I don't think even "Mr Incredible" will rescue Hull now, not enough games lt in the season.

Hull would need a sudden winning streak and that is un likely to just suddenly materialise.

Fulham were very impressive tonight!

Great stuff from both Fulham and Liverpool !

Yes, the Liverpool result was a good one, too. Wonder if Fulham and Liverpool will meet in a subsequent round?

Charlton 1-0

20 seconds later, 1-1

and a bit later...

*waaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*

That's a bit better...2-2...

1-1 away at Boro, up to 13th now...

Car Expert

A draw was useless for us. Why on earth did Strachan put Jones in goal with the back 4 he had chosen? It was the perfect reicepie for an own goal and that's what we lost our lead on - a Wheater own goal. Did Strachan not learn anything from Southgate's mistakes........

Yes, agree, the point is far more useful for Reading than Boro. Boro can still make the playoffs, but they've now made it hard for themselves : another defeat or two will probably end Boro's season...

Our season ended when we lost to Cardiff.

I really don't know what Strachan was thinking off today though...

Looked at your run in.

It's not too bad : but anything less than 7 points from the next three games (Preston, Watford, Palace), and sadly I think that's your lot

Don't forget that Cardiff have 2 games in hand...

I don't think they'll get the full 6 points from them...

Darlington have sacked Steve Staunton. Sadly, I think they are doomed for this season and will be relegated from the football league regardless of who their manager is. They have 16 points and are 19 points from safety with 12 games left......

I don't see what sacking their manager will do to help them. It's likely to add more uncertainty to the side, and I'm afraid they have effectively been relegated, yes

It's a shame. It's not that long since they were contesting the playoffs...

They do seem to be a classic example of what happens if a chairman meddles too much. A shame, yes.

It was last year's administration which has caused the biggest problems... I think that they might still be in administration.

Spending too much on a posh stadium, possibly?...

The Darlington Arena gets used a lot for other things, so it probably gives them quite a bit of income.

True, but unlike, say, Coventry (with their equally posh Ricoh Arena), I don't think Darlington could afford it, and I don't think the income they're getting covers the cost of building the stadium in the first place...

Not sure whether to go or

Leeds are losing, which keeps them close to Charlton

...but they are losing to Millwall which means they overtake Charlton and push us down to 4th...

Oh, and just in case you didn't catch what I think of Millwall...

Hee Hee I'll have some fun at the office tomorrow , Leeds are going from bad to worse (apart from beating Tranmere!)

I had to do a second take there. I thought you'd written 'Traumerei'!

Half and hour to kick-off. Team doesn't seem to have been announced yet - I hope Strachan doesn't go for an own-goal recipie today.

Blackpool are trouncing Swansea

We're 1-0 up at the moment but I don't expect it to last. We've been playing really badly and Preston have been playing quite well and they deserve to be in the lead.

Strachan has used all of the subs we're allowed with 20 minutes to go.

No-one gets injured now.

Franks. 2-0 and we're into injury time.

Yay!

Full time: Boro 2-0 PNE.

Goodness knows how we won that - they dominated the game. Very pleased to have a win at last though.


I was wondering where you were - I seem to have been the only one on here tonight.

Edit: that's weird. It's added my new post to the old one and changed the time.

Well done Boro. Up to 8th. Hope for reaching the playoffs yet.

Not on the basis of how we played tonight. I would be feeling very hard done by tonight if I was a Preston fan...

Doesn't matter. 3 points is what the record says. See what happens in the next game.

We'll see. We're relying on other teams messing up in order for us to have any chance of going up.

I'm also not entirely sure if I want us to go up. Part of me really does, but another part of me thinks that we probably need another season to consolidate the team.

Just to bear in mind - Cardiff may have two games in hand, but they could also face a 10-point deduction next month if they go into administration due to their financial problems. If that is the case, it'll help blow the race for the final play-off place wide open. Certainly at the moment I would say anyone from Preston upwards still have a chance of making a late dash for the play-offs...

The BBC say Boro only have a slim chance of making the play-offs. Not sure I agree with that based on the above theory and given there's still seven games left!

Car Expert

But this would only apply if they go into administration before 25th March - after this Thursday any points deduction would apply to next season and not this season...

I think I agree with this. Premier league football would be great, but we would go straight back down!

It's no fun being in the PL when you're not up to it
Derby's woeful season will be remembered for decades to come.

Reading are winning at Leicester

Car Expert

Yay.

1-1 now... the exact scoreline at the exact venue where Reading sealed promotion to the Premier League 4 years ago...

Car Expert

2-1!!! Sigurdsson's done it again for us

Car Expert

Reading up to 11th, with two games in hand, which, if they are both won, would put you 7th. Hmmm...interesting...

...with the two games in hand being Newcastle at home and Scunthorpe away... certainly possible

Car Expert

Both the 'old firm' teams lose in one night to other Scottish teams Maybe there's hope for Scottish football at last! (I hope it's because the other teams are getting better and not that Rangers and Celtic are getting worse! )
Anyway, off to continue celebrating...

Mowbray's gone! Not a surprise, and a relief that while we will be muddling through the rest of the season, we'll be muddling along with someone else.

mr bean, with regret both Old Firm teams have been pants this season; but in many ways I'm all for it (it'd just be nice if gers were pantser than us )

I'll swap you Stachan for Mowbray

I was a bit shocked to hear about your manager's departure, Maizie. However, I don't think it will take long for a team like Celtic to get back to winning ways again! I do think that the real test for Scottish teams is how they do in European competitions. I remember Aberdeen and Dundee United being strong forces in Europe in the eighties - it would be great to see Scottish teams getting back to that level again.
Anyway, a nostalgic best wishes to you meantime!

I think I'd swap Strachan for Mowbray too, but I am starting warm to Strachan a bit.

I think Mowbray would have got us back up to the Prem, but he hasn't managed to keep West Brom there, so I don't think he'd keep us up either.