A cracking weekend of Easter Football

I’ll try and avoid egg related jokes but I’m in a jovial mood. The football season may be rapidly running towards its climax, but we still have some tasty fixtures ahead of us on this bank holiday weekend.

A few decisions will be made this weekend regarding the stayers and goers in the top flight. With Portsmouth taking a 9 point deduction due to administration, it looks impossible for them to stay up anyway. Failure to beat Blackburn this weekend, or a win for Hull and West Ham will condemn them to the Championship and put their fans out of their misery. Birmingham can still mathematically go down purely on goal difference. A result at the weekend seals Premier survival, as well as either a Hull or West Ham loss. At the top of the table, Manchester United take on Chelsea which is going to be an egg-citing match. A draw isn’t good enough for either side at a time when every point is crucial, so it should be a full bloodied affair. Now I’ve said that, it’ll be a damp squib.

Those within touching distance of the Premier League can seal the deal ready for the bank holiday booze up. Newcastle’s promotion back to the top league at the first attempt will be achieved if they manage to beat bottom strugglers Peterborough and Nottingham Forest lose at Bristol City. Bottom placed Peterborough will be saying goodbye to the league if they lose to leaders Newcastle.

League One is slightly more open at the top. The most that can be guaranteed by the end of the weekend, is a definate Norwich play-off place depending on a win at Tranmere and Huddersfield not winning at Wycombe. Leeds United and Millwall will continue to battle for the points, both looking at the second automatic promotion place. Any points dropped at this crucial point of the season will surely leave their promotion hopes scrambled (terrible I know).

Enjoy the weekend. Lets hope for goals, goals and a few talking points!

Keep the passion on the pitch! Leeds United/Millwall preview

In a tie that police have severe headaches over, Monday nights big clash is between Leeds United and Millwall.

There is a strong history of problems between the two clubs, and last season when they faced one another in the semi finals, away fans were limited to a 1000 supporters to try and stop those going who are there purely to cause trouble.

The clash is vital for both clubs. A win for Millwall puts them within touching distance of the automatic promotion spots, whilst Leeds will be looking to pull away from those below them and sealing a return to the Championship without the need for the heartbreak of the playoffs.

Elland road will be a pressure cooker of emotion, of those playing on the pitch, and the highly charged atmosphere between the opposing fans. Lets hope the fans can control themselves, and let the night be about the football, rather than off the field matters.