Cardiff City news 05/04/02

Fri 5th April 2002. Division 2 preview

There are only three Saturdays left of the season. At the bottom Cambridge are already relegated and they could be joined by their opponents tomorrow, Wrexham. The NorthWalians will be down if they lose at home to Cambridge or if Notts County and Bury both win. It looks like the remaining two places for relegation will come from either Bournemouth, Bury, Notts County or Northampton with Chesterfield just about OK 5 points ahead of the danger zone.

Pos	Team	P	GD	PTS
1	Brighton	43	+22	83
2	Reading	43	+27	81
3	Brentford	43	+31	78
4	Stoke	43	+27	76
5	Huddersfield	42	+21	74
6	Cardiff	42	+22	73
7	Bristol City	43	+17	69
8	QPR	43	+11	67
9	Oldham	43	+11	64

But it's at the top where the serious action is. Mathematically there are nine clubs involved but it would be a miracle if Oldham were to manage to overtake Cardiff. City would have lose all four remaining games with Oldham winning all theirs and hoping that Bristol City fail as well. A Cardiff win tomorrow will eliminate Oldham and should be good enough to eliminate Q.P.R as well. The ultimate would be for City to win and Bristol City lose, then we would be in the play offs officially if Q.P.R fail to win their game.

Brighton will be promoted tomorrow if they win and Brentford do not.

Peterborough v Brighton.
A win for Brighton could see them promoted. I think they will make it sooner rather than later.

Tranmere v Reading (playing Sunday).
Tranmere have blown it. They cannot make the play offs and the fun for them now is to try and cock up the chances of the other teams chasing promotion. If Tranmere beat Reading then second spot is up for grabs. Reading, beaten in the play offs for ther last two seasons will not want to face such disappointment again but going to Prenton Park will not be easy. For City to have an outside chance of promotion automatically then we want Tranmere to beat Reading.

Brentford v Huddersfield.
A massive game for both teams. Both with an eye on automatic promotion. Brentford can go second with a win and Huddersfield like City will be hoping to win and then to see Reading lose on Sunday. I'ts a huge game for both teams.

Oldham v Stoke.
Stoke will make the play offs and like Brentford, Huddersfield and Cardiff will feel they could get automatic promotion. All these temas looking for the win tomorrow will then all be supporting Tranmere on Sunday.

Colchester v Cardiff City.
Win. Quite simple. Play offs would be virtually assured and if Bristol City lose at home then we can crack open the play off champagne.

Bristol City v Bury.
A sure fire home win? Not if you are Bristol City. The Robins have dropped like a stone from the top of the table and now look like missing out on the play offs. Bury are fighting to stay in Division 2 and I would not like to call this one either way.

Swindon v Q.P.R
Rangers' chances of the play offs are slim. They need to win and win well to pronlong the dream. Draw or lose and division 2 football for next season is assured.

You'll notice me going on about the Tranmere v Reading game. IF and it is a big IF City win and Reading lose we will be 5 points off the promotion place with a game in hand. We play that against Huddersfield and if both City and Huddersfield win then the importance of Tuesday's game will be massive. It will enabale one of those clubs to go into the last two games with a realistic chance of promotion. Reading may will all their games and take away the hopes of Brentford, Stoke, Huddersfield and Cardiff but as they are failing to win games at the moment there is always a chance.