The Championship

[Sydney_Iron]

Very much a 3-horse race for the 2 automatic promotion spots between Burnley, Leeds and Sheffield United, one teams fans are going to be gutted they don't make it especially seeing how far ahead of the pack all 3 are, but at least they will have the play off opportunity and would imagine be hot favorites to go up that way.

Sunderland look nailed on for 4th, then a decent gap to 4 teams vying for 5th and 6th currently Middlesbrough and Bristol City, but these positions change weekly, WBA and Coventry held them last weekend!

Leeds and Burnley to get the Automatic promotion, would love to see Bristol City get the play off place but realistically its going to be Sunderland or Sheffield United.

Mind you whomever comes up is almost nailed on to go back down such is the gap between the 2 divisions now, will need a PL team to really turn to shit to see any change IMO, then expect the likes of Leicester, Southampton and Ipswich to be near or at the top of the Championship and coming back up to replace the 3 new boys from 2025 in 2026!

[Fauxstralian]

Seems like a classic Sunderland situation 
Ahead from the away leg & cock it up at home

[Tomshardware]

Would like to see Coventry back.

[El Scorchio]

Either Cov or Sunderland would be great. Likely either go straight back but still.

 

[goose]

i'm not fussed if its Cov or Sunderland, but please not Sheff Utd again!! So fucking boring and predictable, they bring nothing to the prem league.

[Fat, Bald n 50]

Yet every time we end up in it we struggle to make the playoffs.  Fortunately we win them most of the time but you see other relegated sides come straight back up.

[onsideman]

Yeah, although I think the Championship is probably the weakest it's been for a while I'm not questioning Manning per se, I just don't think he really trusted Earthy. As Massive Attack says, I think the's got something about him. Maybe he's one of those players who'd benefit and bloom if surrounded by better players? Maybe the Bristol City formation didn't play to his strengths? Hopefully we'll get an opportunity to find out.

[Leonard Hatred]

Sunderland is not a dump.

Sunderland is FABULOUS. 

[Mad Ferret]

Sunlun v Cov the neet. 

HA'WAY THE LADS 

 

Sunderland fans are alright, Coventry is a dump, so come on Sunderland. 

And fuck Sheffield United. 

Sunderland is also a dump.

[Leonard Hatred]

Unfortunately I can't see them beating Sheffield United in the final though. 

 

[Pub Bigot]

Sunlun v Cov the neet. 

HA'WAY THE LADS 
 

Sunderland fans are alright, Coventry is a dump, so come on Sunderland. 

And fuck Sheffield United. 

[Leonard Hatred]

Sunlun v Cov the neet. 

HA'WAY THE LADS 

[WHUDeano]

i randomly heard an interview with the Bristol City chairman a while back, he said they signed Earthy for the first team as they didn't expect to have the opportunity to sign Scott Twine (who plays in the same position).

[Django]

I dunno I think it’s quite hard to question manning after he has got them their highest finish in years and has vastly over achieved if you look at their spend.
I think there’s a slight arrogance to think he just walks into a top half championship team particularly when he is vying for the no10 role with an experienced championship player in Scott twine.  He was unfortunately injured at start which didn’t help either. 
40 appearances with many off the bench either at half time or in 60 mins is great experience for him and to play in a play off semi is brilliant. Having been to city about 10 times this year, it is my opinion and that of all my city supporting friends that he started quite slowly, making little impact off bench up until Christmas but has grown as season has gone on. 
I agree it will be good to have him back next season though but I’m not expecting him to play that much (happy to be wrong though).

[Massive Attack]

I make onsideman right. Earthy just seems to 'have it' and think he's been underappreciated at times this season at Bristol City by Liam Manning. He only gave him 11 starts out of 40 and never really seemed to believe in him and at times Earthy has had to force the issue by making the most of chances from the bench and even then he never really seemed to trust starting him more. What's a bit strange is Manning used to be 1 of our Academy coach's as well, so thought he'd be more willing to start him more.

