May

2

Left Back in the Championship

Filed Under football league

It is the final day of the Championship season on Sunday and, finally, one of the most surreal years in the division’s history will be coming to an exciting conclusion. West Brom are all but promoted after taking a point against Southampton on Monday, but the question of who will be joining them for those glamorous trips to the Riverside and Ewood Park is less clear.

Stoke vs Leicester is undoubtedly the match of the day as Tony Pulis’ side look to claim the point they need for automatic promotion - anything more than that could steal away the title from WBA – while they can also send Leicester into League One. Beneath them, Hull City will be hoping to end that stat about being the largest city in Europe never to have hosted top-flight football, while Bristol City have the serenity of knowing their playoff spot is assured.

Beneath the aforementioned though, there will be plenty of itchy-bum syndrome as no less than five clubs do battle for two playoff positions. Watford currently occupy fifth, with Crystal Palace sitting in sixth, but do not let those positions fool you, the Hornets are a side in dire need of a lift having put their supporters through hell over the last five months, while Palace are rejuvenated after the shambolic reign of Peter Taylor with Neil Warnock at the helm. Wolves, Ipswich and Sheff Utd are the chasing pack – expect fireworks as they meet Plymouth, Hull and Southampton respectively.

Things are no less clear at the bottom of the table as Southampton, Leicester, Sheffield Wednesday, Coventry and Blackpool all look to avoid the drop. Four of those five are former Premier League teams and, as Nottingham Forest will no doubt testify, once you go down, there is very little to guarantee coming straight back up. It appears as if the Saints are in the most trouble though currently sitting in the bottom three with a –17 goal difference. I hate to utter phrases such as ‘I told you so’ (lie: I love it) but click here for my opinions on the appointment of Nigel Pearson as first team manager back in February.

Will Hull end their hoodoo? Will Watford choke away a playoff spot? Is it the end for Leicester City and the reign of Ian Holloway?

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