What the managers have said ahead of the 24/25 League One and Two playoff semi final 1st legs

“We had the [end of season] awards event the other night and Jamie Donley, Charlie Kelman and Ethan Galbraith, Josh Keeley, the ones that won awards, are well deserving of that,” he said.

“However, we’ve got people like Dan Agyei and Ollie O’Neil, who were unplayable for parts of the season, they just got injuries.

“Omar Beckles, you only have to see when he has not been in the team, the difference it makes.

“Dan Happe has had an excellent season. Jordan Brown has had an excellent season, so has Sean Clare when he has played in midfield. I probably missed a couple out there [too].”

Wellens added: “We’ve got a lot of players that are really in good form. Players that look fresh, ready to go.

“And if they’re not, and they run out of steam after 60, 70 minutes, we have a bench that’s going to be very effective.

“You need the full quota of the squad to contribute. All of them have, and more or less every single one of them is going into these two games fresh, ready to go, full of energy, and full of belief as well.”

STOCKPORT’S DAVE CHALLINOR:

WYCOMBE’S MIKE DODDS:

Dodds said, per Bucks Free Press: “The players know the magnitude of the upcoming games, but we need to get the balance right as we don’t want to overstimulate them.

“With games like this, the intensity in training increases, and we’re trying to keep everything as normal as possible.

“Everyone wants to play in this type of game, as the players all know the importance.

“We are treating it as a normal week, but we appreciate how important the next two, and hopefully, three games, are.”

When asked how the regular league season ended, Dodds added: “Internally, there was disappointment as we didn’t get the automatics.

“When we left Bolton [after winning 2-0] with three games to go, if you had said we would have lost the next three, I would not have believed you, as we were in a good spot.

“For me, as a young coach, the last three games were a harsh lesson about how things could turn very quickly.

“I thought we were in a solid position, but then we conceded four goals against Charlton and three at Stockport, so of course, there is disappointment.

“We can talk about form, but I don’t see it like that.

“There have been plenty of examples where teams have gone into the play-offs, not winning and have gone on to be very successful.”

CHARLTON’S NATHAN JONES:

“Play-offs are totally different,” Jones told BBC Radio London.

“Results and previous form tend to go out of the window in these things, that’s why it’s just a wonderful game.

“I’d be an idiot if I did [say there was a favourite]. Like, a categorical idiot if I did. Stockport finished third so it shows over a 46-game season they have been the third best team.

“Wycombe, for so long led the division. We were nowhere near for so long. Leyton Orient have been magnificent.

“The most consistent two teams have gone up automatically so congratulations to them. The next four teams there’s very little in that and they have justifiably gone into the play-offs.

“I wouldn’t say there’s a favourite in any way shape or form because a lot can happen.”

“Probably the only thing we’ll work on differently is penalties,” Jones added.

“We’ll do a bit more of them but everything else stays the same. This is two games but nothing changes.

“The pitch is exactly the same size. It’s 11 v 11 with seven subs. There’s a referee. There is one ball, two goals, winner takes all. That’s what we’re into now.”

NOTTS COUNTY’S STUART MAYNARD:

“You want to get promoted, you want that feeling at the end of the season and when you are so close if can become even more frustrating,” he told BBC Radio Nottingham.

“We all wanted to have that hope going into the last game, which we had. The odds were stacked against us and we knew we needed to take care of our own business.

“But the other teams also won around us, so we could have been even more deflated if we won the game and then potentially not got automatic promotion.

“So we have to look at it in a positive way in the sense that it is frustrating.”

Maynard says they are not results that will be dwelled on, with “everything now going out the window” for the play-offs.

“Everything that has happened in the season is now gone,” he added.

“We now have Wimbledon and home and away and that is what we have to be solely focused on.

“It’s a different mentality that you go in with.”

The boss’ pre-match presser is here 🎥

— Notts County FC (@Official_NCFC) May 8, 2025

WIMBLEDON’S JOHNNIE JACKSON:

Dons boss Jackson told BBC Radio London: “I think they [big game experience] definitely help, especially that we went ahead.

“We were ahead at Chelsea and ran them really close, and at Newcastle we were right in the game until the very last minute – and only lost to a penalty to the eventual winners.

“Loads to like to from those games and loads of experiences to draw. And we’ve got lads in the squad that have been in play-off situations and have had promotions as well, which definitely helps.

“We’ve tried to build a squad with some experienced players that have been there and done it, and we’ve got that.”

“I think last week’s game was a great dress rehearsal for what’s to come, because it felt like a quarter-final,” he added.

“We were playing Grimsby, who could have gone above us, we still needed something and we were the ones to be shot at.

“It was a lively atmosphere up there but the boys handled it brilliantly. I think that game last week will definitely have helped the mindset of the players.”

“Evenly matched. On points tallies and the two games that we’ve played, you can tell that these are two quite well matched teams,” he said.

“We’re going to have to make sure we’re prepared and are going to have to be really good defensively, but there are things we can hurt them with.

“Two massive games and hopefully a massive game (the play-off final) after that.”

CHESTERFIELD’S PAUL COOK:

He told the Derbyshire Times: “In Walsall we have got a fierce competitor because we have not beaten them in two games this season. I am sure Mat (Sadler) is thinking he has got our number and I am hoping we have got theirs. After the second game at the Bescot we will find out. We are under illusions of how tough it will be. I am also really looking forward to it. I really love our stadium when it is bouncing. I love the build-up to it. The players are looking forward to it.”

“I am sure the play-off battles will be no different. Walsall will study how they are going to stop us, where they will hurt us. We will study Walsall, like we have done twice, and unfortunately we have not been able to master them so that is something that is on us.”

“If I am a Walsall fan and I look back on the season, I think they have had an amazing season,” Cook explained. “That is only my opinion. Nobody spoke about Walsall being in the top seven. People spoke about MK Dons and Carlisle and all these other clubs. Yet Walsall have led the fight for the whole season and have still got a chance of how tough it will be.

“When you have been in Walsall’s position, there is a bit of disappointment – it is natural – it is football, but Walsall can change that disappointment by being promoted at Wembley. And to do that it would probably be the best day of their players’ and staffs’ lives. So that is the way I look at it. We are playing an opponent who we have not beaten twice, who score goals, are well organised, are tactically good, and carry a threat. I think it will be a really good football match.”

He explained: “We have a clear style of play. We like to think we take that to most stadiums. Does it mean we win? Not at all. Our weaknesses away from home are our weaknesses at home. Walsall came here and scored two. Bradford came here and scored three. I don’t think Walsall will come here to get behind the ball, I think they will come here to engage and have a match and I think they have proved in the past that they can beat us and score goals. There won’t be a lot of madness from both teams. Both teams have got quite good discipline records, styles of play are a bit different but try to be equally as effective.”

WALSALL’S MAT SADLER:

“They’re a good team, a really good team and it doesn’t surprise me they have gone on that run because of the players they have,” Sadler said, per Express & Star.

“As always we have to focus on us. If anyone is writing us off then brilliant – that’s exactly what we would want them to do.

“Because for us it creates that siege mentality for going into something that is different. The league has finished now, we finished fourth and now we move forward into a cup competition.

“It’s completely different. The mindset is different anyway. We have to go into that ready to attack it positively. Ready to draw on the experience we’ve had this season in similar circumstances, like last Saturday and prepare for what is a really tough game.

“Most importantly we just have to prepare the team for the game in isolation and work on what makes us us.”