The official 2007/08 Coca-Cola Championship thread

[moomba]

What sort of a financial hit would relegation cost?

We know relegation from the premierships costs in the tens of millions, small comfort for the sides that go down but I'd imagine it wouldn't be anywhere near the same impact going down to the third.

Probably lose a lot of players that want to be playing at the higher level, but particular in Southamptons case that might have to happen whether they are relegated or not.

 

[sog35]

We've actually got the framework of a decent Championship squad. Injuries to Muller (apparently a better keeper than Steele and reportedly off to the Arse for £2m) and Anderson De Silva (ex Everton, brilliant CDM) have hurt us big time.

If we were to go down we'd lose the framework (Muller, De Silva, Foster, Howard, Souza). What we have lacked is one player who can put it in the net and its costing us big time.

As far as impact financially, I have no idea. We're in the bottom three for crowds and I don't think they were any less when we were in League 1, two seasons ago. But after a promising start it would be gut wrenching to go down and have to start rebuilding the squad again.

 

[RoosterLad]

Both games are 0-0 at HT.

 

[RoosterLad]

Final Scores

Cardiff 0 West Brom 0

Wednesday 1 Coventry 1

Coventry scored in the 83rd minute but Wednesday equalised right at the end.

 

[sog35]

Wednesday jump both Barnsley and Southampton. Saints in the bottom three.

 

[jimmy_clement#8]

Alright, bring on Wembley.

 

[RoosterLad]

Final score in the early game.

Scampaignerhorpe 1 Wednesday 1

 

[RoosterLad]

22' Colchester U. 0 - 0 Ipswich T.
22' Norwich C. 1 - 0 Burnley
22' Plymouth Argyle 0 - 0 Charlton Athletic
22' Queens Park R. 0 - 0 Preston North End
22' Sheffield U. 2 - 0 Leicester C.
22' Southampton 0 - 0 Bristol C.
22' Watford 1 - 0 Coventry C.

 

[RoosterLad]

Sheffield Utd 3-0 up now.

 

[RoosterLad]

Half Time scores

Colchester U. 1 - 0 Ipswich T.
Norwich C. 1 - 0 Burnley
Plymouth Argyle 0 - 0 Charlton Athletic
Queens Park R. 0 - 1 Preston North End
Sheffield U. 3 - 0 Leicester C.
Southampton 1 - 0 Bristol C.
Watford 1 - 0 Coventry C.

 

[RoosterLad]

Southampton on track for an important victory over Bristol City, hopefully I don't jinx you sainter!

Roughly 5 minutes left of normal time.


Colchester U. 2 - 0 Ipswich T.
Norwich C. 1 - 0 Burnley
Plymouth Argyle 1 - 1 Charlton Athletic
Queens Park R. 0 - 2 Preston North End
Sheffield U. 3 - 0 Leicester C.
Southampton 1 - 0 Bristol C.
Watford 2 - 1 Coventry C.

 

[RoosterLad]

Soton and Charlton both score.

 

[ShearMagic9]

Bristol City 70
Stoke 69
Hull 68
Watford 68
West Brom 67



Really could be anyone coming up next season.

 

[RoosterLad]

There are still a stack of teams fighting for a playoff spot as well. With the way the Coke league has been this season it wouldn't surprise me if a team which sneaks in ends up winning the Playoff Final.

 

[RoosterLad]

Full Time scores from tonight's Coke action.


Scampaignerhorpe U. 1 - 1 Sheffield W.
Colchester U. 2 - 0 Ipswich T.
Norwich C. 2 - 0 Burnley
Plymouth Argyle 1 - 2 Charlton Athletic
Queens Park R. 2 - 2 Preston North End
Sheffield U. 3 - 0 Leicester C.
Southampton 2 - 0 Bristol C.
Watford 2 - 1 Coventry C.

 

[sainter]

We needed that.

It just shows how close this league really is. Results certainly went our way tonight with Leicester and Coventry losing and Sheffield Wednesday drawing. Barnsley have slipped into the bottom three but have a couple of games in hand. At the other end of the table, Bristol City have blown a golden opportunity to extend their lead. There are still 5 teams in the battle for the championship and one of the two automatic promotion spots whilst you could probably go down to Cardiff in 12th place for teams who are still in the running for the final playoff spot.

