Looks Like We Are Safe

&borderstyBeing a budding Mystic Meg, I attempted to predict how the rest of the season would go for us and our relegation rivals.

I saw on Millwall Online their predictions for their side's final run in. They reckon only two more defeats for them till May, picking up another 17 points.

A tad optimistic I thought, but it got me wondering. Who's got the easiest run in of our rivals?

I think it's fair to say that only Gillingham, Cheltenham, Millwall and ourselves are the only teams fighting to avoid that final relegation spot, so they are the only clubs I've used in this.

So, here are my predictions.

Cheltenham:
Leeds (A) - 0 points
Bristol R (H) - 1
Luton (A) - 3
Orient (H) - 1
Northampton (H) - 0
Forest (A) - 0
Walsall (H) - 3
Crewe (A) - 0
Oldham (A) - 1
Doncaster (H) - 0

Total = 9 = 46

Millwall:
Yeovil (A) - 1
Orient (H) - 3
Oldham (A) - 0
Luton (H) - 1
Bournemouth (H) - 3
Gillingham (H) - 3
Hartlepool (A) - 0
Leeds (H) - 0
Carlisle (H) - 0
Swindon (A) - 1

Total = 12 = 52

Gillingham:
Doncaster (A) - 0
Crewe (H) - 0
Bournemouth (H) - 3
Vale (A) - 1
Carlisle (H) - 0
Luton (H) - 1
Millwall (A) - 0
Swansea (H) - 0
Bristol R (A) - 1
Swindon (H) - 3
Leeds (A) - 0

Total = 9 = 45

Crewe:
Port Vale (H) - 3
Gillingham (A) - 3
Hartlepool (H) - 1
Walsall (A) - 0
Luton (A) - 1
Southend (H) - 0
Yeovil (A) - 0
Cheltenham (H) - 3
Bournemouth (A) - 3
Oldham (H) - 1

Total = 15 = 52

Final table:

18. Millwall 52
19. Crewe 52
20. Cheltenham 46
-------
21.Gillingham 45
22. Bournemouth
23. Luton
24. Port Vale



Ok, so maybe it's easy to give your own team a couple of extra points but looking at the above, who can argue that we don't have the easiest run in of the lot? Seven of our last ten games come against teams currently in the bottom 10 of the league. By no means are they all push overs, or indeed beatable, but when the others have to play Leeds, Swansea, Carlisle, Forest... it makes a difference. You also look at the final games of the season, us and Millwall look like having mid-table fodder who will have nothing to play for, whilst Gillingham and Cheltenham both have teams scapping for promotion.

We've done well in recent weeks, probably had the hardest run of games of this foursome and only came off it with one defeat. We took points off Orient, Leeds, Forest, Northampton & Swansea; if we carry on this form with the new signings in place, why should relegation come into question.

Whatever happens though, it's going to be a hell of a scrap. I can't see it not being a last day of the season job and I sure as hell hope we aren't in it. From the above though, it looks like we'll be leaving that down to Cheltenham and Gillingham.

Anyway, how do you see it going in these final 10 or so games? There's a thread on the message board on this very topic. Check it out.

Remember that if you are Vital Crewe's most active message board member in March then you could win a fully signed programme. More details below.