Bruce isn’t in holiday mood

STEVE BRUCE knows where he would rather be at this time of year – and it is not in the midst of a white-hot atmosphere in a £170million shoot-out for a place in the Premier League.

Hull travel to Derby today in the first leg of the play-off semi-final knowing they blew a golden chance of automatic promotion.

The end-ofseason lottery gives them a chance to seal their place back in the big time in the most exhilarating way on a never-to-be forgotten day at Wembley.

But Bruce, above, would much rather be enjoying a cold beer on a beach with the Tigers’ Premier League place already secure.

They looked set for an immediate return when they topped the Championship at the end of February on the back of one defeat in 12 TOM BRADSHAW says his Walsall team remain confident even after the blow of narrowly missing out on automatic promotion.

Walsall won 5-0 at Port Vale last week, but Burton pipped them with a 0-0 draw at Doncaster.

But Wales striker Bradshaw believes the momentum is still with them as they go into the first leg of their play-off semi-final at Barnsley today.

“Quite often, the team with the best form going into the play-offs comes out on top,” he said. “On our day we can beat anyone and we’ll take that belief into the play-offs.”

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games. But Hull then suffered the shakes, winning just five of their last 14 to slip to fourth, as Burnley and Middlesbrough clinched the top two spots and a slice of the Premier League’s new £5 billion TV deal.

The Tigers hope to join them, but Bruce admitted: “The play-offs may be the most exciting way to go up, but I’d rather be sat on a beach in Portugal sipping a tin of lager. “If you win it at Wembley, then of course it’s a special day. It’s a wonderful opportunity to go and play on the greatest stage, but let’s not take anything for granted.

“We’ve known for a few weeks that we’d be in the play-offs so we’ve been able to rotate the squad to rest the lads and put a bit of freshness back in them.” NEAL ARDLEY believes there is plenty of positivity among his AFC Wimbledon players.

The Dons finished seventh to set up a two-legged tie with Accrington, which begins this evening at Kingsmeadow.

“The atmosphere is great, even with the players who think they may not be starting. There is no sulking,” said manager Ardley.

A final-day 0-0 draw with Stevenage cost Accrington automatic promotion. Manager John Coleman said: “We are going into a mini-league now. We finished above all of them so we have a great chance.”

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