There are eight games to go until the split:

Motherwell (A) 3-0 (L) - 3rd
Hearts (A) 2-3 (W) - 2nd
Dundee Utd (H) - 0-0 (D) - 3rd
Ross County (A) - 0-0 (D) - 3rd
Dundee (A) 1-1 (D) - 4th
Ross County (H) 2-1 (W) - 3rd
Hibs (A) 1-2 (W) - 3rd
St. Johnstone (H)

It consists of five (5) away games and three (3) home games so Terry won't have too many games to worry about the size of crowds much over that period

It is all pretty tight with nine points between 2nd and 11th and only five points between 2nd and 7th.

Even though we have had what seems like a really good season so far (look at the teams still below us) there is only a difference of two wins between ourselves and County and we still have to play them twice....

2nd - ICT - P25 - W9 D11 L5 - 38 PTS (GD +9)
9th - RC - P25 - W7 D11 L7 - 32 PTS (GD -3)

The players (and the management) though need to keep it going for (at least) those next eight games to ensure that this does turn out to be our best SPL season ever.

I am not sure whether we will still be in 2nd place come the split but I believe we will get a top 6 place.

With what appears to be increasing negativity within a number of posts recently how do others really think the team will do?

Edited March 30, 201313 yr by Tichy_Blacks_Back

With the interest it would bring, could we afford not to?

With the interest it would bring, could we afford not to?

 

I am stating a possible problem, I have no opinion on it, I will leave it for others to view.

 

I don't think I will be travelling to St. Petersbug, but I might manage Lens or Lyon. ( I have watched Lens a few times when I had a maison in France) The year they won the French championship. By golly they could play. Cheap as well about 90 French francs in those days.

 

Bradford's gates in September last year were over 4000, before there rise to fame.

I think we can safely assume that if we were to gain a European place we would be accepting it.

I think we can safely assume that if we were to gain a European place we would be accepting it.

 

See you in Turin then. I'll buy you a Manhatten.

I looked at the table and we are 5 points clearly of Kilmarnock in 7th, so with this in mind and only 4 games remaining what do we need to guarded top six? 3-4 points maybe?

Ironically it could turn out that the very first time we reach the top six could be the worst time finance-wise (apart from the prize money). Normally you'd expect one of the OF at home, plus possibly Hearts, Aberdeen, Hibs.

This year, if the fixtures go to plan, we could be away at Celtic and County, and the home games could be the likes of killie and st. Johnstone.

Better secure that second spot then.....

I reckon 2 wins so imo, 6pts would be enough, we should win at Dundee next week so then we would need either 3 draws or a win against County, Hibs or Saints.

If we win next week at Dens then I reckon I will be confident of Top 6.

Edited March 3, 201313 yr by Mahonio

Ironically it could turn out that the very first time we reach the top six could be the worst time finance-wise (apart from the prize money). Normally you'd expect one of the OF at home, plus possibly Hearts, Aberdeen, Hibs.

This year, if the fixtures go to plan, we could be away at Celtic and County, and the home games could be the likes of killie and st. Johnstone.

Better secure that second spot then.....

 

I imagine the blow will be softened by the (minimum) additional £300k* of prize money from coming in the top 6.

 

*Based on our budgeting for finishing 10th.

I tried to model the possible outcomes at the split, but there are endless permutations because it is all so bunched up at the moment.

 

But a few of observations:

 

1. It is technically possible for us to lose all our remaining games and still manage 5th at the split. But that depends on the bottom teams suddenly becoming invincible, and everything else going the right way for us.

 

2. Even if we beat Dundee on Saturday to reach 46 points, if everything else goes the wrong way we could still end up down in 9th at the split!

 

3. Drawing all our remaining games still doesn't guarantee us top 6.

 

So in conclusion: my advice to Terry is to win all our remaining games, just to be on the safe side. Hope that helps.

Win everything. Liking it. I'm really confident of making top six at least and I can't see any sides other than Celtic and Motherwell who are genuinely better sides, so eorpa looks a decent shout at the moment. I don't think that the club would care one iota that we might lose money on the deal because it might be the one and only time we ever make it. I care not whether it's a one horse town in the Ukraine, somewhere barely thawed out in Norway or somewhere in the balkans so bad you need an escort in and out. I'm going.

PS: Why can't kilmarnock defend like that against us?

All we need to do is equal or better those below us. Simples.

 

I believe we will take three from Dundee. I believe County will lose to Celtic. Those results should set us up for a decent derby match on a decent surface with, hopefully, a decent referee. And an ICT win.

There are eight games to go until the split:

Motherwell (A) 3-0 (L) - 3rd

Hearts (A) 2-3 (W) - 2nd

Dundee Utd (H) - 0-0 (D) - 3rd

Ross County (A) - 0-0 (D) - 3rd

Dundee (A) 1-1 (D) - 4th

Ross County (H)

Hibs (A)

St. Johnstone (H)

Hibs drew with Hearts so no real change and all still to play for. 2 of the 3 remaining are at home so should be a big advantage.

