Ups & Downs 23/24

[NathStPaul]

Would Leicester not going up be the biggest bottle job in the Football League?

I think it is somewhat negated by the Championship being a very tough, even league.

With the squad they have it would be considered a failure not to go up. They have an embarrassment of riches.

[Sanguine]

Maybe I am dismissing Southampton too easily from the equation. Just looks a point or 2 too far for me. and they have rubbish GD compared to the others. They would likely have to win their last 6 games to stand a chance, and are currently in pretty poor form winning 4 of their last 10 games.


could have 4 teams finishing on more than 90 points, ever happened before?

90 points is the highest total achieved by a team not to achieve automatic promotion in the EFL, it's been done twice, by Sunderland (Championship, 1997/98) and Sheffield United (League One, 2011/12). There has never been four teams finishing on 90 points or more in the same season.

As it stands, Leeds could make it to 99 points and not go up automatically, which would be hilarious.

[Winston Biscuit]

Would Leicester not going up be the biggest bottle job in the Football League?

I think it is somewhat negated by the Championship being a very tough, even league.

With the squad they have it would be considered a failure not to go up. They have an embarrassment of riches.

yep. I think a whole bunch of us said at the start of the season that anything other than automatic promotion, maybe even anything else but winning the league, would be pretty embarrassing for Leicester

Come on Ipswich & Leeds!

[Hendo]

Would Leicester not going up be the biggest bottle job in the Football League?

I think it is somewhat negated by the Championship being a very tough, even league.

With the squad they have it would be considered a failure not to go up. They have an embarrassment of riches.

True, just thinking from the point of view of how they started the season, and the squad they have available to them.

If they don't make autos, I can 100% see them being knocked out of the play-offs by whoever finishes 6th.

[Winston Biscuit]

I am very much enjoying Chesterfields classic feet-up-at-the-beach approach to the end of the season knowing they are going up. on track for one of the biggest points totals ever, now lost 3 of the last 4 games

[NathStPaul]

Would Leicester not going up be the biggest bottle job in the Football League?

I think it is somewhat negated by the Championship being a very tough, even league.

With the squad they have it would be considered a failure not to go up. They have an embarrassment of riches.

True, just thinking from the point of view of how they started the season, and the squad they have available to them.

If they don't make autos, I can 100% see them being knocked out of the play-offs by whoever finishes 6th.

Won't they be in financial ruin if they don't go up? Will at the very least have to have a fire sale.

[Hendo]

I think it is somewhat negated by the Championship being a very tough, even league.

With the squad they have it would be considered a failure not to go up. They have an embarrassment of riches.

True, just thinking from the point of view of how they started the season, and the squad they have available to them.

If they don't make autos, I can 100% see them being knocked out of the play-offs by whoever finishes 6th.

Won't they be in financial ruin if they don't go up? Will at the very least have to have a fire sale.

I think so, I think they might also be in trouble re: points deduction if they do go up?

Yeah, they will have to have a fire sale, but the problem is the wages these players are on - are they actually going to be able to shift them?

[Winston Biscuit]

True, just thinking from the point of view of how they started the season, and the squad they have available to them.

If they don't make autos, I can 100% see them being knocked out of the play-offs by whoever finishes 6th.

Won't they be in financial ruin if they don't go up? Will at the very least have to have a fire sale.

I think so, I think they might also be in trouble re: points deduction if they do go up?

Yeah, they will have to have a fire sale, but the problem is the wages these players are on - are they actually going to be able to shift them?

I am sure I heard recently that when they went down last season they had the 6th highest wage bill in the PL

[Hendo]

Won't they be in financial ruin if they don't go up? Will at the very least have to have a fire sale.

I think so, I think they might also be in trouble re: points deduction if they do go up?

Yeah, they will have to have a fire sale, but the problem is the wages these players are on - are they actually going to be able to shift them?

I am sure I heard recently that when they went down last season they had the 6th highest wage bill in the PL

Wouldn't surprise me, it wasn't that long ago they were playing European football.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Birmingham City getting relegated after sacking Eustace for Rooney would be objectively hilarious. They spent ages fighting their previous owner like we have with Dai, but it could their new ambitious US ones who finally take them down with one of the worst ever managerial decisions.

[Winston Biscuit]

Birmingham City getting relegated after sacking Eustace for Rooney would be objectively hilarious. They spent ages fighting their previous owner like we have with Dai, but it could their new ambitious US ones who finally take them down with one of the worst ever managerial decisions.

they also announced this week plans for a new £3 Billion 60,000 seater stadium

[6ft Kerplunk]

Given the last few years I'm not sure we should really be lolling at clubs with batshit mental owners seemingly intent on screwing the club into the ground.
That said, £3 billion? Just how could a stadium cost that much unless you're using it for money laundering purposes?

