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Nottingham Post
Nottingham Post
Sport
Sarah Clapson

The play-offs record which shows why Nottingham Forest should target third-placed finish

Nottingham Forest could secure their highest Championship finish for more than a decade when they take on Hull City this weekend.

The Reds are already guaranteed a place in the play-offs, and they will finish either third or fourth in the table regardless of what happens in the final round of league fixtures. But should they finish third, it would match their position from the 2009/10 campaign.

And if they record a victory over the Tigers, it would take Steve Cooper’s side up to 82 points - the club’s highest points total in the second tier since 1998, when they were promoted as champions with 94. Ending the regular season well is very much the manager’s aim.

Read more: Highly-rated talent posts Forest message after impressive loan spell

Read more: Riverside views and St Andrew's sadness mark out best and worst Forest away days

But how much does it matter when it comes to the play-offs? We’ve had a look at who went up via that method in the last 15 years, and where they finished in the table…

2020/21 - Brentford, finished 3rd

2019/20 - Fulham, finished 4th

2018/19 - Aston Villa, finished 5th

2017/18 - Fulham, finished 3rd

2016/17 - Huddersfield Town, finished 5th

2015/16 - Hull City, finished 4th

2014/15 - Norwich City, finished 3rd

2013/14 - QPR, finished 4th

2012/13 - Crystal Palace, finished 5th

2011/12 - West Ham, finished 3rd

2010/11 - Swansea City, finished 3rd

2009/10 - Blackpool, finished 6th

2008/09 - Burnley, finished 5th

2007/08 - Hull City, finished 3rd

2006/07 - Derby County, finished 3rd

Third place has yielded the most play-offs winners, with seven; fifth place has also been pretty successful, with four. One team who finished sixth has gone up, while three who came fourth triumphed.

When it comes to form going into the play-offs, it’s a pretty mixed bag looking at those who triumphed. The outcomes of the last five league games for the play-offs winners in the past 15 years are listed below.

2020/21 Brentford (3rd) - DWWWW

2019/20 Fulham (4th) - WWDWD

2018/19 Aston Villa (5th) - WWWDL

2017/18 Fulham (3rd) - WDWWL

2016/17 Huddersfield Town (5th) - DLWLL

2015/16 Hull City (4th) - WDWLW

2014/15 Norwich City (3rd) - WWLDW

2013/14 QPR (4th) - WLWDW

2012/13 Crystal Palace (5th) - LDDDW

2011/12 West Ham (3rd) - DWDWW

2010/11 Swansea City (3rd) - LDWWW

2009/10 Blackpool (6th) - WLWWD

2008/09 Burnley (5th) - WLWDW

2007/08 Hull City (3rd) - DWLWL

2006/07 Derby County (3rd) - DLWLW

Cooper has made it clear he wants to end the regular campaign strongly. And Reds defender Steve Cook, who is unlikely to be involved against Hull, said of his play-offs experience with Bournemouth last year: “We made the play-offs with two or three games in hand, and we ended up losing the last three. You’re then kind of thinking, did that harm us?

“You want to go into games confident and flying, not having any doubts. That experience I had last year, hopefully I can use this year with this group of players.”

Of course, the play-offs aren’t referred to as a “lottery” for nothing. Stats and history will count for little when Forest mount one last push for promotion.

Who would you like Forest to face in the play-offs? Have your say in the comments below

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