[gordon the gopher]

A thread to discuss all things in the Championship for the coming season.

Leicester are the bookies favourite to win the league and to be honest looking at their squad its hard not to fancy them finishing at the top. They have signed some very good players to add to some solid existing players.

I also fancy Middlesbrough, Ipswich, Leeds, Forest, Blackpool, Birmingham and Cardiff to be at the business end of the table.

Can't really see West Ham or Reading doing much this season, for some reason just don't fancy them.

Ipswich are my dark horse for the title at 18/1 - think they have made some very shrewd signings so I will have a wee bet on them but I reckon top end will probably look something like:

Leicester
Birmingham
-----------------
Middlebrough
Blackpool
Leeds
Nottingham Forest

[The Naitch]

Leicester are looking like promotion contenders going by their pre-season spending... their Thai owners are banking on them going up this season. I think it'll be a scrap for the title between them, West Ham and Birmingham.

[yoda]

If (and that's a big 'if' because some of them will inevitably move on) West Ham can still keep some of the players from last season then they will do well. I like Allardyce and I think he can get them working well together, something Grant failed to do.

Obviously the goalkeeper is still a weak point, and the defence doesn't look brilliant - although I reckon Faye will prove to be a good signing. However the midfield looks strong, and up front they look decent.

I never paid much attention to the Championship last season, but it looks like it is going to be incredibly tight this season with a number of teams that are probably targeting promotion.

[Ripley Guinness]

Leicester will flop, as big spending teams usually do in the Championship, West Ham will cruise the league and Leeds will get relegated (hopefully) while Cardiff will go out of business (even more hopefully)

Worst bit is it will put the SPL to SHAME yet again

[mccuejonathan]

Either leicester or cardiff will win the league with leeds going up aswell, dont see west ham doing much this season or i hope not anyway.

[HEED]

Leicester have signed too many good players not to get promoted, If they gel well together then I can see them winning the League by a good 15 odd points, they have the strength in depth now, more than any other club in the league.

[Hughsie]

I quite fancy West Ham. They've got the quality there and Allardyce, despite being out of that level of football for a while, strikes me as knowing how to get a team out of that division.

Leicester look like they'll be a force as well and I reckon they, along with West Ham, will form the top two.

As for the play-off's, I'm hoping Southampton might sustain a play-off challenge although the league looks particularly strong this season. That said, they're arguably as strong as Norwich were coming up last year so who knows? Leeds, Forest, Ipswich, Middlesborough, Cardiff, Hull and Burnley are the obvious ones who stand out as contenders but there's always a few teams who are surprise packages so it's a hard one to call.

West Ham
Leicester
----------------
Forest
Leeds
Cardiff
Southampton

[Honest_Man#1]

I hope Leicester flop after all the spending. If West Ham keep Parker, Cole etc they should do a Newcastle and walk the league unless Leicester do gel and challenge them.
A few people backing Middlesbrough to do well but pre-season has been a nightmare (except the PSV I suppose) and we have had
to sell a few without replacing them due to the huge wages of some at the club so I feel it could be another season of mid-table pish.

[lichtie23]

Forest will no doubt challenge before losing 5 on the bounce in March and end up scraping into the playoffs......where they will be soundly beaten by the eventual winners

[Bully Wee Villa]

I reckon Leicester'll go up.

Happy with Anyone But Leeds or Small Heath going up.

[Tess Tickles]

Hammers for me (although being a fan makes me a tad biased), along with Leicester. Foxes are obviously spending big, and I think Big Sam is just the kind of manager West Ham need, and have needed since 'Arry!

Birmingham are going to go into administration, or at the very least hold a fire sale, so don't see them challenging... although if they escape administration then a possible play-off for them, but I reckon they're in a bit of trouble thanks to thon Hong Kong hairdresser...

Also in play-off contention will be, methinks, Palace, Brighton, Cardiff, Southampton, Leeds and Forest...

[cityfan]

I'm another in the Leicester camp. If they players gel, they will cruise it, the signings they've made have been very impressive.

With quite a few Scot's at Cardiff now, I'm hoping they can challenge for promotion.

This post has been edited by cityfan: 30 July 2011 - 16:09

[McKee]

Time for my yearly god awful predictions.

