3 up, 3 down - 3 down, 3 up?

E

equaliser

Well-known member
With Southampton and Leeds breathing down Ipswich's necks, it's looking increasingly likely one will supplant the Tractor Boys on the top 2 - with the other likely to be favourites to win the play offs. If that happens, it is also likely that when their respective season-long camping holiday in the Championship ends, Luton/Burnley/Sheff Utd will also be obliged to return from their luxury breaks.

My first question is, has this ever happened? And my second is, is this the shape of things to come? I note with interest comments on the Cameron Archer thread about top clubs 'selling-but-effectively-loaning' surplus players on ffp-friendly buyback deals which helpfully ensure the promoted club isn't saddled with a big wage earner and the player isn't forced to slum it in an inferior league, and wonder if what we're seeing is a new class of permanent yo-yo clubs, with personnel arrangements reflecting that. Probably Leeds will get Archer next year.

Depressing.
 
I am not sure it has happened before that the three promoted relegated clubs swap places again and we’ve talked about the widening void in the other thread - see Bournemouth 5 Swansea 0 but this hs been coming for years now. It’s not a new phenomenon. In 2017 we were hopelessly out of our depth particularly the second half of that season. The writing was on the wall. Brighton and Brentford are the lights that give hope but that hope fades as the rich get richer.
 
This is probably how it's going to be for the next 5~ years. Next season... Leicester might survive, but I think Leeds and Southampton will struggle again... and Burnley/Sheffield should cruise to #1 #2.

The only way to get through the void is to play the "moneyball" that we're playing now - we're just a little late to the party because half the championship has started it too.

Instead of the £15m on the Britt type signing - Spend £1-2 million on 10 players across the youth and fringes of the first team. Some don't work out (maybe Gilbert hasn't), but some do (Rogers).
 
Taking out the top 3 and bottom 3 of the Championship as it stands now and adding the bottom 3 from the PL and top 3 from L1...

Birmingham
Blackburn
Bolton
Bristol City
Burnley
Cardiff
Coventry
Huddersfield
Hull
Leeds United
Luton Town
Middlesbrough
Millwall
Norwich
Peterborough
Plymouth
Portsmouth
Preston North End
Sheffield United
Stoke
Sunderland
Swansea
Watford
West Brom

Looks difficult BUT not as difficult as previous years. I reckon 5/6 will be thinking they have what it takes to finish in the top 2 and at least another 15 more would feel they will get in the play offs. It looks like a proper Championship table, no stand out big club like when Newcastle or Villa were down here. FYI next season we'll finish on 82 points and finish 3rd.
 
Cardiffdaffs said:
I am not sure it has happened before that the three promoted relegated clubs swap places again and we’ve talked about the widening void in the other thread - see Bournemouth 5 Swansea 0 but this hs been coming for years now. It’s not a new phenomenon. In 2017 we were hopelessly out of our depth particularly the second half of that season. The writing was on the wall. Brighton and Brentford are the lights that give hope but that hope fades as the rich get richer.
Click to expand...

1996/97 1997/98

Bolton, Barnsley and Crystal Palace
 
Davey_C said:
1996/97 1997/98

Bolton, Barnsley and Crystal Palace
Click to expand...
That’s an instance of the three promoted sides coming back down again. They weren’t replaced by the three relegated sides going straight back up again. Almost. We did, Forest did, Sunderland didn’t*. I don’t think six out of six swapping back again has ever happened before. If it does it will be a first.

One season doesn’t make a trend though. Last season no promoted side came down and only one relegated side went up.

Edit:
* - they did finish third and lose in the play off final though, so it couldn’t have been closer to a full swap.
 
equaliser said:
With Southampton and Leeds breathing down Ipswich's necks, it's looking increasingly likely one will supplant the Tractor Boys on the top 2 - with the other likely to be favourites to win the play offs. If that happens, it is also likely that when their respective season-long camping holiday in the Championship ends, Luton/Burnley/Sheff Utd will also be obliged to return from their luxury breaks.

My first question is, has this ever happened? And my second is, is this the shape of things to come? I note with interest comments on the Cameron Archer thread about top clubs 'selling-but-effectively-loaning' surplus players on ffp-friendly buyback deals which helpfully ensure the promoted club isn't saddled with a big wage earner and the player isn't forced to slum it in an inferior league, and wonder if what we're seeing is a new class of permanent yo-yo clubs, with personnel arrangements reflecting that. Probably Leeds will get Archer next year.

Depressing.
Click to expand...
It certainly looks like it.

We got used to talking about West Brom and Norwich being “yo-yo” clubs, now it seems like the whole of the Championship is one big yo-yo league. Every season, the shake-out at the bottom see's former competitive clubs like Portsmouth, Bolton, and Bradford almost drop out of sight. Clubs once capable of holding their own, even in the Premiership, bereft of funds, scratching around in the football grit for a rough diamond, who can get them back up, or sell on to pay the floodlights bill.

All this “buy-back” stuff shows even Premier Clubs cant survive solely on the TV and Advertising revenues. But, it also ties the Championship clubs into this straight-jacket where they never have a team together for more than a season and rely on the charity of clubs like Villa and Chelsea. If the likes of Newcastle United can't survive the FFP rules and are having to off-load players in order to buy, the game is imploding big style. Even the Saudi “Citizens” at the Etihad are charged with over 100 offences, including trading and FFP. With all their “success” — if they can't survive without screwing the system, what chance the rest of us?

We've all been hood-winked by the flashing lights and bright neon signs. I want us to get promoted, but not into the Premiership. It stinks.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top