Nobes' Trivia Question 19

Nobes is back on his travels once more this week - asking whether you can work out:

WHERE'S NOBES?

This ground I'm at has been used for everything from athletics to rugby, to staging pop concerts.

It even once played host to a UEFA Cup Winners Cup match featuring Manchester United.

The grandstand at this ground had to be rebuilt after being destroyed during the Second World War by the German Luftwaffe.

Three quarters of this stadium - which is based in the south - was re-developed at the start of the new Millennium.

Do you know where Nobes is? He'll be revealing the answer on May 14.

Talking Points - April

There's always something the lads need to get off their chest. Here's what's got them talking during April:


The Collapse-o-meter
With Leeds blowing a huge lead in the race for automatic promotion, Nobes cranks up his Collapse-o-meter to look at other sides who've bottled it.




The Boat Race
As the annual Varsity event takes place, Lakes and Turls stage their own version comparing the fortunes of Conference Premier rivals Oxford and Cambridge.


Last Roll of the Dice
After struggling Leyton Orient replace boss Geraint Williams with Russell Slade, Nobes examines whether or not late managerial changes actually work.




Nothing to shout about
Falling attendances, no cup runs, and nothing to play for at the end of the season. Nobes looks at a season of mid-table mediocrity at Walsall.




Silent stars
Turls on the unsung midfield maestros who've been key to their respective team's success in this season's Championship.




Championship Focus
The latest at both ends of the Championship as Newcastle and West Brom seal promotion and Peterbrough take the plunge.




League One Focus
Stockport are down, Norwich are nearly up, and who knows what positions the top six are going to end up in. We round-up what's going on in League One.




League Two Focus
Reviewing the action in League Two as a couple of sides sit on the brink of promotion, one side is relegated, and the closest play-off race in years continues.




Conference Focus
Grays might be down and the top five untouchable, but who's going to win the title, and who else will be getting relegated? We have the latest Conference news.



Conference North/South Focus
A close title race up north, but all over in the south. Plus important play-off and relegation issues to be decided as we round-up the latest.



Stevenage settle a score
Nobes reports on Stevenage's promotion to the Football League - 14 years after being denied the opportunity to play in the 92.




Norwich's Valley of Joy
Twelve months on from being relegated at Charlton's Valley - Norwich seal their return to the Championship at the same ground, as Nobes examines.




Up The Dale
Nobes celebrates Rochdale's success, as the club win promotion to League One - their first promotion in 41 years.




Sentimental Fools
After Plymouth are relegated from the Championship, Nobes argues that sentiment saw them act too late in trying to save their season.




Paradise Lost?
As Paul Ince resigns as MK Dons citing budget cutbacks as his reason, Nobes assesses the future of Milton Keynes dream.




Cherries on top
Nobes salutes the achievements of Bournemouth and their manager Eddie Howe after they win promotion from League Two against all the odds.




What goes up must come down
After Southend return to League Two following relegation, Nobes considers their attempt to climb back up the Football League ladder.




Magpies steal the title
After their secure the League Two title, Turls praises the job new Notts County manager Steve Cotterill has done.

Conference North: April

It's been the final month of the regular season in our featured division.

Here's how issues concerning the title, relegation, and the play-offs ended in the Conference North.


Southport sweep to success

Southport edged out title rivals Fleetwood Town to clinch a return to the Conference Premier. Liam Watson's men won four and lost one of their matches in April to go into the final game a point ahead of Town.

While Fleetwood were 2-0 winners over Stalybridge, Port made sure they finished top after a convincing 3-0 victory at Eastwood.

It caps off a successful first season at Haig Avenue for the former Burscough boss. The Sandgrounders have been in the title chase all term, finding form in the last few weeks to pip their rivals at the post.

Micky Mellon's side must settle for another shot at promotion through the play-offs.


Last day Droylsden steal ahead of Steelmen

Droylsden thumped Redditch United 6-1 to snatch the last play-off place in the Conference North.

The Manchester club had begun the final day two points behind Corby in 5th. Due to Farsley's expulsion though, the Steelmen had been left without a fixture on the last weekend and had to watch and hope.

