Championship 2017 Promotion Watch

Inspired by the relegation watch thread. I think it is interesting to consider who we will get to play next season should we stay the course and keep our PL status, so I wanted to take a punt at guessing the three promoted teams for next season and see what others think.

For me, the automatic promotion spots seem nailed on for Brighton and Newcastle, the fight just seems to be who will take first.

That leaves the playoff spot. Currently occupying the playoff spots at the time of writing are Reading, Leeds, Huddersfield, and Sheffield Wednesday. One point off the last spot is Derby County, and Fulham, Aston Villa, Barnsley, Birmingham City, and maybe Norwich are still in with a shout. Out of those teams, Reading and Huddersfield seem to be the most able to stay consistently in those top few spots, but Huddersfield have declined after a bright start to the season. I can't really watch a lot of Championship games from here, so this is basically a guess, but I'll pick Reading to take the playoff spot.

 

It always helps when a tinpot club gets promoted. Looks like Newcastle will claim that accolade this year.

 

The shock & outrage of Narrch fans at not being right a the top of the league this season is a source of great amusement to me

 

Norwich are massively under achieving given their squad. Huddersfield and Barnsley are doing Yorkshire proud, way over-achieving this season. **** Leeds, and let's all laugh at QPR.

 

Even more enjoyable given Gollum's return and rant at the BHA fans!

 

There are some good sides there, and for Norwich and Villa, it demonstrates how punishing it can be if a team gets relegated. I'm surprised at how well Leeds have done though admittedly I'm basing that purely on all the chaos off the pitch rather than any knowledge about the squad they have built.

 

Maybe we should change this to the League One promotion thread? I'm thinking trips back to Bramall Lane or the Reebok (Macron) are probably more likely at this stage.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38511004

No....surely not. :bass:

 

Looks like they'll manage it at this point. Can't wait for the media coverage of their "Wait, this is a derby?" Derby with Crystal Palace.

 

Narrch lost again. Oh dear.

 

Getting bashed at Huddersfield who look sprightly.

Each time I watch BHA Dunk is sent off.

I'd like Huddersfield to come up,I like their ground.

 

My mate Bert's a Leeds supporter ... unfortunately of late he just won't shut up

 

Last time I went to see Watford at Newcastle we lost and straight afterwards outside the away end their fans were utter w*nkers about it, (behind the safety of a load of police). That's always grated on me so it was with great delight that I watched the own goal to deny them a win last night over QPR in the last minute.

Disclaimer: All the Geordies we met later that night were great, so my bile is directed to the gobby youth.

 

Would love to see Wednesday get back into the Prem.

 

Jonathan Stead doing Hudds v Leeds. His head is tiny compared with the rest of his body.

 

I like him, he's fun to watch. Good manager too by the look of it

 

I am fairly confident that the top two won't change, which would be great as Brighton is a fantastic away day, and has possibly the best stadium I've been to, with padded seats and Cloud WiFi to boot.

As for the third 'promotee', I would quite like to see Huddersfield come up. I think they're a decent club as it is, and being a bit of an anti-establishment type of guy, I feel they'd also provide a breath of fresh air to the Premier League. It's nice to have some different teams. I also think they'd be able to pull together a competitive squad, not so much with the existing side, but I think a manager like David Wagner would be able to pull in a few players, perhaps even some from Dortmund.

As for the other competitors, Reading would be fine with me, mostly due to ease of access. I don't care at all for Leeds as a club, but I think they'd bring a lot to the Premier League, and their games against Manchester United and Liverpool might be tasty, even though the '70s and '80s were a long time ago. I would not be sorry if Norwich didn't come up, similarly with Sheffield Wednesday; in the case of the latter, there would be a lot of amusing yet insufferable complaints on various social media outlets about how we shouldn't have sold them Forestieri.

 

Huddersfield, Leeds, and both of their managers have been charged today for failing to ensure players and club staff acted in an orderly manner during Huddersfield's win over Leeds. A Huddersfield fan was also banned for flying a Turkish flag to taunt Leeds fans. Sounds like a class game all around.

 

What a loser making such a prediction at the beginning of January.

 

....and Villa losing

 

Looking quite likely Brighton are coming up, now 10 points clear with 6 games to go. Newcastle looking a decent bet as well.

Brighton to be the new darlings of the Premier League next season?

 

Who's gonna win the play offs then ?

Would be great to see a Huddersfield there but Leeds not especially

 

Anyone but Leeds.

Sheff Wed would be good I think.

 

Fulham are finishing pretty strongly. Wouldn't put it past Slav.

 

Whoever takes sixth this year is my tip for the play offs. Fulham are always a goalscoring threat and I think Wednesday are so strong at home that will get them to the final.

Well done to Chris Hughton though, unbelievable job after last year. Brighton in the prem will be good fun.

 

As will Fulham...in fact anybody but Leeds

 

Especially as I have had a bet with a chap at the club that they won't go up.

I'd like it to be Fulham but wouldn't mind Huddersfield.

 

Tommy Hoban heads in for Blackburn to maybe rescue them and put Forest in deep deep trouble.