Why do people say the Championship will be stronger next season?

[Wilka]

I think i've heard this said pretty much every year about the Championship.

 

[sparkie]

Leicester will certainly not under acheive next year and will be top 3.

Warnock will rebuild Leeds into very similar to what QPR were 2 years ago.

At least 2 very decent teams coming down from the Premier League.

The 3 failing playoff teams will be up there again.

Ipswich and Forest will be significantly better.

Palace will have a £100 million warchest to fund their promotion charge

 

[Acker79]

It is a regular said thing but let's look at the changes:

Losing a weak Coventry, Doncaster (who have been mostly mid to lower championship the last few seasons) and Portsmouth (who were in disarray this season and not much of a threat to most teams)). Replaced by a strong Charlton (much like us and southampton last year, and norwich the year before, they have dominated league one and will be a threat next season), a big team like Sheffield Wednesday + one other (good chance of being sheffield utd who were an upper championship club three out of the last five seasons).

Going up Southampton straight from league one, Reading, and one other. They are being replaced with Wolves who have spent the last few seasons in the premier league, and looks like they will be joined by Blackburn who have spent even longer in the premier league. With established prem squads and parachute payments, they should be bigger challenges than the teams they are replacing. The third team to come down could be bolton or wigan, who are establihed prem teams, or qpr, who got promoted the last time they were in the championship, and strengthened their squad to challenge in the pemier league, a squad that beat champions league finalists and FA cup winners chelsea and carling cup champions and FA cup finalists liverpool. Though the third team are likely replacing similar level team (blackpool/west ham).

 

[Barn Door Billy]

The championship will be the same as always. Hard. Of the relegated teams, wolves will be tough, but blackburn his they do go down) will be wank. All their decent players (hoillet, yakubu etc) will jump ship straight away. Combined with terrible owners and appalling fans, that's a recipe for disaster...

 

[Weezle]

It is a regular said thing but let's look at the changes:

qpr, who got promoted the last time they were in the championship, and .

Each of the teams coming down got promoted the last time they were in this division. That's how the became Premier League sides!

 

[bhawoddy]

im up for the £100 challenge!

I personally dont think Charlton and Sheff Wed will both both in the top 10 next year.

perhaos 1 may get lucky but not both.

PM me if you want to stake an even £100.

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

I don't think it will be noticeably harder next season. Some sides that were average last season(IMO Derby, Leeds and Leicester) may well do better than they did this year but other sides that did well will drop off(Hull, for example and Brum could be in big trouble if they dont go up). I'm sure the teams coming up will give a good account of themselves, but then those of us that came up last year didn't do too badly either.

As for the teams coming down, well, they've been the absolute dross in one of the weakest premier league seasons I can remember. Certainly I don't think they are better teams than the three that came down last season. One of them might make the top six, two at a push but I'll be amazed if all three do.

So, all in all, there should be anywhere between 10-14 teams who will go into the season thinking the have a decent chance of the top six. Much like last season and pretty much every season.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

I think that Sheff Wed will be in the top half at least and probably pushing for play offs with Dave Jones in charge as will Leeds with Warnock both good proven Championship managers. The teams coming down will, like this season be able to afford the players to put them in the play offs so thats 5 of the top six places taken that is apart from this seasons play off losers. Doesnt leave many places for other teams

This and allied with a very very good manager they have milan mandaric who will stump up some cash. Weds are def a team to watch.

 

[Ninja Elephant]

I think the Championship will be a very strong league next season. Charlton, Sheffield Wednesday and Huddersfield (presumably) will all be able to compete at this level, and will be spending money in the summer. I suspect that Leicester, Nottingham Forest and Watford will be toward the top end next season after finishing well and finding some stability with their current managers. I think that next season will see the fewest managerial sackings for quite some time at this level, I think almost every club coming to this level will be pretty stable, Wolves and Blackburn will undoubtedly have new managers for next season and I don't see Bolton sacking Owen Coyle even if they get relegated.

I'm not bothered though, we have the nucleus of a Championship squad as it is and I suspect we'll be adding 4 or 5 new players this summer and that's all we need. Despite all the doom and gloom merchants, our squad isn't bad as it currently stands. A few improvements in certain areas and boom, we'll be top 6.

 

[worthingseagull123]

im up for the £100 challenge!

I personally dont think Charlton and Sheff Wed will both both in the top 10 next year.

perhaos 1 may get lucky but not both.

