Championship - 2023/24

Hi All

Just wondered if any of you fancied meeting up here now, to talk about 'quite nice' stuff in the not-too-distant future?

My wife and I are going back to Palma in June, our first holiday since October 2019, and all the trauma that ensued (as in real-life shyte, not the pansies that wore the shirt in the 2022/2023 season!!!).

@SkylaRose

Please may I request doing the match previews for both Watford v Pigs and Pigs v Watford?

 

We won’t, but they very well could be.

 

Yes, my thoughts too have turned to next season in the championship. A silver lining is that I’m looking forward to ticking off another club in my quest to see WFC play at every league club.
I have yet to see us play at Plymouth, who look very likely to come up. It will be a bit of a trek from Yorkshire, but will be the first new one since Tranmere. Then 23 to go, all in leagues 1 and 2.

 

I’d put my money on Ipswich and Sheff W for the top 2 personally. Plymouth only 2 points clear of Ipswich now.

 

Can someone start the League One 2024/2025 thread while we’re at it as well?

 

You’re assuming we still have a club to support then ? Good. Positive thinking. I like that.

 

We’re you not at the Cup quarter final under Boothroyd?

 

I’m afraid not.

 

Well, thanks for that encouraging dose of reality.

 

What are your thoughts on Wycombe? I haven’t been there either.

 

Outside chance of playoffs but not sure how they will cope without Ainsworth.

 

That’s my assessment as well.

 

Not sure if this is going to be 'the' Championship thread for next season but, if so, the EFL has confirmed fixtures are out on 22 June and the first round of league fixtures is on the weekend around 5 August:

https://www.efl.com/news/key-dates/

 

Pin me, Skyla, pin me!!!

My credentials?

For tea tonight I went full-on Co-op. Cambazola cheese, sea salt crackers and a bottle of Trapiche Reserve Malbec.

I'd like the thread to be a Chortle Zone, where we chuckle together at how absolutely shyte it's all going, like we all used to do in the pub after the game pre-internet, once the initial post-match anger had dissipated.

I'd like the mods (a thankless, but essential and much appreciated role), if they're online at the time, to steam in and tell the thread spoilers to FRO!!!

I'd like the thread to draw back into the fold the (far too many) posters who post far less, or even worse, only lurk.

I'd like the whippersnappers on here to learn, in a nice way, from the Old Guard like myself what this football is actually about.

Pozzo = chapter = footnote in the fullness of WFC time.

Keep the Faith

SCG

 

Woah!!!

I post a Churchillian post, and you say 'may as well'???

 

The silver lining of getting relegated for a period in bottom two divisions is we can tick off the remaining clubs on our 92 To Do List.

 

I'm getting the impression that you might be spending too much time on the forum! Haha

 

I remember going to Plymouth in (I think) 2005, under Boothroyd. We were dreadful and 3-1 down at HT, then King and Young went crazy in the second half ended up 3-3. Took an hour to get out the car park.

 

Just remember it was me wot won it for you!

 

A truly Churchillian post would have continued by detailing how many glasses of which vintage Cognac he followed the malbec with. Lightweight!

 

Relevant now, because one of the teams playing tonight (Peterborough vs Sheffield Wednesday) could be playing in the Championship next season. Of course it might be Barnsley or Bolton instead.

Peterborough sneaked in through the back door thanks to their opponents doing them a big favour vs Derby, I don't know if it will give them a real confidence boost or they'll be just happy to be there. They go into the play-offs in very good form anyway, with 26 points in their last 13 games since Wednesday beat them 1-0 in early March. Wednesday's form isn't so good because of their March-April slump but it's pretty solid with 22 points in 13 games and they finished the season with a bit of a flourish on what should be a confidence-boosting 96 points with key players looking to be returning in timely fashion.

Which of the four would you like to go up? On compassionate grounds I'd like Wednesday to go up the most because to fail to get promoted with 96 points just seems so unfair, even if everyone knows the rules at the start of the season, but Barnsley seem a nice place with friendly fans and I've still not been there.

 

I like Barnsley but if the club wants to give Val some of his old toys, it’d be helpful if they don’t go up so we can get Mads Andersen or Callum Styles more cheaply.

 

Noted. I intend to spend quite some time in the garden tomorrow.

Noted. I intend to worship at your/you're/yore alter/altar.

Noted. In my defence, 41 years of marriage would not of/have happened had I gone down the Malbec then Cognac route/root.

 

Peterborough. They always struggle at champ level.

 

Well Wednesday are 2-0 down already, but Darren Ferguson's sides aren't renowned for their defending. Get a goal back before half time and they have a real chance with Josh Windass back in the side.

 

Trust me on this one, Skyla.

I've lived in Steel City for 45 years. Blades fans are passionate, but never smug. They, like us, count their blessings when things are going well. Wednesday fans are passionate, but always smug. They, unlike us, think they belong in the top flight.

 

Posh frenzy!

 

4 now.

Diabolical night for SW.

Need one if not two pronto.

 

Perennial Watford target (if only on here) Jonson Clarke-Harris with the 4th. Local lad Will Norris playing in goal for Posh, he went to school with my best mate at Queen's about 10 years ago

 

I think this could spell the end for Darren Moore's tenure as manager.

He did very well to get 96 points but the fact is just a win over one of the worst sides in the history of the third tier, or 3 or 4 of the numerous points they dropped in winnable games against Cheltenham, Lincoln, Burton and Oxford would have got them promoted. It looks like he tried to respond to his critics who said he is too defensive including in the play-offs by adopting a more attacking approach, and once his side is on the pitch he can't stop them from defending the way they did tonight. But ultimately with respect to the above, managers are judged on results and whether or not they've met their objective if there are certain expectations - in this case, achieving promotion.

A few people might plead for the play-off system to be changed if not scrapped altogether after tonight's result, Wednesday's league season and the difference in points between the two clubs, but it's been going on for 35 years and shows no signs of changing.