2015-16 Championship- keep your other crappy leagues out of here.

[Dummy Hoy]

Fourth most popular league in Europe. 
 
Welcomes to Bristol City, Milton Keynes, Preston North End from below.
LOLs to Hull, Burney, and QPR from above.
Adios to Bournemouth, Watford, and the Fighting Joe Heskeths of Norfolk, Good luck to ya.
Deepest sympathies to the teams that really need some luck getting out of league one in Millwall, Wigan, and Blackpool.

 

[Investor 11]

Fixtures were released today.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3126651/Championship-fixtures-2015-2016-game-new-English-football-season.html



I'm going to try to make a February trip work to catch a home and away Derby County match.

 

[Dummy Hoy]

Wednesday reportedly hires Carlos Carvalhal as new manager. His record doesn't seem outstanding, although he had some impressive cup runs in Portugal. Does Vinho Tinto or anyone else know anything about him?
 
Given Chansiri's stated goal of Premier League by 2017 (Wednesday's 150th season), I think people expected a bigger splash with a more well known name. I'm just glad they didn't go too far with that and hire a retread like 'Arry or Warnock just to get a name in. I believe he is the first Wednesday manager not from the Homeland nations.  

 

[Stanley Steamer]

Bump!
What does it take for a guy to get noticed around here?
I've been perusing the BBC, and to a lesser degree, the Guardian, trying to find a pre-season rundown on the various clubs and their chances this season, which starts tonight by the way. Brighton & Hove Albion square off against Nottingham Forest. Thus far, no luck. I'd like to think this is the year Leeds finally crawls out of the quagmire that we know and, em, love about the Championship, but realistically, it could be ANYBODY! It is rumored to be among the most highly competitive leagues in world football.
I did come across an article on the Beeb stating that only 12% of Championship clubs expected to turn a profit this year. All the money is in the Premier League, where most clubs can count on a profit before transfers, thanks to a ginormous TV deal. As such, more clubs in the second tier are gambling, spending beyond their means in the hope they will be one of three clubs each year to gain promotion (out of 24).
Further, it states that less than a third of clubs in Divs 1 & 2, and less than half of the Scottish premiership will be profitable operations.
I think that fans of the game on this site have been aware of this degree of inequality for awhile, but it is rather startling and unhealthy. I suppose it is similar to the minor leagues in baseball, where there likewise is little money to be made.
Though the standard is by definition lower than the BPL, it's a shame it's so easy to watch games in one league, yet so hard in another. With all the tradition, and so much less pretense, it would be good if we could see more of the Championship these days.

 

[Dummy Hoy]

Some major protests against pricing occurring this season as traditional fans are getting priced out of football (I think those of us in Boston can sympathize). That's probably another thread though.
 
Previews: Guardian, Sky Bet, Team by team on Sports Mole. Individual team previews and news/notes for the 2nd-4th divisions can also be found on The 72.
 
As SS mentions, few clubs turn a profit, and with the new PL payouts starting next season, several clubs are going in over their heads to try to make sure they get up, because it's going to be tough to break through when the three relegated teams come down with 100m pounds (plus parachute payments I assume).
 
Burnley looks good, Derby has thrown a bunch of cash at an already talented squad, I think Boro has to be a favorite to go up too. SS has the right of it though, as usual this league is a complete shambles and anyone could go up.
 
Wednesday has done a very nice job this offseason, certainly the best in quite a few years, bringing in 11 new players including internationals and guys who played in La Liga and Primeira Liga. What else is nice is that in additional to talent they have depth- they actually have 22 squad players, not the usual 15-16 while they scramble for short term loans.
The new manager has them playing in a more continental 4-3-3 with a focus on wingers and aggressive midfielders. Wednesday had the 4th best GA in the league last season and tied (or maybe set by one) their clean sheets record. The offense should improve greatly (although maybe at the expense of some D) with the signings of Lewis McGugan, Marco Matias, Alex Lopez, Ross Wallace, and Lucas Joao. If nothing else they will be playing exciting football, although it may take a while to get going with so many new parts. If they can survive the first couple of months, I can see this team challenging for a playoff spot.
 
