So, your thoughts on the Championship?

[memory man]

The final day perhaps proved just how hard it is to stay in this league. At 1230 each of Blackburn, Sheffield W, Argyle and Birmingham dangled over the relegation trap door. There were so many permutations embracing all kinds of results. But the one scenario that no one could have imagined was that all four would win. It is gloriously unpredictable. Indeed, I think 7 of the bottom 8 won. It is quite remarkable.

 

[Greenarmy1234]

Absolutely mental. Relegated PL teams aside anyone can beat anyone.
Frigging delighted we're still in it for next season.

Not relegated PL teams aside, we beat Leicester, so anyone can beat anyone

 

[Plastic Janner]

I've really loved the football I've seen this year. Loved the quality of the players on show. My opinion is that despite the lack of resources we have, if we had taken the chances we had and not made some sloppy mistakes, we would have been a mid-table team.
Our aim now is to find that head coach who can wring every bit of passion out of a bargain basement squad and to use any transfer windfall to wisely reinforce a set of players to challenge higher up the league.
And finally, let's reflect on the sums of money spent by Brum and Huddersfield and accept that cash is not always king.

 

[Mat]

Just realised Cardiff (12th) lost more games than us, crazy league for results, and shows if we can turn a few draws in to wins we can be comfortable mid table. That’s the key to progression, not necessarily being harder to beat.

 

[999mattyg]

This season has proved that team spirit, togetherness, grit and determination can only get you so far. To truly compete, at Championship level, you need experience, quality and strength in depth.
Our recruitment, over the summer, needs to be spot on. Investment must happen or we will be in a similar predicament next season.
But what a rollercoaster of emotions it has been! 💚

 

[Steve Evans]

i thought if schuey had stayed we would have finished mid-table or just below,however,when he let us down and stole the staff it led to a battle to stay up.it turned out to be a massive effort but we deservedly stayed up.generally,loved this division,every team wants to play proper football,sell out crowds creating brilliant atmosphere.

 

[Dunc67]

It's an incredibly hard league, that said I can see how it throws up the odd suprise promotion, every game is winnable and every game is losable, almost every team has a game changing player capable of something amazing, if you get lucky and have a team prepared to run through walls for a manager almost anything is possible.

 

[kauto star]

Wow what a season, what a league!
Thoroughly enjoyed the season of many ups and downs.
Best professional league in the UK by far.
So unbalanced and stacked financially against the smaller teams.
Many clubs are spending their way to potential financial ruin and getting nowhere.
New ground visits and packed away ends home and away.
Somehow we came through it.
What a season.

 

[Alan Turing]

It was harder than I anticipated but up until the new year I was confident that we would be ok. We had put in some decent performances and scored a fair few goals. There were at least three teams (probably six teams) worse than us.

Then Schuey and Finn left.

Then we had Fostergate - a disastrous appointment.

I thought we had got rid too late but as it turned out, it was just in time.

And breathe...!

 

[StrictlyGreen]

At the start of the season we were the surprise package of this league. Championship managers had never heard of Morgs, Hardie, Azaz which is why our home form put us 5th in the data table. Also Scumacher was an unknown quantity.

By Christmas we were doing so well (based on our budget) that in hindsight it was inevitable we'd be raided by 'vulture' clubs all chasing the dream of Premiership, taking our manager, back room staff and valuable loanees.

Surviving this upheaval, and the appointment of Foster is nothing short of remarkable. This league is relentless, any clubs seen as "weak links" will be brutally targeted in the fight for points.

I love the fact we are the underdogs, and my wish for the season was that we'd take points off a relegated Premiership team, we did.

My wish for next season is that we take points from 2 relegated Premiership teams

 

[daront]

The whole football league is crazy. I think every legue is hard.

A stat i just read. Ipswich played Forest Green last season, now there is FOUR leagues between them. Ipswich in the Premiership and Forest Green now in the conference 😱

 

[j92r]

I absolutely loved it, was going to be the most depressing aspect of going down to be away from this crazy, beautiful league yet again

Just hoping next year we get into the muddled mess of mid table a tad more (like when under Schuey)

 

[Deacster]

Roseniors sacking does highlight what a mad league it is, driven by greed and money, too many clubs, chairmen and fans wanting instant success.
Look at Brum and Sunderland, both rolled the dice when they were doing OK and hoped for better but hot worse.
PNE finishing I'm comfortable mid-table and flirted with the play offs and much of their fan base want better, what more can they expect given the size of their club??
Anyway, when we hopefully establish ourselves in this league, we have to remember this and whilst no-one should accept mediocrity we also always need to remain realistic which many clubs are not.

 

[MGM]

I think it’s very much a competitive league. However, l am not convinced about the standard.

l know we got beaten up a few times regarding score lines but considering the gulf in money these teams had over us l wasn’t blown away by the football they played. Especially considering some of the players these teams had at their disposal.

Most teams seem well organised. WBA a perfect example of this. They are now in the playoffs. They beat us convincing 0-3 at home park. Yet l didn’t think there was anything Argyle should fear. I mean l look at QPR who drew 1-1 with us at HP & thought they were equally as good at them but didn’t take their chances.

It’s amazing when you really break it down Argyle went into this season with one experienced forward. Ben Waine with his handful of league one games was our only back up. For me to survive with such a lack of forward options is surely our first point of address for next season.


l just look at these teams & they had more power & pace in effective areas. Let’s take Leicester at HP. Their main outlets were Fatawa & Mavididi on the left & right. I look at Argyle & as much as I have enjoyed watching Whittaker l don’t think he is the wing outlet needed in order to break teams down.

We had Whittaker, Bundu, C Wright & Azaz as options in the 10 roles. You had Edwards, Sorolina, Mumba, Sousa, KKH at wing back. Some of these players like KKH & Mumba are quick. Yet they aren’t Fatawa quick in terms of acceleration over the first 5 yards. Pace & Power. Two ingredients l think our squad needs to go to the next level.

 

[Green Flash]

Not relegated PL teams aside, we beat Leicester, so anyone can beat anyone

Sort of, but that was more akin to a cup upset, we are not really competitive with the likes of Leicester and Leeds, anymore than we could say we were competitive with Chelsea despite drawing with them over 90 minutes away from home. We will lose unless we play above themselves they play below themselves and we get the rub of the green.