Next season's potential Championship basket cases

Following on from another post, it's noticeable that the last two seasons the points total needed to survive has been much closer to 40 that 50. I'm wondering whether it's just been a couple of anomalies, or it's a longer term thing of a quality split in the division, caused by various factors, mostly financial?

Personally, I think the current side would get to around 50 points even without strengthening. But just in case they don't, who are next season's knuckle draggers likely to be?

Playoff winners

Doncaster haven't even been particularly consistent in a League 1 which was often pretty bereft of quality outside the top 5, and Coventry and Burton on their day. Pompey and Sunderland have looked pretty poor in the run-in but will no doubt spend heavily. Charlton seem to have found a very astute manager in Lee Bowyer. But their off the field problems would surely be a big issue

Recent ex-Prem side to go down

Hull - collapsing attendances, strange owners and a poor squad
Reading - terminal strugglers, huge debts, owners unwilling to invest
Stoke - a lot of draws last year, ageing side with a lot of players past their best

Yo-yo clubs

Millwall - crap and odious
Blackburn and Wigan both fell away after promising starts. Blackburn still suffering from terrible owners

Potential financial meltdown?

Birmingham always seem to have some issues rumbling along
QPR are in a mess off the field, and appear to be in a downward trajectory on it
Sheffield Wednesday - I get the impression their owner has lost interest, and their squad of average quality must be on insane wages.

My early prediction for relegation would be:

Reading
Millwall
Hull

Though one of those can be replaced with Donny if they win the playoffs.

 

One thing for sure the bookies will have us as red hot favourites to go straight back down
As certain as night follows day

 

100% correct

 

Just talking of Wednesday, they have a massive summer, with up to 9 players out of contract, plus loans ending.
I have an owls mate, who likes Bruce but thinks his hands could be tied with so many of the players who will be moving on.

 

That's the sort of thing I like to hear!

 

Huddersfield, Fulham and Cardiff could all struggle . Could see one of those having a double relegation , a bit like Sunderland . Warnock's on about walking from Cardiff so they ll all pretty much be starting afresh with new managers.

 

Villa. Skint
Brum. Skint
Blackburn. Skint
QPR. Skint
Wendy. Skint
Derby. Skint.
Brizzle. Heading towards skint
Reading. Skint
Brentford. Heading towards skint
Hull. Skint

 

Swansea. Skint.

 

If Villa stay down I was thinking they may well run into bother. However, I think they'll win the playoffs, in which case it would be academic.

Bristol City always seem to spend on the never never and nothing happens to them. Steve Lansdown is absolutely minted, but I don't know how far they're aiming to be sustainable without being bankrolled by him.

 

Wednesday will be ok. They will ditch their high earners that are out of contract and follow our model.

 

Are they still under a transfer embargo? They have just released Hooper who was on big wages I think they could sell reach, can't see them doing much next season.
They needed to go up 3 seasons back when hull beat them.

 

Villa are proper skint. There wage bill is about 96m in the last accounts. Parachute payments don’t touch sides.

 

Depends what the Tuna Czar has in mind. I wonder if he might try and bail out?

 

I doubt Bruce would have joined unless he'd been assured there would be a war chest to spend, he doesn't like to do things on the cheap!

 

A sad state of affairs! So many skint- chasing the dream but need to consider they don’t become Bolton or Blackpool

 

Anybody else open this thread expecting a list of regular bbs posters

 

He he!

 

So technically speaking taking debts into consideration, stability and premiership money Barnsley are one of the best run clubs in the championship.
Now squads are a different kettle of fish but I'd take a mid table finish now, although we do need a couple of experience lads on board.
Very optimistic for new campaign.

 

Wage bill for next season will still be north of £20m. Even with the out of contract players leaving.

Tuna boy is owed £20m

I’d love to see the 2018 accounts but they’ve not filed them...

Derby only avoided being mega skint due the owner remortgaging/ recharging ground for about 40m in the last accounts.


Sky don’t help. Blackburn budgeted for the villa? home game to make xyz in terms of takings on tickets catering sales etc.

Made it a half five kick off. Blackburn even with the tv payment lost 150k

 

I don't think we ve much to fear next season . We ve saleable assets within the squad , very little dead wood to speak of and the ability to stengthen . Most championship teams are stuck with what they've got .