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Marvellous Rotherham United deserve the plaudits after defying odds to win survival battle
ONE MORE game and it will all be over. Another season, another year of highs and lows in English football.
For the supporters of the Yorkshire Post's eight Football League clubs, there has been neither a promotion to celebrate or a relegation to rue.
Yet there have still been plenty of tears – both in joy and pain.
Staying down rather than going down struck a knife into the hearts of those who love Sheffield United and Leeds United. Champagne corks popped as Barnsley, Doncaster Rovers and Rotherham United survived. It was all a bit of anti-climax for Bradford City and Huddersfield Town.
As for Sheffield Wednesday, well, at least they stopped the rot.
Only 10 clubs win promotion – which gives the 72 clubs who are trying to achieve it less than a
7-1 chance of success. That is based on a level playing field, of course, and we all know that football pays scant regard to equality.
When the season started nine months ago, Rotherham had only one target – survival – after being docked 17 points for breaking rules on insolvency.
Their cause was helped by the fact that Luton and Bournemouth also suffered points deductions but the Millers finished the campaign closer to the play-offs than the bottom two. It was a truly fantastic achievement by manager Mark Robins and his squad.
Bradford City 'pushed the boat out' financially, admitted chairman Mark Lawn, yet still failed to even make the League Two play-offs.
Manager Stuart McCall has been persuaded to give it another go but patience, one imagines, will be in shorter supply next season.
Leeds and Huddersfield flew the flag in League One and started with high expectations.
At Huddersfield, there was a return to the days of bumper attendances after supporters snapped up season tickets for just 100 amid the club's centenary celebrations. Things did not work out, however, under Stan Ternent.
By the time the former Burnley manager had been replaced by Lee Clark, it was too late to keep alive the promotion dream. Maybe next season.
Leeds parted company with Gary McAllister after a disastrous run that included the worst result in the club's history – an FA cup second round defeat by non-league Histon Town.
Simon Grayson breathed new life into the team after walking out on Blackpool but, in keeping with their tradition, Leeds messed it up in the play-offs!
Of the four Yorkshire clubs in this season's Championship, promoted Doncaster were most unfamiliar with their surroundings.
It had been 50 years since Rovers last played in the second tier and, according to most bookmakers, the return was only going to be short-lived.
How wrong they all were! Sean O'Driscoll's side won plaudits for retaining their attractive style of football and, although it took time, they eventually adjusted to the step up.
Barnsley struggled for a third consecutive season and there was no FA Cup run to soften the blow this time. Survival was sealed on the final day at Plymouth but Simon Davey needs to do more to win over the fans.
The appointment of a new chairman heralded the dawn of a new era at Sheffield Wednesday. Supporters have welcomed the improvement but still wait for signs of new investment.
The Owls stayed clear of the relegation scrap but rarely threatened the play-offs but few of their fans will forget the thrill of securing a first league double over arch rivals United in 95 years. When the Championship play-off final ended in defeat for United at Wembley, the blue and white side of Steel City partied again.
Over the next 10 weeks, players will come and go ahead of the new season and Kyle Naughton, Matthew Mills, Jamal Campbell-Ryce, and Jermaine Beckford could be among the high profile departures. Other favourites have already waved a fond farewell including Andy Booth, Steve Watson, and Jason Price.
Let's hope next season brings more cheer than sorrow for the Broad Acres.
Richard Sutcliffe's Premier League verdict: Don't miss tomorrow's Yorkshire Post.
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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