Wednesday should be Vinho Tinto's new favorite squad- we've now got a Portuguese manager and 3 other Portuguese coaches as well as 4 players (Matias, Filipe Melo, Joao, and fan favorite and good buddy of CR7 Jose Semedo). I think they have signed a player or two for their academy as well. 

 

[Dummy Hoy]

Quality start for Brighton, winning 1-0 over visiting Forest. I thought Brighton deserved the 3 points, although both teams had their chances.
 
Nice start for dirtynine and his crew. 

 

[Dummy Hoy]

Quiet start to the season here. I've got a bunch of stuff on Wednesday coming, but I would like to promote the Wednesday/Leeds game tomorrow morning- it's the early game on BeIN, so a good stream shouldn't be too hard to find. I'll Leave Stanley's Streamer with this beauty. May we see a reenactment in all its glory.
 
 

 

[bsj]

Well, QPR (who looked awful last season) looks meh to start, only a miracle comeback from 0-2 in the 2nd away from being 0-2 and well down the table. 
 
Really can't figure out what to make of this squad. Talent seems good enough to contend near the top, but still just not a lot of playmakers, and i dont see them playing as a team yet. 
 
I see them probably right about where they are now....in the 10-15 range, although still think a top 5 is doable if they all overachieve 

 

[dirtynine]

Brighton mingling with the top end of the table after 7 points from 3.  Could have been 9 with a little luck.  Blackburn is next up.  A playoff place is the expectation.  
 
Hearing there may be some BHAFC interest in the Galaxy's Zardes. That could be interesting.  Not sure it would be a positive move for him, but I'd welcome it. 

Ed. Blackburn at home, not at Ewood. And it went 1-0 to the Albion. Great start.

 

[Dummy Hoy]

Enjoyable Yorkshire Derby this morning, even if both teams showed they probably have room for improvement. Leeds had some impressive play up front- Dallas was very involved and dangerous, Wood looked like your perfect English 9 (big, strong, nose for the goal), and Antenucci was just scary. I thought the FB did a really nice job today too- Wednesday has added a lot of talent on the flanks, and couldn't get anything really going on either side all game. We're probably looking at upper mid table teams with a shot to go to the playoffs if they gel early enough.
 
Marco Matais's goal for Wednesday though...mmmmm. He's been real dangerous in spurts and should have scored already this year, but he's a talent no doubt. We'll see more from him.
 
Edit: Jaymags with the good link.

 

[JayMags71]

Better resolution.

 

[dirtynine]

Brighton is alone on top of the table and club legend Bobby Z. is back on the pitch. Crowing now because it may not get better than this.  

 

[Investor 11]

Mel Morris has bought out Cubs owner and now former Derby County owner Tom Ricketts to take control of the team. Morris had bought a stake in 2014 and took over as Chairman this past May.

 

[Dummy Hoy]

Brighton's start has surprised me a little bit. I feel like a lot of teams in the championship tend to build towards promotion, have a short window to get up, then crash back down under the weight of expensive signings and players fleeing. I thought for sure that was Brighton's fate after missing out in 12-13 (when they probably were one of the best 3 sides). Haven't seen them play this year since the Forest game, but pushing around a very professional Ipswich side on their own turf is impressive. Looooong season though. And congrats to Chris Hughton for winning manager of the month, by all accounts I've heard he's a genuinely good guy. 
 
Today is the 148th Anniversary of the forming of the Wednesday Football Club. New owner and Thai Tuna Tycoon Dejphon Chansiri has made it clear that the goal is to be in the premier league for the 150th anniversary. This offseason/transfer window has been stunning for someone used to watching a broke club scrambling to find loan players to fill out the squad. They transferred in 11 players and got 5 season long loans from first division teams. They finished out the window by signing Fernando Forestieri and Barry Bannan, both of whom have international experience. There is a lot of talent there, but it will take some time to come together and understand exactly what the coach (again- also new) is looking for. Wednesday have looked great when they are the more talented team, but better sides have managed to stifle the wing play and right now the Owls aren't prepared to tactically switch around as they may need. I think my preseason prediction is fair- if they can survive the first few months, they have the talent to play with anyone in the division. 

