The Hoddle of Coffee: Tottenham Hotspur News and Links for Friday, May 8

League One:

• (6) Stevenage vs (3) Stockport, 9 and 13 May: Wouldn’t it be fun to see Stevenage in the Championship next season? I don’t know much about either club to make any sort of prediction but I’m goingto do it anyway.

  • Fitzie’s prediction: Stockport advance

• (5) Bolton vs (4) Bradford City, 9 and 14 May: Just as much as I want to see Stevenage gain promotion to the next level, I want that more for Bradford City, which I feel a strangely placed admiration for. What concerns me is their inconsistency this season,which doesn’t give me a tonne of faith that they can pull enough strong results together.

  • Fitzie’s prediction: Bolton advance

League Two:

• (7) Grimsby Town vs (4) Salford City, 10 and 15 May: It feels like Salford should be a stronger league than they are in right now. Perhaps that’s because of all the investment talk these last few years. They barely missed out on the automatics and enter this as the favourites.

  • Fitzie’s prediction: Salford advance

• (6) Chesterfield vs (5) Notts County, 10 and 15 May: Going off the league table alone, Chesterfield have the advantage.

  • Fitzie’s prediction: Chesterfield advance

National League:

• (2) Rochdale vs (4) Boreham Wood, 10 May: The playoff final to join League football next season. It’s cruel that Rochdale didn’t get the one automatic spot, and they held their nerve against Scunthorpe in the semifinal. Wembley is a different beast. Can they hold their nerve?

  • Fitzie’s prediction: Rochdale win promotion

Fitzie’s track of the day: Twin Stars of Thence, by Sun Ra

And now for your links:

The Athletic ($$): “The Roberto De Zerbi tweaks that have given Spurs a lifeline in their relegation battle”

The Guardian: “De Zerbi dismisses claim that Spurs’ victory was down to weakened Villa side”

PA via ESPN: “Middlesbrough complain over unauthorized Southampton filming”

BBC: “From wild card to underdog – who will win Championship play-offs?”

The Telegraph: “Real Madrid in chaos after Valverde suffers ‘brain injury’ during training-ground row”