Been following his career closely since his historic Cup wins and breakthrough and just feel there is a talent there chomping at the bit now to crack on. I went to the FA Youth Cup final at the Emirates and was so impressed with how he dominated Arsenal's team in his age group to win the Cup coming up against the likes of Nwaneri and Lewis-skelly who both are established themselves in the Aresnal squad and yet Earthy is of similar quality as them in my opinion. I'd want to see him in our Squad now going forward as not much to prove in the Championship now he's had thst experience. 

[Lee Trundle]

He won their Young Player of the Year award, so he can't be doing too badly there.

[Django]

I honestly think Earthy would have been better getting minutes off the bench here this season.  Manning was the wrong manager for him. Never really trusted him. The time to start him was in the home leg, not at 0-3 chasing lost fucking causes.

I saw enough in the concussion game and the debut goal game last year 

Sorry I don’t agree at all. He’s been managed well been used a lot more in the latter part of season. Bristol city are a great club for bringing young players through so know what they are doing with 18/19/20 year olds (we don’t). Yes he didn’t get selected for 1st play off game but their game plan was to use mehmetti to get alongside wells, who is a completely different type of player 
If you listen to him being interviewed you can see how much he’s liked it at Bristol city and how much he’s learnt and the respect he has for club. I doubt he’d have many minutes at all at us this season. 

[the coming of gary]

Unfortunately, Bristol City crash out 6-0 on aggregate, means Sheffield Untied go into the play off final

You can see why the top 2 in this league finished so far ahead of the rest, barring them quality is pretty thin on the ground, next best are Sheffield and Sunderland who although a big gap below the top 2, themselves finished a big gap ahead of the pack.

 

 

.. To be fair, Sheffield won as many games as Burnley did - 28

I thought Sheffield had a stronger set of forwards too - Rhian Brewster, Kieffer Moore, Tom Cannon, Ben Brereton Diaz

Burnley, however, equalled the all time English record of clean sheets (30) . Will they still have their England keeper in September ?
.

[Sydney_Iron]

Unfortunately, Bristol City crash out 6-0 on aggregate, means Sheffield Untied go into the play off final

You can see why the top 2 in this league finished so far ahead of the rest, barring them quality is pretty thin on the ground, next best are Sheffield and Sunderland who although a big gap below the top 2, themselves finished a big gap ahead of the pack.

[onsideman]

I honestly think Earthy would have been better getting minutes off the bench here this season.  Manning was the wrong manager for him. Never really trusted him. The time to start him was in the home leg, not at 0-3 chasing lost fucking causes.

I saw enough in the concussion game and the debut goal game last year 

[twoleftfeet]

Good to see Earthy playing, him and Potts will be good squad additions. 

[Mad Ferret]

Even in a poor Bristol City side, Earthy looks twice the player of Potts.

[Any Old Iron]

Watching the 2nd leg of the Bristol City game and for a team that desperately needs some goals they’re showing what a shit side they are. No creativity or threat going forward. Don’t know how they got in the play offs. 

[Fauxstralian]

Bit of a smash & grab by Sunderland.
25% possession & stifled Coventry & took their chances
Winner was a bit of a Kilman by the Coventry defender 
Tie isn’t over unlike the other one
Wouldnt be surprised if Coventry turn it round & meet Sheff Utd

[Adsiron]

I watched Fat Frank's loss at home to Sunderland. I watched the game just to see how Frank's doing at Coventry. Championship seems to be his level as I think he did well at Derby too although losing the final. I still have fond memories of his times at WHU...

[Sydney_Iron]

Stick to the A’League Syders

Bollocks to that Bertie! Its fucking shit, full of happy clappers and nothing like English football, even on TV it just doesnt feel the same, mind you i grew up in the UK so my formative years where UP and Readings old Elm Park when my parents moved there, then to Bristol, so seen them a good few times at Ashton Gate.

See Sunderland are most likely to make the play off final, beat Fat Franks Coventry away 2-1, never liked Sunderland for no logical reason, but hope they beat Sheffield Utd whom i dislike even more since the Tevez whinging