Trigger Warning - Play-Offs

[ShorehamRevolution]

Understandably there's a lot of talk of what's going to be required during the run-in for us to make the play-offs, but IF we do make it, does anybody actually give us a feline's chance in Hades...or are the ghosts of play-offs past just too strong to give you any sort of confidence?
I'm not talking about the squad's ability because obviously they're good enough on their day, I'm wondering if anyone would make the trip down to Wembley with any sense of optimism?
I've seen it mentioned and it's certainly crossed my mind, but a defeat to Wilder's Boro' seems to be the most Bladey outcome imaginable and one to add to the list of unhappy play-off memories:

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OR, will it be more like this:

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Hecky knows what play-off final success feels like:

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ahem:


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My only thought on this post is from what I saw in the pictures, did Rankine really play in the wolves play off ?! I’ve erased it from my memory completely!

 

[ShorehamRevolution]

If will probably go to Sheffield somewhere during April to visit a regular game, but if we're making the play-off final I will fly over again to go to Wembley if I can get a ticket haha.

To answer OP: With the current standing, I actually think we would have the best odds of everyone. Still kind of a lottery tho.

How many Dutch blades are out there? I visit Amsterdam quite frequently, I was over there for the Stoke match last game of the season when we could’ve won the league, pretty sure I remember someone on here saying a few were meeting in a sports bar in Leidseplein

 

[Superblades]

My only thought on this post is from what I saw in the pictures, did Rankine really play in the wolves play off ?! I’ve erased it from my memory completely!

Yep, he played instead of McCall. I think Rankine played in the 3/3 draw with Wolves at home towards the end of that season, had a good game then didn’t get dropped after that.

 

[jim2007]

but if we're making the play-off final I will fly over again to go to Wembley if I can get a ticket haha.

I'm travelling to the Netherlands on the final day. In my defence the trip was booked when we were 18th.

Having sat through all the other disasters at Wembley from 93 onwards, I'm not sure how I'll feel not being there this time if that is how this season plays out.

 

[JJBlade]

again all history
when I ;ring our promotions I get slapped down and told they were years ago

well spoiler alert so were these play offs

if we get in the play off there is no precedent for the 2022 play offs
every team has the same chance

And ?????
Uniteds play off record will not improve until they actually try to win the game, because one thing is for sure, if they get to a play off final and approach it like they have the last four, they'll get beaten, again.

 

[blade too long]

And ?????
Uniteds play off record will not improve until they actually try to win the game, because one thing is for sure, if they get to a play off final and approach it like they have the last four, they'll get beaten, again.

and why would this squad not try to win it
as far as Im aware not one of them played in any previous play off for us

 

[JJBlade]

and why would this squad not try to win it
as far as Im aware not one of them played in any previous play off for us

Club mentality
Players play the way a manager instructs them to

If we are in a big game like this we will always resort to killing the game rather than taking the game on

We always have, we always will

 

[blade too long]

Club mentality
Players play the way a manager instructs them to

If we are in a big game like this we will always resort to killing the game rather than taking the game on

We always have, we always will

club mentality , what bollocks
Im sure Hecky will go for it. mccall is not a defensive style coach

clubs mentality is to try and get 150m quid in the prem
who in the club wouldnt want to win it

we go at it like we played against Middlesborough
previous failings should be erased from thinking
took preston 10 play off attempts to win one but no one told the team to beat swindon 4-0 when they finally did it
their club mentality as you put it took a major u turn

we last lost a play off final a decade ago, get over it
weve lost mccabe since then
the clubs mentality has changed enormously since princey sacked slavisa
any poor results recently our injuries added to a lot of games was the cause
but players will return

 

[Geordie Blade]

PLAY OFFS WHERE 3RD 4TH 5TH AND 6TH contested it started in 1992

The current play off system started in 1988-89. There was a slightly different version (involving a team from the division above) for a couple of years before that.

 

[brownblade]

God, the playoff finals are the worst.

Didn't go to the Palace game. Was quite young, but I've no idea why Dad didn't take us. I remember the match pretty well from watching on TV. Gutting, from a real gut-punch goal.

Burnley and Huddersfield both pretty dire.

The Wolves one possibly the worst after conceding so early. Then that decent wave of optimism when awarded a penalty... Only to be crushed again.

