Championship thread - 09/10 season

[ChrisFilter]

As a Scunny fan I haven't yet decided this thread depresses me. However, if we actually make it through the play offs I'll still have a couple of months to wonder whether I'd have preferred a season of kicking ass in Division 3 to a desperate struggle to stay in the Championship.

I've actually enjoyed this season, which I haven't been able to say for 5 years. And if it means we have a bit of impetus, and a manager who's had time to develop the club, then fucking great. Shame to lose the record of never having been outside the top two divisions, but c'est la vie.

 

[ericjarvis]

It's a good league these days. Reasonable quality of players. Some great sets of fans. And a range of grounds from as good as it gets to piss poor. Plenty of villains, Leeds and Franchise FC in particular. Plus fairly close both top (at least for the play off places) and bottom.

OTOH we have unfinished business in the Championship.

In 1960, as we reached the transfer deadline, we were second a good few points clear of third place. We sold our top scorer (Welsh international Barrie Thomas) to Newcastle. After which we hardly scored a goal. Dropped back until we eventually missed out on promotion by one point. To Liverpool. Who went on to dominate English and European football for two decades.

That should have been us.

 

[ChrisFilter]

Why is no-one talking about the Championship? Winding up to be the most interesting league in Europe next season!

 

[CyberRose]

Yeah, gone are the days of the easy league. When Leicester went up last, us and Portsmouth were a long way ahead of the pack. Can't see anything like that happening this time around.

I suppose Leicester could always go on some kind of Man City esque spending spree then just declare themselves bankrupt to gain promotion? Oh right, cos now you'd get 10 points deducted for it!

 

[ChrisFilter]

I suppose Leicester could always go on some kind of Man City esque spending spree then just declare themselves bankrupt to gain promotion? Oh right, cos now you'd get 10 points deducted for it!

As I recall they didn't actually spend a great deal... in fact, Ipswich were way worse than Leicester when they went through it weren't they? Leicester do seem to attract most of the flack. I suppose due to the promotion.

I honestly don't know who I'd pick for top 6 this year. I certainly can't pick a winner.

Top 6 (even outright winner) could be any from:

West Brom
Boro
Newcastle
Sheff Utd
Preston
Ipswich
Leicester
Derby
Cardiff
Maybe even Peterborough

And with BBC coverage every now and then. Really looking forward to it. Way more than the Prem.

Bring it on

 

[Lo Siento.]

As I recall they didn't actually spend a great deal... in fact, Ipswich were way worse than Leicester when they went through it weren't they? Leicester do seem to attract most of the flack. I suppose due to the promotion.

Ipswich

well, the manager will have to make the difference, because our squad isn´t any better...

when we went into administration it was because we spent money in the premier league and no one wanted to buy any players after we were relegated... and we lost the play-offs that year anyway, even under the current rules, we´d have just ended up in the same situation...

 

[1927]

There is no way on god's earth Newcastle will win the CCC. I doubt they'll even make top 6. Feel free to bookmark this and quote it at end of season.

 

[ChrisFilter]

I don't expect them to win... if I had to plump for someone it'd be WBA (although unproven manager at the helm).

Maybe someone will surprise us.

 

[badlands]

I don't expect them to win... if I had to plump for someone it'd be WBA (although unproven manager at the helm).

Maybe someone will surprise us.

Have a punt on Forest.

Davies is putting together a very decent team.

6/1 for promotion.

 

[ChrisFilter]

Have a punt on Forest.

Davies is putting together a very decent team.

6/1 for promotion.

I think the East Midlands mini league could be the most interesting bit of the league, actually. Depending on where you look, the trees, the shaggers and the foxes all have similar odds.

I have a soft spot for Leicester and think if they get the striker(s) they need then they'll finish ahead of the others. Arguably the best defence in the division, and decent attacking strengh in midfield, but a weak strikeforce.

Forest are having an excellent close season and Davies is a great manager, but I don't know if they have enough bite.

Derby... I suspect they'll underperform.

Coventry could be (just about) included in the mini league... they're gonna finish bottom.

 

[Balbi]

Blades have put Billy Sharp up for sale, he'd be worth a punt from any of the Fizzy Pop clubs!

 

[ericjarvis]

Blades have put Billy Sharp up for sale, he'd be worth a punt from any of the Fizzy Pop clubs!

I'm pretty sure we'd love to have him back at Scunny. Hooper, Hayes, and Sharp would be a pretty neat choice of strikers.