West Ham
Cardiff City

Leicester City
Leeds
Ipswich
Brighton

[CasperJarrot]

Champions Leicester City

Runners up Birmingham City

3rd Blackpool FC



Hope Blackpool win it but can't see than doing any better than 3rd place tbf they would probably bite your hand off for promotion before a ball is kicked.

[nessies long lost ghost]

I think Cardiff and Birmingham will get promoted

Ipswich and West Ham to finish in the play off postions

[Tess Tickles]

I don't think Blackpool will feature. They'll do a Burnley and float around below the play-offs... they've had their moment in the sun, and without Vaughan, Adam and now probably Campbell, they'll fall down a bit.

I have to say I'm surprised at those fancying Birmingham. I reckon there's a fair few more going to be leaving St Andrews before August ends, and they don't seem to be bringing many in... at least West Ham (who in effect should lose some more good players) have brought in the likes of Kevin Nolan and Matt Taylor...

[Waldo Ponce]

I can see West Ham finishing top two and I think Forrest will do a 'Boro.

[J_Stewart]

Come on the mighty 'boro.

[CC 33]

I can't believe people are tipping Birmingham to go up. They've lost all their good players, apart from Dann who is likely to be sold too, and haven't brought anybody in. I actually fancy them to go down once administration kicks in a few weeks into the season.

Brighton at 5/1 could be a shout to go up via the playoffs, otherwise can't see past Leicester and West Ham

[mattydfc]

I reckon Southampton are a good bet to go up.

[yon yes boy]

winner between WestHam and Leicester

Playoffs between Cardiff, Leeds, Brighton, Reading

just missing playoffs in last week or 2 Blackpool and Forest.

[LAGer]

I think its between Leicester or West Ham for the title. Both have good squads and managers with plenty of experience. Granted, Sven's had his failures over the course but he's managed to win titles at a higher level than this.

I can't see Birmingham really troubling the promotion spots to be honest. It's a tough job Hughton's took on, with most of their best players either gone or looking like going, and the replacements haven't exactly been inspiring (Spector, Caldwell). With the whole uncertainty surrounding their owner's assets being frozen, I can forsee a pretty difficult season ahead for Birmingham.

The Championship is a very difficult league to predict, I don't think many would've had Swansea going up and quite a lot of the time teams just promoted find themselves pushing for promotion (Norwich/Leeds last season), as someone else mentioned Southampton earlier.

Going into this a bid blind but my top six prediction:

Leicester
West Ham
-----------------
Nottingham Forest
Reading
Cardiff
Leeds

[Lerwick Lad]

there have been a few posts backing Leicester to win the league. here are my thoughts.

Last season Leicester City were very poor defensively. No team outside the bottom 4 conceded more goals than them. To stand any chance of promotion this year, they had to strengthen their defence. Over the past few weeks they have done this by signing St leger, Mills, Paintsill, Konchesky (all defenders) and of course Schmeichel in goal. Maybe not headline stopping individual signings but collectivley they will be far better at the back than last year.

Arguably their best signing has been capturing Michael Johnson on loan from Man City. He will create a lot of goals. If I was a Leicester fan I would be slightly concerned that they havent added to the strike force. Last season only 3 players scored over 5 goals one being Yakubu who is back at Everton (albeit, trying to negotiate another loan but as far as I know still not done). The other 2 being Andy King (midfielder who had best ever season - can he repeat it?) and the once capped by Berti Vogts, Paul Gallagher. They will be relying on Vassell to chip in more than his 4 goals last season.

In my opinion too many things will have to fall just right for Leicester to get promoted so I will predict a play-off place.

[Chinese Whisperer]

Unlike in recent seasons, I can't see anyone running away with the championship this season.

I think West Ham, Leeds United, Birmingham and Reading will be up there, with Ipswich and Blackpool also in with a shout of making the playoffs.
Surprise team ? Leicester. I think they will NOT finish in the top 6.

[The Naitch]

Hull vs Blackpool starting fairly soon to kick off the Championship season. Fancy Hull to win this one.


Hull: Gulacsi, Rosenior, Chester, Hobbs, Dudgeon, McKenna, Koren, Cairney, Fryatt, Brady, Adebola.
Subs: Basso, Dawson, C Evans, Barmby, Simpson

Blackpool: Gilks, Crainey, Evatt, Baptiste, Cathcart, Southern, Grandin, Ferguson, Phillips, Ormerod, Taylor-Fletcher.
Subs: Halstead, Basham, Hill, Clarke, Sutherland.