After having a look at some of the teams we'll be playing next year, I was surprised to see that the competition appears like it should be a lot fiercer than I initially thought. We have a couple of massive derbies in local rivals Millwall and Crystal Palace (both of who I think should have finished higher then 16th and 17th). Given our recent(ish) thrashing by Millwall and our 'history' with Palace, you have to assume that these teams will be chomping at the bit to get at us. There is also a lot of teams, like ourselves, who have duelled with the Premier League's finest. Bolton, Blackburn and Wolves are the latest casualties, but despite their relegations still have a lot a quality in their squads (providing they can keep hold of them over the summer). Looking at the business end of the Championship table, there are a lot of teams who are expected to perhaps perform at a higher level then they are now. Birmingham and Blackpool have, in my humble opinion, excellent managers and were both unlucky not to secure a return to the top flight. Their's is the pedigree Sir Chris has to compete with and overcome if we are to avoid a swift return to the purgatory of League One. Teams like Forest, Leeds and Middlesbrough, will no doubt be feeling the weight of their fans expectations, in terms of fans and histories, these are massive clubs to be competing against, Leeds and Forest in particular have been in our position, having spent some time in league one, are there any lessons to be learnt from them? As for the teams propping up the table, will Barnsley and Bristol City be in another dogfight for survival, and who would be joining them. I would have pegged Sheffield Wednesday to be down there had they stuck with Megson, but the appointment of Jones I think is an inspired one. So what do we all think? Is anyone going to run away with the league? Is anyone a certainty for relegation? Who will face the heartbreak of the playoffs, and who will fail to set the league alight? Thoughts please.
The Championship is the hardest league to predict - look at Leicester for instance, everyone thought they would go up given the money they have, but had to settle for mid-table. That said, there is often a smaller team that confounds expectations, like Blackpool have done recently, I can see them being up there once again next year. I would expect Barnsley to go down as they only escaped relegation this year thanks to Pompey's 10 point penalty. Other than that I have no idea.
I have been thinking about this myself, and to be honest, i think The Championship is the toughest league in the world to get promoted from. Look at the list of teams that in all honesty could go up, Birmingham, Blackpool and Cardiff are going to be up there come the end of next season, along with anyone of Forest, Boro, Leicester, Leeds, the whole division is potentially a threat to each other. Then of course we have the teams coming down from The Prem who must be considered amongst the favourites, apart from maybe Blackburn, who i can see ending up in League 2 in the future unless the owners sort themselves out. The funny thing is that every season there seems to be one or 2 teams perform well above expectations and one or two who go into free-fall when considered possible play-off contenders. I must say as a football fan, The Championship next season is a mouth watering prospect, as a Charlton fan, i don't know whether to be excited or worried. Come the end of the season we could potentially be in The Premiership, back in League One, or settling for mid-table, that is why for me, The Championship is what football is all about.
We won't be back in League One. No chance, not after only one season, anyway. But our early dreams of doing a Norwich or Southampton faded once we often struggled to pick up three points, or sometimes even one, against lowly teams from December onwards. If we can strengthen in four positions (three in midfield, one at striker) and sign a decent reserve right-back we could well be challenging for a play-off place. If not, I would guess mid-table or a bit lower, but no danger of relegation unless we get a freak run of injuries.
