There are going to be a few new clubs for our fans to visit next season. Here is the list of them: Accrington Stanley AFC Wimbledon Barnsley Blackpool Bradford City Bristol Rovers Burton Albion Coventry City Doncaster Rovers Fleetwood Town Gillingham Luton Town Oxford United Peterborough United Plymouth Argyle Portsmouth Rochdale Scunthorpe United Shrewsbury Town Southend United Sunderland AFC Walsall Wycombe Wanderers Anyone like to take a stab at naming the top three for promotion 2019?
I think next season is going to be tougher than this one with regards to getting promotion. Sunderland AFC Barnsley Burton Albion All capable of automatic promotion. Indeed we could be looking at the top three come next May right there. Bradford City Coventry City Peterborough United Plymouth Argyle Portsmouth Scunthorpe United Shrewsbury United Southend United Any of these teams could finish in the top 6, indeed one of them might have a blinding season as Shrewsbury did and push the automatic places. Granted Shrewsbury and Plymouth may have 'shot their bolts' this season, but only time will tell. And nobody can say how well Chris Powell is going to do at Southend. Add Charlton Athletic, and that's half the league trying to squeeze into one of the top six places. A few of the above named teams might under-perform, but equally one or two of those I have not named might become surprise contenders... (Karl Robinson's Oxford perhaps? Stranger things have happened). It's going to be an exciting but tough season...
I think next season is going to be the toughest season for a long while. Probably toughest since Leeds & Southampton were down here.
I expect L1 to be pretty well spread out with the top teams streets ahead of the strugglers. If Charlton can find some sort of strike force we'll be nearer the top table, but that's a big If.
You are probably right Lardi, but those teams just come down will be used to the tippy-tappy game, probably they will find the more physical game unsettling in L1.
I seem to recall Blackburn got off to a slow start last season, took them a few games to acclimatise. I'm afraid Sunderland's spending power alone will allow them to bulldoze this league, and the quality that Barnsley and Burton still retain will come to the fore as the season goes on. Hope I'm wrong and they struggle, but I wouldn't put money on it.
If we keep Bowyer & get some sensible investment in the team, we will be top 6. Southend United are certain to finish bottom.