Page 1 of Nationwide play-offs - your team`s prospects?

Went to Wolves today, and I`m still buzzing! Harsh on Reading who maybe should have gone 2-0 up, but when we got going I didn`t really think they could compete with us. They had the better of the ball, but their keeper made some outstanding saves. Overall, nicely poised for the return on Wednesday!

I`ve felt for awhile that Sheff UTD are going to be the team to make it up through the play-offs this season, it just seems so god damn scripted! Although I HATE Neil Warnock with a passion! Anyway Sheff have to be favourites after the 1-1 draw at the City Ground.

Hmmmm, what`s the final going to be?

I am a Blades fan, I go to all the home cup and league games and have done for years.

I don`t know how to word this next bit, if i say `proper fans` then I`ll get in trouble. I am using `proper fans` as a way of saying, those of us that go week in week out and have done for years because we are financially able to and are lucky enough to not have work or family commitments.

Us proper Blades fans know Warnock is a w[at]rekn, even he knows it, we often dislike him for the s***e he spouts. But at least he is honest and you only have to look where we were when he took three years ago to see how well he and Kevin Blackwell have done. It just goes to show what a bit of stabilty can do for a club. Only this season have they got the team together that they actually want, and that is after three years!

We were lucky at Forest, as I thought Forest were the better team and had the better chances. Our passing at times was terrible and some of our key players did not perform.

Having said that I feel our two semi-finals this season will help us cope with the big occassion. I feel we are owed something this year, all season we have tried to play good football and have done well in the fair play league. We`ve got a good mix of youth and experienxce and have built the squad from within with no big name signings and very little money.

It is worth remembering that it is only half-time and away goals no longer count double in the play offs. Forest are going to come at us and if we play like we did on Saturday we will not make it to Cardiff. However, if we perform to our potetial we have got a real chance of making it to the final. One thing that bothers me is that we have not done well in knockout competitions in recent times despite being in six semi finals and a final.

We are not going to have another season like this again, and maybe this is our season. It may have to be, because if we don`t go up there are a few players we will struggle to keep hold of!

Nick

This item was edited on Sunday, 11th May 2003, 11:11

Scunny are f**ked, damn.

The cherries are in with a good chance, 0-0 at Gigg Lane so back to Dean Court they go with all to play for.........and hopefully then a trip to Cardiff!

I couldn`t get tickets for Wolves v Reading, spent two hours on two phone lines last Thursday without avail, all the fairweather fans stealing my tickets arrgghh. I live 130 miles from Wolves, near Reading in fact, so couldn`t go and queue and none of my mates could or would either. I will definitely go to Cardiff if we finish the job we started on Saturday.

Reading played well in the first half and deserved their lead, but they only created about 2 meaningful chances, I can`t remember a save from Murray; Kenny Miller had 4 decent chances more than Reading had in total! Wolves were rampant in the second half and it`s a pity we didn`t get a third. I think Newton coming on was a turning point, it`s a shame that the really easy chance fell to Butler most of the other players would have put it away, but fortunately we got the free-kick goal - the defense of the free-kick was badly organised. I`ll probably watch the match in a Reading pub on Wednesday and if we score I certainly won`t be keeping quiet, we need a draw but I think we`ll try and win it anyway. The last three times we have been in the play-offs we have won our home match and it was never enough - hopefully we will do it this time, would be embarrassing to lose to minnows like Reading.

I`m not sure who will win the other match, but I`d be inclined to go for the Blades simply because they have the home advantage. I don`t like Warnock either, but i`ve nothing against Sheffield United - it will be a fun day out in the final as long as Wolves are there.

Wolves are 6-4 favourites for the promotion spot, but that`s just because we are the only club to go into the next leg with a lead to defend.

This item was edited on Monday, 12th May 2003, 14:26