Town boss Mick McCarthy is a big fan of the play-offs despite having been struck by the curse of finishing third during his days as manager of Millwall.

Back in the 1993/94 campaign the Lions finished third in what’s now the Championship, a position which would have won them automatic promotion into the top flight a few years earlier, the play-offs having started in 1986/87.

Like so many others, including Town in the 1998/99 and 2004/05 seasons, Millwall were then beaten in the play-off semi-finals by the sixth-placed side, Derby County.

“I was at Millwall we finished third and we didn’t go up,” he recalled. “But I think they’re brilliant because all the way down to 12th, 13th, 14th spot you can get in the play-offs.

“I can remember Crystal Palace being bottom of the league and getting in the play-offs and winning them. I think it just makes the league so exciting.

“Otherwise, if the top three are eight points clear, there’s nothing to play for for 21 teams except relegation. I think it’s made it a much more exciting league.

“Let’s just play for the Premier League and not have any Champions League spots or anything else. That would make it pretty boring, wouldn’t it? Now, if one is running away with the league at any stage, at least the rest are all chasing something and it makes it competitive.”

He added, joking: “I like the way this league is structured. I like it so much I want to get out of it!

“It strikes me that it works perfectly. If you finish third and you feel a bit peeved about playing sixth who are 15 points behind you or whatever it might be, you knew that at the start of the season.

“Finish second or first but don’t whine about the rules when you get there. That is what they are. I had to accept them 20-odd years ago when I was at Millwall and we finished third.

“We ended up losing and we were a load of points clear of sixth spot. I got over it, which you’ve got to do.

“I’m happy with the way it’s structured and I don’t think anyone’s going to come up with a really sensible solution which is going to make me think any different.”

He says nerves can play a part in vital games such as today’s against Nottingham Forest, but believes they benefited him when he was a player.

“It depends if you end up with nervous exhaustion by being worn out by it or the nerves cause you to play badly,” he said.

“But I’ve always found in the past, when I was a player, that I played better if I’d got that butterfly clomping around in my stomach and there was an edge to it.

“I can’t ever remember thinking that I was that calm going out to play, but I did prefer the big games when you step up to the plate and you play well. That’s a test for players.”

Photo: Action Images

Paulblue62 added 09:07 - Apr 25 Not usually a fan of the play-offs, I think it should be top 3, but this season, glad they are there for us.
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bobble added 12:05 - Apr 25 if you are 8pts clear in 3rd place at the end of the season you should go up, the play offs are an american style commercial rip off....
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