Football League 15/16

[sussexpob]

You would expect Wigan to do that. Most teams that suffered the double relegation (Norwich, Leicester, Southampton) didnt struggle that much in Div 1, in fact only Leeds (who spent a couple of seasons) and Portsmouth (who were utterly financially destroyed) stayed a while

[Alviro Patterson]

Parachute payments and League One being wide open will have helped Wigan's cause, but they had to do some serious restructuring from players to even board members since their Premier League relegation. Being able to change from reverse to 1st gear in one season is no mean feat.

League One is not a division where you can think promotion is a formality, Coventry and Sheffield United have been in this Division for a while. Of the possible relegated Championship teams, Bolton and Charlton would do well just to be in the top 6 next season as they are going through periods of instability.

[st_brendy]

Coventry spent over ten successive seasons in the Championship before getting relegated to L1. Bar their one season in the PL, Sheffield Utd spent something like fifteen or so successive seasons in the Championship. Very different to Wigan and the other sides Sussex has mentioned, who went from multiple years in the PL one minute to being in L1 the next.

With no points deduction to deal with, anything but immediate promotion from L1 would be a huge failure for Wigan. Of course they had issues, that's why they're in L1. But that's the same for all the sides who have followed that some downward path. In fact, unlike some sides, Wigan are still in a position of being able to benefit from healthy parachute payments.

Wolves are another who have straight back up after that double hit of heartache.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Well done the lino in the QPR Middlesbrough game tonight.

[sussexpob]

Come on brighton

[Aidan11]

Another win for us.

[KipperJohn]

After being in the top 2 for much of the season Gills now hanging on grimly for a play off spot.

[Alviro Patterson]

Bradford taking full advantage of Barnsley not playing in the league due to Johnstones Paint Trophy Final action with a well deserved 1-0 win against a resurgent Scunthorpe United under Graham Alexander.

2nd place looks out of reach but a 3rd or 4th place finish is achievable for a home 2nd leg. Still enough matches remaining to fall out of the top 6 (especially with an inferior goal difference) but i'm very hopeful of Bradford's chances as I feel the team are getting stronger and have plenty of depth across all areas of the pitch.

[sussexpob]

Great result for the Seagulls tonight!!

[budgetmeansbudget]

Great result for the Seagulls tonight!!

Yep, good comeback after the goalkeeping error. Good other results generally for you barring Boro.

[sussexpob]

Four winnable games before Derby at home and Boro away.... Id like to be in a position where a draw would have us above Boro, but they have pulled their finger out recently. Burnley starting to shake at the top.

Going to be a close run in. Annoyingly without that conceded late goal to Burnley, I believe we would be level with them now!!!

[budgetmeansbudget]

Burnley did have a good goal waved away before they got the late equalizer.

[Aidan11]

Good win for us today.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Good win for us today.

A hammering by all accounts. Back in the sort of form you were showing at the start of the season.

[Aidan11]

Good win for us today.

A hammering by all accounts. Back in the sort of form you were showing at the start of the season.

It all changed when we got rid of Ronnie Moore. Turns out everything was wrong at the ground. Hignett came in and we're like a different team.

Shame he wasn't in place at the start of the season.