The Championship Thread - 2025/26

'Nobody's safe in possession with Smallbone around' was not a line I ever expected to hear

 

Yeah I did have a chuckle at that one. Was a good tackle to be fair but you have to think the commentator hasn't watched huge amounts if him.

 

Smallbones a decent player at this level. Very underrated here.

 

Yeah he was good for the most part last time round. Just not when he was played as a DM as that role doesn't suit him at all.

Played a huge part in the play offs too.

 

I do think we missed Smallbone against Pompey. He knows full well what that game means being a Saints fan all his life, really hope he does well at Millwall

 

Saudi geezer who does all the Riyadh stuff being linked to takeover at Bristol City.

 

Did catch wind of this couple weeks back actually, being in Bristol and having lot of City fan mates, who are understandably buzzing about the news. As much as I hate to admit it, as Rovers are historically my local team, the city is crying out to have a team in the Prem and they arguably deserve to have someone with proper money take them over. Year after year of minimal investment, selling their best players and managing to stay up / sort of compete towards the top. Manning did wonders last season, then left due to owners not being able to invest in the squad to match the ambition (sounds familar!) and they’ve still looked decent again this year. Just shows how competitive this league is continually gonna get with heavy investment in teams like City or the likes of Birmingham or Wrexham who just came up.

 

His history in terms of ownership isn't...well...great. I wouldn't be excited at all by him (even if I have to be nice about him at the moment for reasons).

 

I mean, being a Saudi billionaire his history on many isn’t great on many things, let’s face it - in particular severe human rights abuse but he has money & a lot of it and no doubt Bristol City fans are buzzing about that part. Wouldn’t want him as owner of us though!! Think we’re pretty lucky to have Solak really (albeit the people he’s employed haven’t proven themselves as of yet)

 

Think Spors has TBH.

 

Still too early to say surely?

 

No. Let's finish the season 1st before judging him, only then will it become clear if he's succeeded or not.

 

I wouldn't say so. The only player we've brought in this summer who looks like he might flop is Downs and it's still too early to write him off. I'd say he's done his job by providing Still with the players he wanted.

 

And yet, if Still can't get a tune out of them and is proven to be a poor appointment ... at what point do we look at the man who appointed him?

 

I think for those sorts of roles you need at least 12-18 months to judge them on really.

Presumably you're less happy with his managerial appointment too? Seeing as you want him out after just 6 league games.

 

I thought it was a great appointment at the time and I said so. Which is why I'm so unhappy with the start we've made. And just because I wanted Still out it doesn't mean he won't turn things around.

 

Agreed he can still turn around, extremely early days yet.

Regardless though I won't be making any proper judgement (good or bad) on Spors until he's had at least 3 windows.

 

I agree it’s too early to judge Downs so by that logic, surely it’s best to reserve judgement on Spors - good or bad?

 

Definitely too early to make a call on Spors. He's had one transfer window, the jury is out on the manager he appointed and the players he spent a decent amount of money on have played 2 or 3 games at most.

 

Reasonably confident in saying that Spors is better than the Mowbray/Ankersen based shambles of before, though that’s an admittedly low bar.