All weekend I've been telling myself that we're still third-favourites for the top 2 (
bookies agree). But if we "only" needed 23 points from our last 12 games for promotion... well... I just ran through our remaining fixtures, chucked in draws at Swillsborough and Birmingham and losses to Leeds and Preston, and we still got there with a few games to spare
Incidentally, a few months ago I looked at the points needed to finish 2nd in the last 10 seasons, and it averages out at 84.4... although the bar has been a win or two higher the last few seasons:
POINTS NEEDED TO FINISH 2ND
2017/18 – 89 points
2016/17 – 86 points
2015/16 – 89 points
2014/15 – 87 points
2013/14 – 86 points
2012/13 – 78 points
2011/12 – 87 points
2010/11 – 81 points
2009/10 – 80 points
2008/09 – 81 points
At the time of looking that up - just after we beat QPR at home - I thought that it would be a major stretch for us to get to 84/85 points. This was before away games with Norwich, Villa, WBA and Swansea, with Boro at home on top. Now...
Alright, time to have a cup of tea and calm down...