 

[Balbi]

I'm pretty sure we'd love to have him back at Scunny. Hooper, Hayes, and Sharp would be a pretty neat choice of strikers.

You've got that lad signed from Morecambe a few seasons ago too, Garry Thompson. I worked with his sister in law, and i've never seen someone become an Iron through marriage but this woman was mental for your lot!

 

[ChrisFilter]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/football_league/article6736112.ece

The Times makes their predictions for the season ahead:

Teams to watch

West Brom
Roberto di Matteo might not have been Albion’s first choice for head coach but his love of silk and steel should make him the right one. If he can merge the two, Albion will bounce back whence they came.

Crystal Palace
Neil Warnock seems to have lost his managerial vim, while owner Simon Jordan has certainly mislaid his wallet. May be trouble ahead.

Leicester City
They ended last season as Division One champions, seven points clear. They scored the most goals in the division and conceded the fewest, losing just four times. They’ve bought cannily, so the only way is up, possibly to the playoffs.

Newcastle United
Last season they were sunk under the weight of off-the-field chaos, shockingly bad buys and the sense that however bad things got, they were about to get worse. Now they have no manager, an owner keen to sell and no summer signings. Still, a closely fought 6-1 pre-season defeat at mighty Leyton Orient suggests there is no cause for any concern. At all.

Preston North End
They overachieved last season and although manager Alan Irvine spurned West Bromwich Albion’s come hither beckonings, Deepdale has enjoyed an ominously quiet summer.

Predictions

To go up
West Bromwich Albion, Sheffield United

Playoffs
Ipswich Town, Nottingham Forest, Leicester City, Cardiff City

To go down
Scunthorpe, Plymouth, Barnsley

 

[ericjarvis]

You've got that lad signed from Morecambe a few seasons ago too, Garry Thompson. I worked with his sister in law, and i've never seen someone become an Iron through marriage but this woman was mental for your lot!

It's a bloody nice club. Mostly the players get treated pretty well by the club. So do the fans. There's not much in terms of football in the community poncing around, but it's always been that the football club is part of the town and the town is part of the club.

We also play bloody good footie. Always have for as long as I can remember. Sometimes the team don't have the sheer muscle or bloody mindedness to compete with the more physical long ball kick and rush teams, but I don't recall there ever being a Scunny team without several decent ball players in.

I'd love the club anyway, but it's kind of nice to actually have some reality to base it on.

 

[ericjarvis]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/football_league/article6736112.ece

The Times makes their predictions for the season ahead:

To go down
Scunthorpe, Plymouth, Barnsley

No way. There are at least two others more likely to go down than us. For a start we are extremely unlikely to go bankrupt.

 

[Brinxmat]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/football_league/article6736112.ece

Playoffs
Ipswich Town, Nottingham Forest, Leicester City, Cardiff City

I'd be happy with a PO place! I wonder what the odds would be?

 

[The Octagon]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/football_league/article6736112.ece

The Times makes their predictions for the season ahead:

I think it probably sums it up that Wednesday aren't even mentioned in that article, we're a nailed-on middle-table team at the mo

OTOH, we've managed to keep hold of players I would have bet on losing in the summer (Grant, Tudgay), so anything could happen.

 

[bigbry]

I think the East Midlands mini league could be the most interesting bit of the league, actually. Depending on where you look, the trees, the shaggers and the foxes all have similar odds.

I have a soft spot for Leicester and think if they get the striker(s) they need then they'll finish ahead of the others. Arguably the best defence in the division, and decent attacking strengh in midfield, but a weak strikeforce.

Forest are having an excellent close season and Davies is a great manager, but I don't know if they have enough bite.

Derby... I suspect they'll underperform.

Coventry could be (just about) included in the mini league... they're gonna finish bottom.

Don't include us Sky Blues in an East Midlands mini-league. Coventry is in the West Midlands - don't include us with those East Midlands sheep sh*ggers !

 

[bigbry]

There is no way on god's earth Newcastle will win the CCC. I doubt they'll even make top 6. Feel free to bookmark this and quote it at end of season.

I work with a Newcastle fan - he reckons they've got more chance of being in Division 1 season 2010/11 than bweing in the Premier league !

 

[fortunesfool]

I think it probably sums it up that Wednesday aren't even mentioned in that article, we're a nailed-on middle-table team at the mo

OTOH, we've managed to keep hold of players I would have bet on losing in the summer (Grant, Tudgay), so anything could happen.

