The hope of getting back into the Premier League automatically has long gone, but the season is not yet over and we now have a good chance of getting to Wembley and going up through the play offs, here we look at who we could meet.

As it stands Saints are the only team absolutely guaranteed to be in the play offs as we head into the final week of the season.

Above them it could be either Leeds United or Ipswich Town blowing up in the final week and joining us in the play offs, but below us there are still 3 teams vying for the final 2 spots.

That is probably not entirely correct though, Norwich City who sit in 5th place on 73 points are 1 point above West Brom in 6th and 3 points above Hull in 7th, but they have a better goal difference of 7 over Hull, so it would take a big turnaround for Hull to get above the Canaries, Norwich travel to Birmingham City who will go down if they are defeated and unless Plymouth lose 5-0 even a draw wont save Birmingham.

Hull for their part are away at Plymouth, so high scoring games in these fixtures could decide the fate of clubs at the top as well as at the bottom.

I would imagine that Norwich will hold on to a play off spot whatever the scoreline, so the final place will be between West Brom & Hull.

West Brom are at home to Preston and although the Baggies are in the midst of a terrible run, it should still be enough to get a point and get in the play offs as Hull are currently 11 goals worse off than West Brom.

Hull are perhaps the only team who only have one option on Saturday, they have to attack and keep attacking and hope that one of Norwich & West Brom, get beaten.

So Saints could meet any of those 3 clubs in the play off semi final, the truth is though we should not fear any of them, despite our own recent form.

Of course we have suffered 3 straight defeats, but we have still got 9 points from our last 6 games, that compared favourably with West Brom who have gained just 5, Norwich who have the same number 9 and only Hull have bettered that, a late 6 match unbeaten run with 3 wins and 3 draws giving them 12 points.

They are most definitely the in form team, it is the same number of points that Leicester have got in the same period and more than any of Saints, Ipswich & Leeds, indeed Leeds have a worse record than Saints over the last 6 and Ipswich an identical 9 points.

So although we have had a disaster in the last 3 games, the clubs around us have not done much better, I would say it is a real outside bet that Hull get that last promotion place, even though they are in form, they travel to Plymouth who have to win to guarantee survival, it won't be an easy task.

That being the case then we should be confident about facing West Brom or Norwich teams that we haven't lost against this season.

So it is not all doom and gloom and saying that the club that has the late run into the play offs is the one that goes up, from the look of it all four clubs in the play offs could be there not on the back of recent form, but earlier in the season, it will not just be Saints who go into the play offs low on confidence.

Photo: Action Images

Centurion added 15:57 - Apr 29 I have felt for a long time that Norwich are the team to look out for. They can be mean in defence with some real flair players in attack. Sargent is a leader on the pitch. Carrow Road has loud and passionate fans. Hold them at Carrow Road and we have a chance.
2

Bowlercow added 20:26 - Apr 29 I fear Hull lf WBA lose and Hull win they will be the team with momentum And I remember the tonking they gave us in February Against Norwich or WBA I would be confident of getting to Wembley A win against Leeds would give us a physcological advantage if we meet in the final
0

wibbersda added 09:27 - Apr 30 Given our History, it's a safe bet that we will be runners up in the playoffs.
0

Blogs 31 bloggers

Cardiff City Polls