PM me if you want to stake an even £100.

Not a betting man, but don't think Charlton will finish any higher than Mid-table.

Wednesday however could be a significant threat. If Mandaric throws a lot of money at them in the Summer (as I think he will), then I expect them to go up. Southampton and Norwich are both smaller clubs with less of a budget and they made it easy going up. Burnley, Blackpool, Reading and Hull also went up on a shoe string. Dave Jones, I reckon will have the chance to go one step further than he managed at Cardiff.

My hunch on which teams will finish above us in order (i.e. Blackburn champions) (forgetting who signs for who):

Blackburn, Sheff Wed, Bolton, Blackburn, Leicester, Ipswich, Wolves Middlesbrough, Leeds, Birmingham, Blackpool and possibly Derby.

Reckon we will easily do better than Forest, Charlton, Peterborough, , Cardiff, Hull, Burnley, Watford, MK Dons (I fancy them to go up), Barnsley, Bristol City and Millwall (Barnsley, Bristol City and Millwall to go down).

Leeds might be tough though if Warnock signs well.

 

[Ninja Elephant]

Blackburn, Sheff Wed, Bolton, Blackburn, Leicester, Ipswich, Wolves Middlesbrough, Leeds, Birmingham, Blackpool and possibly Derby.

If Blackburn finish 1st AND 4th, they'll be pleased with that.

 

[falmer seagull]

Next season is going to be as hard as this season. Am very confidant that we'll do just as well or better if we get the right players needed.

 

[Jim D]

The only teams I can see being definite challengers are Wolves, Bolton and Leicester. Wolves & Bolton if they keep their squads together and Leicester have a good squad already and will likely build on it. Blackburn's owners will quietly sell their best players and pocket the parachute cash. Warnock spent £25M getting QPR promoted last year and I can't see Bates giving him anywhere near that. If Brum & B'pool don't go up (and I don't think they will) they won't be any stronger next season - and likely a lot weaker. Cardiff and M'boro the same. Sheff W don't have anywhere near the same strength squad that SCC had last year and will need to spend serious money to improve (even assuming they can find the players). Perhaps Mandaric will really go for it, but that will likely take more than one season - look at Leicester this time. Ipswich could possibly be a threat - they were really strong in parts this time - and say it softly but so were CP.

If we could strengthen a bit then I can see us challenging strongly next season.

 

[ROKERITE]

I think i've heard this said pretty much every year about the Championship.

Indeed! Providing you hold onto Poyet and Tony Bloom gives him a decent transfer kitty, then B&HA have an excellent chance of coming close to automatic promotion next season.

 

[Westdene Wonder]

Having watched Bolton,Wigan,QPR and Wolves regularly on TV plus stronger teams at Leicester and Leeds I consider it is going to be a stronger league next season but if we can hold a mid-table position with a good home record I will be quite content.

 

[Muzzy]

It doesn't matter a jot who comes up or who comes down... This league has proven year on year that it's one of the toughest in Europe, if not the world to get promotion from..I predict a similar or better finishing place for us next season with an outside chance of a play off place.

Wolves, Leicester, Middlesborough, Sheff Weds and this years play off losers all pushing for automatic promotion.

I really can't see Forest improving on this seasons form and I fancy them to go down along with Brizzle and Barnsley.

 

[CliveWalkerWingWizard]

Charlton have romped the league - Southampton did a double promotion without too much extra investment - posh were solid this year without investment.
Points to Charlton and Wednesday being top half contenders.

 

[CliveWalkerWingWizard]

It doesn't matter a jot who comes up or who comes down... This league has proven year on year that it's one of the toughest in Europe, if not the world to get promotion from..I predict a similar or better finishing place for us next season with an outside chance of a play off place.

Wolves, Leicester, Middlesborough, Sheff Weds and this years play off losers all pushing for automatic promotion.

I really can't see Forest improving on this seasons form and I fancy them to go down along with Brizzle and Barnsley.

Although it looks like it might be a tight league where anybody can beat anybody - this may give us a shot at the playoffs.

 

[Beach Hut]

Looks like Blackburn are down as 1-0 to Wigan

 

[Stinky Pete]

This Blackburn thread makes interesting reading, at least until the "I've heard good things about palace" comment!

Favourite game for next season - BRFCS.COM Forum

My favourite post in that thread is the guy who recommends a weekend in Hastings. Made me laugh anyway.