Life is tough at the foot of League One – the current bottom four have spent practically the entire season neck deep in the relegation zone.
For some, hope does not spring eternal.
The remainder of the season is merely a slow trudge to the gallows.
But with Burton Albion currently mounting a spirited revival, we at least have a battle of sorts.
Here are the combatants as the hostilities reach a climax…
Dead and buried
Gravity was always going to catch up with Shrewsbury Town and Cambridge United eventually, and so it has proved.
Neither has the budget, squad or infrastructure to genuinely compete in League One, with the arrival of nouveau-riche sides like Stockport County and Wrexham leaving a significantly decreased margin for error.
Shrewsbury sank into the drop zone on day one and have remained there ever since, despite a brief rally following the arrival of Gareth Ainsworth in November.
A lack of goals – top scorer John Marquis has eight – is chief amongst many weaknesses, and the Salop side’s tenth season in the third tier will be their last.
Cambridge, who won promotion in 2021, can’t be accused of not trying.
The U’s threw everything at survival when they sacked Garry Monk last month and hired a brace of former managers to save the day.
Neil Harris returned as head coach and Mark Bonner as director of football, but the damage was done by a run of eight defeats in nine to start the season.
There was a sense of inevitability about Crawley Town’s demise, too.
Promoted last season, the Red Devils lost key men Danilo Orsi, Will Wright and Corey Addai before the campaign even kicked off and then saw manager Scott Lindsey defect to MK Dons.
It’s been uphill ever since and Wednesday’s dismissal of manager Rob Elliot was a sign of their struggles.
Remarkably, Lindsey is now back at the helm, but it’s surely too late in the day for a miracle escape.
Up against it
Only one name here and it’s battling Burton.
Of all the sides marooned at the bottom, it’s the Brewers who have managed to make a fight of things.
Had the season started when Gary Bowyer was appointed in December, Burton would be sitting 11th right now.
That they began the weekend six points from safety may force the club’s Scandinavian owners to reflect that taking two months to find a permanent replacement for Mark Robinson was probably unwise.
Clearly, form is on Burton’s side.
Unfortunately, a run-in that includes four of the top six – including Wrexham and Birmingham City – is not.
Still in trouble
Let’s face it, none of the sides above Burton are likely to be caught.
That is especially true of Rotherham, Mansfield Town and Exeter City, who are – at most – only a couple of wins away from safety.
Even Wigan Athletic, who are seven points clear of Burton, can probably breathe easy.
The Latics have a new manager in Ryan Lowe, one of the best defensive units in the division and winnable fixtures against Burton and Shrewsbury to come.
Peterborough United – yes, really – are still down there after a shocker of a season.
It always felt a matter of time until a team featuring the likes of Malik Mothersille came good and, belatedly, they have.
An unbeaten six-game run has arrived at the perfect moment and Darren Ferguson’s side, who hosted Charlton Athletic yesterday, can reasonably be expected to power away from trouble.
Kevin Nolan warned his players not to get carried away after three wins last month lifted his Northampton Town team clear of trouble.
How right he was; five games later, the Cobblers are back in the mire.
Nevertheless, Nolan’s men remain a mightily improved force with just four defeats in 2025 ahead of the weekend’s fixtures and a gentle run-in that features all of the bottom three.
Bristol Rovers – who travelled to Crawley yesterday – have been heavily reliant on their home form, which has seen them take points off Stockport, Huddersfield Town and Bolton Wanderers in recent weeks.
The Gas have averaged 1.72 points at the Memorial Stadium this term, the tenth-best home record in the division.
More of the same would almost certainly assure safety, though it should be said that Birmingham are the visitors on April 1.
A poor goal difference also means Rovers are effectively one point worse off.
Cardiff City
Omer Riza is proud of his Cardiff City troops
Championship
OLIVER’S SET FOR BIG STEP
