Well, here we are! First entry in a while for me and I’m very excited. I will be talking about the upcoming promotion playoffs, focusing mainly on League 2, as their playoffs start on 6/18.

AUTOMATIC PROMOTION

First things first: Congratulations to the 3 clubs that earned automatic promotion to League 1:

1. Swindon Town – Didn’t really have them on my radar at the beginning of the season, but they had a really good campaign (36 played with 21 wins, 6 draws, and 9 losses for 69 points)
2. Crewe Alexandra – This club was a blast to watch in the FA cup……until they danced with Aston Villa. They had the same amount of points and a better goal differential than Swindon Town, but at 20-9-8, those 3 extra draws is what spots them at #2
3. Plymouth Argyle- You guys, I got one right!!!!!! One of the first entries I wrote this year, I said to watch out for Plymouth Argyle. They started out strong, but faltered for a stretch and were able pull it back with a strong finish to the campaign. 20-8-9 for 68 points and a +22 goal differential was enough to secure them automatic promotion by 4 points.

PROMOTION PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS

I really love this next part. Promotion and relegation have become an obsession of mine in recent years. The playoff finals last year for all 3 EFL leagues were fun to watch and you could see the passion on the players faces.

4) Cheltenham Town v 7) Northampton Town

Even with the shortened season, these two clubs got to play each other twice. Cheltenham won 2-1 when they hosted and the two sides played to a 1-1 draw when Northampton hosted. Expect this to be a tightly contested semi-final. Cheltenham, in my opinion, are the better club and it will go in their favor after the 2 legs are played out. They will end up 4-2 on aggregate and advance to the promotion playoff final.

5) Exeter City v 6) Colchester United

I’m pulling for Colchester United here. Why? They pulled off a David v Goliath style win during the FA cup when they offed Tottenham. Not much separates the two sides, as they played to two draws this year (2-2 at Colchester and 0-0 at Exeter). I’ll be looking for a 3-2 aggregate in Colchester’s favor. The first game will go 2-1 and a 1-1 tie for the second leg.

League 2 Promotion Playoff Final Prediction – Cheltenham v Colchester

Colchester is the under dog in their semi-final and would be the under dog here as well. If they play to their full potential, they have just as much of a chance to win at Wembley as Cheltenham does. The Robins (Cheltenham) DID best Colchester away 2-0 this year and played to a 1-1 draw at home. Expect Colchester to come out hungry for revenge and get ready for a great final. 2-1 to Colchester with the winner coming after the 80th minute and earning them that much coveted promotion spot to League 1.