Play-off stats against Pompey

Pompey will have to turn the numbers on their head to secure promotion via the play-offs.
Phil BrownPhil Brown
Phil Brown

The percentages are against Paul Cook’s side when it come to the sides from League Two who enjoy success in the end-of-season shootout.

Defeat to Northampton last weekend ensured the Blues finished sixth in the table after 46 games.

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That means they occupy the berth which has ended up with the fewest overall play-off victories.

Just four teams have gone on to gain promotion after finishing in that place in the 27 years the League Two play-offs have been running.

That accounts for just 15 per cent of the figure, with 13 teams (48 per cent) gaining promotion after finishing fourth.

Phil Brown guided Southend to success at Wembley last season on penalties to make it to League One.

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That was after the Shrimpers finished in fifth place – making them the fifth League Two side to do so (18.5 per cent)

Five teams have gone up via the play-offs from the basement tier after finishing seventh (18.5 per cent).

The number of teams going up after finishing fourth seemingly debunks the school of thought teams struggle to recover after missing out on automatic promotion.

It is reinforced when analysing the play-off success of teams finishing third in League One and the Championship.

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Nine promotions have been secured by the League One team who ended the campaign in that spot.

That’s compared to seven teams doing so from fourth, six from sixth and five from fifth place.

In the Championship, it’s a similar story with 10 gaining promotion from third place.

That’s compared to seven doing so from fourth place, five going up from fifth and five making it to the Premier League after finishing in sixth place.

So Pompey will have to turn the stats around but Plymouth will hope history doesn’t repeat.

Play-off anguish will be fresh in their memories after they lost out to Wycombe last season.

– JORDAN CROSS