<font face="Tahoma"><font size="5">Fast return for Sheff Utd with Sheff W runners-up </font>The Soccervoice Panel believe that the Championship will be closer than ever. 12 to 14 teams could be involved in the straight promotion race, with a smaller gap to the bottom than ever before. The first 10 games of the season will tell us the answer. A good start will be the vital thing for those clubs wanting to win promotion. It also shows that every season you will get a surprise winner and a team that runs away and wins with great margin. Reading and Sunderland has done just that in the last two seasons. Watford and Derby both went up without being tipped as a major contender for a promotion. Both clubs managed that via play-off's. The key to a play-off win lays in the fact that you have few injuries when entering the competition and that your team has been in good form in the weeks before battle to reach the final and win it. Leicester City with new owner Milan Mandaric and new manager Martin Allen, could hit jackpot with some very promising signings and at the same time trying to bring in more experienced players before the transfer window shuts down. Wolves is also a team to consider. Mick McCarthy has shown that he knows how to work in the Championship and build those stones, one by one, without rocking the boat too much to unsettle the balance in the squad. Charlton is another contender, but they need a good start with many new faces. The loss of Karkouri, Kishishev, Rommedahl, Bent and Young will of course make it difficult to fulfill the ambtions of a straight return. Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday stands out as the favourites for the Championship straight promotion places. Bryan Robson at Sheffield United has an impressive squad and Brian Laws showed last season that he can work wonders with a squad that believe 100 % in their manager. The spirit at Hillsborough can bring The Owls back to the top. Brian Laws is a very promising manager and it would be fantastic to see a team like Wednesday going all the way, since they haven't splashed out all the cash in the world to build a very interesting team. Here is our Championship prediction: 1. Sheff Utd, </font><font face="Tahoma">2. Sheff W, 3. Wolves, 4, Southampton, 5. WBA, 6. Charlton 7. Leicester, 8. Stoke, 9. Watford, 10. Cardiff, 11. Crystal P, 12 Coventry, 13. Colchester, 14. QPR, 15. Preston 16. Hull, 17. Ipswich, 18. Norwich, 19. Plymouth, 20. Barnsley, 21. Scnuthorpe, 22 Burnley, 23. Blackpool 24. Bristol C </font></p>
"A good start will be the vital thing for those clubs wanting to win promotion. It also shows that every season you will get a surprise winner and a team that runs away and wins with great margin. Reading and Sunderland has done just that in the last two seasons" Err...didn't Sunderland have a crap start and were bottom 3 for a while? And Cardiff had an excellent start and didn't even make the playoffs! "The key to a play-off win lays in the fact that you have few injuries when entering the competition and that your team has been in good form in the weeks before battle to reach the final and win it." So how come we won the playoffs last year?
However, it is showing us having made no progress whatsoever, whereas Hull have moved up significantly. The media, as always, where BFC are concerned, are disinterested and prefer the negative slant as opposed to a 'bright, highly qualified young manager who has totally overhauled both the professionalism and players of the club and who is ambitious and surrounded by staff who are hardworking and equally as ambitious'. What am I saying?, no journalist would be bothered to research BFC and find out THAT sort of info!, instead, naw, let's look for negatives - grimy, pit stop, cobbled streets and et etc etc etc
I think you're right Dave. Bad start, fans on Laws' back, perversely due to the relative success he had last season! I think expectations are Top 8 now at Wednesday and if they are languishing in the bottom half after a dozen or so games then Laws will feel the heat.
agree suppose depends how much they get out of jeffers to an extent though they have lost McClean and he bagged a few last term.
Has a reputation for falling out with players aka McLean. Wendies v upset at him being sold on without a replacement. Hubby hasn't much confidence for new season.
Exactly !!! Mc Clean gone, Brunt disgruntled... eggs in one basket with Jeffers (who I think will be either outstanding or absolute garbage, no in betweens) two really good runs last season. Fans will expect top 6, I don't see it though.
was talking to a wendy fan he said doesnt expect promotion but wont be happy unless they get a top-half finish.
They should go into politics or weather forecasting <div>A combination of spin, tripe, stating the obvious, hoping it all goes well, and getting it wrong.</div><div>"The Soccervoice Panel believe that the Championship will be closer than ever. 12 to 14 teams could be involved in the straight promotion race, with a smaller gap to the bottom than ever before. The first 10 games of the season will tell us the answer. A good start will be the vital thing for those clubs wanting to win promotion. It also shows that every season you will get a surprise winner and a team that runs away and wins with great margin. " </div>