 

[Dummy Hoy]

Just a heads up for anyone using the "player" service to listen to games and watch highlights and full replays. I just paid $21 for a LivingSocial coupon to get a year of Wednesday Player service for $21...it's $7 per month normally. I don't know if this deal is for all communities in GB, but if you're a fan of a Championship or lower division team, it's a great bargain. I listen to most of the games, and then can go back and watch the complete game, usually within 24 hours. Worth seeing if you can get the coupon (i think it's worth $7/mo anyways).

 

[PedroSpecialK]

Headed to Fulham/Blackburn this Sunday. I'll be making cottaging jokes all week. I'm excited to watch Ross McCormack
 
That's all I got.

 

[Dummy Hoy]

Jordan Rhodes is pretty dynamic up front on occasion. Ben Marshall has some skill out wide. Tommy Spurr is solid at left back. That's about what I got.
 
Blackburn looks like they might be crap (on that down cycle that championship teams go through) and Fulham was awful last season but remarkably young. It's possible that their play this year might be legit. And they have a WW1 flying ace on their squad.
 
I'm jealous- Craven cottage seems like a gret place to watch football. Have fun.

 

[inter tatters]

Dummy Hoy, I live near Sheffield, though in Derbyshire, and all my mates - mostly Owls, but we have a few Blades, Rams and me, the lone Spirite - have been complaining at Wednesday's ticket prices? Apparently they are higher than at least 6 of the Premiership teams? The crowds have definitely looked sparse in the games I've seen on TV anyway.
 
No point to this, just thought I'd mention it and wondered if you'd heard the same rumblings?

 

[Dummy Hoy]

Dummy Hoy, I live near Sheffield, though in Derbyshire, and all my mates - mostly Owls, but we have a few Blades, Rams and me, the lone Spirite - have been complaining at Wednesday's ticket prices? Apparently they are higher than at least 6 of the Premiership teams? The crowds have definitely looked sparse in the games I've seen on TV anyway.
 
No point to this, just thought I'd mention it and wondered if you'd heard the same rumblings?

It's been a huge deal amongst the faithful from what I've seen and heard...the new ownership group has pumped a ton of $$ into the club, park (completely re-did the field and added a modern digital screen scoreboard), and academy, but it's been at the cost of raising prices to obscene levels in some cases. They completely botched the roll out of the new 'dynamic' ticket pricing, leaving a bunch of long time ticket holders with bills they didn't expect and cutting off people from getting in early during the 'bargain' period. It was a huge fuckup how it was introduced, and that set people off on the wrong foot about it, while I think if they had introduced the plan with some semblance of tact, it wouldn't have tasted quite like shit.
 
I'm a bit torn though, right? As someone who isn't in any sort of position to regularly attend games, it doesn't hit me at all. And I want the club to have more money and to spend it (as they have). Hillsborough is a blessing and a curse to play at. It' got the size, tradition, and atmosphere that get it picked to host World Cup games and Euro games, but it's too damn big for a non-Premier league team. Even if they get to the premiership, is there enough money in South Yorkshire for people to bang out the park regularly at those prices? I don't know.

 

[Dummy Hoy]

Reading just beat Ipswich 5-1 this afternoon. I've seen both teams this season, and I wouldn't use 'dynamic' to describe either of them. 
 
This league is nuts.

 

[Dummy Hoy]

3 on the proverbial bounce for Wednesday and a new song that was sung for the entirety of halftime last weekend against Brentford.
 
Carlos had a dream
to build a football team
we had no players
so we went and signed them on loan
We build from the back
with Joao in attack
We're Sheffield Wednesday
we're on our way back!!
 
 
Preston on Saturday, feeling good.

 

[Dummy Hoy]

Watched a real enjoyable 1-1 draw on BeIN this morning between Wednesday and Hull. Hull impressed- they have a lot of size and speed, and will be promotion candidates. I thought Wednesday more than held their own, although the draw was probably a fair result. Horrific refereeing (both ways) ended when the ref got plowed over just outside the Hull box and had just enough left in him to blow the whistle as he collapsed...unfortunately with the ball on Barry Bannan's feet and a look at goal.
 
6 in a row without a loss for Wednesday, and a trip to QPR on Tuesday. The more I watch the more I think they can challenge for a playoff spot and hopefully make a couple of nice cup runs. I think next year is really the year to push for the leap up the league, but anything can happen if you get into the playoff rounds.