The other side in contention on the final day had been Hinckley. However, a 3-2 loss at East Midlands rivals Alfreton, who were already assured of a top five spot, put paid to their hopes of an extension to their campaign.

Joining Fleetwood, Alfreton, and Droylsden in the play-offs are Workington. The Cumbrian outfit have been the league's form side over the past few weeks. They collected 20 points in the final month to assure themselves of a play-off place.


Vauxhall run out of gas

Vauxhall Motors were relegated from the Conference North after losing their showdown at Redditch. The Motormen had to win both their final games to stand any chance of catching their Worcestershire rivals.

However, they only managed a 1-1 draw and joined already-relegated Harrogate Town in next season's Northern Premier division.



Final table:

...............................P...GD...PTS
1. Southport.............40...46.....86
--------------------------------------------
2. Fleetwood.............40...42....85
3. Alfreton................40...32....74
4. Workington...........40....9.....70
5. Droylsden.............40....20....64
--------------------------------------------
6. Corby...................40....11....63
7. Hinckley...............40.....8.....62
8. Ilkeston................40....8.....61
9. Stalybridge............40....7.....55
10. Eastwood.............40...-5.....54
11. AFC Telford..........40...-3......51
12. Northwich............40....7......48
13. Blyth Spartans......40...-5......48
14. Gainsborough........40...-7.....47
15. Hyde....................40..-27....45
16. Stafford................40...-11...44
17. Solihull.................40...-11...42
18. Gloucester.............40...-12...42
19. Redditch................40...-34...38
--------------------------------------------
20. Vauxhall Motors......40...-36...35
21. Harrogate..............40...-39...30


Play-offs:





The Conference North play-offs are underway with the first legs having taken place on Wednesday evening.

At the Butcher's Arms, two goals in the last 20 minutes handed Droylsden a surprise 2-0 win against Fleetwood.

In the other semi-final, Alfreton secured a narrow 1-0 victory at Workington to take back to Derbyshire.

The return legs are on Sunday afternoon as two sides look to secure a place in the final and a shot in next season's Conference Premier.


We'll have the result of the Conference North play-offs in our final review of the season next month.

Nobes' Trivia Question 18 solution

Two weeks ago, Nobes asked you this football trivia question:

Only four sides have ever achieved this feat. Lincoln City were the first and the most recent team to accomplish it were Carlisle United. What?

Did you get the answer?

The solution was instantly winning promotion back to the Football League following relegation.

Lincoln achieved it in 1988, after becoming the first side to be automatically relegated to Non League. Two years later, Darlington achieved the same feat.

It wasn't until 2004 - when Shrewsbury won promotion back to League Two at the first time of asking that it was done again. A year later, and Carlisle did the same thing.

Well done if you worked out the answer, and Nobes will have another question for you soon.

Survival Sunday: Relegation showdowns

Ahead of the final day relegation showdown between Sheffield Wednesday and Crystal Palace, Nobes takes a look at three such previous games - all in League Two - where the two teams knew it was do or die.

Hereford United vs. Brighton & Hove Albion

Saturday May 3, 1997

Scenario:

.......................P...GS...PTS
23. Brighton.....45...52.....46
------------------------------------
24. Hereford.....45...49.....46

Former top flight members Brighton had looked doomed to drop out of the Football League altogether in the 1996/7 season.

In December they had been 12 points adrift at the bottom, however, the Seagulls, blighted by off-field problems, had put together a late run.

They won their final game at their old Goldstone ground against Doncaster to climb off the bottom and above Hereford on goals scored. The win had also set up a do-or-die final day decider at Edgar Street.

The like of the game had never been seen before. Come full time, one of the two teams would know they had been relegated into the Non Leagues.

The home side knew they had to win, whereas avoiding defeat was good enough to preserve Albion's place in the 92.

Hereford started off the better of the two teams - going for the win they knew they had to get. Midway through the first half they took the lead - Kerry Mayo diverting the ball into his own net after a low cross was fired through the box.

