Four teams have to filter into two places this weekend. Barnsley hold the advantage, but we’re clinging on to sixth, with Oxford and Blackpool eyeing a jump if we slip up.
Nobody has an easy ride. Blackpool have to go to Reading, a side with top-eight home form. Oxford go to Exeter, a side top of the form table for the last six matches. Barnsley are at home to Northampton, with momentum dripping from them like a leaking water pump on your car. Us? We just have to beat the Champions to be virtually sure of a top-six spot.
With all that in mind, I am keeping an eye on what happens this week in all the camps, to keep you abrest of developments.
Barnsley
You’ll likely know by now, but if this was a staring contest, Barnsley have just blinked. With one game left of the regular season, they’ve dismissed manager Neil Collins. Back-to-back defeats against Portsmouth and Blackpool, as well as one point from a possible 15, have left them feeling a bit like we did in 2007 – out of form and possibly missing out on the top six, having looked good for the top two at one stage.
Martin Devaney has been named interim head coach, but one wonders if that might be a token gesture until they bring someone in for the last few fixtures. Michael Duff, who did such a good job there last season, is out of work and could be a big shout for the permanent role.
Blackpool
The Tangerines are still hopeful of making the top six, but they need at least two of us to slip up to do so. They’re going to Reading, a side with the eighth-best home record in the division and just 22 home goals conceded all season. Neil Critchley’s side needs the backing of their supporters, which certainly helped them back in 2021 against us at Wembley. With that in mind, they’ve requested more tickets from the Royals, over and above their initial allocation of 797.
They’re also slashing the price of the away travel buses to try and create a big atmosphere in Berkshire. They’re reliant on others but go into the game third in the six-game form table, behind us and Exeter.
Oxford United
There’s also big news for Oxford today, but not in terms of their play-off ambitions. They’ve made headway with their plans for a new stadium. They are keen to build a 16,000-capacity stadium near Kidlington, and today, ‘heads of terms’ have been agreed. There’s still a way to go, but it might mean playing in front of four stands is becoming a likely reality for Des Buckingham’s side.
Portsmouth
They’re already up, but will we join them in the Championship? There’s a long way to go, and our season is far from over, but looking over Pompey’s news, it feels like perhaps theirs is. The big news today was John Mousinho discussing their pre-season camp and friendlies abroad. Any other time of the season, and we’d probably be hopeful of our rivals slipping up, but Portsmouth are champions. They can’t reach 100 points, and they lost at the weekend, at home.
Will them having one eye on the future influence the game? As professionals, I doubt it, but you never know.
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