[reddwarf]

The Championship is always a fascinating league.

The quality of football is good, there are always a few teams battling it out at the top, every team is capable of beating any other team and there is usually a surprise team in the mix at both ends of the table at the end of the season.

What do you think of the playoffs? Should there just be automatic promotions?
Who do you think will win the Championship this year?
Who is most likely to get relegated?
Do you follow the results of any Championship teams? Are there any Championship teams you would like to see in the Premiership?

Discuss all things to do with the Championship here.

 

[abojodeh]

The quality of football is good, there are always a few teams battling it out at the top, every team is capable of beating any other team and there is usually a surprise team in the mix at both ends of the table at the end of the season.

the Premier League is the same now
Hull beat Arsenal
Westham Beat Newcastle
Liverpool Beat Manchester United
Stoke Draw Liverpool
Wigan Beat Cittehincash

 

[trikam patel]

i think it will be much easier to beat the other teams apart from the top four. i think this will win us the league

 

[reddwarf]

My brother is a Preston fan so I always hope they do well. Unfortunately, they were beaten 3-1 at the weekend by fierce local rivals Burnley. Former United player, Chris Eagles scored the 3rd for Burnley.

 

[abojodeh]

Moses scored twice last match

what a talent

 

[scottsati]

wolves should deffo come up this year ( dont think theyll blow it this time like they so often do) and with all the strikers and good players birmingham have at that level they should be embarassed if they dont come straight back up.of the others hope reading come back.

relegation wise could be anyone, but wouldnt be surprised if southampton dont blow it big time and go down

 

[scottsati]

Moses scored twice last match

what a talent

the " Moses"? is there no end to that guys talents

 

[sweet fa]

with the big 4 monopoly the incredibly inflated wages and TICKET PRICES and the out and out disrespect of a lot of premier stars ,i now totally believe that more and more genuine footy fans are looking at the lower league teams i have loved utd for about 33 years but now i also follow cardiff {they are my local side 20 miles away} and i always looked for their results but now i go to watch them .
i can see the football is more competitive but less quality of course the seats are about £22 -£30 but the season ticket for the terrace was £199 about £8.80 a game .
the teams from the championship are doing ever so well against their premier rivals when they meet so the gap is getting closer all the time ,the stadiums are mostly newly built these days {cardiffs is ready for next season} and hold a great atmosphere for the fans. you get a wonderful day out at these clubs for half the cost of premier clubs and for the majority of premier club fans these clubs are much closer to home than their chosen premier side {probably half the crowd at every premier club are not from the immediate area}.with the prices going thru the roof i think its time to downgrade our footy and follow the lower leagues instead there are hundreds of thousands that simply cannot afford to watch premier football these days so we need to downgrade simply to see the odd live game.

 

[RedForceRising]

There is definite quality in the championship and though I don't see many games, I usually enjoy them.

Players like Ashley Young, Louis Saha and Joleon Lescott played their trade there and it's also a good place to blood the younger more gifted players like Arron Ramsey.

As a neutral, I love the playoffs. I don't necessarily agree with them, because I'm not sure why the 6th placed team has an equal chance of reaching the premier league as a team that finished 3d, but it definitely adds excitement and a chance to win silverware, as well as visit Wembley.

 

[jerrakos]

I quite enjoy watching the championship, the quality is good
and its better than watching the Australian League.

I think they should get rid of the play-offs. Just my
opinion though .

 

[Jazz 16]

Reading are the team Ill be rooting for this season.
Mainly cos of all the Irish lads they have and their manager Steve Coppell was a great player for United.Between Kev Doyle and teh Hunt brothers they have 19 goals this season.
What a return from the Irish. Hope they go up.

 

[RedForceRising]

^ Actually Coppell confessed that he does not enjoy the whole process of managing a football club and that he's in the game for the money. I find it rather puzzling that someone would subject himself to the stress that comes along with maangement, but that ouwld explain his apathy during match day interviews.

Still, why do a job when you don't like it?

It was his refusal to buy player in January that caused Reading to go down.

At the time, his puzzling decision was questioned and he said well see in May if I was wrong or not.

Well guess what Steve?!

Stubborn AND Apathetic and I don't dig it....

 

[abojodeh]

what the heck is Victor Moses is he made of ? gold ?

this player is absolutely immense he got the pace the finishing
i bet he will be with Arsenal next season

 

[reddwarf]

BIG NEWS!!!

The FA are investigating the Norwich City v Derby County match on 4th October 2008. The game finished 2-1 to Derby but there have been match-fixing allegations after irregular betting patterns on the game in Asia were reported.

Although, perhaps the authorities are just suspicious of anyone who bets on Derby to win.

 

[Guest]

Triesman launches FA inquiry
Match-fixing allegations will be taken seriously


Football Association chairman Lord Triesman has revealed that recent match-fixing allegations will be investigated.

A Championship encounter between Norwich and Derby at Carrow Road on 4th October has come under scrutiny following extraordinary betting patterns in the Asian market.

The Rams won the game 2-1, but have seen their victory called into question.

MPs Norman Lamb, the MP for Norfolk North, and Norwich North MP Ian Gibson raised the issue in parliament on Thursday, concerned about the image of the game.

