Championship Previews

[Guest ttfn]

As and when they come out, feel free to add any others you come across.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/aug/01/championship-fans-preview-season

[ousefox]

Middlesbrough seem to be very popular in peoples predictions of who is going up. I know Strachan is a decent manager and has brought a lot of players in but i'm still not sure. At least we will get to see how a Celtic/Rangers would do in the championship

[Heart-Shaped Fox]

Middlesbrough seem to be very popular in peoples predictions of who is going up. I know Strachan is a decent manager and has brought a lot of players in but i'm still not sure. At least we will get to see how a Celtic/Rangers would do in the championship

I dont think they will be runaway winners, they might go up, but not as easily as people make out. I think they will be no more than PO's personally.

The Derby fan is deluded if he thinks they will come 6th.

[Flynny]

Who wrote ours!? If Cardiff go up I'll shallow fry my testicles in garlic butter and eat them in a sandwich.

[samjohnson]

9 times out of 10 these prediction things by deluded fans are wrong. Im not worried. We will have another damn good season and have a better crack at the play offs

[dandannieldanok]

1st - Middlesbrough

2nd - Burnley, Reading

3rd

4th

5th - Preston North End

6th - Derby County, Leicester City, Sheffield United

7th - Doncaster Rovers, Nottingham Forest

8th - QPR

9th - Leeds United, Norwich City

10th - Crystal Palace, Hull City, Ipswich Town

11th - Cardiff City

12th - Millwall, Swansea City

13th - Coventry City

14th - Bristol City

15th

16th - Barnsley

17th

18th

19th - Watford

20th

21st

22nd - Portsmouth

23rd - Scunthorpe United

24th

(Mild) optimism from most corners then....there's a surprise. ......going to be plenty of disappointed fans as the season progresses.

[Flynny]

Hahaha hadn't seen the Reading fan yet! Deluded!

[dandannieldanok]

Hahaha hadn't seen the Reading fan yet! Deluded!

Yep, would also put the Derby prediction in the deluded category as well, I doubt our Robbie will be leading them to anywhere near the play-offs.

[Flynny]

Yep, would also put the Derby prediction in the deluded category as well, I doubt our Robbie will be leading them to anywhere near the play-offs.

10th would be a good target for them, same manager, settled squad with all the extra players they had off the books at last. Can see them improving but yeah, playoffs is rididculous. Even for us I'll be happy as long as we're in contention for the playoffs for most of the season, even if we ultimately fall short to something like 8th or 9th.

[MPH]

I have never rated strachan as a manager. My prediction is that they won't even be in the top ten by christmas and he'll be sacked. They'll probably make an approach for Sousa knowing our luck!

[J.Lisemore]

Preston 5th? oh my lord.

[samjohnson]

I think Cov are being a little optimistic with 13th... I reckon they will fall this season...

[Foxblogger]

Please excuse the fact I'm plugging my own blog, but here's The Blagger's Guide to the Championship.

[MC Prussian]

Since when is there a rivalry between Leicester and Portsmouth?

[Heart-Shaped Fox]

Since when is there a rivalry between Leicester and Portsmouth?

Thats what I thought. Must be because in the past years when we have played them we have been a bit of a bogey team for them.

[Callabinho]

Never take much notice of these! There are some silly predictions! I feel we will do well this season, provided we keep D.J, I would like to see the defence tighten up a wee bit! but overall optimistic!!!!!

[Tommeh]

Since when is there a rivalry between Leicester and Portsmouth?

Various books I've read have told me there was a bit going on with them during the 70's and 80's I think. Mainly to do with the hooligan era's. Although the writers are probably reffering more to the tussle during the 2002/03 promotion season.

[Wdywd]

I particularly liked that our 'target for the boo-boys' went out on loan a couple of weeks ago.

So unless the guy who wrote that is planning a few trips across the channel, he's being a colossal disabled.

Good few lolz at the Preston and Derby predictions at least.

[Flynny]

Various books I've read have told me there was a bit going on with them during the 70's and 80's I think. Mainly to do with the hooligan era's. Although the writers are probably reffering more to the tussle during the 2002/03 promotion season.

Didn't they beat us in a playoff or cup game or something in the 90's? Can't remember anything earlier than O'Neill's side so I'm talking mostly out of my backside here.

[Guest Bilo]

Didn't they beat us in a playoff or cup game or something in the 90's? Can't remember anything earlier than O'Neill's side so I'm talking mostly out of my backside here.

We beat them in the 93 play-offs when Joachim ripped them to shreds in the 'home' leg at the City Ground.

[CosbehFox]

Didn't they beat us in a playoff or cup game or something in the 90's? Can't remember anything earlier than O'Neill's side so I'm talking mostly out of my backside here.

There's been a long history of fistcuffs and then the 93 playoff semi's built it up. I liked our two recent Championship games against them. Should be an old skool atmosphere at Fratton.

[Fez of Mahrez]

Not much on Leicester but here is The 72's Championship prediction post:

http://theseventytwo.com/2010/07/29/write-the-future-the-championship-201011/

A more detailed Leicester preview here:

http://theseventytwo.com/2010/07/24/leicester-adapting-to-sousa-style/

[Matt]

BBC.

Manager: Paulo Sousa

Last season: Fifth, beaten in play-off semi-finals.

Strengths: The Foxes defence is well-schooled and, if Sousa's pedigree as a player rubs off on the squad, confidence should not be a problem.

Weaknesses: Leicester used the loan market very well last season but, to date, this is not something that Sousa has utilised to any real effect.

Key man: Striker DJ Campbell has been left out in the cold in recent years but the change in management may give him his chance.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/8834785.stm#Leicester%20City

The Championship.

The Championship is as open as it has ever been, there aren't many sides who will think they have no chance of going up.

From the sides that came down from the Premier League, Portsmouth have the transfer embargo, Hull are battling to stave off administration and Burnley have questions marks over whether the manager and players are good enough.

I think it's easy to predict that Nottingham Forest will do well and it will be interesting to see how Ipswich and Leicester get on this year.

Middlesbrough might have pulled off the signing of the decade in Kris Boyd and Bristol City could be a dark horse under Steve Coppell.

After losing their top-scorer Gary Hooper, S****horpe may be up against it, while it looks like Watford may again have to rely on kids.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/8881564.stm

[Free Falling Foxes]

Preview for this season on 5Live. Warnock & Claridge amongst the guests

We weren't mentioned until near the end. The presenter mentioned Pearson going & Sousa arriving. The studio went quite; then the presenter said there was giggling; then Claridge said something like: 'It doesn't make sense". Warnock said: 'We're saying nothing".

Do they know something we don't?

[Master Fox]

Preview for this season on 5Live. Warnock & Claridge amongst the guests

We weren't mentioned until near the end. The presenter mentioned Pearson going & Sousa arriving. The studio went quite; then the presenter said there was giggling; then Claridge said something like: 'It doesn't make sense". Warnock said: 'We're saying nothing".

Do they know something we dont?

c*nts