[Archived] The Championship 2015-2016

[LewisF]

To be fair in his (Monk's) first season as manager he was great.

I reckon he's got the potential to be a quality manager, but not at Ewood

[47er]

Well,I may be in the minority here but I take no delight in seeing Bolton relegated.

An old North West club very similar to ours in so many ways...I just pray and hope we dont go the same way.

I agree but can't let this pass without saying for the record "I hate Bolton with a passion"! Something to do with being beaten up once when I was a kid maybe....

[Robin]

Gutted for Alan Judge - a cracking player now missing out on what would likely have been the pinnacle of his career this summer

Poor lad. I was looking forward to see him play against Sweden this summer but now I guess he will do the same as I, watch it on telly.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3532056/Brentford-winger-Alan-Judge-miss-Euro-2016-suffering-horrific-broken-leg.html

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

I really feel for the lad. Broke my right leg twice as a player. Not many people improve after injuries like that. I didn't for sure.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Some huge Clubs on their way down to our league with huge resources....our chances become slimmer every season.

[Al]

.

I'd rather have Brown than Best.

Try facing the pitch next time you see him "play".

[chaddyrovers]

Some huge Clubs on their way down to our league with huge resources....our chances become slimmer every season.

I feel that Villa will be 2 or 3 years rebuilding job unless they can have one hell of a massive turnover in players and they gel as a team quickly

Newcastle will depend on who the manager is and will they finance a overhaul of the squad

Sunderland will be strong if they keep Sam Allardyce as manager there

But I feel that if we back Lambert(or whoever the manager is) with some serious funds between 6 to 8 million pounds we can get top 6. you don't have spend millions to get promote but have a good squad mentality and play as a team like Burnley showed 2 seasons ago but a plan and finding the right manager and signing players with quality.

Rovers need 8 quality signings to challenge for top 6 place next season. will we? god knows tbh

[Athlete]

My personal opinion is we'll be lower echelons of the championship plodding along no matter who is manager due to the way the club is ran until

A Venky's exit

B external debt is called in

C HMRC come calling

All of the above quite plausible

Or

D Venky's run the club proper with a correct structure from the UK with authority no waiting for sign offs etc and funds available in a correct manner of course

or E we are sold to a Russian oligarch

[perthblue02]

Some huge Clubs on their way down to our league with huge resources....our chances become slimmer every season.

Think Leeds will be sulking they are going to have to share their sky sports channel next season

[JHRover]

Some huge Clubs on their way down to our league with huge resources....our chances become slimmer every season.

Depends which way you look at it. Being a 'big' club hasnt really helped Leeds, Wednesday or Forest over the last decade+.

I actually think its preferable for clubs like Newcastle and Villa to come down than it is for Watford and Norwich. Neither Villa or Newcastle are set up for the Championship at any level. Watford or Norwich could come down and seamlessly adapt back to the Championship. Their finances are in order and they have recent experience of success at Championship level. Villa need a complete rebuild from top to bottom which is likely to take time and their crowds will drop massively, especially if they struggle next season.

Likewise Newcastle are likely to see the back of Benitez if they go down, have a squad with little or no experience of promotion pushes, a deluded set of supporters and an owner who has made some baffling decisions in his time.

I don't think either Newcastle or Villa are equipped at all for what awaits them next season. Of course they'll have financial strength but it takes a lot more than that.

[Husky]

With so many "big clubs" in the Championship next season (potentially). .. who needs the Prem?

Leeds .Birmingham Villa Forest Sunderland Humbugs. Wow!

[Stuart]

With so many "big clubs" in the Championship next season (potentially). .. who needs the Prem?

Leeds .Birmingham Villa Forest Sunderland Humbugs. Wow!

Big names but without the big bucks.

I wonder... if enough big clubs end up there, how long before the Championship make a Premier League style breakaway from the Football League? Especially if the UEFA wigs get their way and have an 18 team top flight. Maybe the late Phil Gartside's hobbyhorse of a PL2 might happen one day.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Some huge Clubs on their way down to our league with huge resources....our chances become slimmer every season.

This season was the season to give it a go. No outstanding teams and no real massive clubs to contend with. Next season will twice as difficult for us to even make the play offs.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Rovers and gaining promotion next season will feel like looking at the top of Mount Everest....from the bottom of the Marianas Trench!

[Stuart]

Rovers and gaining promotion next season will feel like looking at the top of Mount Everest....from the bottom of the Marianas Trench!

Relax. As soon as United are mathematically out of the Champions League, Mourinho will be heading to Mill Hill station.