IF we get to the playoff final this year, it would be the most open-minded/realistic/informed approach to a play-off final I've ever had... But I'd probably counter that by drinking as much as possible before the game.

 

[blade too long]

The current play off system started in 1988-89. There was a slightly different version (involving a team from the division above) for a couple of years before that.

but the current play off system as I put started in 1992
wednesday were the last team to finish 3rd and get automatic promotion
the lucky twats . might have lost if it had took place first in 88 89
weve finished 3rd 3 times since and not made it

 

[Eric]

I had too much to drink before the Wolves game and slept through the whole of the second half. Apart from when a friend woke me up for the penalty miss

 

[Geordie Blade]

but the current play off system as I put started in 1992
wednesday were the last team to finish 3rd and get automatic promotion
the lucky twats . might have lost if it had took place first in 88 89
weve finished 3rd 3 times since and not made it

No, that was a one-off when four teams got promoted (and two got relegated from the Prem). For at least four years before that, 3rd went into the play offs.

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

I was there in 2003, 2009 and 2012.

2003 was the first time the Blades ever broke my heart.

That was when I first realised what following this football club is all about.

 

[Swannyblade]

I knew we were jinxed the minute Paddy ran on to the pitch wearing that blue goalkeeper kit having worn exclusively green all season.

That and Rankine being in the starting 11.

Don't forget the iffy business with Windass

 

[Sheffsteel]

This is it, for me. Having sat through Palace, Wolves, Burnley and Huddersfield, I think it would actually feel worse if we won and I wasn't there than enduring another defeat in-person.

Agree.
I also went to the Palace, Wolves and Burnley play-offs.
Thought I was a jinx, so I deliberately didn't go to the Huddersfield game and stayed at home watching it on tv.

At 2-0 up in the penalty shoot-out I thought "I think we're actually going to win a play-off final"
Think we had a penalty to make it 3-0 up and I thought "score this and it's all over, we're promoted"

We went on to fail AGAIN. My experiment failed, we lost even when I didn't go.

So I'll definitely be going to the next play-off final.
To be honest I think I'll enjoy it more because the pressure isn't as great.

We've recently experienced PL football, so it's not as big a deal.
Also deep inside I don't think we're currently good enough for the PL and even I would accept that we'd be big favourites for relegation.
Where as regards the team promoted under Wilder I did expect us to surprise everyone by easily staying up.

 

[Sheffsteel]

And ?????
Uniteds play off record will not improve until they actually try to win the game, because one thing is for sure, if they get to a play off final and approach it like they have the last four, they'll get beaten, again.

Good point, every game has been about concentrating on defence and keeping it tight.
We've failed to score a single goal in normal time, lost 1-0, 3-0, 1-0 and drew 0-0 (losing on penalties).

We should approach the game like we did at home to Boro, just go out all guns blazing and try to blow them away.
At least score a goal this time, give us something to cheer.

 

[Swannyblade]

I was there in 2003, 2009 and 2012.

2003 was the first time the Blades ever broke my heart.

That was when I first realised what following this football club is all about.

Mark Stein was the first time my heart was broken, Hopkin did it again and the Wolves game confirmed my suspicions that following the Blades will be a journey punctuated with big disappointments.
It's not that United suffer setbacks (every football fan will experience disappointments following their team), it's the context in which most of ours occur. For example, last year's relegation was easy to swallow - we were shit, we deserved it! But it was a rare occurrence as they usually involve a load of weird events conspiring against us so that we snatch defeat from the claws of victory (or relegation from the claws of defeat).

 

[CrookesBlade]

1997 - a terrible game in baking heat won by a bit of magic. Seem to recall Kendall playing an untested 3-5-2 rather than the 4-4-2 we'd played all season (although I was 13 so could be misremembering). Had Kendall already been tapped up by Everton at that point?

2003 - we were burnt out. We'd played about 50 odd games that season and had a few injury problems going into the final. It was a game too far. There was the business in the build up with Dean Windass getting dropped as well for curling one out on a golf course.

2009 - too pissed to remember much of anything about this game but Blackwell's ultra cautious approach with probably the best squad in the league got what it deserved. Limp and lifeless performance and no idea how to react to going a goal down in such a big game.

2012 - The players had gone mentally. In all honesty I was surprised we made the final. We'd expected to cruise to promotion then our 30 goal striker got sent to prison and the whole shape of the team went. Limped through the last few games against very ordinary opposition whilst our city rivals pipped us to 2nd.

