The way I see it is last time around there were 4 good teams - Ipswich gatecrashed the party of the relegated teams. This year, if Sheffield Utd do not go up, again we will have 4 strong teams and there is also the possibility of another like Ipswich that comes from nowhere (Wrexham?). We want as few good teams as possible in the league.
Yeah Birmingham and Wrexham won't just be looking at staying up and consolidating themselves in the league. I expect both will be going for promotion/top 6 and will think they can do it, and both have money behind them too. Hopefully from our pov neither will do an Ipswich, but it's not out of the question. We also don't really know what Leicesters financial situation is going to be like. I don't expect them to be as strong as they were last time, but got to assume they'll still be in the promotion battle. I'll be pretty surprised if Ipswich don't walk the league tbh and think we'll be fighting for second again provided we get the manager and recruitment right. Agree we want Sheff Utd to go up in the playoffs this season, otherwise that will be another team going for top 2. Sunderland will likely still be a good team next season, but should just be a playoff team rather than battling for top 2.
I think either of the two who are in the final could challenge next year. Sunderland’s team is very young so if they take a step forward next year with another year of experience etc then I think they could be in the mix again. They were keeping up with Leeds/Burnley for half the season this year so I think they could do that again next.
Do Wrexham really have that much money? I know they are owned by Reynolds and Mack but they must be relative paupers compared to most football owners at the higher levels? Obviously they’ve hugely improved thier revenue streams via all the promotion they’ve been getting due to their owners but the Champ is as big a step up from L1 as the Champ to the PL is imo
If Sheffield United go up then only us 3 relegated sides will have parachute payments I think which in theory will make a complete mockery of the league. Ipswich will win it unless McKenna leaves I reckon.
Yeah that will be a huge advantage. Agree with Ipswich, sounds like Delap will leave but apart from that I think they’ll keep their squad together and they’ve built a very good champ team. Leicester will be better than us as always so I think playoffs is the most likely outcome for us
Agree on Ipswich (Leif Davis could go too), but until we’ve seen the transfer activity this summer, not sure I’d back Leicester to be better.
Leicester are a bit of an unknown but they're definitely in the worst position of the 3 financially and a lot depends on what the EFL do.
Hoping Orient go through tonight. Championship looking a bit more Southern than last time and Stockport not going up would help that.
You decided to renew then mate I'm in the good position of not having done any of the 4 and either would be good to tick off for different reasons. Wycombe/Stockport/Orient are all relatively obscure grounds where the opportunity to visit doesn't come up often. Charlton would be good cos it means along with QPR I can finish off all the bigger grounds in London and just be left with your Wimbledon's and Barnet's etc. Genuinely can't ****ing wait for next season. The fact I've not ticked off a new ground this season is more depressing than the actual football has been.
Stockport reaping the benefits of not having VAR as one of their players arrives late, leading with his studs on the lower part of the Orient player’s leg.
Took the boy to Orient a few weeks ago when everyone else was away for the weekend and there were no Saints or Norwich games we could get to. It's a weird but lovely little ground. Blocks of flats in each of the four corners and an odd mini-dugout right by the pitch in once corner where random fans sit. Home fans in the same stand as the away end are a mix of die-hard Orient and (largely American) tourists looking to experience a 'soccer' game while holidaying in London. Enjoyable visit though and would love to go and be in the away end.
I went to Wycombe's ground to watch rugby when they were ground sharing with Wasps. Wasps won, if that's an omen.
