Who will get promoted from the championship?

dr.kenneth noisewater

As things are getting interesting at the top I said I'd start a thread. The cash bonanza awaiting these 3 teams is incredible so I expect to see more cracks like Karanka at Middlesbrough

Gone for Burnley, Hull and Brighton myself. The experience of Dyche and Bruce will be a big bonus for these teams in the run in. Who knows whats going on at Derby and Middlesbrough so I think Brighton could sneak it but Sheffield Wednesday seem to be going well. Would love to see Mick leading Ipswich up but they don't have the squad to get through imo.

srfc d16

I have gone for Burnley to win the league because in my opinion they are the best team in the division. Toss up between Boro, Brighton and Hull for the 2nd automatic position but I think Hull have the best squad out of the 3 so I have gone for them. For playoffs I went for Wednesday. I think they can beat any team in the division on their day and the teams that miss out on automatic will be a bit deflated and Wednesday should be able to beat them.

NB
May be biased as I also support Wednesday

Johner

Would like to see Brighton, Boro and Sheffield Wednesday come up.

I think Boro and Burnley will go up automatically with Hull via the play-offs, hope I'm wrong though.

Boots234

Big game at the weekend between Brighton and Burnley. If Burnley win I think that they will be almost guaranteed to get automatic promotion with the lead that they would have. Next Tuesday Derby are playing Hull and the loser of that can almost write off getting promoted automatically. Hull have a home banker this weekend against Bristol City while Middlesbrough have a very difficult game away to QPR, so Hull can regain the points on Boro that they lost when they played last week

Paully D

Boots234 wrote: »

Big game at the weekend between Brighton and Burnley. If Burnley win I think that they will be almost guaranteed to get automatic promotion with the lead that they would have. Next Tuesday Derby are playing Hull and the loser of that can almost write off getting promoted automatically. Hull have a home banker this weekend against Bristol City while Middlesbrough have a very difficult game away to QPR, so Hull can regain the points on Boro that they lost when they played last week

Hull have cacked their togs at home to MK Dons and Nottingham Forest in recent weeks, so I don't see any game they have as a banker any more to be honest. if they'd won those 2 games they'd have been in a nice position, but as it is I think Boro (despite their own struggles) will join Burnley in going up automatically. Boro have a nice run of games to finish out the season and have 3 home games in a row after QPR vs teams with nothing to play for which should get them well back on track.

Boots234

Paully D wrote: »

Hull have cacked their togs at home to MK Dons and Nottingham Forest in recent weeks, so I don't see any game they have as a banker any more to be honest. if they'd won those 2 games they'd have been in a nice position, but as it is I think Boro (despite their own struggles) will join Burnley in going up automatically. Boro have a nice run of games to finish out the season and have 3 home games in a row after QPR vs teams with nothing to play for which should get them well back on track.

Ultimately it will probably come down to the last day like it usually does and Boro v Brighton game is huge. Hull are at home to Rotherham and Burnley are away to Charlton on the same day.

Brighton's next three games are home to Burnley and away to Birmingham and Forest, they could easily slip back into the playoff spots after those games

JaMarcusHustle

Would love to see Wednesday come back up.

For some reason I frequently have flashbacks of random Wednesday players from the mid 90s like Reggie Blinker, Andy Booth, Kevin Pressman, Mark Pembridge and Ritchie Humphreys. Then the bigger players line Carbone, Hirst, Walker, Jonk and Di Canio. Aside from United, I remember more random Sheffield Wednesday players than any other team and I have no explanation for it. Who could forget Orlando Trustful!

They also had some lovely away kits back when Sanderson were the sponsor.

fermanagh_man

Burnley
Boro
Cardiff (via playoffs)

Paully D

Boots234 wrote: »

Brighton's next three games are home to Burnley and away to Birmingham and Forest, they could easily slip back into the playoff spots after those games

Yeah, I really think Boro will have cemented themselves in 2nd place after the next 4 games. Boro should really take 9 points from their 3 home game stretch (and have a game in hand) whilst Brighton love a draw and I could see a couple of 1 pointers in their next 4 games. That takes us to 42 games played and I think Boro will have enough to negotiate the last 4 at that stage and to be honest, I think they'll have it sewn up before the last game of the season making that a dead rubber.