 

[Dummy Hoy]

Stability continues to be the word on Massimo Cellino as he has fired Uwe Rosler and replaced him with ex-Rotherham boss Steve Evans, a man almost universally acknowledged as "vile." Evans has had some real success as a manager, bringing Crawley Town back into the league while enjoying a solid FA cup run as well as earning Rotherham two consecutive promotions, although they have stalled out at the bottom of the Championship. Evans is a bit of a dodgy character though. He has been suspended multiple times by the FA for numerous things (20 months for contract irregularities and obstruction while with Boston, 1 year for abuse of officials, 10 match ban for abuse of officials, 6 match ban for abusive words to a female staff member), he's been found guilty of conspiracy to evade taxes, and was investigated for exposing himself to a Bradford City staff member (also female). 
other than that, he's a delightful fellow. Actually come to think of it, maybe these two are a great pair:

 
 
Leeds sits 18th in the Championship (tied for 15th but lower on GD) with 11 points through 11.
 
Edit: And fittingly it has just been announced on twitter that Cellino has been suspended for the tax evasion conviction from June. He has until the end of the month to appeal. He must have used Evans' accountant. Hey-o!
 
MOAR EDITZ: https://twitter.com/365DaysofWhine/status/656161725323022336
 
EVEN MOAR EDITZ (sorry SS): 

 

[dirtynine]

Highlights of the match that preceded the sacking.  
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQCoXzKCPEA
 
Brighton continue their solid play. (25 points: about halfway to safety!)  Fair to say they were fortunate to be in the position to grab a winner against Leeds.  Zamora chips it in, scoring for the first time in more than a decade for Brighton.  

 

[Dummy Hoy]

That was a really nice chip by Zamora, although the highlights showed a couple of blown opportunities for Leeds (that header by wood and the B&HA keeper fucking around). 
 
What is Brighton doing so well this season? Obviously they have some talent, but it doesn't seem like they're that much more talented than the rest of the league, yet they're 4 points up. Is is depth? Organization? Luck? All of the above?
 
Those points are huge though, especially in this league if you can stockpile them.

 

[dirtynine]

A few things, I think. 
• Sami Hyppia (2014-15 manager, though he didn't make it to '15) is gone. He was a truly bad hire and he basically sunk the season before getting fired in December.  Though Brighton were bad last season, they had been in the playoffs the two seasons prior, so the core was pretty decent.  Chris Hughton seems to have stabilized things a lot; until he was appointed, believe it or not, the club had still been feeling reverberations from the nasty end of the Poyet era several years ago.  
• Tomer Hemed up front. New addition this year. An Israeli national teamer, he's a striker who can actually score - something that had grown into a big problem in recent years with Glenn Murray and Jose Ulloa leaving and the likes of Craig Mackail Smith not replacing that  production.  
• Kaz LuaLua on the wing. Having a really nice start.  He's been with the team a long time and has always been a fan favorite. He's already matched his goal total from last year. If he stays healthy, the attack is pretty formidable. 
• the schedule.  Brighton haven't played any other of the current top 6 yet. Those matches are all to come.  
 
The start naturally has people are talking about Reading in 2006 and Newcastle in 2010 (the latter managed by Hughton) who won the Championship going away.  It's not going to be like that for Brighton.  I'd say expectations have been raised, though. I was hoping for Top 6 before the season, and given the start, dropping out of an automatic promotion spot would be be mildly disappointing. 

 

[Dummy Hoy]

Nice write-up, I appreciate the heads up. Brighton comes to Hillsborough on 11/3, so hopefully their form has worn off by then.
 
I had forgotten that Hughton was there. I don't know shit about rating football mangers, but I've always liked the way he carries himself, and he has been successful. I do think you're probably spot on though, not a runaway team, but a contender for sure, and one with a nice cushion. It would be nice to see, Brighton hasn't been top flight since 1983 (apparently).

