Next... Oldham away

Well, if you'd offered me the chance to finish second in the last game of the season back in May last year I'd have ripped your hand off.

To be fair I did expect mass sales in the summer, and as that didn't happen and based on where we were at the end of September, I am inclined to think that if we fail on Saturday it will be a missed opportunity, but on the whole I don't think I can complain too much.

If we are all honest none of us think that we will finish second, but stranger things have happened.

I do think, however, that we will get a win. It is actually imperative that we do. We really want to avoid sixth, and Huddersfield could still catch us, and if it is at all possible we want to play the second leg of the playoff semi-final at home.

Thus it is just like the last few weeks, we have to take care of our own result and hope for the best elsewhere while expecting the worst.

It does remind me of 1998. We went into the game at Birmingham needing a win and Middlesbrough to lose and Sunderland to not win. We drew that game and finished fourth. The rest is history.

I was at St Andrews in 1998, but I'm not going this weekend. My Dad has decided to go, just in case, and as I'm not able to go he is taking his wife. She is no excited, not!

Anyway we have booked our Playoff tickets, and I'm very much looking forward to that clash, who ever we end up playing. Having drawn with Swindon twice (once with 9 men); beating Leeds and Huddersfield at home and drawing away we should have little to fear going into the playoffs.

I've deliberately avoided mentioning Millwall, but surely it must be time for us to beat them. From what I've read we matched them right up until we conceded at the Den, and we could easily have won the home game, which was probably the most erratic game I've seen since that playoff final in 1998.

In some respects I'd prefer to be in the playoffs as it is the most exciting thing in football. For a whole season to come down to one (or two) games is fantastic.

Having said that I'd take second right now.

Up the Addicks!