"It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves" Bolton vs Posh 30th April

[BWFC_Insane]

Fleetwood's fate is in our hands. I'm happy not to be one of the coastal dwellers on this occasion, kippers or no kippers. Would you lads and lassies really like to be relying on the team above to lose ... or else ... the dreadful play-off roundabout? I'll be happy with a clean sheet and no goals (once it's over).

Clearly they'd swap positions, but pressure-wise it's all on us. They'd go into the playoffs on a massive high, whereas for us just being in them would represent a massive failure. Wouldn't be writing us off though, even if the worst happens saturday.

Yeah. This. Fleetwood have nothing to lose. Absolutely nothing. Saw Rosler on the highlights show, and he clearly thinks we might slip up. But if we don't they've got the play-offs and at the start of the season their aim was to stay up.

Pressure is all on us. But then it was Saturday too. One of those where we need to dig deep, and grind it out.

[General Mannerheim]

getting back to winning ways and scoring goals has relieved a lot of pressure imo. the players can go into sunday full of confidence. will be a horrible 90 minutes if were set up 'not to lose' tho...

[Bruce Rioja]

A nervous-as-4uck nil-niller. I might have to consume alcohol irresponsibly ahead of this one!

[BWFC_Insane]

getting back to winning ways and scoring goals has relieved a lot of pressure imo. the players can go into sunday full of confidence. will be a horrible 90 minutes if were set up 'not to lose' tho...

I think we are by our nature a team that is better soaking it up and the punching back. I don't think the situation on Sunday suits us much.

Most of the season we've set up to make it hard for the opposition to win then pick them off. Can't see it being much different Sunday, given we've got what we've got available.

[Bruno3]

Not claiming to be mystic meg but my prediction for last Saturday was 2-0 with goals in the 77th and 89th minutes - not 100% accurate but within reasonable limits. I therefore predict a 1-1 on Sunday with us scoring in the 27th minute, them equalising in the 76th and squeaky bum time ensuing. Fleetwood will draw so will, in hindsight, make our match irrelevant.
Memo to self: read this thread again on May 1st

[LeverEnd]

Marc Iles tweeting that Sky having been tapping him fr info and he thinks it will be live on SS2.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Marc Iles tweeting that Sky having been tapping him fr info and he thinks it will be live on SS2.

Confirmed (well, maybe not the channel).

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Fleetwood's fate is in our hands. I'm happy not to be one of the coastal dwellers on this occasion, kippers or no kippers. Would you lads and lassies really like to be relying on the team above to lose ... or else ... the dreadful play-off roundabout? I'll be happy with a clean sheet and no goals (once it's over).

Clearly they'd swap positions, but pressure-wise it's all on us. They'd go into the playoffs on a massive high, whereas for us just being in them would represent a massive failure.

See, this may be me surmising but I can't help but feel that if the positions were reversed – that if we were the chasing team who cut a 10-point lead to miss out by just 2pts (or 1pt, or even goal difference) – you'd be bonging on about how it was a "crushing blow", et cetera and so on...

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

Pressure is on Fleetwood too. They're going to feel like a right bunch of numpties if they fcuk it up only to find we did too. It's 1 game, plenty of pressure on both teams and it comes down to whether our players can channel the pressure and use the adrenaline, or whether they'll be gibbering nervous wrecks. As long as Moxey isn't anywhere to be seen we stand a chance

[BWFC_Insane]

Pressure is on Fleetwood too. They're going to feel like a right bunch of numpties if they fcuk it up only to find we did too. It's 1 game, plenty of pressure on both teams and it comes down to whether our players can channel the pressure and use the adrenaline, or whether they'll be gibbering nervous wrecks. As long as Moxey isn't anywhere to be seen we stand a chance

Not sure I agree. Fleetwood will see the play offs as a huge achievement. Their fans won't have expected them to be where they are.

The way they won last Saturday will make them feel they are going to nick it somehow.

Personally think there is absolutely zero chance that Fleetwood won't give Port Vale a good spanking. They are that sort of side.

[General Mannerheim]

looking at the table Vale have to get 3 points tomorrow night against nowt to play for Walsall or its all over for them before the Fleetwood game!

[officer_dibble]

I think we'll be ok because parky will set us up as he always does to be strong at the back. We shouldn't get nervy at 0-0, there wont be many who see the 8 goal swing as realistic! Peterbrough are pretty much fixed now for their league position and whilst they will be relaxed we should still be ok at the back. Be ace if we can get a first half goal to settle us mind!

[BWFC_Insane]

I think we'll be ok because parky will set us up as he always does to be strong at the back. We shouldn't get nervy at 0-0, there wont be many who see the 8 goal swing as realistic! Peterbrough are pretty much fixed now for their league position and whilst they will be relaxed we should still be ok at the back. Be ace if we can get a first half goal to settle us mind!

0-0....1 Pboro goal and Fleetwood go above us if they win. That is where the nerves will be.

We need to start fast and get in front. That will settle the place down. With the system we play it leaves us exposed on the break if we push on too far so we definitely do not want the game dragging on at 0-0 into the last half hour. We won't know whether to stick or twist and that is dangerous.

