End Of Season Coupon Busters

If the past is anything to go by, at this time of the year we can expect some strange results as we enter the last 3 weeks of the football season. The wave has started already I believe with some teams at the bottom making a late charge for safety and pulling off some surprise results. Witness Sheffield United beating Bristol City 3-2, Plymouth winning away at Dagenham & Redbridge and almost certainly doomed Stockport scoring a late winner at Play-Off chasing Port Vale when they simply had to. Stockports' win sets them up for an all or nothing clash today at home to Northampton. A draw would see them effectively relegated with too big a gap on goal difference to make up, and it wouldn't surprise me at all if they picked up the 3 points today and kept their hopes alive. 

For the betting people amongst you this makes predicting results even more difficult. Teams at the bottom find that little extra effort as if they have woken from a dream and realise they are in a nightmare, while for teams still in with a mathematical chance of promotion or the play-offs, they can find the will to win when form suggests they won't.

Todays' games could produce similar shocks. I wouldn't rule out Preston at home to Cardiff today. Thumped 4-0 at Millwall on Saturday it would take a brave man to predict a victory for North End, but that's football, and what I'd be considering for a punt today. QPR are so close to promotion and could take it today with a win against Hull City. Even a draw or defeat could do it for them depending on other results, while Hull themselves sit 3 points outside the Play-Offs. Again, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Tigers get something from that game, especially as QPR have drawn the last 2.

In League 1 Swindon could be relegated today while Plymouth are right on the edge. Both will need to show grit and determination today and I think they will, although whether they will have enough to win a game of football remains to be seen. I'll blog about the ups and downs shortly.

There is a type of football bet I do called the 'All-score' bet, or 'Both Teams to Score in the Match'.

Here's what I'll be going for today

Both Teams to Score in the Match

Leicester vs Watford
Sheffield Wednesday vs Swindon
Plymouth vs MK Dons
Wycombe vs Crewe
Chesterfield vs Bury

The odds on an accumulator are a tasty 17.5-1 

The 'All Score' bet means that you could be in with a chance right up until the final whistle. I must stress that I wouldn't encourage betting, but it does make the fixtures more interesting if you've got something on them :-D

As a side bet I'd recommend a treble on Preston, Swindon and Stockport to win. The odds are around 30-1.

Coupon-busters from the past

Manchester United 0 West Ham 1 - Old Trafford, 13th May 2007

In a crazy end to the 2006-07 Premier League season, West Ham had to win and hope Sheffield United didn't. Carlos Tevez kept his cool when one-on-one with Van Der Sar and Wigan popped up at the last minute to save themselves and send Sheffield United down. The ensuing legal battle that followed gave Sheffield United financial compensation but losing their Premiership place has sent them on a downward spiral that will surely include a tour of League 1 next season. West Ham themselves could also be staring at relegation this season. It's a funny old game Saint.

Aston Villa 0 Oldham Athletic 1 - Villa Park, 2nd May 1993

Oldham were doomed. They had to win at Villa Park or they would be relegated. They needed at least 7 points from the last 3 games (9 as it turned out). Aston Villa were 2nd and could still catch Man Utd at the top but needed a win. Nick Henry scored on 27 minutes, Villa hit the crossbar and Oldham survived one more season in the Premier League. They followed this with a 3-2 victory over Liverpool and 4-3 over Southampton on a nail-biting final day which saw Oldham stay up on goal difference following Crystal Palace's 3-0 defeat at Arsenal. Earlier in the season Oldham had beaten Manchester United 1-0 at home and Villa boss Ron Atkinson sent Joe Royle a case of champagne. When Oldham secured United's first title for 27 years by beating Villa, Alex Ferguson did the same. Happy days!

Bradford City 1 Liverpool 0 - Valley Parade, 14th May 2000

Bradford secured their Premiership survival under Paul Jewell, at the expense of Wimbledon, with a victory over Liverpool, courtesy of David Wetheralls' rare goal. 11 years on and they are near the bottom of League 2! Football eh? Bloody hell!