However, despite their domination, the Bulls failed to extend their advantage, and were made to pay. Just after the hour mark, Rob Reneilt was on hand to tap home the rebound after a long range effort had come back off the post.

It was now Brighton, and not United, who would be staying up. Right at the death though, a ball over the top caught out the Albion backline and Bulls top scorer Adrian Foster raced through.

He could only manage a tepid shot into the arms of keeper Mark Ormerod. It was to prove the final chance as Hereford's 25-year spell in the Football League came to an end. Brighton had earned salvation on goals scored.

Final score: Hereford United 1-1 Brighton & Hove Albion


Outcome:

.......................P...GS...PTS
23. Brighton.....46...53.....47
------------------------------------
24. Hereford.....45...50.....47

Barnet vs. Torquay United

Saturday May 8, 2001

Scenario:

.......................P....GD...PTS
23. Torquay......45...-26.....46
------------------------------------
24. Barnet........45...-13.....45


Two wins in their last 16 had seen Barnet plummet down the League Two table and, after the penultimate game of the season, they slipped to the bottom.

They had been overtaken by Torquay, who they hosted on the final day in a relegation showdown - a match Barnet had to win.

Just like four years previously at Edgar Street - come full time, one set of fans knew they would be condemend to watching Non League football next term.

Come half time, it seemed to be pretty clear it was the club from North London who would be heading down.

The game had started badly for Barnet as their keeper Lee Harrison was injured in the opening minute. Nine minutes later, Torquay took the lead - Jason Rees with a stunning volley from outside the box.

They doubled their advantage through a Kevin Hill header from a corner mid-way through the half. However, Barnet were given a route back into the game when Jimmy Aggrey handled the ball in the area.

Stuart Jones saved Darren Currie's penalty though, and the Gulls promptly went down the other end of the pitch and extended their lead just before the break. David Graham with time and space in the box to steer the ball high into the net from a cross.

3-0 down at half time, it appeared Barnet's ten year spell in the Football League was coming to an end. However, the Bees began to stage a second half comeback.

Ryan Green was the unfortunate man to divert his header from a Currie cross past his own keeper. That was with an hour gone, and 16 minutes later, they had got another.

Another Currie ball into the box was this time dropped by Jones and Greg Heald was on hand to bundle the ball in.

However, that was the end of the goal scoring, and the Devon side sent Barnet back down to the Conference.

Final score: Barnet 2-3 Torquay United


Outcome:

.......................P....GD...PTS
21. Torquay......46...-24.....49
22. Carlisle.......46...-23.....48
23. Halifax........46...-14.....47
-------------------------------------
24. Barnet........46...-14.....45

Wrexham vs. Boston United

Saturday May 5, 2007

Scenario:

.........................P...GD...PTS
21. Wrexham......45..-24.....48
22. Macclesfield...45..-22....47
--------------------------------------
23. Boston..........45...-27...46
24. Torquay........45...-27....34


In all truth, it was a miracle that Boston took their survival bid to the final day in 2006/7.

The Lincolnshire club had been in chaos off the pitch with the club unable to pay their players, afford a team coach for away matches, and having to cancel training as players were unable to afford the petrol money to travel.

However, a spirited effort had given them a chance as they made their way to Wrexham. A win for the Pilgrims would keep them up and, if Macclesfield avoided defeat, relegate the Welsh club.

In a tense affair in-front of a 13,000 sell out, both sides struggled to create chances. Then, just before the break, United's Franny Green latched onto a ball forward to squeeze the ball past Anthony Williams.

At the break, with Macclesfield drawing, it was Wrexham who were going down. However, early in the second period, the Red Dragons drew level. Ryan Valentine converting a penalty past former Wrexham keeper Andy Marriott.

Boston responded, and missed a great chance to re-take the lead when skipper Paul Ellender fired over the bar with the goal gaping. It was to prove a costly miss.

With time running out, Chris Llewellyn's mazy run ended with a low shot into the corner. And, in added time, Michael Proctor's header sealed Wrexham's survival and condemned Boston to relegation.

