Episode 13 Late Kick Off East

Two weeks and counting and the play apse - play-offs are shaping up

nicely. Fingers crossed, we're on Tonight: Face in the crowd - fans'

favourite Gabby takes to the stands to cheer on his Peterborough

teammates. Kim will be an experience. I hope to enjoy it.

Already looking ahead to next season - we have a special report

on Ipswich, aiming to get the balance right. There's nothing

wrong with experienced players, but maybe there's been too many at the

same time. And penalty prize - could this be a

key moment in the League One play- off race? Hello, good evening.

Stevenage are right back in the play-off mix, keeping their

promotion hat-trick alive. It could be MK Dons at Wembley for them next

month. What would they make of that? We can find out because our

special guest this week, alongside Perry, is Borough boss Gary Smith.

That would be a mouth-watering prospect! A sounds absolutely great.

I wouldn't mind sticking Huddersfield in there, either.

Looking forward to a trip to Wembley? We start with the team

that won the League One play-offs last year, Peterborough. So,

another season is drawing to a close. It began with such optimism.

New signings and some big names, Seven straight defeats. The

Two goals down with his job on the line, Ipswich fought back to score

five times at Barnsley. You have got to believe in yourselves.

He has been left bemused by large parts of the season. Memorable wins

coupled with disastrous defeats. He described them as no better than a

pub team at one point. Ipswich have been lingering too long to the

crops sown for a lot of the campaign. I learnt a lot this

season. We have experienced players in the group and there is nothing

wrong with that, in fact they're key. But maybe we had too many at

that one time. Getting the balance right has been the problem this

season. When the manager of rides his job

was to keep them up. Mission accomplished. This year many

experts tipped it switched to challenge for promotion, but they

have fallen some way short. It has been a real roller-coaster. We have

had a real mix. Fantastic start against Bristol City. Goalscorer

scoring goals, defenders not conceding. It looked like it was

going to be a good season. The next match against Northampton set the

scene for the whole season. Up and down. How can you explain the

inconsistency? I don't know. We have had the same sort of players,

but we have to change things have withdrew because a few of the order

players were doing the business for me. Ipswich boasted the record of

the championship's worst offence for much of this season, conceding

more than three goals 11 times up until February. Since then, it has

happened twice. The defence has had its critics, but it has tightened

up in the last few weeks. What have you done better? You get an

understanding, you know? The manager had a site in the

afternoons and really figuring out where we were going wrong and what

we were doing wrong and the problems we were having. When we

were getting crucified as a back four, I was the first want to say

it is a team game so you can nail everything on us. Apple said the

same thing now, now that we are defending well you can't say it is

just the back four. We are getting a lot more help from midfield and

the centre-forwards. More is needed to turn it switch into a top-six

side? Stability. That has been the key for the last few games. The

stability of the team selection. Everybody knows what they're coming

from at the minute. That we can get that next year, we will have a

helluva chance. New financial fair- play rules are coming in, TV

revenue for championship clubs is going down and with attendances

falling for a 7th straight season there is less money to play with,

but there is still hope. We have got some good youngsters and it we

can keep them together and strengthen the squad, maybe we are

in with the chance. Paul Jewell knows what is needed over the

summer. I am confident that he will spend the money on the right

players. What is required? Quite a few positions! We need a new

goalkeeper. Two centre-backs. We need to start keeping clean sheets.

I think we need a new striker, someone who can hold the ball up.

But we can get a couple more defenders, maybe a goalkeeper then

we can do well. I always hope will be in the play-offs, and that is

all we have got to play for. takes a new manager a couple of

years to get his team together. The fans just need to get behind the

team and get them there next season. Grounds for optimism for fans next

year. Will it be a big year? hope it is. We are working

extremely hard. Our fans have been fantastic. We have had some poor

performances this season. The inconsistency has let us down,

conceding too many goals, beaten easily on a number of occasions. It

feels that we are getting harder to beat. The addition of a few players

in the summer will hopefully make us better.

It really has been a turbulent season for them. Consistency for

every team is something that you're striving for. Paul has mentioned

there are, they are getting the right balance. It is not always

easy to get the right pieces of the puzzle together straight away. It

sometimes takes and continuity. It takes a lot of hard work and it

seems that that will be the road that they will have to go down.

Saturday summed up their season. They conceded far too many goals.

141 goals in the games against Ipswich and they have conceded 74.

They are back to the bad old ways. No pressure on the ball. Paul

Jewell said he looked to strengthen the defence. One of the bright

sparks this season has been Aaron Cresswell. He has been fantastic.

Edwards has been good at right-back. You need some solidity in the

middle. This won't be how they wanted to finish the season, they

would have liked to have finished it better. You always want to

finish on a good note, especially in front of the home fans.

Conceding goals is not something any coach wants to be on the end of.

