserve a chance to be where they're going, and we don't want to dismantle that entirely. so I mean that's the most Gregor Robertson both things can be true answer I've ever heard from another football manager but like

6:45Gregor Robertson: I think what he's doing there is outlining what needs to happen and probably it's a message to the club to say this is this is the way we have to proceed now because actually they've not really been tested, Doug King has not really been tested, a lot of what is here was part of the Mark Robbins era and they only signed a few players and the players they have signed have been a success, they went into the loan market and got Onyeka and Essie and a few others who got them over the line in January. Grimes is the big signing that they made the January before. So they actually haven't been tested as a football club.

7:17Gregor Robertson: They don't, I don't think they actually have a director of football. There are, you know, there's some uncertainty about how Coventry as a club will go about sort of rebuilding their squad, not rebuilding, but bolstering their squad. That was all in place with a a team like Sunderland. They had Christian Speakman, they had a kind of blueprint that had been there for a long, long time. This all feels quite kind of a bit like Frank Lampard and one or two players with a cherry on the cake that had already been made quite a few, over a number of years. So it's going to be interesting to see how Coventry proceed from here.

7:53In terms of just below that, we obviously mentioned it before, Ipswich having that game in hand, they play Southampton. On Tuesday night, we're recording this show on Mondays. how do you see that? I mean it's hard to call Southampton coming off the back of that FA Cup semi-final defeat Millwall still very much in contention as it stands Ipswich and Millwall both on 80 points Middlesbrough just behind on 79 after a good win at the weekend I mean you've been saying it for so long with these Ipswiches they are currently still in second anyway even with that game in hand you'd have to say they're favourites aren't they?

8:28Gregor Robertson: Yeah that's going to be fascinating Southampton were they 17 games unbeaten before the City game and my god they gave a good account of themselves in that semi-final and then the final day you do think that Ipswich still, even if they were to lose against Southampton they play QPR on the final day they're on the beach they've given a lot of teams a difficult ride recently and Southampton play Preston so it's still in Ipswich's hands very much because of their superior goal difference and it's like it's vastly superior to most of the teams around them so yes but I don't I've not had much faith in Zipzig all season It would be great fun if Southampton would win which would take us into the final day on 80 points 80 points 79 and 79 from four teams wouldn't it be fascinating Middlesbrough have got Wrexham away they probably got the toughest game if they do end up still in contention for that automatic promotion place because Wrexham in six at the moment, beaten by Coventry on Sunday.

9:32They're joint on 70 points with Hull, who are now in seventh. Derby just behind them. You've been saying Derby for so long that you might sneak in there. How are you looking at that final playoff spot? Because the ones above them kind of either battling it out for second or locked into the playoffs. How would you see it? As I say, Wrexham have got Middlesbrough. And then who else have we got? Hull at home to Norwich. And then Derby County at home to Sheffield United.

9:57Gregor Robertson: yeah I mean it's tough again goal difference is interesting Derby are the team with the best goal difference so if Derby could draw and the other two lose Derby go up there's a lot of permutations in this Hull playing Norwich Norwich have probably been the best team in the league in the second half of the season they've been outstanding and if the season had gone on for another three or four games they could well have made it themselves Wrexham you know we said it all year they're so gritty and like there were four points adrift with four games to play and they responded again everyone thought that was them dead and buried and Parkinson said people write us off now it's not over and here they are it's in their hands so they will be desperate for Ipswich to win won't they on Tuesday night and beat Southampton because that then takes Middlesbrough out of it Middlesbrough and Kim Helberg will then go maybe alright right, we need to rest up and prepare for the playoffs.

10:56If Middlesbrough are still in it, though, that game becomes absolutely massive, Middlesbrough and Wrexham, if Ipswich don't pick up that win against Southampton.

11:05Gregor Robertson: Middlesbrough, after so long struggling to score goals, have just gone and thrashed Watford 5-1. Derby just found a way again. The winner was an absolute beauty. Jadon Bunnell, in the 88th minute, this little flip-flap on the line, drove inside and curled it in the far corner. they've got I've said this I think Barton Harvey have got a good blend of experience and players that Eustace has worked with and then a kind of sprinkling of quality and Bunel certainly offers that so really interesting and actually again if you you know you zoom out these are three clubs that no one would have predicted you know people wondered about Wrexham but it was a huge leap and if we're honest you and I didn't predict them no I mean I had Birmingham being higher than Wrexham and they're behind them in 10th place seven points behind.

