A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, a young man was sent to Middlesbrough.

He was an information analyst, a job he did because he had been alright at maths at school but it wasn't the job for him.

And after four years on Teesside, a change of career was needed (why else do you think this Geordie boy moved down south).

I was an average analyst but the odd skill I learned in those years does come in handy at times in the new world.

As the dust settled on Stevenage's 21st win of the season, the 1-0 success at home to Doncaster Rovers, thoughts of everyone left in the ground immediately turned to the other results, how the table looked.

Steve Watkins and I were contemplating the permutations as we waited for the post-match interviews, even Phil Wallace poked his nose in briefly to offer his thoughts.

And as I walked back to my car in Fairlands, voices from one of the other remaining vehicles were heard to say, "if Carlisle and Stockport lose on Saturday and we win...".

When I got home, and when I should have been writing up the reactions from manager Steve Evans and Danny Rose, I was actually more interested in fiddling with spreadsheets and crunching the numbers of the promotion-chasing pack.

It has led me to make a startling prediction - Stevenage may only need four points from their remaining four games to secure an automatic promotion place.

Conventional logic says to look at the games remaining and the opposition and then make a guess based on that.

And while the microcosm of the final three or four games means clubs could win all their matches and reach their maximum points total, you can actually use the numbers to get a more realistic outcome.

Leyton Orient won the League Two title on Tuesday night despite losing to Gillingham.

They have played 42 games and secured 84 points, exactly two points per game average.

Second-placed Northampton's average over the course of the full campaign is way less, 1.79, Stevenage's ever so higher at 1.81 because of the game in hand.

Below them Bradford City have the best at 1.69 but even if they shifted that up to two for their final four fixtures, the maximum they would get is only 79 points.

It means 80 would guarantee a spot in the top three. Stevenage currently have 76.

Brian Clough's famous quote brings some semblance of reality back to the thought process - "we had a good team on paper but unfortunately the game was played on grass".

But there is some reality in the romantic thoughts too and what it does show is that after all the doubts and the panic and the recriminations through February, March and even at the beginning of this month with the draws against Colchester and Hartlepool, the promised land of League One is close.

One final push needed.

(I'll get back to writing up Danny Rose's thoughts now...)