With their fate confirmed, United's owners made the decision to put the club into administration and avoid a ten point deduction the following season in the Conference.

Final score: Wrexham 3-1 Boston United


Outcome:

.........................P...GD...PTS
19. Wrexham.......45..-24.....51
20. Accrington.....46...-11....50
21. Bury.............46...-15....50
22. Macclesfield...46..-22....48
--------------------------------------
23. Boston..........46...-29...46
24. Torquay........46...-27....35


The bad news for Wednesday is that all three sides who knew they had to win failed to do so. Home advantage also didn't count for much in two of the three games. Can Alan Irvine's side buck the trend this weekend?

Survival Sunday: Relegation Records

We continue our preview of this weekend's relegation shoot-out in the Championship as Nobes takes a look at previous relegation battles involving Sheffield Wednesday and Crystal Palace.

If Owls and Eagles fans making their way to Hillsborough on Sunday feel nervous, at least they'll be able to draw upon previous experience to see them through 90 anxious minutes.

This is by no means the first time Wednesday and Palace have found themselves fighting the drop from the Championship in the past ten years. Indeed, it's the fourth time the Yorkshire outfit have found themselves in such a position.

Here's their relegation form:



2000/1




Scenario:

.............................P....GD.....PTS
20. Huddersfield.....43....-8........46
21. Portsmouth......43....-11.......46
--------------------------------------------
22. Crystal Palace..44....-16.......43
23. QPR................45....-30.......39
24. Tranmere.........45....-31.......37


With two games to go, Crystal Palace's survival hopes weren't looking good. They'd played a game more than the side immediately above them - Portsmouth - who they trailed by three points.

To make matters worse, their last two fixtures were both away - starting with Portsmouth at Fratton Park. Caretaker boss Steve Kember managed to inspire them to a 4-2 win over Pompey that lifted them out of the bottom three.

However, on the final day, while Pompey were crushing Barnsley on the South Coast, Palace were toiling at Stockport. With relegation rivals Grimsby winning and Huddersfield losing, Palace knew they had to win to stay up.

Then, with just three minutes left on the clock, a long ball forward found Dougie Freedman whose jinking run ended with him smashing a shot past Stockport keeper Lee Jones.

The 1-0 win was enough to keep Palace up by a single point - and send Huddersfield down to League One.

Outcome:

.............................P....GD.....PTS
20. Portsmouth......46....-12.......49
21. Crystal Palace..46....-13.......49
--------------------------------------------
22. Huddersfield.....46....-9........48
23. QPR................46....-30.......40
24. Tranmere.........46....-31.......38




2001/2




Scenario:

.............................P....GD.....PTS
20. Rotherham........45...-12.......49
21. Sheff Wed.........45...-22.......49
--------------------------------------------
22. Crewe...............45...-31.......46
23. Barnsley...........45....-28.......45
24. Stockport..........45....-58.......26


After being relegated from the Premier League two seasons previously, Sheffield Wednesday now found themselves in a fight to avoid demotion to the third tier.

Unbelievably, their fight to stay up went down to the final day as they lost their penultimate match away to already relegated Stockport.

It would have taken a mathematical miracle, but with a difficult final game against promotion chasing Wolves, coupled with Crewe facing struggling Rotherham, it was not impossible.

In the end, Wednesday's 2-2 draw was enough to see them survive, even with Crewe's victory. It had been an embarrassingly close shave for the Owls though.

Outcome:

.............................P....GD.....PTS
20. Sheff Wed.........46...-22.......50
21. Rotherham........46...-14.......49
--------------------------------------------
22. Crewe...............46...-29.......49
23. Barnsley...........46....-27.......48
24. Stockport..........46....-60.......26




2002/3




Scenario:

.............................P....GD.....PTS
21. Stoke City.........43...-25......44
--------------------------------------------
22. Brighton...........43...-22.......40
23. Sheff Wed........43...-23.......39
24. Grimsby...........43...-35.......38


A year on from winning their Championship survival battle, Sheffield Wednesday found themselves in trouble once again.