The duo called on culture secretary Andy Burnham to look into the matter, while also inviting the FA to conduct their own investigation.

Lord Triesman has now confirmed that such action will take place, with the governing body for football in this country keen to get to the bottom of the matter.

"An inquiry has started," he told Sky Sports News.

"I have tried to assure myself that we will do it very thoroughly, because there is no point doing inquiries unless you are very thorough.

"We will do it as expeditiously as we can, but I don't want to do it fast. It is a serious allegation and it will be taken seriously."


Lord Triesman also believes that football is a sport which enjoys a fine public image and believes that situation will not be affected by the latest allegations.

"In general I think the game has shown great integrity," he added.

"I don't think we have had the scandals which perhaps, historically, the people in the United States feel they have had around big sporting events.

"I don't think we've suffered from that. But the way to prevent that is to deal with any allegation thoroughly and look at it seriously, that's the way to keep the sport clean."

.

 

[Guest]

MPs raise match-fixing issue
Derby's win at Norwich comes under scrutiny

Two MPs have lodged parliamentary questions concerning allegations of match-fixing in a Championship fixture.

The game under investigation is Derby's 2-1 win away at Norwich on 4th October.

The allegations came to light after the Sunday Telegraph handed the Football Association a document detailing extraordinary betting patterns in the Asian market.

The game itself caused controversy as Derby goalkeeper Roy Carroll was sent off five minutes into the second half, and Nathan Ellington profited from a David Marshall error to snatch an 85th-minute winner.

Now, Norwich North MP Dr Ian Gibson and MP for North Norfolk Gordon Lamb have taken the issue to parliament.

Both men are Norwich supporters and have raised the issue with culture, media and sport secretary Andy Burnham in an effort to discover what knowledge, if any, he has regarding a possible FA investigation.

Dr Gibson told Sky Sport News that it is important for the issue to be cleared up as soon as possible.

Charlatans
He said: "I have phoned up the FA and they said this was the game they are investigating. I am sure it is that game.

"Giving the minister (Burnham) an opportunity to look into it seems to be the best thing to do, so hopefully phones will have been ringing today and we will get a sensible statement tonight (from the FA).

"I am a Norwich City supporter and I don't think this does us any good to have this hanging over us, and we want a proper investigation. People want to know.

"Sport has to be absolutely clean as you will lose public sport if it is being seen to be played by charlatans.

"But now it is out there we can do a lot more. Hopefully the FA will come out with a statement or there are other things we can ask. It has to be cleared up and action has to be taken quickly."


Integrity
Lamb added in the Norwich Evening News: "I think now it's in the open, we need a statement today from the FA, from the secretary of state or from the sports minister.

"I think its incumbent on the FA and the government to demonstrate they are taking this with the utmost seriousness and are conducting a rigorous investigation.

"This is fundamental to the reputation of the club and the integrity of the game. When you watch a match you have to be able to trust what is going on in front of you. This needed to be brought into the open, and the fans needed to know what was being talked about."

A spokesman for the Gambling Commission, which has been sent the same document as the newspaper concerned, said: "We do look at all reported allegations of lack of integrity in sports betting and will consider what action will be necessary."

Both Norwich and Derby have confirmed that they are aware of the issues surrounding their fixture but claim to have received no contact from the FA.

source..sky sports news.
.

 

[abojodeh]

Steel City Derby is on

Wednesday are leading by one

 

[Keano!]

LMFAO!!!

The ref's having a shocker!


He sent off Killgallon (I think) for a highish foot....woefull decision!
Wedneday then missed a penalty in the second half after Speed conceded one...

And then!

Some Wednesday bloke was booked earlier...and then subbed...he kicked a
water bottle as he was peed off with being subbed, and it went over the dug out
and hit the fans....

The ref then comes over and produces a second yellow card to the subbed player,
then issuing a red, and went on with the game...

Meaning that United had a player sent off and down to 10 whilst Wednesday had
one sent off, yet still have 11 lmao!!!

 

[Jazz 16]

-Top of the table Wolves got thrashed 5-2 by Norwich. Lita with a hat-trick.

-Reading won 2-1. Doyle on the score sheet. 9 this season.

Brum with a late late 1-0 win over Palace. O'Connor with the 94nd min goal.

Results:
Barnsley 2-1 Sheff Wed
Birmingham 1-0 Crystal Palace
Blackpool 3-2 Derby
Charlton 0-2 Bristol City
Coventry 1-3 Burnley
Norwich 5-2 Wolverhampton
Nottm Forest 1-1 Ipswich
Plymouth 1-0 Preston
Reading 2-1 Doncaster
Sheff Utd 0-0 Southampton
Swansea 0-0 QPR
Watford 2-2 Cardiff

 

[Guest]

Results Saturday 25th October.

The Coca-Cola Football League Championship

Barnsley 0-0 Bristol City
Birmingham 3-1 Sheff Wed
Blackpool 2-2 Crystal Palace
Charlton 1-1 Burnley
Coventry 1-1 Derby
Norwich 2-1 Doncaster
Nottm Forest 0-1 Cardiff
Plymouth 1-3 Ipswich
Reading 0-0 QPR
Sheff Utd 1-0 Preston
Swansea 3-0 Southampton
Watford 2-3 Wolverhampton

.