By Neil Warnock Sheff Utd boss and BBC Sport columnist

I'm a big believer in the play-off system, and always have been. It keeps the season alive for more teams for longer.

But I've got sympathy for Ipswich this year. it's not nice for the team that finishes third - it's very difficult to regroup.

Now could be the right time to weight the system in favour of the team that does finish third, especially if like this year they finish nine points clear.

The third and fourth placed teams could play the sides that finish fifth and sixth in a one-off semi-final game at home, with the final at Wembley.

I just think it would be fairer. There is a lot of tension in the second leg which the higher-placed teams currently play at home.

Marlon Harewood could be the best in the Premiership on his day - but you just don't know what kind of day he's going to have

Another way would be to have the third placed team in the final straight away. The fifth and sixth placed sides could meet to see who plays away at whoever finishes fourth.

At the moment it is great for the sixth place team who sometimes just scrape in.

But there should really be an advantage in place for the higher-placed teams to reflect the season they have had.

It will be hard for whoever goes up on Monday.

From a manager's point of view, I hope West Ham win. With their squad and finances they would be a bigger threat in our division next year.

Nugent was playing in League Two with Bury at the start of 2005

But from a personal point of view I'd love Preston to do it.

Two good friends of mine are there in Chris Lucketti and David Kelly.

Lucketti, who was my captain at Bury, is a great professional on and off the pitch. He always sets a tremendous example.

David Kelly was my assistant here at Sheffield United, and a nicer lad you couldn't wish to meet.

Preston have done better than expected just to get where they are now and it is a great achievement.

If you look at their results against West Ham this season they have beaten them both times so they won't be afraid of taking them on at Cardiff.

They have no real star players and are a workmanlike side.

But David Nugent has set the place on fire since arriving from Bury.

His enthusiasm is amazing, and his finishing has been tremendous.

All Unitedites hope Wednesday get beaten but from a manager's point of view it makes sense for us to play them twice a season

Up against him for West Ham will be Marlon Harewood, who could be the best in the Premiership on his day.

But you just don't know what kind of day he is going to have. He has so many attributes but he doesn't always use them.

For me that will decide who will win - how Harewood plays, and how Preston cope with him.

In League One, our local rivals Sheffield Wednesday take on Hartlepool.

All Unitedites hope Wednesday get beaten, but again from a manager's point of view it would make sense for us to play them twice a season.

It's a catch-22 situation. Our fans don't want them to win anything but when we last played them two years ago the derby games were fantastic.