Always think in these scenarios a quick start is key. Dispirit Fleetwood. Like when we sent West Ham down. Two early goals vs Middlesbrough did the world of good. As opposed to against Blackpool where we conceded two early ones and left ourselves in a mess.

I'll say this. If we aren't leading after about 60 minutes I don't fancy it much at all. Start early, get a couple of goals, then see it out. Thats the route to this sort of a game.

[officer_dibble]

I agree. Apart from the bit about a mass panic at 0-0 on 60 mins. It will get edgier for sure, but there is more about this team particularly defensively. Get a goal or two up and it becomes a much nicer afternoon though.

[officer_dibble]

Memory might be playing tricks here but was there a last game of the season where allardyce put two goalkeepers on the bench? On the basis that we were ok barring a big defeat so he didnt risk us losing a gk and sub gk through injury/sending off?

[BWFC_Insane]

I agree. Apart from the bit about a mass panic at 0-0 on 60 mins. It will get edgier for sure, but there is more about this team particularly defensively. Get a goal or two up and it becomes a much nicer afternoon though.

You don't want to be camped in your box for half an hour desperately trying to hang on against a team with nowt to play for and consequently nowt to lose. That is really dangerous. Just takes one of them to ping in a 30 yarder...that is the sort of thing teams with nowt to play for can do. Relax, hit a few shots, make life difficult.

You saw it against Port Vale a little bit, at 1-0 down, we sat very deep (Parky commented on him not wanting them to do that) and there were one or two slightly hairy moments against a very poor side down to ten men.

Can't do that Sunday. The home crowd will pile the nerves on and I certainly don't want to be relying on our defence to hold out. Just takes one moment, a brilliant piece of skill or a mistake, a mistimed tackle etc....

Got to put it to bed early. Avoid the nervous tension getting on top of things. See Oldham away for an example. 10 men, scored a bit of a freak breakaway. Owt can happen.

[TANGODANCER]

COME ON YOU WHITES...Ignore the kipper loving Prophets of Doom. Nothing else is on the horizon and if the team had the same defeatist knee-trembles as the Insane One we'd never win anything. We're playing Peterborough (who are 11th in the League), not Barcelona. Get in there and stick a few past them, don't let them score and Hallo Championship.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

Not sure I agree. Fleetwood will see the play offs as a huge achievement. Their fans won't have expected them to be where they are.

The way they won last Saturday will make them feel they are going to nick it somehow.

Personally think there is absolutely zero chance that Fleetwood won't give Port Vale a good spanking. They are that sort of side.

I've played basketball in a national final that no one (including ourselves) thought we had a hope of reaching. The final was the equivalent of Chelsea vs Leyton Orient. We felt a huge amount of pressure to do well despite this due to the amount of blood sweat and tears it took to get there and how close we were. We handled the pressure really well, but the pressure was not dissimilar to that I've experienced going into big games as huge favourites. Some players thrive under it and some buckle. Fleetwood's fans will expect them to go out and win and the players will put their own pressure on themselves. Anyone that tells you they won't feel it as well is talking out of their arse.

[Billbob]

I can't wait for Sunday, get there soak in the atmosphere and cheer on the lads for a really tremendous effort. What a successful year, the togetherness has been nothing short of brilliant. We have nearly gone out of business but our never say die attitude as been top notch. Some matches it's been a matter of get the players what are available. Injuries have been ridiculous. Come on you belters let's win we can do it. Keep the team from Saturday

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Not sure I agree. Fleetwood will see the play offs as a huge achievement. Their fans won't have expected them to be where they are.

The way they won last Saturday will make them feel they are going to nick it somehow.

Personally think there is absolutely zero chance that Fleetwood won't give Port Vale a good spanking. They are that sort of side.

I've played basketball in a national final that no one (including ourselves) thought we had a hope of reaching. The final was the equivalent of Chelsea vs Leyton Orient. We felt a huge amount of pressure to do well despite this due to the amount of blood sweat and tears it took to get there and how close we were. We handled the pressure really well, but the pressure was not dissimilar to that I've experienced going into big games as huge favourites. Some players thrive under it and some buckle. Fleetwood's fans will expect them to go out and win and the players will put their own pressure on themselves. Anyone that tells you they won't feel it as well is talking out of their arse.

How did you go on? Don't leave us hanging!

As for all the suppositions, I tend to just reverse the situation and ask how I'd feel in the opposition's shoes. In fact, as fans we've been there: 11 May 1991. Last day of the season and we (highest-placed play-off team) hosted Chester while Grimsby – level on points, much better GD, therefore in auto-promo - hosted Exeter. All we could do was try to win, which we did, nervously, 1-0, but everyone knew it was out of our hands; sure enough, Tranny Man's ear-clutched radio brought the bad news that Grimsby won 2-1 to go up with Southend and John Beck's Cambridge. We lost in the play-offs to some bastards.

Here's Grimsby boss Alan Buckley describing it in his autobiography. Interesting parallels, with an injured striker...