EFL PPG PPE PTS GD NL

I was delighted to read that the EFL League One season for 2019-20, has been concluded with promotion and relegation decisions being made by mathematics. 18 of the 23 clubs voted to finish the season. PPG is points per game.

Coventry City (PPG 86.71-Champions) and Rotherham Utd (PPG 77.94) have been promoted from League One to the Championship, by calculating points per game and at the other end Tranmere Rovers (PPG 41.41), Southend Utd (PPG 23.89) and Bolton Wanderers (PPG 18.12) slip down into League Two, by the same calculation.

In League Two Swindon Town (Champions). On April 27th 1895 in what were known as Test Matches (Play offs) in the Southern League, Swindon Town (9th and bottom of First Division) lost to New Brompton 1-5 (top of Div 2 which included 7 clubs) at Reading (neutral ground). The Robins stayed up in Div One however as the divsion was extended by one team to ten!

Crewe Alexandra and Plymouth Argyle go up and Stevenage looks destined for the National League. There are a few unhappy bunnies in the various club committees.

Cheltenham Town, Exeter City, Colchester Utd and Northampton Town are in play-off places in League Two, whilst Wycombe Wanderers, Oxford Utd, Portsmouth and Fleetwood Town (these three have the same PPG) play off in League One.
Peterborough Utd are one "actual" point behind the next three in the division and indeed have the same number of  "actual" points than Wycombe W, who are third by points gained thus far! By EFL calculations The Posh will not be included in the play off system, as Wycombe jumped over them by the PPG calculation.

Tranmere have a case, having earned 32 points, with a game in hand over nearest rivals, AFC Wimbledon and a goal difference of -24 compared to AFCs  -23. Surely, there is time to make up the difference?

In League Two, maths do not upset the order, though Port Vale will argue that they could catch The Cobblers, being only a point behind at present. Stevenage has a game in hand at the moment on Macclesfield and are three points adrift, though their -26 goal difference asks a lot to catch up in one game, falling short of Macclesfield's -15. Macclesfield are subject to an enquiry for some dodgey "wage" dealing however. Who knows?


National League leaders and second place, Barrow and Harrogate, await the decision on promotion to the Football League.....I think judge the decision on the nicest badge.