11:53Gregor Robertson: And Derby and Hull were fighting relegation last season. Hull have got a transfer embargo. I think that actually although Hull have fallen away have fallen out of the playoffs for the first time since December after that 2-0 draw against Leicester last week. I still think actually their fans think this has been a remarkable season. Yeah, I think so too from the few that I know. They've said, you know, playoffs is amazing but just to be up there and in contention is a fantastic achievement. I'm going to give it to Wrexham just to sneak in that final playoff place. I think they will. It's what they do.

12:21It's what they do, isn't it, under Phil Parkinson. As much as I was sceptical about him earlier in the season, he always manages to find a way of delivering. I just wanted to mention at the bottom, Greg, Oxford United's relegation along with Leicester City confirmed we did that special show with Johnny Northcroft looking at Leicester's downfall last week. So I wanted to praise West Bromwich Albion, their players, and their stand-in manager, James Morrison, not only for their brilliant form, but dealing with a fairly controversial two-point deduction from the EFL, which they were hit with. They thought they were safe.

12:51to stay up twice. And then, exactly. They've got, you know, it's all good now looking at it and laughing but actually, they had to face Ipswich side going for automatic promotion and get a point to make sure that they're still safe. Firstly, on the job that Morrison has done and how he turned West Brom around because there was that game that we referenced, I forget who it was against but quite a few weeks ago where he said about his own players just after he'd taken interim charge, I don't know what that was. They were thinking it was a defeat. He was just kind of saying that's not what I recognise.

13:20I don't know what on earth was that. How hard is it to turn that around? We've talked so much about vibes and negativity and the fact that he's managed to engender some positivity is a huge achievement for him personally.

13:30Gregor Robertson: Yeah, and I think, you know, I've said this a couple of weeks ago, I think a big part of it was going back to basics. He's gone 4-4-2, players who know exactly their role and their positions. I think Henry coming in at full-back's been really good. Callum Stiles is, I think, he was awarded player of the year just after that game and he's had a brilliant season and some of these guys really stepped up in recent weeks. Yeah, I think that was the main thing. Kind of a bit of a going back to basics and there are 10 games unbeaten like after what went before. That's a remarkable turnaround and if you're being honest like with a club that's still still got some work to do to comply with with profit and sustainability regulations going forward James Morrison might be a good option for them.

14:20Yeah, definitely. You're definitely trying to sign him up. In terms of that points deduction that we talked about there, I thought it was a little bit... When you read about what the rules were for, you know, a breach of not more than£2 million, when you talk about some of the figures that we hear about with the Premier League clubs in particular, I thought it was a little daft to give them two points to make it put the jeopardy back in. Why not just give them one point and everyone would just forget about it? You know, you kind of risk the rage. You know, yes, you have to, you know, put proper rules in and all that, but it's a PR game as well, isn't it, a lot of this?

14:55And you could have hit them with a one-pointer and they still would have been fine. Now, West Brom fans hate the EFL forever. They were all chanting F the EFL at the weekend, you know. It felt a little bit naive and a bit daft. It's all worked out fine now, but if they were going into the final game of the weekend because of this two-point deduction, I don't know. Am I being a bit daft myself?

15:15Gregor Robertson: I think all the EFL would say is that that's not the way that they come to these decisions I'm sure it certainly plays a part in their thinking you don't want to completely doom a club particularly given the fact that it's three months I think after their accounts were submitted that this happened and it gave them no time to decide about it before the end of the season but the bigger thing is the way that from the West Brom's perspective there's been like an adjustment to the way contributions to your sort of official charity partner, which in their case is the Albion Foundation, are treated in the P &S calculations.

