Monday evening will see Reading and Huddersfield battle it out at Wembley for the chance to reach the dizzying heights of Premier League football, and it would be fair to say that neither were favourites to be in this position at the start of the season. Indeed, most would’ve been more likely at the start
It still hasn’t sunk in. At 12:16 Sunday Blackburn Rover were two places outside the relegation zone, a position they had rarely been in the entire season, courtesy of goals by Charlie Mulgrew and Danny Guthrie and both Birmingham City and Nottingham Forest being held to 0-0 draws. By 13:53 Rovers, 22 years previously Champions
Leeds fans have had a bizarre existence the last decade or so. Fans of a certain age will remember taunts of being glory hunters or ‘dirty Leeds’ jibes. The last few years they have been used to pity or humiliation; once giants in English football, now consigned to the lower leagues, bringing 6,000 plus fans
After following up their superb FA Cup 4th round victory at Liverpool with a 1-3 win at Barnsley on Tuesday night, Wolverhampton Wanderers will travel to Burton on Saturday aiming to register 3 wins on the bounce for the first time this season. Against Burton, deeply rooted in a relegation scrap having lost 9 of
Adam’s latest “The Championship Corner” column. From lying bottom of League One in the November of last season to gaining promotion via the playoffs at the end of it, Barnsley know how to do turnarounds. This season’s has been decent too, moving from 17th to 10th following a run of 5 wins from their last
Adam’s latest “The Championship Corner” column. Brentford owner Matthew Benham has said he hates the term ‘Moneyball’ but there is no doubts that the methodology of using mathematics and detailed statistical analysis to identify players they believe to be undervalued is currently serving them well. Under the direction of Mark Warburton, the Bees earned promotion
Adam’s latest “The Championship Corner” column. As his Brighton team made the journey back from the capital on Monday, manager Chris Hughton would have allowed himself a satisfactory smile. Hughton knows better than most, given Brighton’s failure to get promoted last term despite finishing on 89 points, there is a long way to go until
Adam’s latest “The Championship Corner” column. Back in June 2015, with Gary Rowett at the helm having taken them from 21st place in the Championship the previous October to a league finish of tenth, the outlook was rosy for Birmingham City. The investment vehicle Trillion Trophy Asia had just taken-over, ending the troubled reign of
Adam’s latest “The Championship Corner” column. There is unlikely to be too much festive cheer in the air for Mick McCarthy over the Christmas period as he tries desperately to solve his Ipswich team’s issues with consistency. The Tractor Boys, who missed out on the play-offs by five points last season, have not managed to
Adam’s latest “The Championship Corner” column. In the midst of a busy schedule under a manager seemingly intent on fighting the world, Manchester United are wrapped up in their own challenges at the moment but it would have been interesting to know if anybody at Old Trafford took more than a passing interest in Wigan’s
Adam’s latest “The Championship Corner” column. An eye-watering twenty different managerial combinations have taken charge of Queens Park Rangers since Ian Holloway departed the club in 2006, but now, in case the headlines his opinions generate have been missed, he is back at Loftus Road aiming to “restore pride”. Holloway referenced the excess of Flavio
Adam’s latest “The Championship Corner” column. For the first time since 2011, when Arsenal travelled up to Yorkshire for an FA Cup tie, Elland Road will be a sell-out on Sunday for when Leeds United welcome Newcastle. Both clubs have gone through difficult recent periods, but this weekend the 39,460 seater-stadium will be packed with
Adam’s latest “The Championship Corner” column. Of the 13 players Chelsea have dotted around the Football League on loan, three of them scored at the weekend. Tomas Kalas and Lucas Piazon both netted in Fulham’s 5-0 rout of early league leaders Huddersfield while Tammy Abraham got one in Bristol City’s 2-2 draw with Barnsley. Meanwhile
Adam’s latest “The Championship Corner” column. Simon Grayson was being realistic after he saw his team thrashed 6-0 by Newcastle in their midweek EFL Cup tie. The Preston North End manager even had time for a laugh when asked if there would be a different outcome when they host the Magpies in the league this
Adam’s latest “The Championship Corner” column. Five months ago, Alan Stubbs was holding aloft Hibernian’s first Scottish Cup for 114 years after defeating Rangers in the final. Now, after leaving to take charge of Rotherham back in June, he is without a job, wondering what possessed him to move south. Stubbs lasted just 13 league games
Adam’s latest “The Championship Corner” column. “I relish the challenge of trying to take the club where it wants to go and needs to be” said Steve Bruce while Steve McClaren said “I am very motivated to put things right for the club and supporters.” Two managers were being unveiled at respective new clubs, Aston
Adam’s latest “The Championship Corner” column. Coming hot on the heels of the sting that brought down the now former England manager Sam Allardyce in the Telegraph’s investigation into football corruption are the revelations that eight Premier League managers- both current and former- are alleged to have taken bungs. The allegations were made in a
Adam’s latest “The Championship Corner” column. It was billed as something of a coup when, almost a year ago, Jack Grealish chose England ahead of the Republic of Ireland, the country of his grandparents. 12 months later Grealish has yet to play for his country and his hopes of doing so must be as distant
Adam’s latest “The Championship Corner” column. With the vast riches of the Premier League now more alluring than ever, few have tried harder to jump up from the second tier than Derby County. Since Steve McClaren directed them to a heart-breaking play-off final defeat to QPR in 2014, Mel Morris, the co-founder of the tech
Adam’s latest “The Championship Corner” column. Oliver Burke scored and made two more goals in the 4-3 defeat of Burton Albion on the opening day of the season. He then netted twice as Nottingham Forest beat Wigan Athletic by the same score-line before bagging another as Leeds United were seen off 3-1. The exciting Scotsman
Adam’s latest “The Championship Corner” column. Only 45 minutes before kick off in Blackburn’s EFL Cup second round game with Crewe on Tuesday night and the scene was dispiriting. Ticket prices were reduced to £12 with children priced at only £2, yet interest was scarce and the walkway around the stadium resembled a ghost town.
Adam’s latest “The Championship Corner” column. Aston Villa were heading for a second home win in a week when goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini lined up a clearance with four minutes to go. However, they did not foresee Huddersfield defender Michael Hefele charging the kick down to deflect it in from 30 yards for a freak equaliser.
The second installment of “The Championship Corner” column by Adam Gray. Arriving with a big profile, Jaap Stam remained humble and reticent over Reading’s chances in his first managerial opportunity. “Of course, when you play football yourself you can think you want to become a manager but it does not make you a good manager”,
The first installment of a new column about everything English Championship by O-Posts mainstay and top football writer, Adam Gray. It will be up and going for the entirety of the 2016/17 campaign. Enjoy! Rafa Benitez’s Newcastle present a daunting task for Fulham in the season opener on Friday night but after finishing off pre-season