Boots234

Paully D wrote: »

Yeah, I really think Boro will have cemented themselves in 2nd place after the next 4 games. Boro should really take 9 points from their 3 home game stretch (and have a game in hand) whilst Brighton love a draw and I could see a couple of 1 pointers in their next 4 games. That takes us to 42 games played and I think Boro will have enough to negotiate the last 4 at that stage and to be honest, I think they'll have it sewn up before the last game of the season making that a dead rubber.

Boro's last 4 games are Burnley & Birmingham away and Ipswich and Brighton at home, very difficult

Paully D

JaMarcusHustle wrote: »

Would love to see Wednesday come back up.

I like them too and would also love to see them come back up. I think they could have a decent impact if they were to get promoted.

They've got the stadium and while they do get big Championship crowds (~22,000), they'd probably average another 15,000 a week in the Premier League so would pull in canny gate receipts. They're also debt free (which is some turnaround considering the financial state they were in a few years ago) and have an owner who could throw a bit of cash at things.

Paully D

Boots234 wrote: »

Boro's last 4 games are Burnley & Birmingham away and Ipswich and Brighton at home, very difficult

Definitely, but if they are to get the expected 9 points from those 3 consecutive home games then they could have enough of a buffer on Brighton and the others at that stage to be able to afford to drop points, or just have to pick up 1 or 2.

Don't get me wrong, I hope they don't do it and I would love to see them blow it in the playoffs once again (:pac:), but I think they'll finish 2nd.

Boots234

Paully D wrote: »

Don't get me wrong, I hope they don't do it and I would love to see them blow it in the playoffs once again (:pac:), but I think they'll finish 2nd.

I'm afraid that I am the opposite!

OldRio

Great win for the Boro at QPR. 3 home games to come. Brighton v Burnley tomorrow.
So many permutations.

Boots234

OldRio wrote: »

Great win for the Boro at QPR. 3 home games to come. Brighton v Burnley tomorrow.
So many permutations.

Ya, they somehow nearly managed to draw it in the end! 2 great goals from QPR. The Brighton v Burnley game tomorrow and Derby v Hull game on Tuesday are huge games

JaMarcusHustle

Just watching Brighton vs Burnley. Good game so far, interesting that aside from their Canadian midfielder Arfield, the rest of Burnley's 18 man squad are all from GB and Ireland.

HalloweenJack

JaMarcusHustle wrote: »

Just watching Brighton vs Burnley. Good game so far, interesting that aside from their Canadian midfielder Arfield, the rest of Burnley's 18 man squad are all from GB and Ireland.

Looked that up there and even Arfield is a granny rule Canadian. From the looks of it, he's spent all his life in the UK.

Kiwi_knock

Lack of goal line technology in the Championship might just have played a major role in the promotion race.

Iused2likebusts

Kiwi_knock wrote: »

Lack of goal line technology in the Championship might just have played a major role in the promotion race.

Justice was done in the end there. Hard to believe they don't have goal line technology.

Iused2likebusts

HalloweenJack wrote: »

Looked that up there and even Arfield is a granny rule Canadian. From the looks of it, he's spent all his life in the UK.

Ye he was in a couple of Scotland squads over the years.

L1011

The refereeing in that match was godawful. Pawson has to be one of the worst refs at that level but he wasn't alone (he couldn't have seen the goal, but an assistant could)

Boots234

Only 2 points separating the top 3 after tonight's game. Middlesbrough have won 3 in a row but Brighton are still staying up around the automatic promotion places. Burnley had a 7 point lead over Middlesbrough in third place 3 weeks ago but it's down to a point now. Derby had a massive win over Hull tonight, didn't see that coming. Tonight's results have created a gap between the playoff places and seventh that will be difficult to overcome. Next weekend's games see the top 6 all playing teams that they should beat but at least one of them will slip up, impossible to predict who though!

Harry Palmr

Its the league no one wants to be in! You'd have to fear for Villa next season in among the likes of those that do not get promoted this season.

I find it impossible to decide who is likely to go up, but Boro appear to have had their wobble and are now refocused so I'd make them most likely.

Iused2likebusts

Nervy 3 pts for burnley today puts the pressure on the teams behind though.

Boots234

Huge win for Brighton tonight with a Steve Sidwell winner in the 90th minute. 2 points separating the top 3 now and Burnley could possibly be third by the time they play on Saturday. Burnley v boro next Tuesday is a massive game

L1011

Brighton have just put five clear past a not particularly lowly Fulham; cutting the terrible goal difference gap by quite a bit.