15:55Gregor Robertson: So that happened, and it seems like no one has really tweaked their submission to comply with that. And it seems like an administrative error, basically. And as they made clear in their statement, it's the smallest ever breach of the PSL rules across the championship and the Premier League and then again when you zoom out and you think what many clubs are doing to circumnavigate these rules selling hotels selling women's football teams all sorts of things it's not right so I don't know I mean the EFL I don't think always deserve the wrath of supporters and clubs because they're in a very difficult position and just to always remind people they are a members organisation they're not an independent body they are the clubs so you have to have rules and the clubs agree to the rules and even if the problem is when they become this technical and sort of the detail is so important and so many clubs look for a way around it it's a very difficult thing to police Yeah well we're delighted for West Brom fans that we won't be talking about that That is a big issue going on to the final weekend.

17:12A brilliant job by James Morrison. Still loads to come in the second half of the show. We're going to talk about League One and the bottom of League Two. I can't wait. It's time for a little break. It's time to test Gregor Robertson on his former career. 20 years ago, this coming weekend, you played the final game of your season with Rotherham against MK Dons. What was the score? Find out after the break.

17:47Welcome back to the Game Football Podcast from the Times and Sunday Times. I'm Tom Clark and I've got the former Football League defender Gregor Robertson with me. No danger of him for getting the answer to the quiz question what was the score when Rotherham faced MK Don 20 years ago, Gregor?

18:00Gregor Robertson: 0-0. 0-0. Which doesn't sound like a thriller but there was a lot on the line that day. I do remember that very, very well. So this was both of you trying to avoid relegation. Rotherham your team could draw and stay up MK Dons needed to beat you yeah they were the team below the waterline and we were the team that they could catch on the final day at home and to say the last 10 minutes or 10s would be an understatement how was it before the game like what's the kind of team talk you got before was it like you know is it impassioned who was your manager was it like right blood and thunder or was it like just you got this lads you just draw you know blah blah blah how do you go into it I think it was Alan Nill who's Chris Wilder's number two now and it had been a pretty tumultuous season Mick Hartford had been our manager to start the season I think and he'd been sacked we'd sold some of our best players midway through the season with financial problems it had been a pretty chaotic season but I think as far as I can remember it was 20 years ago now it wasn't like go out and stay in the game it was like go out and try and win this game we can't try and defend for 90 minutes or do anything like that and they weren't bad, they had Isle McLeod up front he was a good lower league striker at the time and they were they had a bit of investment behind them so yeah, I remember it being like that and I think we had some good chances but didn't score them, but then the longer the game goes you just can't help but retreat So how was that last 10 minutes then?

19:31Gregor Robertson: Oh, mayhem I remember we had defender Colin Murdoch as well playing centre-half and he had the game of his life he was like a magnet for a lot of crosses into the box. And he was always the man who seemed to just run and head it. In that scenario, with that in mind, when the balls are coming in, do you have to remember, I've got to keep my positional here? Because surely the temptation is, I'm going to get it, but you might lose positional awareness, let someone in. That was quite Colin was great. Well, I do remember as well, things like if they got a corner, which they got a lot of at the end, you're just always thinking to yourself.

20:03Gregor Robertson: Everyone thinks you've got to keep a positive mindset. it's like do not be the person to lose your man who scores the goal yeah that sends you down so you're just like you're frantic yeah and yeah you know you ask what you feel like before it you're absolutely you know yourself yeah and afterwards final whistle goes it's like you've won the champions there was a pitch invasion it was like winning it was like winning a promotion or something it was very strange so yeah big relief after a chaotic season um and a game that i do remember well in that just final thing in that scenario i don't think i've ever asked you before were you kind of superstitious did you have anything like or did you have family partner be like don't come and watch or did you not care about that or you what did you how did you approach it no i never really cared about that too much um i think there was enough sort of uh nerves on the occasion so there's plenty of plenty to think about thinking about the 90 minutes yeah yeah big game that was yeah absolutely the most important 0-0 maybe of your career we'll be talking about some of that tension with relegation in just a second but just to go into League One now Gregor I am sorry listeners going to have to mention Lincoln City again 100 points 100 bloody points just one more time 100 points 100 points alright Tom we get it it is unbelievable I was there to watch the trophy presentation at the weekend, which I have to say was quite reassuringly a little bit tin pop.

21:35You know, we are still a little club. There was no big glitz and glamour to this one. It was quite nice.