STANDINGS

1 Bristol City 42 70
2 Stoke 41 69

3 Hull 41 68
4 Watford 41 68
5 West Brom 40 67
6 Wolverhampton 40 61

7 Ipswich 41 60
8 Charlton 42 60
9 Plymouth 42 59
10 Crystal Palace 41 59
11 Burnley 42 58
12 Cardiff 40 56
13 Sheff Utd 41 56
14 QPR 42 54
15 Preston 42 54
16 Norwich 42 52
17 Blackpool 41 50
18 Coventry 42 49
19 Southampton 42 49
20 Leicester 42 47
21 Sheff Wed 41 47

22 Barnsley 40 46
23 Scampaignerhorpe 42 39
24 Colchester 42 36

 

[Corrosion]

God! These next two games are VITAL!

 

[Bomber Bears]

dammit plymouth

 

[sainter]

There are 5 midweek matches to come. Every one of them has a direct bearing on either the title race, the playoff positions or the relegation battle.

If the Baggies, Blades and Hornets win, I'll be very very happy.

April 7

20:00 Stoke C. ? - ? Crystal Palace

April 8

19:45 Blackpool ? - ? West Bromwich A.

19:45 Sheffield U. ? - ? Sheffield W.

April 9

19:45 Ipswich T. ? - ? Cardiff C.

19:45 Watford ? - ? Barnsley

 

[RoosterLad]

MUST win game against Ipswich, we really do need to beat the other teams fighting for a playoff spot. A loss and it's just about over.

In the game this morning.

Stoke 1 - Palace 2

Not really what I was hoping for.

 

[Embers]

Stoke got smoked in the Coke

God I feel sorry for the 3 teams that come up this year. Either way. All 3 will be Derbyesque I feel if not a tiny bit better cos now there will be 3 of them. They can take points of each other I spose

 

[sainter]

It's just an incredibly close league.

You might need as much as 53 points to stay up while the champions will go nowhere near the total points that previous winners have recorded.

Even the gap between the final relegation spot and the last playoff spot is only 14 points. It's nothing.

I'll keep updating the table after every game.


STANDINGS

1 Bristol City 42 70
2 Stoke 42 69

3 Hull 41 68
4 Watford 41 68
5 West Brom 40 67
6 Crystal Palace 42 62

7 Wolverhampton 40 61
8 Ipswich 41 60
9 Charlton 42 60
10 Plymouth 42 59
11 Burnley 42 58
12 Cardiff 40 56
13 Sheff Utd 41 56
14 QPR 42 54
15 Preston 42 54
16 Norwich 42 52
17 Blackpool 41 50
18 Coventry 42 49
19 Southampton 42 49
20 Leicester 42 47
21 Sheff Wed 41 47

22 Barnsley 40 46
23 Scampaignerhorpe 42 39
24 Colchester 42 36

 

[apollo_creed]

Stoke got smoked in the Coke

God I feel sorry for the 3 teams that come up this year. Either way. All 3 will be Derbyesque I feel if not a tiny bit better cos now there will be 3 of them. They can take points of each other I spose

It's called the Wayne Carey league now.

Coke is overused and stale.

As for Stoke, I had money on the lads. How terrible have they been lately? Have they only won one in their last seven or something? What a joke they are.

Stoke would be best served as a gold logie nomination. Becuase that's about their level.

 

[Palace03]

What a win! very nice to wake up and watch that. Sinclair could prove to be a very important signing for us in the run home, that was a great bit of skill to set up Soares for the first and Fonte's strike was 1st class also. Had to get a win with Wolves having 2 games up their sleve.

Someone is going to be very unlucky to go down this season.

 

[pomcrow]

We needed that.

It just shows how close this league really is. Results certainly went our way tonight with Leicester and Coventry losing and Sheffield Wednesday drawing. Barnsley have slipped into the bottom three but have a couple of games in hand. At the other end of the table, Bristol City have blown a golden opportunity to extend their lead. There are still 5 teams in the battle for the championship and one of the two automatic promotion spots whilst you could probably go down to Cardiff in 12th place for teams who are still in the running for the final playoff spot.

Didn't go but by all accounts Saints were very very good on Sat - without Basso it could of been 3 or 4. Fair play to Saints, seemed they just wanted it more.

I've never been optimistic but it seems we will have to win 3 frmo the last 4 to go up - and the way we are playing this seems unlikely! The only positive is the no-one else seems to want to go up either!

Thank you Palace and come on Barnsley and Blackpool!!!