The Football League Thread 2024/25 Championship, League 1, League 2

Baseball72

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123006693#Comment_123006693

Not sure what our goalie was doing so far out from goal, but it was a fine strike from Windass who spotted the opportunity very quickly…..

Kiwi_knock

John Eustace looking likely to leave a promotion push with Blackburn for a relegation fight with Derby. Seems to be connected to wanting to work with more stable and ambitious owners. Still a big risk, will be difficult to keep Derby up with their current squad.

jacool

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123156445#Comment_123156445

Wow - that's a shock. Not a man for middle table anonymity clearly. I thought he was badly treated by Birmingham, but this move, if it goes ahead, would tarnish his reputation a little. The timing, post transfer window, etc. just seems off.

Loafing Oaf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123156445#Comment_123156445

Still a big risk,

You can say that again

https://twitter.com/RobSummerfield1/status/1890513860664193482?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

jacool

Disappointed with Paul Heckingbottom yesterday after the alleged racist comment from one of his players, Milutin Osmajic, yesterday. He said "I'm not too sure anyone down there knew. Milly could have been shouting in any language under the sun... shouting anything when you've heard him ranting. So it could have been anything."

Osmajic has already served an 8 match ban this season for biting a player in the back. Doesn't come across as a nice chap.

dfx-

Coventry have beaten Preston North End. The end of the world must be near, it is one of the signs of the apocalypse.

ShamoBuc

Leeds really need a new keeper - always close to a clanger in any game I've seen.

An OG and nearly at fault for a goal minutes earlier too.

jacool

Wigan sack Shaun Moloney. They're mid table, 6 points ahead of relegation, but winning enough points to be safe. Maybe they feel they should be in the promotion shake up, dunno.

beggars_bush

Would be brilliant to see Bristol City in the premier league.

Big city with great pubs!

ShamoBuc

Bristol is indeed a fine City. I remember years ago going to a City v Rovers pre season friendly at Ashton Gate - nothing friendly about it. Nice ground too.

jacool

Its crazy to see that two clubs, both EPL clubs in the 2000s are facing different crises this week.

Sheffield Wednesday players didn't get paid for March, apparently due to "cashflow problems" linked to their owner, who has definitely put the "chancer" into Chansiri. Last year they had issues with the HMRC and something fishy is going on for the man whose family are the world's largest producer of canned tuna!

Reading's owner has to sell his interest in the club after being disqualified under the EFL's Owners' and Directors' Test. If he doesn't divest from the club by Saturday, the EFL can suspend the club, and prevent them fulfilling their fixtures.

Kiwi_knock

Birmingham only need 2 points for promotion and 5 points to win the League 1 title with 7 games to go. A 100 point season looking likely, and an EFL Trophy final next week. With the players available and the money spent, promotion is to be expected. However, big teams have spent years in League 1 trying to get promotion so nice to get out of it comfortably at the first go.

Wrexham looking likely to get promotion as well. Third promotion in a row would be very impressive. Will be good for Disney and Sky Sports to see them promoted.

markest

Cobblers needed that win against our Nene valley rivals Peterborough. A league double as well.

Still not clear of promotion but looking better 🤞

Tom Mann Centuria

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123331830#Comment_123331830

Unfortunately you mean not clear of relegation but that win was massive. Lovely first goal from Sammy to get the ball rolling.

First league double over them since the 80s isn't it? (although they've been in higher leagues than us for a good few years)

Up the Cobblers, **** the Posh.

In other news I'd be a bit sad if Jon Brady ended up as Milton Keynes manager. I know it's nice and local for him, and work is work but them?

markest

Oops, dunno what happened there. Yeah, I read it was around 1986 the last double, that was my era of going to the Hotel End 😀

jacool

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123333171#Comment_123333171

Always had a soft spot for Northampton after going there for an away game with the Gills. (mid to late 90s?)

I think it was the massive Galway vibes off their kit, to be honest!

We were "advised" to park far away from the ground in case our "southern" cars would get battered!!

Tom Mann Centuria

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123333251#Comment_123333251

I lived in Birchfield Road so the County Ground was very handy for me.

Tom Mann Centuria

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123333546#Comment_123333546

I'm sad enough to look out for teams results just based on the colour of the kit. Stenhousemuir are my particular favourites.

Did you smash it

Farke doing a lone lap of honour post match

Kiwi_knock

Leeds and Burnley both get promoted. Be interesting to see how they both get on next season, with the recent experiences of the promoted teams in the PL. Neither Farke or Parker have particularly good records in the PL so they get a chance to prove they have learnt how to adapt to the League.

For the last two spots in the playoffs, it seems like the teams are stumbling over the line with none of Bristol, Coventry, Boro, or Millwall in great form. Sheffield United should fancy their chances in the playoffs as they will have time to get over the promotion disappointment. Sunderland are a bit of an unknown quantity as they are not in great form but they have known they would be in the playoffs for months so can't put that much weight on form.

Relegation is too hard to call with a lot of them picking up points today.

adaminho

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123378312#Comment_123378312

Sheffield have lost 4/5 I think they're going to struggle in the playoffs!

ShamoBuc

Great to see Leeds back up in particular. Have to get rid of the liability that is their keeper though or they will surely go straight back down.

Tom Mann Centuria

Kevin Nolan has done a good job keeping Northampton in League One for another season at least, a very tough league to stay in.

Young Irish lad Dara Costelloe scored a couple yesterday, he's been decent while on loan (from Burnley) at the Cobblers. Terry Taylor another loanee (from Charlton) who's made a difference with a bit of extra quality too.

And the East Stand is looking a lot more finished, so a good end to the season all in all.

ollaetta

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123349897#Comment_123349897

It must be one of the most bitter sweet feelings for managers of clubs promoted from the Championship. Open top bus celebrations in May with strong likelihood of being, as someone put it, "mutually agreed" out the door within 6-8 months. Exceptions like Kieran McKenna are rare.

cj maxx

PNE are in free fall . Looks increasingly likely that they will get relegated . In absolutely dire form .

dfx-

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123383803#Comment_123383803

What's going on….PNE in relegation trouble, Bristol City probably in the playoffs (Cov v Boro final day) and Millwall chasing them down. Three mid-Championship lifers. Is the Championship really the Championship without them?

Hull v Derby at the weekend is an enormous game.

Mushy

Wrexham on the cusp of a triple promotion, 2-0 up vs Charlton

thebaz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123391946#Comment_123391946

and theyr up - some story

ShamoBuc

Delighted for them, some story.

Hammer Archer

Plymouth all but down despite winning again today. Their relegation can be laid pretty firmly in the lap of Rooney. Still baffling how he was ever appointed given his reign at Birmingham last season was a big reason Plymouth stayed up at their expense. In the 22 games since Rooney was sacked, Plymouth are 15th. Muslic came out this week saying that Plymouth would have been safe 5 games ago had he been in charge since the start of the season. Then the usual media pieces about how good Rooney is came out in his defence.

Bristol Rovers all but down in League 1. Their form utterly collapsed in the last few months with just one point out of a possible 27. They were 17th and 9 clear of relegation before their collapse.