PROMOTIONOMETER

[Figures 1-0 Football]

The Championship is a shitter league than some people seem to think.

 

We're a massive club in that league with massive amounts of money compared to the others, we have the pick of the players and manager. It'd take an incredibly s*** person to not get promoted with us like.

 

Even if we lost our "best" 10 players (debatable who they are like), we could fill our squad with the likes of Joey Barton, David Nugent etc. and comfortably achieve promotion.

 

You cant compare us to the teams that have gone down and not come back up, because 90% of those clubs are run on a shoestring and not comparable in any way.

[Foluwashola]

The Championship is a shitter league than some people seem to think.

 

We're a massive club in that league with massive amounts of money compared to the others, we have the pick of the players and manager. It'd take an incredibly s*** person to not get promoted with us like.

 

Even if we lost our "best" 10 players (debatable who they are like), we could fill our squad with the likes of Joey Barton, David Nugent etc. and comfortably achieve promotion.

 

You cant compare us to the teams that have gone down and not come back up, because 90% of those clubs are run on a shoestring and not comparable in any way.

 

[jdckelly]

can't say right now, depends on who's in the dugout, if Rafa stays and is given the freedom to reshape the squad then I'd be confident of bouncing straight back, if he leaves then I'm worried

[triggs]

Go up either way IMO

[Deuce]

The Championship is a shitter league than some people seem to think.

 

We're a massive club in that league with massive amounts of money compared to the others, we have the pick of the players and manager. It'd take an incredibly s*** person to not get promoted with us like.

 

Even if we lost our "best" 10 players (debatable who they are like), we could fill our squad with the likes of Joey Barton, David Nugent etc. and comfortably achieve promotion.

 

You cant compare us to the teams that have gone down and not come back up, because 90% of those clubs are run on a shoestring and not comparable in any way.

 

I'm sure Ashley will share your sentiments, leading us to kick out Rafa in lieu of a cheaper replacement as well as neglect the needs of the squad in favor of signing a token few players we get from abroad on a discount, regardless of their fit in the XI.

[Deuce]

Only way I feel confident in promotion is if Rafa stays and has full control.

 

Charnley running the show with some two-bit retread as manager and we'll be stuck there far longer than anticipated.

[Kanj]

I for one will enjoy playing FIFA to get us promoted for 2017-2018

[Pilko]

Hughton's managerial experience was limited to a few short-term caretaker stints with us and Tottenham, and he absolutely walked this division. I don't think even one of Ashley's "remember the 90's?" appointments would be able to fuck up promotion tbh, the league is so poor.

[afar]

Although I do agree the "it's such a hard league to get out of" line that is propagated is complete bullshit, what concerns me is that we are going to need a lot of holes plugged and a manager capable of not doing a McClaren and getting the best out of our squad. Remember Sheff Wed reserves beat us at home this season !

 

It's going to be a lot harder than last time, especially as Villa will be there with us, along with past masters at the yo yo like Norwich, Derby, QPR etc. I think Villa will rise from the ashes be bought out by a good company and walk the league, we'll be fighting it out for the other spot but probably end up in the playoffs.

 

All depends on the manager though for me, it has not got to be the likes of McClaren, Pardew, Charver (I really could see them going back there hoping that what happened to Hughton will happen again with the kit man, they are that stupid)

[nufcjb]

These are the teams we didn't play the last time we were in the Championship:

 

Aston Villa

Norwich City / mackems

Birmingham City

Brentford

Leeds United

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Blackburn Rovers

Huddersfield Town

Fulham

Rotherham United

Wigan Athletic

Burton Albion

Brighton / Hull

Walsall/Millwall/Bradford City

 

Compare them with the ones that we did play that aren't there anymore

 

West Bromwich Albion

Crystal Palace

Blackpool

Plymouth Argyle

Scunthorpe United

Doncaster Rovers

Sheffield United

Peterborough United

Swansea City

Watford

Coventry City

Barnsley

Middlesbrough

And the champions Leicester City

 

Make out what you will out of that but I don't think we'll sleepwalk into promotion like some are saying. Especially with the current players not having the heart or personality to take on the gruelling league. We had Nolan, Barton, Jonas, Shola, and others. Our current players maybe have much better qualities but would they fancy 46 games? A game every Saturday and midweek?

