Promotion Run in

By Nathan Jackson
March 2 2005

The end of the season is quickly approaching so now we'll look at the 7 teams who are most likely to finish in the positions 1-7. The teams, Yeovil, Southend, Scunny, Swansea, Macc, City and Northampton all have hard run ins but who has the hardest?

The teams below are the teams that will more than likely fill the places 1-7 at the end of the season but the order is anyone's guess. This section of the table is so tight, Yeovil are currently 6 points clear of Scunny, Swansea, Southend and Macclesfield who are all tied on 60 points. THey are all 5 points clear of Lincoln who are themselves two clear of Northampton Town.

Yeovil are currently top of the division by 6 points and are a lot of people's favourites for the title. They are the best footballing side in the division and include several of the best players in the league including the league's top goalscorer, Phil Jevons, Paul Terry, the brother of Chelsea's John Terry and Chris Weale who has had trials with West Ham. If they don't win the league it will be a major suprise and City could be there to see them lift the title.

Top 7 teams left to play : Southend (away), Lincoln City (home)

Scunny, scunny, scunny, they looked to be walking away with it, they were flying, top of the league, just booked a third round FA Cup tie and Scunthorpe and this looked all rosey. Now it looks like they'll be lucky to make automatic promotion. If they beat Macclesfield and the current top 7 stays that way, then Scunny will have beaten every other member of the top 7 at Glanford Park, very impressive indeed. Their hopes will still be high though with only 5 of their remaining 11 games being against teams in the current top 10. How they deal with the 3 games around the end of march and beginning of april will decide whether they are worthy of that automatic promotion placed their early season form deserved.

Top 7 teams left to play : Lincoln City (Away : Live on Sky Sports 1), Macclesfield (Home), Northampton (Away)

I don't particully like Swansea, to be more specific, I don't really like Lee Trundle, he's so overrated it's unbelievable. I've seen us play against him on 6 occassions for 3 teams and not once has he impressed me, can play in a higher league, ha. Anyway, Swansea have been in the promotion picture nearly all season and what a way it would be to see the end of their Vetch stadium with the securation of an automatic promotion place. However, a tough run in means they'll have to be playing at their best to achieve it. One things for sure, I really don't want to be playing them in the playoff semi finals, especially not if we're going to be playing at the Vetch in the night leg.

Top 7 sides left to play : Northampton (away), Macclesfield (Home), Lincoln City (away)

I must say I'm suprised with Macclesfield, I had them put down for midtable at best but fair play to them, they've dug in deep and now look to secure an extremely unlikely automatic promotion place. Few teams are on better overall form than Macc who have won their last 6 games. Playing a defender up front is often a risk but Jon Parkin has produced 20+ goals this season. However, the man who has to be created with the success is Brian Horton, one of the most experienced managers around. He took over last year with Macclesfield just above the relegation zone and look what's happen now. However, only Lincoln have a harder run in.

Top 7 teams left to play : Northampton (away), Swansea (away), Scunny (away), Southend (home), Lincoln (away)

Now Southend were heading for mid table mediocrity before Freddy Eastwood came along, many doubted the move as he was loaned from non-league Grays. Those doubts were over however after only 8 seconds when the young striker headed Southend in the lead against Swansea on his way to getting a hatrick. Since then it's only been up for Southend. When they played at Sincil Bank earlier in the season, they were awful and it was easy to see, why out of 7 games in August, they only won once, scoring only 4 goals. However, they have got at least 3 wins in each month since and could be a good shout for an automatic promotion place. They could also make it three Millenium Stadium appearances in a year if they get in the playoffs and are also poised to get to the LDV Vans Final for the second year in a row.

Top 7 teams left to play : Lincoln (home), Macclesfield (away), Yeovil (home)

The bottom stat says it all really, if you want to beat Lincoln, simply take the lead, after that your keeper can get a chair for the rest of the game. For most of this season, to put it bluntly, City have been awful, however, City currently have the 2nd best away record in the division and now the home form is picking up with the Imps last home defeat coming at the end of October, since then, City have won 6 of their 9 home games. However, the away form is dipping with only 3 away wins since the 3-0 victory at Darlington in mid-November. City's season will be decided with how they deal with the extremely tough run in which sees the Imps face all the other members of the current top 7 as well as some very tricky games against relegation battlers and City fans will be praying that City don't have to go into the last game needing something to secure a playoff place because we're at the team which could be getting crowned championship that day.

Top 7 teams left to play : Southend (away), Scunny (home : Live on Sky Sports 1), Swansea (Home), Macclesfield (Home), Yeovil (away)

I have nothing against Northampton now, they're earning their playoff place with a consistancy last over the whole season rather than their half season burst last season. However, despite being 7th at the minute, Northampton have struggled to keep a good thing going. A great example of this would be the game against Lincoln at Sincil Bank in November. Northampton lead 2-0 at half time but a collaspe saw City win 3-2. They have a hard run in but have the final two games all the other two promotion chasing teams would dream of, "on paper" games against Chester and Kidderminster. Their major advantage in the final games against promotion opposition is that they're at home in all 4 games.

Top 7 teams left to play : Macclesfield (home), Swansea (home), Scunthorpe (home), Lincoln (home)