So as much as we put it down to bad luck or being 'jinxed' there are good reasons why we lost those 4 games. It may be the same this time out if we were to go all the way given the injuries we've had and the amount of games we've had to play in such a short space of time.

Then again we've got a manager who likes to play good attacking football and if we get a few players back we'll be looking strong. On the big Wembley pitch MGW could have a field day getting in behind defenders.

 

[Mojo]

Been to all four play off finals and the aftermath of each has been some of the worse times of my life. Genuinely guts me to the core

 

[Swannyblade]

So as much as we put it down to bad luck or being 'jinxed' there are good reasons why we lost those 4 games. It may be the same this time out if we were to go all the way given the injuries we've had and the amount of games we've had to play in such a short space of time.

You could be right on this point - in both 2009 and 2012 we'd run out of (reliable) strikers for one reason or another and same could happen again this year with fixture congestion and injuries.

In 2009 we had Craig Beattie starting with Lupoli and Jamie Ward as forward options off the bench

In 2012 we Cresswell starting with Chris Porter and O'Halloran as forward options off the bench

No wonder we never score in these games!

 

[Rodley]

We finally turned up against Hull in the semi. I’d fancy us to win at Wembers, only Forest worry me but MGW, Berge and Billeh are matchwinners for us IMHO.

 

[Charlieblade]

The obvious solution to this non issue, is to win an automatic promotion spot!

Failing that, we go into a play off final with more injuries and suspensions than we have now, and the Blades win it as underdogs, with the bench full of fearless youngsters.

 

[Darthblade]

Well lets look at it objectively ......
We can't win a game at Wembley ..... historically hopeless !!
If Billy's out for the season we have no striker capable of scoring ....
Not looking positive IF we get to the play-offs
I would say that there's more chance of me being offered a steamy threesome with Scarlett Johannsen and Michelle Keegan than there is of us getting promoted via the playoffs
UTB & FTP

 

[Frank the tank]

Rather lick my nan out than face the play offs again. Again.

 

[ATL Recs]

It was the Wolves game for me - 3-0 down and shell shocked. We'd had so many good results in big games that season that I actually went into the game feeling confident for once. Even when we got the penalty I thought the comeback could be on (with the the Forest game still fresh in my mind). When Browny missed the penalty it was an absolute sickener and I've not felt confident going into a big game since.

Palace here I thought we just needed to turn up not forgetting we beat them at the lane 3 or 4 nowt a few weeks before and they sneaked into the play offs - only time I have ever got pissed at a match and that was an hour before kick off.

 

[jim2007]

Might be my memory getting on a bit, but hasn't every time we've been to Wembley for the play-off final been boiling hot and sunny?

Which was the one where we were behind the goal to the right as you look from the telly and it was about 175 degrees?

The Hull semi-final was like an oven too if I remember right.

 

[ForgeBlade]

I was there for Palace, Wolves, Burnley and Huddersfield.

Wolves was the worst, cos we took my dad Numpty's Dusty Ruts. to that game, with his leg encased in a metal frame. Was a logistical operation to get him there, and the match, and journey home, were thoroughly miserable.

That said, I would not dare miss it if we got there this year. For all the misery of that day, and the others mentioned, I think it would feel infinitely worse if we actually won one of these bloody things, and I chose not to go out of some sort of superstitious paranoia.

 

[Ridgeway Blade]

It was the Wolves game for me - 3-0 down and shell shocked. We'd had so many good results in big games that season that I actually went into the game feeling confident for once. Even when we got the penalty I thought the comeback could be on (with the the Forest game still fresh in my mind). When Browny missed the penalty it was an absolute sickener and I've not felt confident going into a big game since.

I couldn't go the Wolves game. I was on hoilday in North Yorkshire and was in Richmond that day. Pubs were packed with sqaddies on a weekend off so couldn't even get to see a tv. Left the family at Richmond showground and went to listen in my car show only to get to the car and find out we already 2-0 down. Stopped until ht when I gave up. A miserable afternoon ensued.

 

[Mojo]

Might be my memory getting on a bit, but hasn't every time we've been to Wembley for the play-off final been boiling hot and sunny?

Which was the one where we were behind the goal to the right as you look from the telly and it was about 175 degrees?

The Hull semi-final was like an oven too if I remember right.

Always boiling. Always gutted... and dehydrated, by the end