Hull also won (barely) but their chances of automatic are next to non-existent now. Each of the top three is up if they win every game - because there's two meetings between some of them yet to come.

cj maxx

Top of the table

Bobby Baccala

L1011 wrote: »

Brighton have just put five clear past a not particularly lowly Fulham; cutting the terrible goal difference gap by quite a bit.

Hull also won (barely) but their chances of automatic are next to non-existent now. Each of the top three is up if they win every game - because there's two meetings between some of them yet to come.

That Fulham side is woeful to be fair. Were it not for Mccormack and Dembele they'd be in the relegation zone.

Boots234

Big games today for Burnley away to Birmingham and Middlesbrough away to Bolton, Hull's late winner last night has kept them just about in the race for automatic promotion

Boots234

Massive game between Burnley and Middlesbrough on Tuesday, I think Boro would be happy with a point. Brighton have QPR at home and Charlton away in their next two and will be looking to catch up on their poor goal difference in those two games. Middlesbrough have the toughest run in as they have Ipswich at home and Birmingham away after the Burnley game and finish up with Brighton at home on the last day. Burnley have Preston away next Friday which is their toughest match after the Boro game. I think Hull are out of the automatic promotion places after the top 3 all won at the weekend, nobody will fancy playing them in the playoffs however. I think Burnley will finish in the top 2 with the fixtures that they have left and the last automatic place will come down to a decider between Middlesbrough and Brighton on the last day

Iused2likebusts

Tonight is a huge game for burnley and one they can't afford to lose. If boro win they will get promoted. Crucially though it could mean that the boro Brighton game last match of the season is meaningless for boro so you would then expect Brighton to win there.
If burnley don't go up this year they won't go up for years. They aren't a big enough club to hold onto dyche who has done an unbelievable job. I'd also expect Heaton Keane and gray to leave as they are PL standard. Financially they are sound and do things the right way but are still punching above their weight.

Boots234

I think that tonight will either be a draw or a win for Burnley, can't see Middlesbrough going there and winning. Burnley then have a tough game away to Preston but finish up with the almost perfect fixtures against QPR and Charlton. Compare that to Brighton's last two games against Derby and Boro. Brighton will probably go all out attack against QPR tonight and against Charlton on Saturday to claw back the goal difference. Ultimately I think that Burnley will go up possibly as champions as they are just so solid and Brighton/Middlesbrough will fight it out for second place. You always get drama on the last day and with the playoff places almost sorted, everything could hinge on that game (much to Sky's delight!)

Burnley to win tonight along with Brighton which would leave the table as Burnley with 86pts, Middlesbrough 85pts and Brighton 84pts, what a league!

speedboatchase

The league champions and runners-up. The third promoted team will be decided via two rounds of play-offs contested by the teams that finished from 3rd to 6th.

Iused2likebusts

Boots234 wrote: »

I think that tonight will either be a draw or a win for Burnley, can't see Middlesbrough going there and winning. Burnley then have a tough game away to Preston but finish up with the almost perfect fixtures against QPR and Charlton. Compare that to Brighton's last two games against Derby and Boro. Brighton will probably go all out attack against QPR tonight and against Charlton on Saturday to claw back the goal difference. Ultimately I think that Burnley will go up possibly as champions as they are just so solid and Brighton/Middlesbrough will fight it out for second place. You always get drama on the last day and with the playoff places almost sorted, everything could hinge on that game (much to Sky's delight!)

Burnley to win tonight along with Brighton which would leave the table as Burnley with 86pts, Middlesbrough 85pts and Brighton 84pts, what a league!

As a burnley fan I'd take a draw tonight. My fear would be lose tonight. Brighton's difficult last two may not be difficult. Derby are in the playoffs so don't think they will be that motivated and boro if they win tonight will be more or less promoted. The flip side is a burnley win tonight and they are in a great position as they are guaranteed at least one of the two teams chasing them has to drop points on the last game.

Boots234

Iused2likebusts wrote: »

As a burnley fan I'd take a draw tonight. My fear would be lose tonight. Brighton's difficult last two may not be difficult. Derby are in the playoffs so don't think they will be that motivated and boro if they win tonight will be more or less promoted. The flip side is a burnley win tonight and they are in a great position as they are guaranteed at least one of the two teams chasing them has to drop points on the last game.

