2010/2011 Championship Predictions

Championship – Middlesbrough & Burnley

We believe it will be a two horse race between Gordon Strachan’s Middlesbrough (13/2 bWin) and Brian Laws Burnley (11/1 totesport).

Strachan’s Scottish influence is playing a part in landing some significant names, with former Rangers striker Kris Boyd following Stephen McManus and Kevin Thomson over to Tyneside. The former is sure to appreciated playing in the Championship, a league which is arguably at the same level as the SPL, and will find the route to goal naturally. Boro were missing a 15+ forward and may well have found one in Kris Boyd, who was prolific for Kilmarnock and Rangers during his ten years in the SPL. In Stephen McManus they have a defensive rock and a leader, while the midfield is now overloaded with quality. Nicky Bailey has joined from Charlton Athletic, Barry Robson arrived back in January while Kevin Thomson is one of several newbies. Julio Arca, Gary O’Neill and Didard Digard are but many of Strachan’s other midfield alternatives, all good enough to get into any Championship side. The difference, though, is up front, where Boro now boast two of the SPL’s most recent prolific forwards in Boyd and McDonald. If these two can hit it off then the Teesiders could prove unstoppable, as there’s a lot of goals in this team while the defence now appears far more reliable and sturdy than last season.

For some reason, mainly lately, Burnley have become an attractive proposition. There’s something about their squad which screams ‘SUCCESS’ back down at Championship level. Their defence still scares the living daylights out of us, especially with Clark Carlisle still involved, but Ross Wallace could prove a shrewd piece of business by Laws and if he links up well with Chris Iwelumo and Martin Paterson then Burnley could quickly become one of the leading players, the team to beat. Wade Elliot, Chris Eagles and Kevin McDonald all had their moments in the Premiership last season, as brief as they were, and they will prove once again that the Championship is where they play their best football. The more and more I talk about Burnley the more I fancy them, although I recently tipped for Middlesbrough for the title and will valiantly stick by the Teesiders, but I reckon Burnley will run them mighty close.

Play-Off Candidates – Bristol City, Leicester City, QPR, Reading and Sheffield United

We aren’t entirely sure what to expect from Reading this season, with a big question mark hanging over them at this moment in time. Their squad isn’t half bad, their actual team is up their with the best, but their disastrous form at times during the previous campaign has to be a huge put-off, as consistency in this league is so important, some would say paramount.

Sheffield United are a big club and simply have to be contesting promotion this season. With Darius Henderson and Ched Evans up front once again, Steve Cotterill returning to the midfield to add some technical flair, and an experienced, formidable defence, United should at least finish in the top-six. As should QPR and Bristol City, who both have stronger squads than most and two managers with experience of gaining promotion from the Championship.

Bristol City lose their way last season and found themselves stuck in mid-table, no nearer to promotion than they were a season ago. However, with Steveb Coppell now in charge of first-team affairs, David James repelling all invaders in between the sticks and the bright and energetic Nicky Maynard banging in the goals, the Ashton Gate faithful should be in for an exciting climax to the season. As for Neil Warnock and QPR, anything less than a top-six finish would almost definitely have consequences, as the club haven’t got anywhere near gaining promotion in recent seasons and are desperate now to see some results.

Leicester City are interesting, especially after their near-miss last season. Despite their battling heroics, the Foxes lost out in the play-off semi-final last season to Cardiff City. They’ve kept hold of Matty Fryatt, Waghorn and Gallagher, three players whose goals last season catapulted Leicester from Championship new-boys into a promotion force. With some harsh lessons learnt from the previous campaign, so long as their forwards continue to fire, Leicester should be up their competing.

Relegation – Portsmouth, Scunthorpe United and Watford

These are the only three teams we’re confident will drop down to League One next season. Portsmouth, seeing as they were relegated from the Premier League back in June, should be automatic promotion contenders but are instead facing up to the possibility of seeing many more relegations in the near future. The majority of their stars have left leaving manager Steve Cotterill with a makeshift squad, barely even possessing eleven first-team players ahead of the start of the campaign. They do have David Nugent, who could score some vital goals, as well as the experienced and dedicated Aaron Mokoena in defence, but with the exception of those two it’s a dreadful team and one which is likely to struggle. The solace being the Portsmouth faithful, which despite being dragged through disaster after disaster, will get right behind their team this season and that could inspire the players, whoever that may be.

Scunthorpe appear doomed now that Gary Hooper and Paul Hayes have left the Irons high and dry and without a chance. Nigel Adkins was too reliant on the two aforementioned players scoring so many goals last season that without them it’s impossible to see them not struggling this season. We have no idea where their goals will come from and that’s a massive concern, so unfortunately they are our favourites to go down. Followed not too far behind is Watford, although the Hornets have starred relegation slap-bang in the face on more than one occasions in previous seasons and defied the drop. They seem to find an extra gear from somewhere and can raise their game in the crunch games, the matches where anything less than a win will leave them reeling and clutching straws. However, their success in recent campaigns has been down to some smart loan moves. Manager Malky Mackay has struggled to bring in some young blood over the summer and unless he unveils another Premiership hot prospect before the end of the transfer window, Watford look set to follow Scunthorpe down to League One.

Our Championship table prediction:

1.Middlesbrough
2.Burnley
3.Bristol City
4.QPR
5.Leicester City
6.Sheffield United
7.Hull City
8.Reading
9.Nottingham Forest
10.Swansea City
11.Ipswich Town
12.Cardiff City
13.Derby County
14.Crystal Palace
15.Leeds United
16.Preston North End
17.Norwich City
18.Coventry City
19.Barnsley
20.Doncaster Rovers
21.Portsmouth
22.Millwall
23.Watford
24.Scunthorpe United