To be fair mate, with all the upheaval of the last few years, I'll be happy with a steady mid-table position. I reckon we'll flirt with the play-offs for a while but probably end up top ten.

Not sure why people fancy the pigs, sorry, Blades though. I reckon they'll struggle this year.

The only reason Tudgay has stayed is cos he's obviously been told there's money coming in soon too.

We've kept the squad together and undoubtedly improved it with Purse, Miller and Potter and Gray will continue to be a calming influence in midfield. There'll be more highs then lows this year

 

[The Octagon]

To be fair mate, with all the upheaval of the last few years, I'll be happy with a steady mid-table position. I reckon we'll flirt with the play-offs for a while but probably end up top ten.

Not sure why people fancy the pigs, sorry, Blades though. I reckon they'll struggle this year.

The only reason Tudgay has stayed is cos he's obviously been told there's money coming in soon too.

We've kept the squad together and undoubtedly improved it with Purse, Miller and Potter and Gray will continue to be a calming influence in midfield. There'll be more highs then lows this year

Fair point.

I like the direction that Stafford seems to be going in, some stability and purpose, rather than the aimlessness of the last few years.

I'll take a flirt with the play-offs if it comes, but not getting carried away.

 

[Phenotypic Dai]

It's been a slog.

Yes, we had the Lions tour. I even tuned in for a few games of the 20/20, but it was still cricket. Tennis?

Yet all the while I've been bubbling away with excitement like a kid on Christmas eve because we're in for the most Mupptastic championship ever!

We've got the Newcastle of the Midlands (Leicester City) versus the Leicester City of the North (Newcastle) battling it out for the title of most deluded and excitable supporters in the land. Who'll be the first to twitch? Who'll be the first to proclaim European football is just round the corner?

Will it be the Leicester faithful? Crowing with glee at winning that first throw in and giving it pride of place in the Walker's Stadium trophy cabinet. Will it be the most special supporters in all of football, the Toon Army? Their haunting, timeless and unwitty little ditty, 'Your support is fucking shit' ringing out at every away ground throughout the league, while their be-barcoded heroes get trounced 4-0 and eventually end up trading blows with each other.

Again, Swansea supporters will believe that their team are the reincarnation of the Brazil 1970 squad. And that you should get 3 points for a draw.

Roy Keane will grow a beard and look like Birdseye's nemesis. Darren Ferguson and Nigel Clough will both try, and fail, to get those huge fucking yokes off their shoulders. QPR will continue to be very rich and very crap. Warnock will say something stupid every other week. Holloway will say something stupid every other day. And Southgate will become more magnolia with every passing game.

My tip?

Cardiff.

I can't fucking wait.

 

[Placid Casual27]

Tipping City to win it, Dai I want what you're drinking mate

Had to laugh at Warnock when today he wants "to make Crystal Palace a horrible place to visit"

Job done there my irritating dirty long-ball chum, fucking hell what a dump that place is, I hope I get swine flu that week

 

[pastieburt]

I think the Super Foxes will make the play-offs and hopefully Newcastle dive bomb to the bottom they havn't even sorted a manager out yet. Most of all i hope Cardiff have learned from last season their last ten games were dismal. Some people might of called them dismal city. : )

 

[Phenotypic Dai]

I think the Super Foxes will make the play-offs and hopefully Newcastle dive bomb to the bottom they havn't even sorted a manager out yet. Most of all i hope Cardiff have learned from last season their last ten games were dismal. Some people might of called them dismal city. : )

Won 4, lost 4, drawn 2.

 

[Phenotypic Dai]

I think the Super Foxes will make the play-offs

*Bong*

Joe Mattock says: 'I'm off.'

 

[pastieburt]

He won't go anywhere i'm in the know.

 

[Phenotypic Dai]

Tipping City to win it, Dai I want what you're drinking mate

I'm tee-total, Brawd.

But seriously, I'd chuck us in the mix. Why not? Any one of of about ten teams can make a claim and we're as good on our day as any of them. Obviously there'll be your strugglers like Barnsley and Leicester, but it's probably the most wide open it's ever been.

We just need to be consistently good instead of consistently inconsistent. I was as gutted as anyone last season, but remember the belief we shared when we took apart Burnley at home. Just check back on last season's thread. We were going up automatically. We can go one better this time.

C'mon Cardiff!

 

[Lo Siento.]

Tamas Priskin? Any good? Better him than that Daryl Murphy I reckon...