[Sanguine]

Given the last few years I'm not sure we should really be lolling at clubs with batshit mental owners seemingly intent on screwing the club into the ground.
That said, £3 billion? Just how could a stadium cost that much unless you're using it for money laundering purposes?

The new Riverside Stand at Fulham is getting towards £150m, for one stand. Admittedly that's nowhere near £3bn for a football ground, but it's incredible how much this stuff can cost when owners want shiny modern things.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Given the last few years I'm not sure we should really be lolling at clubs with batshit mental owners seemingly intent on screwing the club into the ground.
That said, £3 billion? Just how could a stadium cost that much unless you're using it for money laundering purposes?

Clubs are always going to get relegated. They're new owners who have long term ambitions so there should be no threat to Birmingham's existence arising from this. That they got their first major decision with Eustace and Rooney so badly wrong and it could relegate them is objectively funny. Consensus at the time was it was a poor decision, but nobody envisaged it going this badly.

[Stranded]

Given the last few years I'm not sure we should really be lolling at clubs with batshit mental owners seemingly intent on screwing the club into the ground.
That said, £3 billion? Just how could a stadium cost that much unless you're using it for money laundering purposes?

Clubs are always going to get relegated. They're new owners who have long term ambitions so there should be no threat to Birmingham's existence arising from this. That they got their first major decision with Eustace and Rooney so badly wrong and it could relegate them is objectively funny. Consensus at the time was it was a poor decision, but nobody envisaged it going this badly.

Would be objectively hilarious given it is the 2nd time Brum owners have done it firing Rowett whilst well placed to hire a "name" in Zola only to watch them fall down the table and nearly get them relegated. Also mildly interesting* that following Mowbray's illness they have turned to Rowett to try and avoid the drop.

[Clyde1998]

Looking at the Championship promotion picture, I think Southampton are back in play.

If Southampton win their two games in hand on Ipswich and Leeds, it would be:

Ipswich - Pld 43 - Pts 89
Leicester - Pld 42 - Pts 88
Leeds - Pld 43 - Pts 87
Southampton - Pld 43 - Pts 87

I believe Leicester's game in hand is against Southampton, who also have to travel to Leeds on the final day.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Looking at the Championship promotion picture, I think Southampton are back in play.

If Southampton win their two games in hand on Ipswich and Leeds, it would be:

Ipswich - Pld 43 - Pts 89
Leicester - Pld 42 - Pts 88
Leeds - Pld 43 - Pts 87
Southampton - Pld 43 - Pts 87

I believe Leicester's game in hand is against Southampton, who also have to travel to Leeds on the final day.

Don't like Southampton but both Leeds and Leicester dropping into the playoffs would be funny af.

[Sutekh]

Birmingham City getting relegated after sacking Eustace for Rooney would be objectively hilarious. They spent ages fighting their previous owner like we have with Dai, but it could their new ambitious US ones who finally take them down with one of the worst ever managerial decisions.

they also announced this week plans for a new £3 Billion 60,000 seater stadium

[Dirk Gently]

Given the last few years I'm not sure we should really be lolling at clubs with batshit mental owners seemingly intent on screwing the club into the ground.
That said, £3 billion? Just how could a stadium cost that much unless you're using it for money laundering purposes?

Tottenham's stadium cost £1 billion so three times the cost of that????

Admittedly, there's buying the land, and if it's the land I think it is there'll need decontaminating and completely new infrastructure, but I can't see it being anywhere near that cost.

[Clyde1998]

Given the last few years I'm not sure we should really be lolling at clubs with batshit mental owners seemingly intent on screwing the club into the ground.
That said, £3 billion? Just how could a stadium cost that much unless you're using it for money laundering purposes?

Tottenham's stadium cost £1 billion so three times the cost of that????

Admittedly, there's buying the land, and if it's the land I think it is there'll need decontaminating and completely new infrastructure, but I can't see it being anywhere near that cost.

One factor as to why Tottenham's ground cost so much is that it's in London - more logistical challenges, higher wages, etc. Construction costs have surged in the past few years (largely down to materials), but I cannot see how a 60,000 seat stadium would cost anywhere near £3bn (especially outside of London).

Having a 60,000+ stadium in Birmingham (or the wider West Midlands area) isn't a bad idea. Birmingham City shouldn't be the club building it though.