21:39Gregor Robertson: No fireworks, nothing like that? No fireworks, nothing like that. To be honest as well, the players, everyone waits around afterwards. The players, bless them, just look knackered. Doing a little walk around with their kids and things. It's all very nice, but you could tell they were just like, I can't have a beer now, for Christ's sake. Played 45 games of this league season. It was amazing. But I just wanted to mention one thing, Gregor, I think I mentioned on the show before, after the Reading game, when I was there in the away end on my own, after we scored our 90th minute winner to complete promotion, I turned and hugged a gentleman and his daughter just randomly in the pure joy of the moment.

22:15And then afterwards I said, oh, guys, thanks so much for that. Sorry about that. Couldn't help myself. You know, just needed someone to hug and spoke to his daughter who was called Hallie. And I said, make sure you always go to games with your dad. It might not ever get any better than this, but this was brilliant. Thanks so much. Anyway, on Saturday, me and my dad are walking away from the game and I heard, Tom, Tom. And it was Hallie. She'd spotted me in my bright blue jacket and she came up to me and she gave me one of her stickers because as well as being a football fan, she's also a passionate ballerina.

22:42So she's had her own little stickers developed that say ballet at nine, football at three. And I thought that was perfect. So good on you, Hallie. Thank you very much. I'll be keeping tabs on whether you're going to Lincoln Games from now on. Keep a lookout for that brightly coloured jacket. just below Lincoln and Cardiff as well they've achieved automatic promotion of course the playoff picture it's still tight but it's still those same teams Bolton in third Stockport in fourth Bradford in fifth Stevenage in sixth but they've got Luton and Plymouth just lurking behind them and you keep mentioning this in relation to the championship as well goal difference this could come into play Luton and Plymouth's goal difference much better than Bradford and Stevenage's how are you looking at it?

23:25Do you think we talked the last couple of weeks, didn't we, about Luton and Plymouth maybe barging their way in. They got wins at the weekend, whereas Bradford and Stevenage could only draw. We should probably also, as well at this stage, when referencing Bradford, maybe bring in relegation as well. Because Bradford, they are facing Exeter, who have still got a chance, Gregor, of surviving in this league. So that is probably the biggest head-to-head clash going. But just on the playoffs, how are you looking at it?

23:54Gregor Robertson: yeah I mean Luton have been on a brilliant run they've won 8 of the last 11 unbeaten now and the EFL Trophy that includes the EFL Trophy final so they've been on a brilliant run and as you say travelling to Bolton Bolton are the only team assured of their playoff place as we speak Stockport play Port Vale on Tuesday night which is before we're recording after recording sorry and I'm sure they'll get the point they need to secure their place as well but Bolton haven't really got anything to be playing for in this game, you think that might help Luton Stevenage they had three point cushion and now it's one and the goal difference as you say is against them they host Wigan who've done what they had to do to stay up but they have been in a good run of form as well and as you say Plymouth playing Northampton are already down you'd fancy them to get so I'd say Stevenage have to have to beat Wigan I feel like there's a good chance they'll all win so that would be Stevenage and Stevenage that'd be a great achievement amazing achievement for them so it's fascinating stuff and the fact that really very little assertion still in the playoffs going into the final day same in League 2 it's been a brilliant brilliant end of the season yeah it'll make it quite hard for those teams as well potentially going into the playoffs, the fact they've had to play at full tilt all the way to the end of the season, or maybe it might help in terms of the momentum.

25:24We will see in the coming weeks. You mentioned there about all of them winning. If that did happen, that would relegate Exeter because they faced Bradford, as I say. Leighton Orient, though, very nervously looking at that game. Leighton Orient have probably got the nightmare game to have to want to win. They face Gary Bowyer, Burton Albion, who once again have confirmed survival in the third tier. A brilliant achievement from them. and we say it about them all the time. With that in mind then, do you think Leighton Orient haven't got a worry? I was just talking with our head of sport, James Restle, who is a Leighton Orient season ticket holder.