 

[dirtynine]

1983, before my time but a year burned into Brighton lore.  They almost, almost beat Man Utd in the FA Cup final ("...and Smith must score!"), drew, got pasted on the replay, and were relegated that same year.  That started a downward spiral that culminated in the mid 90s when a single goal saved them from dropping out of the league entirely.  Just after that their historic ground was sold and turned into a parking lot, and the club was essentially left homeless.  After a few years in the desert, a few well-backed fans (including Fatboy Slim, among others) gave the team a lifeline.  That's about when I started to follow them. To see where they are now, at the Amex and playing with a real chance to join the Prem is incredible.  

 

[candylandriots]

1983, before my time but a year burned into Brighton lore.  They almost, almost beat Man Utd in the FA Cup final ("...and Smith must score!"), drew, got pasted on the replay, and were relegated that same year.  That started a downward spiral that culminated in the mid 90s when a single goal saved them from dropping out of the league entirely.  Just after that their historic ground was sold and turned into a parking lot, and the club was essentially left homeless.  After a few years in the desert, a few well-backed fans (including Fatboy Slim, among others) gave the team a lifeline.  That's about when I started to follow them. To see where they are now, at the Amex and playing with a real chance to join the Prem is incredible.  

 
I am dying to see a Brighton-Palace match, and haven't been involved long enough to hate them enough not to want them back in the PL. So good luck on getting up!

 

[Dummy Hoy]

 
I am dying to see a Brighton-Palace match, and haven't been involved long enough to hate them enough not to want them back in the PL. So good luck on getting up!

 
I find this angle of the promotion/relegation system to be fascinating. Using the city of Sheffield as an example- I love having the derby, I love/hate the angst/excitement that comes with it, but it's fun; it's what being a fan is all about. That said, when Wednesday was in their recent poor form and playing below United, all I ever heard/saw from United fans was how Wednesday sucked and that they belonged in League One forever. So now that the tables are turned, I don't mind seeing them get stuck in L1 for a while. Which is sad, they're a big club and derbies are great.

 

[Stanley Steamer]

Stability continues to be the word on Massimo Cellinoas he has fired Uwe Rosler and replaced him with ex-Rotherham boss Steve Evans, a man almost universally acknowledged as "vile."

Bloody hell! (at least that's what I'd say if I was English) Thankfully, I'm not, and so don't have to fully feel the pain of having my favorite football team run like a bleeding circus!
There's seemingly no end to the way they can flounder. Cellino is obviously unstable. I wanted to believe he'd find a way to get us promoted, but that's clearly laughable. It's about anything and everything except football at Leeds United, has been for over 10 years, and likely will be for another ten.
No point in even worrying about a guy like Evans. He won't be around long enough to care. That said, he does appear to have the right body habitus to be a good coach for us.
Carry on, fans of other teams that focus on promotion, and don't have to put up with this shite.

 

[dirtynine]

 
I am dying to see a Brighton-Palace match, and haven't been involved long enough to hate them enough not to want them back in the PL. So good luck on getting up!

 
Same here. Never had the pleasure of seeing a rivalry match, and the clubs were usually not in the same league when I was learning to love Brighton. So I don't have quite the "hate" for Palace that long-timers do.  They did beat Brighton in the promotion playoffs in 2013 which stung.  
 
If you listen to Men in Blazers, they just recently interviewed Steve Parish (Palace owner). Great listen, despite my loyalties I couldn't generate much animosity for him.  Seemed like a really benevolent, sharp die-hard fan owner.  That's all you can ask for. 

 

[candylandriots]

 
Same here. Never had the pleasure of seeing a rivalry match, and the clubs were usually not in the same league when I was learning to love Brighton. So I don't have quite the "hate" for Palace that long-timers do.  They did beat Brighton in the promotion playoffs in 2013 which stung.  
 
If you listen to Men in Blazers, they just recently interviewed Steve Parish (Palace owner). Great listen, despite my loyalties I couldn't generate much animosity for him.  Seemed like a really benevolent, sharp die-hard fan owner.  That's all you can ask for. 

 
I'm about 3/4 of the way through it....I was wondering who the yellow Ferrari belonged to! (And it is quite good - looking forward to the doc that he's doing on them.)

 

[dirtynine]

Zamora scores again. Brighton win again. 28 points from 12 unbeaten matches, 4 points clear.  

