Hendrie fears for former club Reds as season heads to dramatic finale

THE Broad Acres has probably never witnessed an end-of-season crescendo like this one with just two of its 11 Football League clubs, Leeds United and Middlesbrough, having nothing left to play for in terms of promotion or relegation.

While United and Boro fans’ thoughts are turning to sun, sea and sangria, with another Championship season guaranteed for next term, Yorkshire’s four other second-tier clubs have plenty to fight for over the last three games and it is also a nerve-wracking time for the county’s teams in League One and Two.

Three clubs, Hull City, Doncaster Rovers and Rotherham United are chasing automatic promotion and if results go their way, both the Tigers and Rovers could be celebrating on Saturday night.

Millers fans could also effectively be able to plan for League One football on the long trip home from Devon if they win at Plymouth and Burton and Cheltenham both lose.

Another two clubs are in play-off packs. Sheffield United are assured of a place in the end-of-season lottery for a second successive season and still have a remote chance of a top-two finish in League One.

In League Two, Bradford City are seeking to nail down their own participation in the knock-out stages next month.

At the other end of the scale, Barnsley, Huddersfield Town and Sheffield Wednesday are embroiled, in varying degrees, in Championship relegation fights, with York City also with work to do to avoid the ignominy of returning to the Conference after just one season back in the Football League.

It is all a far cry from 2010-11 where the final weeks of the regular season were soporific.

Aside from the confirmation of Sheffield United’s expected relegation to League One, there were few live issues at stake with Leeds, Wednesday, Hull, Boro, Doncaster, Barnsley, Bradford and the Millers ending their seasons inauspiciously and Town marking time ahead of the play-offs after losing out to Brighton and Southampton in their quest for automatic promotion to the second tier.

This season could not be more different and there is even the prospect of a potential winner-takes-all showdown on May 4 when the Terriers host Barnsley – with safety the prize for the winners and relegation for the losers.

Former Bradford, Leeds, Barnsley and Boro striker John Hendrie will watch all the action unfold with keen interest and admits he has never known a season like this one, where the fate of so many Yorkshire clubs remains in the melting pot.

Media pundit Hendrie said: “It has been such a season, good and bad, for Yorkshire clubs. Three teams have a great chance of automatic promotion with Sheffield United and Bradford a chance in the play-offs. And there is probably even more spice at the bottom!

“There are so many conundrums. But you can just take one game at a time at this stage of the season.

“Even before Saturday, Leeds had bit to play for after losing four matches, as did Boro. If Leeds had not picked up anything from the back-to-back home games, they would have been in real trouble.”

Of all the divisions, the most intrigue lies in the Championship – especially at the bottom.

After a remarkable renaissance, Barnsley, a club Hendrie has managed and played for, are back in trouble after two shattering home blows, a last-gasp leveller for Derby County on Tuesday hot on the heels of Charlton inflicting a crushing six-goal defeat on the Reds at a shell-shocked Oakwell.

It has also been a case of one step forward and one back for Huddersfield, who lost at Blackburn on Tuesday fresh from beating another team in trouble in Wolves. Wednesday are still to be assured of safety, too.

Hendrie said: “I felt so gutted for Barnsley on Tuesday. After winning seven out of eight games at home, it looked so good with back-to-back home games against Charlton and Derby. But to lose by six and then concede a late goal doesn’t look good. Survival might come down to goal difference and the 6-0 loss to Charlton could be so costly.

“Prior to Tuesday night, you maybe thought seven points from four games might have been enough – now they might have to win two from three. It will be tough as Hull might need one point for promotion and Forest are still striving for the play-offs and then there’s Huddersfield, who are fighting for their lives.

“The pleasing thing for Huddersfield is that two of their games left are at home.

“The division is absolutely incredible. Look at Hull, who were flying and then they go to Wolves and lose. That is the unique thing about the Championship and why it will probably take a record amount of points to stay up, as anyone can beat anyone on their day.”

On his take on our clubs lower down, he added: “Looking at Doncaster’s points, if they get three on Saturday, they are definitely up. Rotherham also have a great chance and let’s hope York can survive, too.

“Bradford cannot go up automatically now, but if six weeks ago you had said to any City supporter that they would have a great chance of the play-offs, most would have said: ‘we might be struggling’. Especially given they couldn’t win at home.

“Now they have a great chance. There are only two teams who can really stop City doing it and they are Chesterfield and Exeter, who play each other on the last day of the season – and Exeter play Cheltenham on Saturday. But then you look at City’s games – against Burton and Cheltenham!”