The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Darragh dreams of a Wembley sequel
Posh chairman Darragh MacAnthony insists his team can treat the League One play-offs as a free hit.
MacAnthony has been thrilled to see his young side exceed most expectations with a fourth-place play-off and an EFL Trophy win at Wembley.
But now he’s challenged the players and managerial staff to take advantage by securing a Wembley sequel and a return to Championship football.
"We’ve done well to finish in the top four and to win a trophy after what was written in the summer," MacAnthony said.
"I’m delighted the players have lived up to the confidence myself and the management staff always had despite what others thought when we went down the young and quick path.
"We have nothing to lose as we were not favourites to do anything this year. We can have a free run at the play-offs against some great teams, but we want to make what we have already achieved count for even more.
"I’m confident we are in good shape and more than ready to make a Wembley sequel and have a run at the
Championship again.
"We’ve gone into play-off campaigns in iffy form and won them and we’ve gone into them with momentum and then been knocked out.
"Form doesn’t really matter as everyone presses a reset button for the play-offs anyway.
"What we do have is a manager who has been there and done it before which is definitely in our favour.
"The gaffer and his staff have worked wonders this season to turn this talented young team into serious contenders all while playing some great football.
"Our plan was to go into this season with 15-16 players. The 11 starters and five or six that could step in when required and don’t forget we lost Jeando Fuchs to injury for virtually the whole season and his wages would have paid for two decent central midfielders to supplement what we had.
"Some of our players have had long seasons, but they will have had a week between the last League One game and the first play-off match so I’m sure they will be in fine fettle.”
If Posh reach the play-off final they will had 64 competitive matches this season, the most in the country.
Oxford have played 55 games so far, six fewer than Posh.