 

[Stanley Steamer]

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/34676783
Honestly, I was just about ready to give up. Maybe not quite yet.

 

[thehitcat]

My Royals hold the rampant Seagulls 1-1 at the Mad Stad.  Vydra with a late equalizer.  Reading lurks in 7th right outside of the playoff zone.  I don't expect much from this season and have been feeling that they've been punching above their weight so far so I'll take this result. 

 

[Dummy Hoy]

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/34676783
Honestly, I was just about ready to give up. Maybe not quite yet.

 

Nice. That's good news for you guys, although Wednesday had a similar situation with a fans group running the club and it was a disorganized mess. Hopefully it works out better (and given Leeds' fans dedication and organization, it wouldn't surprise me). Got your first points under Evans tonight against Cardiff.

 

My Royals hold the rampant Seagulls 1-1 at the Mad Stad.  Vydra with a late equalizer.  Reading lurks in 7th right outside of the playoff zone.  I don't expect much from this season and have been feeling that they've been punching above their weight so far so I'll take this result.

I thought Reading was solid if not a bit boring when they played Wednesday in mid August. Typical for the Championship, Reading struggles against a wretched Huddersfield side following their game against Brighton. This league never stops surprising me- I watched Wolves dominate Birmingham last weekend, just 3 days later they lose to relegation contender Bristol City. A man could lose a lot of money gambling on this league.

Solid draw between Wednesday and Brighton tonight. Seagulls unbeaten in 15 now, Owls in 11. Sounded like Wednesday had a small edge in the game but Brighton had a real strong defensive game against a hot team. Wednesday players are getting gassed after a busy couple of weeks, but Brighton was impressive...Wednesday announcers kept talking about what a 'tactical' battle it was. I was hoping for 3 points, but will take the 1. Sitting 1 point out of the playoffs isn't too bad, and the team has really been coming together.

 

[bsj]

Goddamn QPR sucks. We may goddamn drop again. 
 
Sigh.

 

[Dummy Hoy]

You won't drop because there are 5-6 teams that are certainly worse, but it's not pretty.

 

[Dummy Hoy]

And QPR makes the desperation move anyways, bringing back an old friend.
 
I had heard decent stuff about Ramsey, but the record wasn't good. We'll see if this helps/

 

[Dollar]

Apologies for the delayed thread bump...

Headed to Fulham/Blackburn this Sunday. I'll be making cottaging jokes all week. I'm excited to watch Ross McCormack

That's all I got.

Hey PSK, I'm curious how this went for you. I'm thinking of trying to go to Fulham-Nottingham Forest in April, and was wondering how you went about getting tickets, and any other tips you might have. Neither team is doing so well at the moment, so I'm hoping tickets will be easy to come by, and it seems like it would be a good time for my first match in Europe. Thanks in advance.

 

[Dummy Hoy]

Woof, ghost town in here. I'll take a large chunk of the blame- I've had some stuff swirling around my head for a while, but haven't found the time to pound it out. Couple of thing to touch on I guess

The League
Things have settled in as much as they do in this league, and teams have started to divide themselves into some broad categories.
Table

We're going up!
Boro and Hull seem to be a step above everyone else. Hull has a lot of players and money from their PL days, and look good to bounce back. Boro has been building to this for a few years, and they look it. Given that both of these teams rely on solid organization and depth (as well as a lot of talent), I think they're a good bet to take the automatic promotion spots.

Playoffs?! You want to talk about playoffs?!
Brighton, Derby, Burnley, Wednesday, Birmingham, Ipswich all have fairly similar chances to fill out the four playoff spots...I'd be fairly surprised to see anyone else here. I think Derby and Burnley are the shoo-ins, and Brighton and Wednesday the next two in.
Derby has been building to this run for a bit (see Boro), and despite some recent speed bumps (2 points in their last 4) should have the horses to get it. Burnley is much like Hull in that their recent time in the PL has given them players and resources needed to get back up.
Wednesday has gelled very well under Carlos Carvalhal and has shown they can play with any team in the league. They've added depth this transfer window, locked up a few of their key contributors, have a couple of key players coming back from injury, and may still add a couple of more pieces. If they don't go up this year, I think they're a legit favorite for automatic promotion next year. Brighton is probably the one team that could drop out, as their form once they lost that first one was pretty poor. A couple of wins in a row (on the bounce!) shows that perhaps they've righted the ship, although Blackburn is a disaster and Huddersfield isn't very good, although their form has been. I like Hughton and think he can keep them in the race, but we'll see.
I have seen Birmingham 3 times this year and have yet to be impressed, but they are keeping pace and are coming off of back to back 3-0 wins over Ipswich and Derby. Maybe I owe them more credit and am giving Brighton too much. Ipswich is pretty clearly a step down and probably belongs in the next group, but Mick McCarthy rules this division, and I can see him figuring out how to drag thee guys over the line.

