Championship 2009/10

[roberto_11]

Now we know who is going to be playing in this division next year, I cant wait for the season to start already!!! Exciting times for Reading with a new manager and new ideas.

I thought at this (very) early stage it would be interesting to see everyones thoughts on who will be contending for promotion next season. The transfers havnt happened yet but thats what makes it more fun. Plus its always such an open league. We can all look back and laugh this time next year when everyone went for Newcaslte, and they did a Leeds when they went down, and finish mid table or something. Plus go back to June 2005 and who would have picked Reading to run away with the league with record points after our dismal end to the previous season??

It will be interesting to see how Ipswich get on with Keane after he got Sunderland promoted atter losing their first 5 games (albeit with more money to spend). Leicester may be able to carry the momentum from walking away with league 1 into next season, QPR have money to spend, Sheffield United will be there or thereabouts as always, as will Preston, Cardiff and Bristol City. We are a new manager and a few players away from a pretty good team. Posh have a good young manager but may find this division one step too far. West Brom (my pick) won this league last year with practically the same manager and squad (minus top scorer Kevin Phillips). Boro wont sell apart from Downing really, and their top youngsters have some Prem experience now. And what about Swansea?

Anyone else I have missed out??

[Dr Hfuhruhurr]

Ill tell you now, Bristol City is optimistic.

[PEARCEY]

A bit early to say but I think Swansea will struggle to do as well next season particularly if they lose Jordi Gomez. Yes he dives but he's a bloody good player at this level.

[moo]

Leicester.

But really, this is like roulette... can barely even make a educated guess at this point.

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

When is the fixture list announced?

IIRC it's 17th June @ 10am (although Dirk did say something about the FL having some shinding on the 17th so it may be the 18th).

[AlexY25]

Cardiff might be worth a shot.

[PEARCEY]

Cardiff might be worth a shot.

Possibly but they will lose Ledley and possibly Roger Johnson in the summer. Having said that Dave Jones transfer record has been superb at Ninian Park and the new stadium will give them a boost.

[yuomi]

too early for this. the news/boro exodous' will leave them in tatters. i can really see the toon doing a leeds as things stand. they were godawful yesterday.

[rhroyal]

Leicester.

But really, this is like roulette... can barely even make a educated guess at this point.

I thought that was the point. People are more likely to be grossly wrong at this point and we can laugh at them in 12 months.......fun or what?!

For me it's West Brom. Masters of bouncing back. They play good football, their squad will stay together. It'll take a really good team to stop them next season.

EDIT: I'd also like to add I'll be surprised if Newcastle go back up. Bad attitude in that squad. Huge wage bill. The money from Owen, Martins et al will just have to go on covering the wages of remaining players. Will people be signing Alan Smith? Steve Harper? There are others too. Expect them to sell a lot this summer and not to buy much.

Then there's the crowd. Our players have found the pressure of the Mad Stad too much since January. They may be weak, but imagine the pressure at St. James Park next season. If it gets to half time and they can't be beating some pathetic Championship club they'll feel it.

Then there's the cup final factor. Everybody will sell out for Newcastle, all the players will want to prove themselves against "the best". It'll take a great manager to take Newcastle back up at the first attempt.

[rg6royal]

I think we have a good chance of going up next season despite alot of people thinking we won't. I expect west brom to do well next season as they've shown they can play football and if you do that in the Championship you have a very good chance. Despite the size of the club, if their isn't very significant changes at Newcastle I can't see them bouncing straight back up. 'Boro on the other hand I think will certainly make the play-offs. Watford to get relegated if they lose Brendan Rodgers along with Blackpool and Scunthorpe.

[Wizard]

Ipswich for me. To go and give Cardiff a 3-0 seeing to in the last game at Ninian Park made a pretty good statement for next season I reckon.

[readingbedding]

Has to be Reading FC for me!

[Dr Hfuhruhurr]

Ipswich for me. To go and give Cardiff a 3-0 seeing to in the last game at Ninian Park made a pretty good statement for next season I reckon.

Cardiff gave the distinct impression in the last six games that their key players had contract offers elsewhere. I wouldnt read much into any result against Cardiff at the end of the season. And Ipswich have Keane.... In fact the more you look at the list of teams, the less impressive it looks.

West Brom it is then.

[rhroyal]

LOL - more votes for Reading than West Brom.

[Murts-is-Lej]

LOL - more votes for Reading than West Brom.

That's more hope than expectation methinks. I'm happy for a new manager to do as well as the last one did just for next season while he builds a new Prem-capable team to win CCC the year after...

I'd betting on M'bro doing the bounce. I do hope they give Southgate that chance.

[Victor Meldrew]

Impossible to make an judgement until we know the transfer spends of all the clubs.
QPR for example have so far spent very little but achieved mid-table quite easily.
Sheff Utd are always thereabouts.
West Brom look very likely to go back up again if they sign a reasonable striker.
RFC?
I think it will be mid-table with the new manager finding his feet and unless money is spent we will struggle to score goals with the current strikers and (apart from his kicking) Marcus will be missed.

[Kitson12]

Who are Sheffiled United?

[LUX]

I voted Ipswich under Roy Keane. Hope I'm wrong.

[TFF]

Baggies.

Newcastle pretty firm favourites with the bookies though

http://www.oddschecker.com/football/eng ... win-market

[Ian Royal]

I've gone Sheffield.

As always there are about a dozen teams with an obvious chance at this stage. Way way early to call.