25:55He went to the Blackpool game, bless him, which is a not insignificant commute from London. Never mind the fact that he managed to get there on some of the northern trains that you have to get to. But, you know, watching his team lose that game, Leighton Orient had a stinking season after one of the stories of last season, of course, making it to the playoff final and that brilliant cup run. you know is there any way you know he was saying that look I think we'll probably be alright but because of Bradford not because of us he said we've been relegation candidates all season despite Don Ballard winning player of the year at League 2 level at League 1 level sorry and despite a little run here and there of a couple of wins a couple of weeks ago he said look we've been this bad all the time and everyone at the club seems to be going no no we're fine look did you see I see what we did last season we're fine we'll be alright don't worry about us but he thinks that will only be the case if Bradford do them a favour

26:47Gregor Robertson: I don't think that's a guarantee I mean Exeter Exeter, they always had a 15 game winless run now they're unbeaten in 4 and if you think about the goalkeeper Jack Bycroft scored a 96th minute equaliser against Stockport last week they have from nowhere found a bit of momentum even if it's not always been wins they've only won one of those they won 3-0 against Doncaster then they drew with Plymouth and they drew with Stockport they're two teams that are chasing the playoffs and then they drew with Burton at the weekend as you say Burton is not going to be an easy game for anyone including Leighton Orient so I'm not convinced Bradford by contrast are sort of stumbling over the line they've not won in four either and lost to Stevenage, again a tough run lost against Stevenage drew with Barnsley Drew with Plymouth Drew with Bolton these were all we said this a few weeks back the running is fascinating because a lot of these teams are playing each other and on paper they're not all bad results but it's not been enough for them to guarantee it so the fact that it's in Exeter everything is on the line for them I'm not I'm not convinced that Bradford would go there and and do them that favour so Orient might need something in against Burton Very interesting the absolute nightmare fixture for any fan needing a result is facing Gary Bowyer's Burton Albion.

28:12Let's move into League 2, Gregor. We've got new leaders, of course. MK Don's top of the table taking advantage of three games without a win for Bromley. Just a point in it, though, going into the final games of the season. They're currently in the top two automatic promotion places. Cambridge currently in third with Salford just behind them. Notts County can catch them as well. How are you looking at that kind of top five teams currently going for those three places, Gregor, obviously mainly it's just the third, fourth, fifth into one place at the moment.

28:43Gregor Robertson: Fascinating. I mean, like, this is the league where literally nothing is there. And we know Bromley and MK are up. We don't know who the champions are. We don't know who's going to finish third. We don't know who's going to finish in the playoffs. And as we know, we only know that Barrow, barring a massive goal swing, are relegated now. But how do we see it? I mean, I feel like this could be Salford's year. they go to Crawley on the final day and I feel like they'll get the result they need from that but Cambridge play Crewe who have fallen away recently but were challenging for the playoffs for a large part of the season their big game is Chesterfield against Swindon which is 7th against 8th and that's like a playoff before the playoffs for the final playoff spot Swindon have been up there all season and they've had an awful run only won one of the last five lost 4-0 against Grimsby Jays Cabby a hat-trick at the weekend that secured Grimsby's place you know if you take a glance at the league you wouldn't be certain that they were secured but because Chesterfield Grimsby are 6th, Chesterfield are 7th, Swindon are 8th because they play each other Grimsby are in there so like it's going to be brilliant don't ask me to call it because there's still so much could happen but I have a sneaky sneaking suspicion that this could finally be Salford City's year.

30:11I'm sure there are a lot of probably Salford City fans who are listening to this potentially going, no, no, it won't, no, it won't. Every time they look like they're close, they just stumble. We should just say as well, quite rightly giving praise to Gary Bowyer in League One, but a quick word of praise for Paul Warren in terms of Football League managers who consistently deliver at virtually every single club he's been at. Obviously had great success at Rotherham, getting them yo-yoing up to the Championship, back down again and back up again. currently looking at a title with MK Dons a fantastic achievement from a man who just keeps delivering and in a very unassuming way

30:42Gregor Robertson: Yeah and there have been periods in the season where you know all has not been you know totally well there and happy and you know not maybe scoring the goals that their chance creation would say that they should have been and at the start of the season they were the favourites because they had a lot of you know a lot of eye-catching sign-ins quite a lot of investment behind them but they still have to go out in there and do it and they've had to overcome some adversity throughout the season and it looks like they're going to emerge top of the pile at the very end but below that it's been thrilling because there's just so little between the teams and it's just when that taper line approaches at the end Yeah, let's finally talk about the bottom of League 2 Gregor you talked about it very briefly there Barrow basically relegated they need a bit of a miracle on the final day.

