Race For Third Spot Is Historically Preferable!

Since two-up to the Football League began in 2002/03, seven teams who finished in third place in the final table – the position currently occupied by Paul Doswell`s side – have gone on to triumph in the play-offs.

Of course, this season sees a new format for the end-of-season finale, but under the `old` system, only four teams who ended up as runners-up eventually won the Promotion Final, while four sides who ended up in fourth were promoted.

Why is that? Momentum at the end of the campaign is often key, so it`s a good idea to have a look at the form table going into the play-offs

Luton Town`s title success in 2013/14 is currently the best in terms of distance between them and second place.

The Hatters` superb campaign saw them pip Cambridge United by a whopping 19 points, helped enormously by current Watford striker Andre Gray`s 30 goals in their total of 102, with Paul Benson – on loan with Evo-Stik League South East outfit Bedford Town at present - chipping in with 18.

Managed by current Dagenham & Redbridge boss John Still, Luton had the title wrapped up with three games to spare.

Cambridge got over the disappointment of finishing as runners-up by beating Gateshead 2-1 in the Promotion Final at Wembley.

You have to go back to the first season when two teams would be promoted, 2002/03, to find the next most comfortable champion in Yeovil Town.

Gary Johnson`s side finished 17 points in front of second-placed Morecambe to set a new record.

The exciting Glovers side accumulated 95 points and scored exactly 100 goals and remained unbeaten at their Huish Park home all season.

Doncaster Rovers began the campaign as firm favourites to return to the Football League but finished third below the Shrimps on goal difference.

However, they did make it back up via the play-offs when they won the first-ever Promotion Final at Stoke City`s Britannia Stadium against a Dagenham & Redbridge side who had finished fifth.

And it was a historic `golden goal` scored by Francis Tierney, who has become something of a cult hero locally for the feat, that earned Rovers a `sudden death` victory in extra-time.

Aldershot`s title success in 2007/08 under Gary Waddock, who is now leading them again for a second time, saw them finish 15 points above second-placed Cambridge and set a then new points record of 101.

Exeter City finished fourth, 18 points adrift of the Shots but beat Cambridge 1-0 at Wembley in the Promotion Final to seal a place back in the League.

Crawley Townlater matched Aldershot`s 15-point winning margin in 2010/11 in what was a fantastic season for the Reds under Steve Evans.

Not only did they win the title, setting a new record of 105 points, they also reached the Fourth Round of the FA Cup and were rewarded with a dream tie at Old Trafford against the mighty Manchester United.

Crawley lost the game 1–0 to a Wes Brown goal in front of 74,000-plus and were only denied a draw against Sir Alex Ferguson`s side in the 93rd minute when Richard Brodie's header hit the bar!

AFC Wimbledon finished a distant second that season but won promotion via the play-offs when they beat Luton on penalties at Manchester City`s Etihad Stadium.

Dagenham & Redbridge`s 2006/07 title success was a comfortable 14 points under John Still.

The Daggers` first venture into the Football League came as a consequence of a collapse in Oxford United's form as much as their own good performances, allowing the East London side to overtake the U`s and confirm the title by early April.

Oxford`s loss of form extended into the play-offs a they were beaten by Exeter after extra-time and penalties in the semi-final – but it was Morecambe, who ended up in third place in the regular season, who won at Wembley against the Grecians in the final.

The closest race for the title this century came back in 2001/02 when Boston United pipped Dagenham on goal difference only after both finished on 84 points.

Under Steve Evans, who would take Crawley up nine years later, the Pilgrims won the league in their first season after turning professional in an era when it was virtually a 50/50 split between pro and semi-pro sides in the Conference.

The win became shrouded in controversy later, however, when Evans and former chairman Pat Malkinson were charged by the FA for breaking registration rules and both received lengthy bans and the club fined and docked four points from their first season in the Football League.

Runners-up Dagenham tried to get the ruling changed so that the docked points affected the actual season when the offence occurred which, of course, would have mean they would have been champions, but the decision stood.

Macclesfield Town currently hold a 10-point advantage over second-placed Tranmere Rovers but have only two more games remaining, so the maximum they can achieve is 92 points, while Micky Mellon`s side can reach 88 in their four matches left.

Surely the Silkmen`s title isn`t it?