for the first time in living memory...

[WoodleyRoyal]

... I'm more worried about the teams coming up than the teams coming down, discuss.

[SLAMMED]

Pompey will finish mid table, as will Burnely. Hull may break into the play offs.

I don't think Norwich will be that strong in the Championship though.

[WoodleyRoyal]

Pompey will finish mid table, as will Burnely. Hull may break into the play offs.

I don't think Norwich will be that strong in the Championship though.

i think pompey are doomed, certs for relegation imo, hull are a one maybe two man team cant see either myhill or bullard there next year, and as for burnley they might just have the worst manager in the football league

Norwich sell out every week going to have a bit of cash to spend, and i can see leeds going from strength to strength not sure who will come up via the playoffs but millwall probably never an easy place to go

[savage 4 england]

I think the teams coming up are much more likely to challenge.

Portsmouth will do a mid-table-relegation. Who knows what kind of squad they will have.

Hull will sell off anything they can get a decent price for. There wage bill is horrific, wouldn't be surprised to see basically a new team at Hull next season. Mid table for them.

Burnley will have to sell off a few. The sooner they get rid of Brian Laws the better. I would say mid-table for them too.

I think Norwich and Leeds (if they come up) will do well. The other play-off team will flirt with relegation.

The championship next year will be piss poor and a season we need to take advantage of.

[WoodleyRoyal]

indeed with no newcastle or west brom there is no-one in this league who should be better than us

[chilipepper91]

If we look at the points comparisons -
Norwich 92 from 44 vs. Leicester 96 from 46, so they could have a similar season, however they've drawn far fewer games (8 vs 15) and lost more (8 vs 4) so I think they'll find it tougher than Leicester have this year. Top half finish there, possibly in playoffs.

Leeds/Millwall(probably) 83/82 from 44 vs. Peterborough 89 from 46, likely to finish with a similar record in L1 but they'll be a lot stronger next year, Beckford (if he stays) and Becchio is a good enough strike pair at this level and Millwall (with a bit of strengthening) will probably get a mid-table finish too, maybe looking at playoffs.

Playoffs: Scunthorpe 76 from 46 vs. Leeds/Millwall/Charlton/Huddersfield at least 77 from 44. Scunny just survived this year, and I reckon Huddersfield will be similar if they come up, they've lost the most of the chasing pack so will probably see more of those wins into draws and draws into losses. Charlton and Swindon should be lower-mid table.

Now for the Prem:
West Brom and Newcastle were clearly going to go straight back up, they managed to retain most of their squads and from the outset have been miles ahead (aside from midway through the season when Forest were challenging). Boro on paper have a strong squad but haven't been able to do much with it. They'll still be around the playoffs next season.

Pompey are likely to lose most of their best players (and as we've seen at the moment are struggling to put together squads). Their best players are on loan and are unlikely to return for the amount it would cost, so lower mid-table for them. Burnley under Laws is interesting, they'll have a hangover from this season and won't lose too many players so probably mid-table there too. Hull... Will lose their good players, will probably enter administration (so 10 point penalty)... Struggle to stay up.

So coming up I've got it down as one in the playoffs with one (possibly two) chasing, whilst coming down will be two mid-table teams and one battling to stay alive. So I'd agree. Also shows you that we did the right thing, we're now in position to make a challenge again next year whilst Pompey and Hull enjoyed their brief time but will probably be paying for their success for the next few years.

[T.R.O.L.I.]

Hull may break into the play offs.

Totally disagree on this one - Hull are financially screwed and will be having a mass clearout in the summer. It's also possible that they may end up in administation next season.

Midtable at best for them IMO.

[Alan Partridge]

Think it's an excellent original point to be honest. Completely agree.

Norwich will do well, as would Leeds or Millwall. Not sure Swindon would be strong and Huddersfield may be mid table.

All 3 comin down will get nowhere near the playoffs. Pompey are doomed as are Hull. Burnley will start most securely and ought to do reasonably well. Having said that I think they've got a terrible manager.

[glass half full]

I can see two or three teams in the Championship having to go into administration in 2010/11, so the financially prudent clubs may benefit.

[Big Foot]

I remember last season a lot of people saying about how much in debt Newcastle were and how they wouldn't find life outside the Prem so accommodating so don't count your chickens just yet chaps

[Ian Royal]

[T.R.O.L.I.]

I remember last season a lot of people saying about how much in debt Newcastle were and how they wouldn't find life outside the Prem so accommodating so don't count your chickens just yet chaps

The difference between Newcastle and the 3 coming down is that they have a large fan base and so can bank on a higher matchday revenue stream than the rest of the championship. I can't seen Pompey, Burnely or Hull averaging more than 18K each next season.

[Ian Royal]

And Newcastle had one really poor season, playing below their best by a lot, whereas Hull just aren't in that sort of league.

[Alan Partridge]

I remember last season a lot of people saying about how much in debt Newcastle were and how they wouldn't find life outside the Prem so accommodating so don't count your chickens just yet chaps

Newcastle went down because of piss poor management, they always had the players to do MUCH MUCH better, as proven by this year.

These 3 are all utterly hopeless.

[AthleticoSpizz]

tbf

N'cassal have stormed a p1ss poor league this season

[chilipepper91]

I remember last season a lot of people saying about how much in debt Newcastle were and how they wouldn't find life outside the Prem so accommodating so don't count your chickens just yet chaps

Newcastle went down because of piss poor management, they always had the players to do MUCH MUCH better, as proven by this year.

These 3 are all utterly hopeless.

And as I pointed out, 2 are in dire straits financially. Burnley, hopefully (from the point of view of football) will spend sensibly and challenge again in 2/3 years (once we're up already ). Hull and Pompey, however, will both be lucky to challenge again within the next 5 years.

[Henleyensian]

It isn't unknown for the teams coming up to do well, at least in their first year. They have the momentum of success behind them. For instance, we came fourth in our first year up, and, but for Fozzie's injury, might even have won the play-offs. Leicester came up this season and, look where they are now!

[Norfolk Royal]

Norwich's prospects will turn on whether they can keep hold of Paul Lambert who may well be tempted by the Villa or West Ham job. They don't have any money, 18m debt, so mid table I suspect at best.

[rg6royal]

I'm really looking forward to next season!

[handbags_harris]

I'm really looking forward to next season!

Yes, thanks for that. Do you ever offer any insight into what you actually think about a specific subject in a thread or do you just post inane bollocks like you just have?

FWIW, Norwich will be tough to beat next season. By all accounts they have a good team across the park, unlike Leeds who rely on Beckford. Millwall would be tough as well, Kenny Jackett knows how to get a team playing to be hard to beat. Swindon would struggle IMO, Charlton would be midtable at best under Parkinson who seems to be a manager who is good at L1 but struggles at Championship level. Huddersfield could be dark horses next season if they get up, their home record in particular is impressive this year. Away form could be their undoing though.

As for the teams going down, Pompey are f*cked and will do well to stay in this division, let alone be decent. Burnley, if they keep Laws, will also be one of the poorer sides in the league. Hull are also financially f*cked and all their best assets will be sold. They will also struggle particularly if they keep Dowie there, or as has been implied in one of the Sunday redtops today they reappoint Brown.