31:34They don't just need to win, but they need to win by a fairly hefty amount to stay in the Football League. But just above them, we've got Harrogate in 23rd, 39 points. Crawley, 22nd, 39 points. Newport, 21st, 40 points. Tranmere, 20th, 40 points. I know we keep using words like fascinating, remarkable. I'm running out of words to describe it. When you think of York and Rochdale this weekend for the scrap to get into the Football League, There's going to be a hell of a fight to stay in the football league with all four of these teams you've mentioned. Some of the fixtures that they've got there, Crawley hosting Salford, who are going for automatic promotion, that's not a fixture.

32:12That they would want Newport a playing Barrow, but at Barrow, that looked like being a thrilling match a couple of weeks ago.

32:19Gregor Robertson: That was the one we were billing for a long time, and Barrow just falling short. But still, going there on the final day for Newport is not going to be easy. Tramere against Grimsby, maybe a good chance for them, given that Grimsby are in the playoffs. that might be focusing on things elsewhere. Don't get injured for a playoff run. I'm also not convinced that enough teams below them are going to make them fall from 20th into 23rd. I'm not sure. Harrogate have got Barnet though. Barnet can't make it into the playoffs. They've got a home game against Barnet. Harrogate have done some remarkable things.

32:49Just when you think they're out of it, they've managed to just about survive and keep going. They've won the last two, having lost the previous two. It's amazing, isn't it? And we should just say as well, for everyone who's quite rightly given some attention to the finish that happened at York against Rochdale at the weekend you might have therefore missed the finish that happened at Newport 3-2 they won this game against Oldham but they were 2-1 down Oldham had a man sent off I'd say potentially slightly harshly looking at the highlights of this game upon a clash of heads in the air and a straight red given.

33:26Newport equalised on 46 minutes. Didn't miss the penalty. Missed the penalty. And didn't get the winner, listeners, until the 108th minute. 90 plus 18. I couldn't believe this when I checked the scores afterwards. Absolutely amazing finish.

33:42Gregor Robertson: And do you fail to say that the penalty miss was in the 105th minute? Yes. Just a minor little point. one of those moments where the penalty was saved and every single player had in their hands like this was the end of the world the sky was falling in and then still the game went on for another three or four minutes and Camo was played through again and it was the coolest finish in the world just slotted under the keeper into the far corner and Camo's goal his first goal was an absolute worldie as well just doesn't fancy penalties he just doesn't fancy penalties yeah a mental game for him scores a worldie misses a penalty that could have been that looked like it was end of the world scenario and then a few minutes later in 190 minutes scored a huge, huge winner.

34:27Gregor Robertson: That was a crazy game and it was huge, huge, huge for Newport. Do you think they, under Christian Fuchs, a fascinating managerial appointment that we trailed earlier in the season, do you think the fact that confidence boosting, huge drama, they've got Barrow who will be fighting for an 8-0 win or whatever it is that they need, would you be backing them then? do you think actually that the teams that are currently in there, Barrow and Harrogate, will be the teams that go down? I think Harrogate might get something against Barnett. Crawley being Salford is really tough. That's where I think there could be a change.

35:04Harrogate at home, small crowd admittedly, but all well behind them. They've got two wins on the spin. That would be one of the stories of the season, given where they were. I can't remember when it was, but goodness me, January, February, we were basically saying they're dead and buried. but to come back it would be amazing

35:20Gregor Robertson: The one thing you'd say is Crawley came from behind three times in their 3-0 draw with Accrington at the weekend they're fighting as well although they've not won in four it's really hard to call the thing is Newport because they've they've climbed another place in the league they could still get away with it even if they don't win because Crawley or Harrogate might not get the points they've got tough games on paper so I know you're going to ask me who you think it's going to be I think Crawley Interesting I think it might be Crawley as well And what an escape that would be for Harrogate It would be Absolutely huge drama still to come we might be at the end of the Football League season but there's loads more still to play for and there's loads more still to talk about Gregor Robertson thank you very much for joining me as always we'll be back with an EFL show next week to dissect the final day of the season and we'll be back with the regular show on Thursday See you then

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