Quote vbfg="vbfg"I have always made the in between case. No Championship side is likely to win the MPG but for extraordinary circumstances. There is every chance of a lackadaisical SL side finishing fifth and a side going up automatically.'"
I wouldn't go so far as "every chance", because that suggests the system is almost fair - which it so blatantly isn't; but I agree with your general point. I've long said that the best chance of a promotion is to finish in the auto-promotion spot, and the reason is because you could be helped not only by your own efforts, but if in addition results of others conspire against one of the other competing clubs. If that happens to be a SL club that your team happened to manage to beat, eg Salford when we beat them last year, or Leigh this year, then suddenly the other teams could do your job for you. As long as you win one more than them, of course.
That is still a tall order because they are a SL club with several fixtures against Championship opposition - and you are a Championship club with other games v. SL team to play.