They need to work on the training field, bring in one or two better

editions. It is a team effort. won't be the first missed penalty

we will see on the programme tonight! They gave Grant Leadbetter

an ultimatum on Tuesday last week. To I think it will be Tuesday next

week, bended Tuesday after that. Contract talks will start, it is

that time of the season. Tommy Smith has been offered a new deal.

He wants to get away from experience the medical bit younger.

It is that balance, you know? Paul has those bodied in his mind that

he feels will be good editions. Experiences great to have. It is

always a night wrote to go, but They need a couple of Santa hats, a

centre-forward, a goalkeeper! Peterborough is safe and one man

has done his bit. Gabby is sitting out the final match of the season.

He has been playing to the pain barrier, broken toe, this ticket to

shoulder, groin and back injuries. The surgeon is not happy with me at

the moment because I never listen to his advice. If there is 1% up be

able to play and I can come up for the 90 minutes, I will give it a go.

I said it would make myself available. The manager showed that

he wanted to play me and I was ready to play! Small wonder he is

so popular here. Player of this season, no less. He has 12,000

Twitter followers. Twitter is very important. You get a lot of

negative things, but I think it is good to have a relationship with

the fans. Good way of supporting, I do lot of charity on it. It is a

big part of my life. His next step is a scan to decide what surgery he

will needs. Then, all being well, it is off to Ghana to work with his

chosen charity, tackle after get. When you sit kids in a classroom

there mind wanders. We got the best way to do it would be to teach kids

about HIV when we're coaching football. We haven't met did not

doing that. I want to use that method with the kids. Five minutes

before kick-off, there is a reason why he is wearing that scarf. He is

getting a taste of what it is like It is not long before Gabby and his

fellow fans have something to No. 9! It wasn't long before

Watford were level. The attempted clearance straight at the defender.

This was a day when nothing was But would it be a lucky hat? It is

Mare and it is in. 2-1, but Posh Paul Taylor is signing off in style,

he is expected to lead at the end of the season. It could have been

three points. This stunning drive, crashing off the underside of the

bar. Did it cross the line? No, according to the referee. And that

was it, the end of Peterborough's home campaign. It is what life is

all about. It was a good atmosphere all round. There was one more twist

to the afternoon, to the supporters club for the official player of the

season presentation. The winner? You guessed it. I have a great

relationship with the fans. It is in stark contrast to the

disappointment of relegation two years ago. There are hopes are

better things to come. It was not a good time a couple of years ago. We

were relegated before the end of the season. To have achieved and

now with a couple of games to spare, we can grab this with both hands.

I think it is fair to say, he is Sam character, Gabby. You cannot go

into the crowd and as you have had a good season. I have had Michel

Platini on the phone on the goal line technology debate. Was it in,

or was it not? It is the first time I have seen yet. What do you think?

On first looks, it is a goal. And I would like to clarify, it was an

Azerbaijani linesman. It is a tough one. That is have a look at the

bottom of the table. Peterborough are say, nine points clear. -- save.

They said that was the plan at the start of the season. That enables

you to attract players. Their role model should be Stoke, that is what

Peterborough need to do. Before we move on, I must mention another

presentation at Posh at the weekend. The retirement of two very special

people at Peterborough United. Derek and Margaret Poole have

bought at London Road for more than 43 years. Derek is kit man,

Margaret run the ticket office. They promised they would be back as

fans next season. Congratulations to Derek and Margaret, from

everyone at the Late Kick Off team, well done. Before the battle for

the championship. We start with Stevenage. It will be tight, but it

has been some season. It has been extremely exciting. Back to back,

three winds, nine points. As soon as you add those that are poised to

the board, we have a good squad and are good in that -- position.

team was so successful. Then they were going quite well. You took the

reins, had difficult was that? soon as it starts going badly,

there is only one person who will get the finger pointed at them.

There are one or two things I wanted to try and implement. The

guys have taken a while to warm to that. But slowly but surely, we are

showing much better signs. Certainly showing signs are that at

the moment. Lady Luck was on your side. Absolutely. And you need that,

especially when you are in the position we are in. Bradford could

have been in front before we scored our first goal, -- Brentford.

this a penalty? He showed all his this a penalty? He showed all his

experience there. You can see by the referee has given up.

Not the best penalty from Donaldson. What about this one? He probably

should have stayed on his feet. think so. He has done a terrific

job. But I think he can maybe stay on his feet. As it comes up the

post, he does not panic. That did not look like such a good save the

first time, but the second time, it is great. And after two missed

penalties, a couple of great goals there. Craig has some wonderfully.

I said to him afterwards, I think he meant it. Terrific first touch,

then he does wonderfully to nick the ball on the halfway line. That

is a hell of a strike. A little bit of creativity. Quick feet, nice

balance. He is very difficult to play against. It is nice you are

getting everyone fitter again at getting everyone fitter again at

this time. John is coming back from injury.

