Asked Chat GPT if there had been any examples in history in the EFL of such a busy schedule and how they fared. Interesting reading:
Playing
6 games in 21 days is a brutal "Saturday-Tuesday" grind that is surprisingly common in the EFL due to winter postponements or cup runs. For a team like Ipswich Town—now sitting in 2nd after their April 11th win over Norwich—this schedule is the ultimate test of squad depth.
Historically, teams that successfully navigate this kind of fixture congestion usually have a specific "profile": they rotate their front four heavily and manage to grind out 1-0 wins rather than high-scoring affairs.
Historical Examples of the "Promotion Slog"
1. Sheffield Wednesday (League One, 2022/23)
- The Situation: Due to a massive unbeaten run followed by some postponements, Wednesday had a heavily congested April.
- The Schedule: They played 7 games in 25 days during the final stretch.
- How they fared: They actually struggled initially, dropping points in games they "should" have won, which cost them automatic promotion. However, they maintained enough fitness to win the most dramatic play-off campaign in history.
- Lesson: Psychological fatigue can be as dangerous as physical fatigue.
2. Bolton Wanderers (League Two, 2020/21)
- The Situation: Bolton were on a legendary charge from the bottom half of the table to the automatic spots.
- The Schedule: In February/March, they played 9 games in 28 days.
- How they fared: Remarkably, they won 8 and drew 1. Ian Evatt’s side relied on a very settled defense and clinical finishing.
- Lesson: Momentum can often override the physical toll of 3-game weeks.
3. Fulham (Championship, 2017/18)
- The Situation: Chasing Cardiff for the second automatic spot.
- The Schedule: They played a similar Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday rotation in April.
- How they fared: They went on a 23-game unbeaten run, but the fatigue finally hit on the final day of the season. They lost their 46th game to Birmingham City, missing out on automatic promotion by 2 points.
- Lesson: The "crash" often happens in the final 90 minutes of the season when the adrenaline finally runs dry.