With three games to go, they faced a vital six pointer away at fellow strugglers Brighton. They got off to the perfect start with Grant Holt's first half strike. However, Bobby Zamora drew the Seagulls level.

It ended 1-1 which, coupled with Stoke's win at Coventry, consigned the Owls to the drop with two games to go.

A 7-2 win over Burnley and a 2-1 success against Walsall were purely academic as Wednesday geared themselves up for life in the third tier.

Outcome:

.............................P....GD.....PTS
21. Stoke City.........46...-24......50
--------------------------------------------
22. Sheff Wed........46...-17.......46
23. Brighton...........46...-18.......44
24. Grimsby...........46...-37.......39




2007/8




Scenario:

.............................P....GD.....PTS
20. Leicester..........44.....-1.......51
21. Southampton....44....-17......50
--------------------------------------------
22. Sheff Wed........44.....-6.......49
23. Scunthorpe.......44....-24......42
24. Colchester........44....-23......37


Back in the Championship for two seasons, Wednesday struggled throughout their third year in the second tier under Brian Laws.

The Owls lost their first six games, and rarely looked like escaping an especially congested fight to avoid the drop. In their third from last game, a crucial loss to relegation rivals Blackpool plunged them into the relegation zone.

With just two matches left, and on a run of eight without a win, they travelled to fellow strugglers Leicester knowing defeat could send them down.

Things looked bleak when they fell behind to Iain Hume's early goal, but the Owls hit back before the break to level matters and went on to score twice in the second half. The 3-1 win lifted them out of the bottom three.

They were still just a point above the drop zone though, and knew only a win against Norwich in their final game would definitely secure their Championship status.

They duly obliged - thumping the Canaries 4-1 in-front of over 36,000 at Hillsborough. The victory enough to lift them up to 16th in an incredibly tight bottom half.

Scenario:

.............................P....GD.....PTS
16. Sheff Wed........46.....-1.......55
17. Norwich............46....-10......55
18. Barnsley...........46....-13......55
19. Blackpool.........46.....-5.......54
20. Southampton....46....-16......54
21. Coventry..........46....-12......53
--------------------------------------------
22. Leicester..........46.....-3.......52
23. Scunthorpe.......46....-23......46
24. Colchester........46....-24......38


What about 2009/10? Will Wednesday manage to successfully fight off the drop again? Or will Palace extend their run in the top two tiers to 34 years?

Survival Sunday: Wednesday vs. Palace

Our build-up to Sunday's huge Championship survival game continues. Turls looks back at how Sheffield Wednesday and Crystal Palace have found themselves in this position, and looks ahead to Sunday's showdown.

Scenario:

......................................P....GD....PTS
21. Crystal Palace............45.....-3......48
---------------------------------------------------
22. Sheffield Wednesday...45....-20.....46
23. Plymouth Argyle..........45....-24.....41
24. Peterborough United....45....-35.....31


So it all comes down to this.

It's easy to get caught up in the occasion and to say that this is going to be an epic battle for survival. That this will make or break each club. That this could be the hammer of disaster or the turning point to a brighter future.

If you'd have used these whimsical terms to describe any other fixture then you might have found me turning my back on you disgust. Or worse - labelling you a Premier League fan.

However, this is a massive game for so many reasons.

Most relegations are just that — a relegation to a lower division. When Norwich got relegated from the Championship last season, it wasn't as doom and gloom as everyone made out.

Sure, every Norwich fan was a little bit upset but they weren't penning the obituaries for the club. The same applies to when Nottingham Forest got relegated a few seasons back. And when Hereford got relegated from League One. And when... Well you get the idea.

The fact is, getting relegated doesn't mean the end is nigh for the club. Instead it means priorities are altered and targets changed.

When Forest got relegated, everyone was upset and shocked but we deserved to go down. No-one said that the club was done for. Instead, they got back to the drawing board and started formulating a way to get out of League One.

Admittedly, the plans weren't that effective in the beginning but the club was never in danger of continuing to plummet through the leagues and into obscurity.

The same cannot be said of Crystal Palace. If the Eagles lose on Sunday, it could very well be the beginning of the end.

