Leeds United winger Dan James has explored the possibility of making the playoffs this season, hoping to help the club avoid a tight finish with automatic promotion.
Leeds are currently on track to finish in the automatic promotion positions this season, as they lead the table on goal difference, but they face a difficult run of fixtures in the final stretch.
Dropping into the playoffs would be a crushing blow for Leeds or any of the top sides, given the level at which they have played in order to be considered for promotion to the Premier League.
Championship table as it stands: Leeds take on Watford, seeking to stay top.
Leeds and Leicester are currently separated by one goal following the Foxes’ recent downturn, with only one win since mid-February, while Ipswich Town are putting pressure on both teams.
Southampton’s two games postponed due to a fire, along with Leicester’s FA Cup obligations, means they are some distance behind, but they have two games in hand to make up the difference, which would place them three points behind Leeds if they won both.
| Position | Club | MP | W | D | L | GD | PTS |
| 1 | Leeds United | 38 | 25 | 7 | 6 | 42 | 82 |
| 2 | Leicester City | 37 | 26 | 4 | 7 | 41 | 82 |
| 3 | Ipswich Town | 38 | 24 | 9 | 5 | 31 | 81 |
| 4 | Southampton | 36 | 22 | 7 | 7 | 26 | 73 |
| 5 | West Brom | 38 | 19 | 9 | 10 | 23 | 66 |
| 6 | Norwich City | 38 | 18 | 7 | 13 | 15 | 61 |
Dan James comments on the chances of Leeds making the playoffs.
Dan James appeared briefly on this week’s My Mate’s A Footballer episode, when Joe Wilkinson visited Patrick Bamford at Thorp Arch.
Wilkinson asked how James and the Leeds players would feel if they narrowly missed out on the top two and were forced to play in the playoffs, to which the winger responded:
“I think it would be terrible if we didn’t do it; obviously, you have to get on with it and prepare for the playoffs.
“There are some teams that finish fifth or sixth and merely want to make the playoffs; once they do, they’re ecstatic because they have a chance to advance.
“Hopefully we don’t have to go through that.”
Playoffs would be a shattering blow for anyone who misses out, including Leeds.
We’ve looked like a ruthless machine in 2024, and with this many wins on the board, we’re poised to finish in the top two.
However, if a wobble occurs and we lose out, it will be extremely difficult to regain such overwhelming performance.
Daniel Farke has never gone to the playoffs, so it would be interesting to see how he would handle a new circumstance.
As James adds, hopefully this is all entirely hypothetical and we don’t need to be concerned.