Mid Table Mediocrity
Cardiff, Brentford, Forest, Wolves, Reading, QPR
Ugh. Forest has been trying to draw their way back into contention (unbeaten in 11), but that won't fly in this division. All of these teams are capable of winning some games, maybe making a run at the playoffs, but reality is they're not going anywhere this year. Brentford is probably the best of this bunch, but I don't really see it. On any given day and everything, but not much to see here.

Mid Table Sub-Mediocrity
Leeds, Blackburn, Preston, Fulham, Huddersfield
Everything that I wrote for the tier above could be said here. Fulham is on their way up, Leeds should be better, Blackburn is a sinking ship, Preston with a quality performance for a 1st year team, Huddersfield sucks but is on decent form. All these teams are hoping to avoid sinking to the next group down...I will be surprised if any of these guys get relegated, and that should make their fans satisfied with this campaign.

...You're not a black hole- You just Suck! You just Suck! You just Suck!
Milton Keynes, Rovrum, Bristol City, Bolton, Charlton
Bolton is hemorrhaging money and being forced to try to sell players left and right (and they have some talent), the other four teams are just bad. And yet, showing the craziness of this league, Charlton beat Wednesday a month or two ago, Rotherham has recently beaten Hull and Brighton, Dons have beaten Wednesday and Cardiff recently, and Bristol City beat Middlesbrough 2 games ago. I'd bet on Bolton, Charlton, and Bristol City to go down (the current bottom 3).

 

[PedroSpecialK]

Apologies for the delayed thread bump...

Hey PSK, I'm curious how this went for you. I'm thinking of trying to go to Fulham-Nottingham Forest in April, and was wondering how you went about getting tickets, and any other tips you might have. Neither team is doing so well at the moment, so I'm hoping tickets will be easy to come by, and it seems like it would be a good time for my first match in Europe. Thanks in advance.

Shit sorry for the late reply - we went through Fulham's website for tickets IIRC a few days before the match.

Great experience overall - the steak/curry pie was solid, the cask ale was great, and tickets are reasonable (but not cheap by UK standards). We ended up paying ~£45 each to sit 15 rows up on midfield.

Mousa Dembélé is one to watch if he remains through the January window, and McCormack had some "wow" moments as well.

 

[Dummy Hoy]

Mousa Dembélé Part 2 is very good, and Fulham claim they are keeping him, although that could obviously be to drive the price up. His deal is up and he says he wants out of Fulham, so I'd imagine he does indeed get sold.

edit: he's going

 

[DLew On Roids]

If Birmingham City get promoted, barring something amazing they'd be a division above Villa for the first time since 1974-75.

 

[Dummy Hoy]

Maybe I was giving Derby too much credit. Rolled into Burnley tonight and coughed up an OG and 2 PKs. Burnley 4-1 in the final 10 minutes.

 

[PedroSpecialK]

And now McCormack has handed in a transfer request, which Fulham has rejected

 

[PedroSpecialK]

Dembélé to Spurs had been agreed then fell apart, apparently over the loan-back portion.

McGeady on loan to Wednesday for the rest of the season

 

[Titans Bastard]

Dembélé to Spurs had been agreed then fell apart, apparently over the loan-back portion.

I would have assumed it fell apart over the absurdity that would have been Mousa Dembélé and Moussa Dembélé together in the same lineup.

 

[Dummy Hoy]

When McGeady is able to fit into his shorts, he's going to tear the league up. I figure we may only get 6-8 weeks of him being effective, but he'll be capable of winning games.

As always, this league is fascinating.