As a Boro fan I'm obviously hoping for the opposite! We have a very tough run in with Burnley tonight and then Ipswich, Birmingham and Brighton although we have done better against the higher placed teams this season. This game could easily be a cagey 0-0 affair which would probably suit both teams really

Iused2likebusts

Boots234 wrote: »

As a Boro fan I'm obviously hoping for the opposite! We have a very tough run in with Burnley tonight and then Ipswich, Birmingham and Brighton although we have done better against the higher placed teams this season. This game could easily be a cagey 0-0 affair which would probably suit both teams really

Ye a 0 0 and a Brighton defeat would be a great nights work.

Paully D

90th minute equaliser for Burnley. What a cracking run in this is turning out to be.

L1011

Iused2likebusts wrote: »

Ye a 0 0 and a Brighton defeat would be a great nights work.

Sorry about the 4-0 :pac:

9 extra on what was a terrible goal difference. Could prove crucial yet.

SantryRed

Paully D wrote: »

90th minute equaliser for Burnley. What a cracking run in this is turning out to be.

There's been late goals all over the place in the last month for those teams! Great run in as usual.

Boots234

If Boro draw with Ipswich at the weekend and both Burnley and Brighton win then all 3 teams will be tied on 87 points!

Boots234

L1011 wrote: »

Sorry about the 4-0 :pac:

9 extra on what was a terrible goal difference. Could prove crucial yet.

Brighton will definitely improve on their inferior goal difference with the Charlton game on Saturday

rodge68

Burnley are the best team I have seen play in the Championship.
And hopefuuly Derby can get up through the playoffs, esp after last years disaster and QPR robbing us the year before !!

Iused2likebusts

Phew that was close. Vital equaliser for burnley I reckon boro were up if it stayed 1 0. Thats two last minute winners for boro last week, a last minute winner for brighton last week. Burnley have got last minute draws against boro and brighton the past couple of weeks. Crazy league and should be a great end to it. The team that finishes 3rd will find it very hard to get themselves up for the play offs.

Boots234

Iused2likebusts wrote: »

Phew that was close. Vital equaliser for burnley I reckon boro were up if it stayed 1 0. Thats two last minute winners for boro last week, a last minute winner for brighton last week. Burnley have got last minute draws against boro and brighton the past couple of weeks. Crazy league and should be a great end to it. The team that finishes 3rd will find it very hard to get themselves up for the play offs.

Ya I thought we had it but I suppose that we would have taken a draw before the game started so can't complain too much. Burnley have a tough fixture against Preston on Friday and if ye win that ye will almost certainly come up. I think that the 3 teams could all easily be level on 87 points by 5 o' clock Saturday evening. It will be interesting to see how much Brighton can build up their goal difference against Charlton

Iused2likebusts

Boots234 wrote: »

Ya I thought we had it but I suppose that we would have taken a draw before the game started so can't complain too much. Burnley have a tough fixture against Preston on Friday and if ye win that ye will almost certainly come up. I think that the 3 teams could all easily be level on 87 points by 5 o' clock Saturday evening. It will be interesting to see how much Brighton can build up their goal difference against Charlton

ye tough game friday local derby and preston beat them at turf moor. If they can get a win friday Id be a lot more confident than Im feeling now.

Iused2likebusts

Great 3 pts tonight for burnley. Qpr and Charlton left to play.

Boots234

Iused2likebusts wrote: »

Great 3 pts tonight for burnley. Qpr and Charlton left to play.

Burnley are up after tonight's result, they won't drop points in the next 2 games

Iused2likebusts

All on 87 pts now as boro play Brighton 4 pts will do burnley bar a big swing in gd. If burnley lose next wk and the other two win there is the potential for a convenient draw between Brighton and boro last day of the season to net both clubs 100 million.

L1011

Iused2likebusts wrote: »

All on 87 pts now as boro play Brighton 4 pts will do burnley bar a big swing in gd. If burnley lose next wk and the other two win there is the potential for a convenient draw between Brighton and boro last day of the season to net both clubs 100 million.

Considering the uproar that hasn't died down 38 years later from Spurs and Southampton doing that to Brighton in 77/78 I wouldn't be happy with going up that way.

That was pre playoffs as well - three up on league position only.

Paully D

Goal difference of Burnley (33), 'Boro (32) and Brighton (30). :eek:

Muff_Daddy

It would actually be a bit of a travesty if one of Burnley, Boro or Brighton don't go up. As much as I'd personally like to see Sheffield Wednesday back in the premier league, I really hope the team in 3rd win the playoffs.