Pat has found some sharpness and fairness. Hopefully be a coming

together at the right time. Here is You are in a really good position

now. Tough game at the weekend and still all to play for. We have

matched their cells and to a good spot. These are your remaining

fixtures. Sheffield United away from home. Bury at home. There has

to be six points. I think so, it will be tough at the weekend, but

if we can go there and put points on the board, we will be confident

coming back. We invited some questions from viewers. Here we go,

questions from viewers. Here we go, the first one. I think the

intensity in England with the amount of games and the lack of

preparation time, I came just after the Christmas break. It has been

very difficult to get the team ready and being compared to

Saturday it in America, it has been One more question. That is

something I have to improve on. No doubt about that. I honestly can

say that there are so many emotions going around my head when that

whistle blows. But do not -- I do not forget about the fans. The MK

Dons played Sheffield United at the weekend, but they got beaten. Have

they done you a favour? Who knows? They will be looking for that three

points at the weekend. Alan Smith. I do nothing he has scored since

2007. -- I do not think. That is a huge goal. It is a massive win,

they have had 19 different goalscorers this season. That is

important, when everybody is They thoroughly deserve their

position and it is going to be a very good play-off situation.

sending off was very harsh. I think the referee was too quick to

atmosphere inside the ground. gives everyone that extra bit of

passion. Jambo I Ibehre hit the bar passion. Jambo I Ibehre hit the bar

there. -- double Ibehre. Sometimes you do need an outlet. Three winds

on the spin. A couple of their players got and the League 1 team.

Steven Gleason and Darren Potter. It is a great achievement and it is

testimony to the way the team has put out and the way they play. It

is going to be a very exciting play-off situation. Let us have a

play-off situation. Let us have a look at the table. They are going

to play Huddersfield, it is just a case of who plays the home leg

second. They are in pole position for that. These are the play-off

dates. They will be desperate to get a second leg at home. They had

get a second leg at home. They had to be careful of players with

injuries. But you want to clear second leg at home. What their

prospects against Huddersfield? It would have to be at home second.

think they have got every chance, they are a good side, very talented,

they do have a small squad, as Perry pointed out, injuries, no

suspensions, preparing properly and having a fit squad will be key for

both teams. And Colchester, another draw. John Ward is really unhappy

draw. John Ward is really unhappy about this goal. The ball has been

chewed over. Nine draws in the last 11 games. That is more draws than

new! I can sympathise. The moments, there would work takes a bit of an

effect. The goals that you do not want to concede. A little bit of

individual has and. But I sympathise, it is not easy.

sympathise, it is not easy. 100th game in charge, John Ward.

A terrific guy, it was nice to make his acquaintance.

League 2, and Northampton fans can breathe a sigh of relief, their

place in the Football League is secure. A massive., that kept them

safe. Hereford have been struggling. This was just about getting the

point. They can start looking point. They can start looking

point. They can start looking forward to this season.

There was a bit of goalmouth action in this one. There is a lot of work

to do their at Northampton. think next season, the chairman has

said they will have one of the biggest budgets in the division.

They will want a lot more and a lot better. They will do. They are a

decent sized club and there is expectation there. Decent strike

expectation there. Decent strike from Vicky Featherstone. I do not

think at will be too pleased if his chairmen is telling everyone how

much money he will have. -- Nicky Featherstone. And you were at

Southend at the weekend on Friday against Bonet. I was. It was a

was almost sacked earlier in the season. He is their top scorer. It

is talent and temperament, the risk and reward. Clearing everyone out

and reward. Clearing everyone out and reward. Clearing everyone out

the way, attacking the ball. Anyone the way, attacking the ball. Anyone

in particular catching your eye? taken again with their schedule

permits. -- take in again. Pretty much guaranteed to finish in fifth

place, so there home like his second in the play-offs. There is

still that opportunity of creeping into the top three. They have cared

for clean sheets for the last five games. The bottom end of the table

and confirmation that Northampton are safe. That draw against

Hereford. Just about enough to see them stay in the division. It takes

the pressure off. You can enjoy last game. Rather than feeling

tense. He will be looking to improve next season. How do you

attack this stage of the season? Any special plans? Not really, I

think we have to keep things exactly the same. We have turned

our form round. We need points to secure a that 6th spot. Keeping

everything as normal is the key. You do not rely on one goalscorer.

It is not as if someone gets injured, you think, that is our

main threat gone. Absolutely. Somebody catching fire now could be

a bit of the difference. You know how to do it, back-to-back

promotions, there is no reason why you cannot make it through. There

are a lot of guys in our group that have seen the players before, they

have experienced promotion. Absolutely fired up to do third