Championship 🏆 2025/26

[Terraloon]

On 21/04/2025 at 19:56, Foxin_Mad said:

This is where our problem comes from, we are in a mess with PSR it’s going to take years to wash out. 

Ok there are mumblings about PSR but  the “ victory  “ won over jurisdiction is going to come back and bite big time.

 

 I fully expect the excesses of the last half a dozen year or so will impact next season and that will be key because the 25/26 season will be the season with the biggest % of turnover coming from parachute payments. To a large degree it’s why the bottom 3 in the PL would normally become favourites to make up the promotion favourites. Next season will be the best chance to gain promotion but if the club are subject to sanctions and even possibly a transfer ban that will be catastrophic 

 

By my back of fag packet calculation around 10% of the likely income in 25/26 will be interest wages in 23/24 were circa £56 million and that need to be significantly reduced if transfer income can’t be generated in the next 10 or so weeks. There aren’t players of the quality of Maddison or Barnes who generated some £70 million following the previous relegation season nor can I see any player matching the KDH fee. That will be key.

 

PSR will impact not just because there probably is going to be a points deduction handed down from the PL but the thing that keeps popping back in my mind is the claim ( which we are told is still subject to  arbitration) by LCFC that the PL didn’t have jurisdiction in 22/23 which by default means that the EFL now once again have LC as a member and limitation to deal with isn’t ant issue that could mean a sanction incoming . Add to that the PL do now have a role to play come next Jan and I fully expect charges to be made and with that a points deduction.

 

But the biggest issue is the EFLs almost draconian approach and whilst I haven’t kept an eye on any EFL rule tweaks I would be amazed if the challenge’s won by the club when last a member and requirements around budgets etc will now be closed .

 

 

 

 

[RowlattsFox]

You get the impression Sunderland will build on this season and be a real threat next season. If they don't go up of course. 

Sheff utd probably have to go up for financial reasons. Other than that, anyone can have a good season. Birmingham will probably chuck decent money at it, and you never know if Wrexham come up. 

 

You'd put us 3rd favourites behind the other 2 relegated sides currently but all depends how the summer goes. 

[STEVIE B]

5 hours ago, JimJams said:

It is, but we'll lose less quality players.

Only Mads and Bilal possibly. Others we shed will be players we don't want.

It isn't that simple though, unless they're out of contract. Ward & Vardy are. Any others ? (I've lost interest as the season has gone on !)

 

[CosbehFox]

PSR isn't the problem on the gap. All three promoted clubs spent serious money in the summer including ourselves with our PSR concerns. Ipswich dropped £120m. 

 

It's for me clubs spend the money so scattergun and terribly that their squads are polluted with poor players. The key to PL survival is getting your keeper and centre back pairing right. Look at us in 2015 or Wolves this season, both in January. 

Edited 23 April by CosbehFox

[Sly]

10 hours ago, LVFox said:

It should be used to ensure funding is more equally spread through the leagues, for example, Burnley and Leeds going up this year means the PL sides get their leftover parachute payments, that should go to championship sides instead surely? As it's a sign of unbalance.

 

Personally think we are more likely to see an 18 team PL than that happen!

I could see it maybe going something like two leagues of 18 and a Premier League North and Premier League South. Then maybe a playoff for the top 8 from each go into a knockout cup format. 

 

Very American.

 

Very popular overseas and will generate even more money. 
 

[Tom12345]

On 23/04/2025 at 10:03, JimJams said:

It is, but we'll lose less quality players.

Only Mads and Bilal possibly. Others we shed will be players we don't want.

But the problem is, what sort of players are we going to get?

 

Last season, we had a squad full of PL players and other managers used to comment on that.

 

Next season, we won’t.

 

The manager we get will be utmost important to get the best out of whatever squad we will have.

 

Meanwhile, I am going back underground.

[Tom12345]

On 23/04/2025 at 16:18, CosbehFox said:

PSR isn't the problem on the gap. All three promoted clubs spent serious money in the summer including ourselves with our PSR concerns. Ipswich dropped £120m. 

 

It's for me clubs spend the money so scattergun and terribly that their squads are polluted with poor players. The key to PL survival is getting your keeper and centre back pairing right. Look at us in 2015 or Wolves this season, both in January. 

Our biggest problem this season is our CBs. None of them good enough. I like Okoli though but he was never given a chance.

[moore_94]

Wrexham 2-0 up and being promoted as it stands

[winteriscoming]

                    Stolarczyk 

 Coulibaly  Nelson Okoli Thomas 

              Ricardo Winks 

                 Bilal/Alves

Fatuwo                      Mavidi 

                   Kone 

 

I know we’ve not signed Kone but that side imo should be more than capable of challenging for top 3. Obviously Bilal might be gone but no reason why Alves can’t step up. 
I’m clinging on to hope that we get the right manager in. Urs Fischer for me but can see it being Dyche or Martin. 

