Seaside Panel - The Final - Best Team Lost

So we didn’t get the result we all wanted at Wembley, but I came away proud of the display and the way the team went about their game.

Ultimately it came down to us missing key chances, while they put theirs away, but that doesn’t mean that individuals should be brought to account for the result.  Last season, I was devastated because we were relegated; this time round, we just missed out on promotion and that is cause for celebration, not recrimination.

Even halfway through the season, the squad was still taking shape and developing.  I believe that if we can keep the vast majority of this team together, and more importantly, Ian Holloway, then we are better placed than over the last season to make a return to the Premier League.

The way we came so close on Saturday demonstrates that with a little judicious pruning of the squad, added to a few new faces, there is no reason why we shouldn’t be looking at automatic promotion, following in the footsteps of Reading, who failed in a playoff Final, learned from it and came back stronger.

It needs the will from the top to back the manager, who has demonstrated time after time that he knows what needs to be done. The club has never been in a better position to really cement itself as a force to be reckoned with.  I hope they see that and have the vision to back the manager fully.

Proud to be a Seasider

STARMAN: Angel Martinez

WEMBLEY PLAY OFF FINAL - TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS

Yorkshire Seasiders will be running two luxury coaches for the big trip to Wembley for the Play Off Final.  Coaches are equipped with air coniditioning, toilets and dvd players etc.  We have already filled one coach of 53 and spaces are filling on the second.
Departure times are yet to be confirmed but we can arrange to make pick ups anywhere down the M1 Corridor.

Prices are £30 for Adults and £20 Children.

If you are interested in travelling on the YS express, please contact Phil or Charlie.

UPDATE:
First coach is now completely full and second is approximately half way there.

Pick up places and approximate times are as follows:

Leaving Leeds at 9.00.

So far picking up at:

Scarboro Taps in Leeds
Junction 40
Junction 39 (Cedar Court)
Meadowhall
Woodall Services

Trowell Services Nottingham

We have finalised the coaches' pick up points. To speed up the journey the coaches will alternate the pick up points

Coach 1 will set off from Leeds at 09.00am; J 40 09.15; Meadowhall Park and Ride layby 9.30; Trowell Services 10.15

Coach 2 Again leaves Leeds at 9.00am; Cedar Court Hotel 9.15/9.20; J36 9.30; Woodall Services 9.45; Tibshelf: 10.00

Play off second leg - Birmingham (a) 2-2

So we are going to Wembley! 

After a tumultuous night at Birmingham, when we appeared to be coasting through, it was only after a heroic defensive performance that we confirmed our place, with the fans playing their part in keeping the atmosphere going throughout 90 minutes

.

From initial reports, ticket sales are going well to take our full allocation.  After the scenes we saw two years ago it would be fantastic to see another sell out in tangerine.  The team richly deserve it after going through the despair of relegation only to bounce back so magnificently.

West Ham will obviously go into the game as favourites after two comprehensive wins against us through the regular season.  However, I believe that they will be coming up against a completely different side, in terms of attitude as much as personnel.  I see the defeat at

Reading as a turning point, as since then, the defence have really stepped up to the mark, attacking the ball aggressively rather than waiting and reacting.  The run of clean sheets is a clear demonstration of that.  No matter what Sam says, West Ham must go into the game with a sense of superiority and we can exploit that, in our favoured role as underdogs.

All to play for, and in effect, a game without pressure for us.  Yes, we want to get back into the

Premier League, but for West Ham, the pressure is all the greater.  Again, we can use that to our advantage and revel in the occasion.

See you at Wembley!

STARMAN:  Ian Evatt .

Pool Panel - PLAY OFFS - Birmingham (H) Won 1-0

A great night at Bloomfield Rd when the team completely outplayed Birmingham but failed to capitalise on some great chances to kill the tie.  Right from the off, we had their attack shackled while we, and Ince in particular, were creating havoc in their defence.

It’s not so much the final score as the performance that was so pleasing and I see no reason why we can’t go down to St Andrews and do the same.  They will be expecting us to try and sit back and defend what we have, but we just don’t do that.  The new found defensive solidity has given us a real platform to control games and with both Ferguson and Angel running the show in the middle, and Dobbie a real threat off the front men, we look a well balanced side.

I thought GTF had a great game, with intelligent headers and touches getting his fellow forwards involved at all times.  All in all, a great performance that sets us up to progress.  In many ways, history seems to be repeating itself as we now go to a team with a good home record, but 10 consecutive playoff wins demonstrates pretty conclusively that we revel in this format.

What is so heartwarming is that we can go into such a pressure game and enjoy it.

Finally, it would be fitting if we can progress on Wednesday night as a tribute to the fan who so sadly passed away during the game.  My condolences to his family at this time.

STARMAN: THOMAS INCE

Play off away leg - travel plans

Pick up times for the minibus to Birmingham on Wednesday are as follows:

Scarboro Taps, Leeds 3.15 (me, Brendan, Matthew, Charlie, John and Joe)

M1 Junction 40 3.35 (Glynn and Kate)

M1 Junction 39 3.45 (Steve W) 

Meadowhall 4.05 (Paul , Chris W, Pete, Pete's Dad, Harry and Jay)