Crystal Palace were hit with a points deduction earlier in the season and this is the sole reason why they find themselves in a relegation battle.

I'm not going to discuss the ins and outs of whether it is fair to deduct a club points for their off-field inadequacies because it has been talked to death all across the board.

Owner Simon Jordan and boss Neil Warnock have both left troubled Palace

The rules were in place at the beginning of the season for all to see so their should be no qualms about their legitimacy.

The points deduction came because they entered administration and they find themselves in a shedload of trouble financially.

Serious problems have failed to be controlled and as a result, Palace face a daily battle to keep themselves alive - in a financial sense. Relegation could be just another nail in the coffin.

Although Palace don't receive a lot of money from being in the league, gate receipts would help them out massively and dropping a tier is bound to have a knock on effect with the fans.

Many will say that Palace don't deserve to go down because of the deduction and I would agree that the team are ten points better than the league would suggest.

However, those players were brought to the club via money that they didn't have and through "reckless" spending, so I can't agree that they don't deserve to go down because of that reason. The fact is, if Palace drop, it could be the beginning of the end for them.

Neil Warnock did them no favours when he left them for the money of QPR, and I doubt he will be a well liked figure at Hillsborough on Sunday afternoon. He isn't a well liked figure at any ground though.

But enough about Palace. They could be doomed if they get relegated and could be doomed if they stay up. What about their opponents in this nether region nailbiter?

Well, Sheffield Wednesday are a club with history of financial woes and they will be keen to avoid plummeting into the murky depths of League One again.

There are less worries surrounding Wednesday's financial situation should they get relegated but that is only because most of the attention has been centred on Palace.

Wednesday are by no means financially secure but they do appear to have plugged in a lot of the gaps that were haemorrhaging money.

With Alan Irvine in charge, the Owls have a man who is well liked at Soccer AM/MW Towers but that means diddly-squat in the world of football.

Wednesday are a Premier League club in all but name. They should be in the top-flight — not fighting to avoid relegation to League One.

Football doesn't give a monkey's about where a club should and shouldn't be. They only care about what happens on - and off - the pitch and this season, Wednesday have been poor.

Alan Irvine's Wednesday must win on Sunday or face relegation

Brian Laws was sacked earlier in the year - and later walked into a top-flight job - having led the club to an impressive 12 League games without a win — which included only three draws.

The Chief Owl turned to Alan Irvine but, after his honeymoon period, he has struggled to produce consistent results and now they find themselves in this situation.

It's not nice. Should they get relegated, they can't even rely on the fact that they should get promoted at the first attempt.

League One will be steam-rollered by Southampton next season - you heard it here first - and with the likes of Leeds, Millwall, and Charlton possibly still in the division, it will be a tall order to turn a losing club into winners.

Neither club can afford to get relegated. On the pitch or off it. Neither club is a name that should be associated with lower league football. Neither club should even have the disappointment of finding themselves in this situation.

But one of them will be in League One next year and one of them will still be in the Championship.

One of them will be on there knees begging for the footballing gods to give them a chance to redeem themselves while one will be thanking said gods and promising them a better year next time.

One of them will spend Sunday night trawling through their garbage looking for memories of better days and the other will be drinking Sangria from the naval of a hooker.

Either way, it is going to be extremely painful viewing for Wednesday and Palace fans. On the bright side, it will be hugely entertaining for the rest of us.

Turls' Prediction: Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 Crystal Palace
Lakes' Prediction: Sheffield Wednesday 1-2 Crystal Palace
Nobes' Prediction: Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 Crystal Palace

Survival Sunday

Here are the articles from Turls, Lakes, and Nobes about the Sheffield Wednesday and Crystal Palace relegation decider.

Wednesday vs. Palace
Turls's preview of the match.

Relegation records
Nobes looks at Wednesday and Palace's previous relegation battles.

Relegation showdowns
Nobes look at previous final day relegation shoot-outs.

Sheffield Wednesday vs. Crystal Palace LIVE
Lakes with his unique commentary on the big match.