 

[Lambert09]

1 minute ago, winteriscoming said:

                    Stolarczyk 

 Coulibaly  Nelson Okoli Thomas 

              Ricardo Winks 

                 Bilal/Alves

Fatuwo                      Mavidi 

                   Kone 

 

I know we’ve not signed Kone but that side imo should be more than capable of challenging for top 3. Obviously Bilal might be gone but no reason why Alves can’t step up. 
I’m clinging on to hope that we get the right manager in. Urs Fischer for me but can see it being Dyche or Martin. 

 

He’s been really quiet the second half of the season. Definitely not as confident on him as earlier in the season. Pretty sure a lot of his goals were pens as well 

[winteriscoming]

1 minute ago, Lambert09 said:

He’s been really quiet the second half of the season. Definitely not as confident on him as earlier in the season. Pretty sure a lot of his goals were pens as well 

Ok maybe it won’t be Kone but we need someone to replace goat. Although completely impossible. Can’t be relying on Daka. Yes unfortunately I think Daka will be here next season. 

[JimmyC74]

If we are to bounce back immediately we will need a 20 goal striker, question is have we got the funds to bring someone proven in that league or punt on someone overseas. 
 

Daka’s race is run.

[FrankieADZ]

6 minutes ago, winteriscoming said:

Ok maybe it won’t be Kone but we need someone to replace goat. Although completely impossible. Can’t be relying on Daka. Yes unfortunately I think Daka will be here next season. 

tbf i think Kone could do a job for us next season, but this club doesnt take a punt on unknown players in the lower league like they used too

[winteriscoming]

Just now, FrankieADZ said:

tbf i think Kone could do a job for us next season, but this club doesnt take a punt on unknown players in the lower league like they used too

That’s what we’re going to have to do. Gotta stop wasting money on has beens like Ayew, Vesty, Coady and Reid. 

[Lambert09]

8 minutes ago, winteriscoming said:

Ok maybe it won’t be Kone but we need someone to replace goat. Although completely impossible. Can’t be relying on Daka. Yes unfortunately I think Daka will be here next season. 

 

Just now, FrankieADZ said:

tbf i think Kone could do a job for us next season, but this club doesnt take a punt on unknown players in the lower league like they used too

I think this the type of player we should be looking at. 
 

I think the club have shown us that the likelihood is we will go for a cast off that nobody in the top leagues will go near rather than an up and comer. 
 

we need to get this bit of business bang on and given that we let cannon go, at the bare minimum they have to be as good as him. 
 

Not too many obvious candidates as far as I’m aware, I don’t want to be broken record but Louie Barry is 10000% the player we should be targeting. I will die on this hill 

[Simonb]

2 minutes ago, JimmyC74 said:

If we are to bounce back immediately we will need a 20 goal striker, question is have we got the funds to bring someone proven in that league or punt on someone overseas. 
 

Daka’s race is run.

Unless Piroe scores in the next 2 games.. noone has scored 20 goals in the championship. What we need is 4 or 5 players contributing 10 or more.

 

If we want to bounce and then be able to stay up.. then yes we need someone who can score over 20 in the championship (12-15 prem) to have a chance of staying up

[Langston]

I'll be surprised if Coulibaly plays 10+ league games for us next season let alone forms part of a settled starting XI..

[wardyfox86]

Just looking forward to hopefully going into games NOT knowing we'll lose.

 

We might not go straight back up, but with the Premier League in the state it's in, it's torture for anyone outside the "New Big 17"

[Simonb]

Just now, Langston said:

I'll be surprised if Coulibaly plays 10+ league games for us next season let alone forms part of a settled starting XI..

Agree.. looks crap

[Lambert09]

Just now, Simonb said:

Agree.. looks crap

He’s not had much of an opportunity. He was positive in possession against brentford just shambolic at the back. He should get away with that in the championship 

[Simonb]

Ipswich to win the league

Sheff United 2nd if they don't win play offs.

 

We will be somewhere between 4th and 8th I think

[Simonb]

1 minute ago, Lambert09 said:

He’s not had much of an opportunity. He was positive in possession against brentford just shambolic at the back. He should get away with that in the championship 

Just looked like a heads down and barge your way through type to me. Positional understanding was diabolical 

[Pliskin]

I’m putting a tenner on us going again. We’re ****ing shit. 

[JimmyC74]

4 minutes ago, Simonb said:

Unless Piroe scores in the next 2 games.. noone has scored 20 goals in the championship. What we need is 4 or 5 players contributing 10 or more.

 

If we want to bounce and then be able to stay up.. then yes we need someone who can score over 20 in the championship (12-15 prem) to have a chance of staying up

Agree you want goals coming from various sources and maybe the lad Evans can chip in, with Mavadidi and Fatawu but beyond them I don’t see where the goals come from. The midfield lacks a KDH type for instance.

 

A striker who reliable gets somewhere near 20 is a must IMO.

[Wsl]

9 minutes ago, FrankieADZ said:

tbf i think Kone could do a job for us next season, but this club doesnt take a punt on unknown players in the lower league like they used too

Kone's a good shout - can't see Wycombe getting up through the play off and if not, they'll struggle to keep him. Got to be worth a try.