[Mike E]

Gutted for Judge. 'Full recovery not in question':

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36010237?ns_mchannel=social&ns_campaign=bbc_match_of_the_day&ns_source=facebook&ns_linkname=sport

[K-Hod]

Gutted for Judge. 'Full recovery not in question':

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36010237?ns_mchannel=social&ns_campaign=bbc_match_of_the_day&ns_source=facebook&ns_linkname=sport

McCarthy trying to defend that tackle was cringeworthy imo, it was a horrible one.

[Commondore]

This season was the season to give it a go. No outstanding teams and no real massive clubs to contend with. Next season will twice as difficult for us to even make the play offs.

The Championship in an unpredictable league, and I don't think that will change with teams like Villa, Newcastle and Sunderland coming down next season. Just look at this years table; Burnley, 'Boro, Derby and Hull are doing what can be expected of them (some might argue that they should have had even more points at this stage), but how many players would any of us have taken from Sheffield Wednesday or Brighton before this season? There's still a lot of room for surprises in this league, and as Rovers fans I think we can all attest to how cruising right back into the PL is not as easy as it might seem.

[Mattyblue]

The Championship in an unpredictable league, and I don't think that will change with teams like Villa, Newcastle and Sunderland coming down next season. Just look at this years table; Burnley, 'Boro, Derby and Hull are doing what can be expected of them (some might argue that they should have had even more points at this stage), but how many players would any of us have taken from Sheffield Wednesday or Brighton before this season? There's still a lot of room for surprises in this league, and as Rovers fans I think we can all attest to how cruising right back into the PL is not as easy as it might seem.

A fair point, however football is changing rapidly.

Though there will probably always be an odd basket case club like Villa coming down, clubs are generally becoming much cannier.

They go up, spend little, come back down with no debt and use their new vast income to buy a couple of top players for the Championship, then go back up. This will become even more of a problem for us over the next few years when the new TV deal kicks in.

[JHRover]

I'm trying to imagine a Premier League next season containing:

Bournemouth

Watford

Swansea

West Brom

Burnley

Brighton

and a Championship containing:

Newcastle

Sunderland

Aston Villa

Sheffield Wednesday

Leeds

Derby

Nottingham Forest

Blackburn Rovers

A collection of names that ooze tradition, long spells of dominance in the upper reaches of the game, trophies galore over many years.

One thing is for sure looking at that. You don't need history or fanbases on your side these days to break into the Premier League club. You need sound management, a solid transfer policy and good manager(s).

[Tom]

In fairness West Brom have a good history and have won the FA cup 5 times

[Waggy76]

This season was the season to give it a go. No outstanding teams and no real massive clubs to contend with. Next season will twice as difficult for us to even make the play offs.

The 2nd season down was the one in my view , Rhodes, King ,Dunn ,Gestede but we never tried ! Next year , I am in agreement we wont even stiff the play offs , Newcastle and Sunderland for automatic places...

I'm trying to imagine a Premier League next season containing:

Bournemouth

Watford

Swansea

West Brom

Burnley

Brighton

and a Championship containing:

Newcastle

Sunderland

Aston Villa

Sheffield Wednesday

Leeds

Derby

Nottingham Forest

Blackburn Rovers

A collection of names that ooze tradition, long spells of dominance in the upper reaches of the game, trophies galore over many years.

One thing is for sure looking at that. You don't need history or fanbases on your side these days to break into the Premier League club. You need sound management, a solid transfer policy and good manager(s).

Just imagine if the Venkys hadnt bought us ?

[Mike Graham]

I'm trying to imagine a Premier League next season containing:

Bournemouth

Watford

Swansea

West Brom

Burnley

Brighton

and a Championship containing:

Newcastle

Sunderland

Aston Villa

Sheffield Wednesday

Leeds

Derby

Nottingham Forest

Blackburn Rovers

A collection of names that ooze tradition, long spells of dominance in the upper reaches of the game, trophies galore over many years.

One thing is for sure looking at that. You don't need history or fanbases on your side these days to break into the Premier League club. You need sound management, a solid transfer policy and good manager(s).

and that famous old team Burton Albion. A new ground where we will no doubt struggle.

[LewisF]

Don't forget 'big club' birmingham

[Husky]

Don't forget 'big club' birmingham

Exactly. How many other Championship teams can say they've won silverware in the last 5 years?

I hope Norwich can save themselves. Then there will be 4 big derby games to look forward to next season Sunderland Humbugs and Big Blue Club Villa.

Leeds TV will have some decisions to make.