We are currently on 44 points. If we lose our remaining 3 pre-split games, the top 6 cut-off could still fall anywhere between 43 and 47 points.

As I wrote in 'SAFE' thread

 

Looking at the table as it stands right now the bottom three cannot make top six. Of the next three Dundee United possibly have the most realistic chance of making it. We have six points on Killie but they have a very difficult awayday to Dingwall so I dont envisage them being a threat. Aberdeen have an awayday to Celtic and DU and based on performances I dont see them getting more than a point from those fixtures.

Our next three games are against County, Hibs and St Johnstone and that is where our destiny lies. It is in our own hands which position we are in at the split but it wont be bottom six.

I believe we will get a European spot and that we can hold onto third...Always look on the bright side of life

 

Slightly worried.

 

I just saw the 2014 Europa League Final is in Turin (Juventus). I hope to god the marchers get a central belt match to depart from...County or Aberdeen's going to be a toughie!

Hey, Turin will only be 150ish miles from my new home

We could be guaranteed Top 6 by Sunday if results go our way!!!

4 - 1 win for Motherwell over Hibs tonight takes us a further step closer to securing top six.  Good performance by team and fans tomorrow and we should be there.

Incredibly we are still not quite over the line, yet.

 

If all remaining results went against us, we could be level on points with 2 other teams with 5th, 6th and 7th then determined by goal difference - which would almost certainly be in our favour anyway.

 

If Dundee Utd fail to win tomorrow we'll be officially top 6.

There are eight games to go until the split:

Motherwell (A) 3-0 (L) - 3rd

Hearts (A) 2-3 (W) - 2nd

Dundee Utd (H) - 0-0 (D) - 3rd

Ross County (A) - 0-0 (D) - 3rd

Dundee (A) 1-1 (D) - 4th

Ross County (H) - 2-1 (W) - 3rd

Hibs (A)

St. Johnstone (H)

Hibs drew with Hearts so no real change and all still to play for. 2 of the 3 remaining are at home so should be a big advantage.

Getting closer :-)

Edited March 16, 201313 yr by Tichy_Blacks_Back

Now a hares whisker in it  as pointed out If United fail to win we are in the top 6

United need to  win the last 3 to be above

Killy need to win the last 3 and will automatically have a superior goal difference on us

St J need to lose to United then beat us 

County also have to lose to Killy and beat Hearts

 

We have a healthy goal difference of plus 8  both our games would have to be heavy defeats  and St Johnstone  would be on at best  '0' on goal difference for our last game before the split.

 

Its so close I can smell it.  All of the above has to happen to drop out now and it would be on goal difference

Edited March 16, 201313 yr by 12th Man

Motherwell (A) 3-0 (L) - 3rd
Hearts (A) 2-3 (W) - 2nd
Dundee Utd (H) - 0-0 (D) - 3rd
Ross County (A) - 0-0 (D) - 3rd
Dundee (A) 1-1 (D) - 4th
Ross County (H) 2-1 (W) - 3rd
Hibs (A) 1-2 (W) - 3rd
St. Johnstone (H)

Another good result today - 3 wins and 4 draws from the last seven.

 

One to go with Motherwell home to St.Mirren. Looks like it will be 3rd place at the split but another 3 pts next Friday evening will be a good way to go into the last 5 games.

Motherwell (A) 3-0 (L) - 3rd
Hearts (A) 2-3 (W) - 2nd
Dundee Utd (H) - 0-0 (D) - 3rd
Ross County (A) - 0-0 (D) - 3rd
Dundee (A) 1-1 (D) - 4th
Ross County (H) 2-1 (W) - 3rd
Hibs (A) 1-2 (W) - 3rd
St. Johnstone (H) 0-0 (D) - 3rd

 

3rd it is with Celtic (+18pts GD+41), Motherwell (+3pts GD +4), St.Johnstone (-5pts GD -8), Ross County (-6pts GD -10) and Dundee Utd (-7pts GD -13) to go in the last stage. We have played all apart from Celtic in the last 8 games and lost to one and drawn with the other three. Only 15 points left so we can't win the league but here's hoping we gain enough to consolidate at least 3rd. Whatever happens great achievement in the league this season.

 
 

As it turns out, the disappointing draw at Dens a few weeks ago got us to the 44 points which (with the benefit of our superior GD) would have secured us a top 6 place even if we'd lost all the subsequent games.

Scrap that, on looking at the table again we only actually needed 43 points to be top 6 (or 42 and GD better then +4) so with hindsight we were safe already for much of the time when we were speculating on how many points we'd need!

Edited April 6, 201313 yr by Yngwie