The Championship Thread - 2026/27

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- Doing The Lambert Walk

- Doing The Lambert Walk

Well-Known Member
Feb 24, 2011
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All 24 clubs are confirmed now, so why don't we get this going and keep tabs on what's happening around the league over the summer?

Some headlines:

- The playoffs are expanded to 6 teams this season, with a new format
- PSR is replaced by the new SCR (Squad Cost Ratio) system
- Saints are currently set to start on -4pts for the Spygate controversy
- Saints are entering their final parachute payment season

By way of quick explainers for anyone unfamiliar...


The new Championship format is:
  • 1st and 2nd are automatically promoted as normal
  • 3rd and 4th qualify for the semi-finals
  • 5th vs 8th, and 6th vs 7th in one-off eliminator ties at the home of the side who finishes higher up the league
  • The winners of the eliminator ties progress to the semi-finals, to face 3rd and 4th in the format that currently exists - two-legged ties with the second leg at the home of the side that finishes higher up the league
  • As per usual, the winners of the two semi-finals meet at Wembley for a place in the Premier League

As a primer, SCR is:

- 85% of a club's total revenue may be spent on their footballing costs
- Footballing costs are classified as: head coach salary, player salaries, transfer fees, agent fees
- Infrastructure costs, women's team costs, academy costs and general business costs are not included in the calculation
- A club's owner is permitted to provide a maximum of an additional £10m in addition to the 85% allowance, but only if they are prepared to provide it as a genuine equity injection and not as a loan from the club's owner / directors


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A couple of other sub-headlines:

- Saints will face Bolton Wanderers in a league game for the first time in 21 years
- Lincoln City will play in the second tier for the first time in 65 years
- Middlesbrough and Stoke City are both changing to 'new' club crests moving forward
 
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Libby said:
I assume the new Stoke crest is based on an older one? I love it.

We must have one of the oldest in the league. Hope we never change it to a dull circular one.
Click to expand...

Was listening to some podcast the other day and the consensus was that we have the worst badge in the top 4 divisions
 
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Saintmagic said:
Was listening to some podcast the other day and the consensus was that we have the worst badge in the top 4 divisions
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Wow, so wrong. I love our badge and would be strongly against any change to it (with the except of removing the Americanised soccer ball for the original football found in previous editions)
 
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- Doing The Lambert Walk said:
Wow, so wrong. I love our badge and would be strongly against any change to it (with the except of removing the Americanised soccer ball for the original football found in previous editions)
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General attitude towards it was that it’s too busy with too much **** going on. They knew what each of the things meant tbf so wasn’t like they hadn’t done some research just felt it was cluttered and **** and looked like an 8 year old drew it
 
Saintmagic said:
Yeah, obviously a lot can change over the summer but looks far tougher than last year. The three relegated sides will all be better than us, Ipswich and Leicester for a start
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I think Burnley are a bit of an unknown having sacked Parker, depends who they get in. You'd expect Wolves and West Ham to be right up there though both have poor ownership so could get it very wrong like we did initially.

From this season you'd expect both Brum and Wrexham to spend heavily and Norwich and possibly Derby will push on too.

Millwall, Boro and us likely be there or thereabouts as well.

Should be a fascinating season.
 
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Libby said:
I mean, Saints v Boro is nothing like any of the others there.

Tbh I don't see it as anything at all personally. Just another game to me.
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I know, that was half tongue in cheek. It will still be a bit tasty though and unlike the other games there, has a chance to be on the opening weekend of the season.
 
tomw24 said:
I know, that was half tongue in cheek. It will still be a bit tasty though and unlike the other games there, has a chance to be on the opening weekend of the season.
Click to expand...

Almost nailed on for the opening weekend I'd say.
 
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