[midds]

Absolutely impossible to say how we'll do next season. Going down is a complete sea-change and literally thousands of decisions will need to be made this summer depending on who comes in, who wants to leave, will there be a new CEO, will Rafa stay, will Rafa's team stay if he does, what happens to Carr, are there any youngsters who could make the grade, what happens to the players out of contract. We'll not have a clue until the window closes in September and we know who's in the dugout.

 

Personally speaking I think if Rafa's in the dugout I'd back us to bully the rest of the league and win it.

[Ketsbaia]

On the one hand, it feels like there's tougher competition this time. We only really had West Brom, Forest and (briefly) Boro but now there'll be Villa, Norwich, Derby, Hull, Sheff Wed etc.

 

But you see some of the players aceing this division - Dave Nugent, Barry Bannan, Grant Leadbitter, Jonathan Kodjia etc - and think the quality of player is quite low.

[Altamullan]

I for one will enjoy playing FIFA to get us promoted for 2017-2018

 

In the sound-proof, darkened room, a Penfold lookalike picks up a phone. " Mike, I 've found him!...no, no, Warnock fucked us off. Wanted too much wedge anyway.... Yeah, he's a tosser Mike. This guy's the answer, great track record...I know, I know I did, but it's even better than Island Head's... No he's not managed an International side, far as I know, but he has got team's promoted he loves Noocawsell. Yeah, honestly...no doesn't even live here... Amazing, yeah...Who's he got promoted, you say?... Well firstly, we can get him for next to nothing...thought you'd be happy...Which teams, you say? Well, you know how it's the electronic age Mike?... Yes... Yes... Sorry Mike, I am confusing FIFA with reality again, but you only said not to do this for scouting players, this guy's a manager Mike, call him Kanji... Yeah weird fucking name..."

[Guest Howaythetoon]

To get out you need a team, leadership and togetherness. Hughton was a leader, Nolan and Barton were leaders. We have fuck all leadership and a piss poor excuse for a team. We will not go up just because we have bigger resources, so-called better players etc. It needs someone to nit it all together. Keep Rafa and we walk the league. Don't and appoint some bozo and we drift in mid-table mediocrity.

[toon25]

Aye, agree completely.

 

We need a proper manager. Not some untested rookie or 90s dinosaur.

[Kanj]

I for one will enjoy playing FIFA to get us promoted for 2017-2018

 

In the sound-proof, darkened room, a Penfold lookalike picks up a phone. " Mike, I 've found him!...no, no, Warnock f***ed us off. Wanted too much wedge anyway.... Yeah, he's a tosser Mike. This guy's the answer, great track record...I know, I know I did, but it's even better than Island Head's... No he's not managed an International side, far as I know, but he has got team's promoted he loves Noocawsell. Yeah, honestly...no doesn't even live here... Amazing, yeah...Who's he got promoted, you say?... Well firstly, we can get him for next to nothing...thought you'd be happy...Which teams, you say? Well, you know how it's the electronic age Mike?... Yes... Yes... Sorry Mike, I am confusing FIFA with reality again, but you only said not to do this for scouting players, this guy's a manager Mike, call him Kanji... Yeah weird f***ing name..."

 

 

That's my last name man. -____-

[Karjala]

If Rafa stays I think we'll come up, if not I think we'll be down there a good few years until Ashley sells up.

 

Burnley, Boro n Brighton have been comfortably the best 3 this season, I don't think theres a lot to fear in that league.

[midds]

 

That's the standard of the best players in the entire division.

[Foluwashola]

Trevor Ayala/Dawson is some prospect tbf.

[Ashley17]

I don't doubt we'll have better individuals than that but it's all about who is in charge and what sort of a team they can blend. We were fairly turgid in the Championship pre-Christmas and got by on having better individuals, it was only once Routledge arrived we had a proper cohesive unit.

[midds]

I don't doubt we'll have better individuals than that but it's all about who is in charge and what sort of a team they can blend. We were fairly turgid in the Championship pre-Christmas and got by on having better individuals, it was only once Routledge arrived we had a proper cohesive unit.

 

Bingo, this is the crux of it. As poor as we've become our squad contains at least as much talent as is in that line-up. Getting them organised and functioning is another matter entirely.

[Deuce]

What's the Championship/old Second Division single season points record? Anyone top Reading's 106?

[Andy84]

Barton in that team man, he's s****

[Kaizero]

I'd love Barton back tbh. Feeding Mitro like he fed Carroll way back when. Hnnghhhh.

[Mick]

Our current squad and our current manager walks all over the Championship, not that we would want or be able to keep the current squad.