Championship v premiership

[Edinblade]

Southampton
Bournemouth
West Brom
West Sham
Leicester
Stoke
C. Palace
Swansea
Burnley
Watford
Huddersfield
Brighton

The Mighty Red & White Wizzards
Reading
Pigs
Weeds
Norwich
Derby
Villa
Wolves
Ipswich
Birmingham
QPR
Forrest
Fulham

Just looking at the above lists, its questionable which league has the better fixtures.

 

[YES Blade]

Southampton
Bournemouth
West Brom
West Sham
Leicester
Stoke
C. Palace
Swansea
Burnley
Watford
Huddersfield
Brighton

The Mighty Red & White Wizzards
Reading
Pigs
Weeds
Norwich
Derby
Villa
Wolves
Ipswich
Birmingham
QPR
Forrest
Fulham

Just looking at the above lists, its questionable which league has the better fixtures.

When you take out the Premier League's best and the Championship's worst then yes it's going to look that way.

But Sky won't be showing the likes of Huddersfield vs Brighton every week. They'll continue to show the top clubs for the majority of matches.

 

[John Street West Terrace]

Which way round is that club list , can't work out prem / championship?

 

[Ricky]

The PL boasts a truly terrible line up of clubs.

The Championship is far more interesting.

 

[DifferentClass]

I'm glad a lot of "smaller" clubs are entering big time, sometimes for first time in decades (or even ever), but the Prem is FUBARd. Too elitist and way too much money going into it.

 

[Bladesway]

The PL boasts a truly terrible line up of clubs.

The Championship is far more interesting.

Unless you are a fan of those in the Premiership of course. Oh and the filth because apparently that is their rightful place.

 

[SteveBlade]

Establishing ourselves up there would be nice, but when you think about it in the grand scheme of things... What would we be doing?

In terms of actually winning anything, the biggest plus I can think of would be having a team who could challenge for the cups. Although most top flight clubs totally mug them off due to the risk of distraction from the cash cow of the Premier League, and we'd likely be one of them.

I'm pretty sure the majority of chairmen would take 17th and getting knocked out at the first hurdle of the cups, than winning both cups and finishing 18th.

I'd love a proper go at it all, as long as we, as a club remain what we are. If that goes, what's the point?

 

[Working Class Hero]

Establishing ourselves up there would be nice, but when you think about it in the grand scheme of things... What would we be doing?

In terms of actually winning anything, the biggest plus I can think of would be having a team who could challenge for the cups. Although most top flight clubs totally mug them off due to the risk of distraction from the cash cow of the Premier League, and we'd likely be one of them.

I'm pretty sure the majority of chairmen would take 17th and getting knocked out at the first hurdle of the cups, than winning both cups and finishing 18th.

I'd love a proper go at it all, as long as we, as a club remain what we are. If that goes, what's the point?

Qualification for Europe would be brilliant, either by scraping 7th or winning a cup as a complete one off. But let's be honest that's as good as it could really get without the club selling it's soul.

 

[CarlMcBlade]

Shitty little Reading and Fulham...... But no Boro or Sunland?

 

[Blade82]

A fair few of those premier league clubs have been in league one in the last 10years. How will we cope in the big boy league next year

 

[Pinchy]

The ones headed "Premier League" are the fixtures I want.

For all it's endless faults, greed and corruption, if you don't aspire to go as high as you can, might as well pack it in...

 

[ChipButtyBlade]

The Prem is crawling with "tinpot" clubs.

 

[Worksop II]

I think 'Udders, Bournmouth, Burnley, Watford and Swansea should count themselves lucky we have been tossing it off for 7 or 8 years ....

 

[FATTYFOULKE]

Establishing ourselves up there would be nice, but when you think about it in the grand scheme of things... What would we be doing?

In terms of actually winning anything, the biggest plus I can think of would be having a team who could challenge for the cups. Although most top flight clubs totally mug them off due to the risk of distraction from the cash cow of the Premier League, and we'd likely be one of them.

I'm pretty sure the majority of chairmen would take 17th and getting knocked out at the first hurdle of the cups, than winning both cups and finishing 18th.

I'd love a proper go at it all, as long as we, as a club remain what we are. If that goes, what's the point?

United could totally be a club in the top flight winning the odd cup here and there. We've proved over the last 15 years with our runs to the semi finals it's well within our capabilities to go a step further and make the finals and even actually win a cup with a bit of luck.

We've only missed out in recent years in part due to a bit of bad luck and some shocking refereeing decisions.

I'd love us to become a well established Premiership side and be good enough to bring the odd cup home. But as you say the clubs nowadays would rather just make sure they stay up and not risk injuries etc for a cup run.

Sadly that's about the highest we can realistically aim for, win a cup and entry into Europe that way. Can't ever see us being a really top end premiership team qualifying through league position unless we did a Leicester, too much money at the top top clubs for that to be a realistic dream.

 

[Yewsman]

Actually when you analyse it the PL this season was so boring. There were about 4 teams who could have won it. In the end Chelsea walked away with the title which was decided with several games to play. Relegation was also decided before the last games so the last day of the season had no excitement at all. The only real issue was the last Europa League place - who really cares about that? Apart from the 4 clubs who might win it the only things the other 16 are bothered about is surviving so they get next years TV money. Yes there is some interest in qualifying for European competition but that's mainly because it's more money. PL teams did nothing in the Champions Trophy (and haven't won it for several years) and our National team has under performed for years as the PL does not produce enough good home players. The clubs all have enormous incomes but in effect most of the income goes to the overpaid players and agents.
So would I want us in the PL? Yes I bloody would but I hope if (or should I say when) we get there I hope we do not become one of the teams who are there just to survive and make up the numbers.

 

[Edinblade]

Sorry to bump this, but I see another thread has started along the same lines. With clever marketing the championship could be as popular as the prem. For this coming season it has a better selection of clubs and as always a much bigger prize for the clubs promoted in terms of financial reward.

 

[Edinblade]

Southampton
Bournemouth
West Brom
West Sham
Leicester
Stoke
C. Palace
Swansea
Burnley
Watford
Huddersfield
Brighton

The Mighty Red & White Wizzards
Reading
Pigs
Weeds
Norwich
Derby
Villa
Wolves
Ipswich
Birmingham
QPR
Forrest
Fulham
Middlesborough
Sunderland

Just looking at the above lists, its questionable which league has the better fixtures.

Fixed list of championship clubs

 

[BushBlade]

Sorry to bump this, but I see another thread has started along the same lines. With clever marketing the championship could be as popular as the prem. For this coming season it has a better selection of clubs and as always a much bigger prize for the clubs promoted in terms of financial reward.

On the other hand, a lot of the football tends to be between two well organised teams who defend well and cancel each other out. Which is a crap watch.

Financially, the POF is the biggest game in the world but fuck me, I wanted to pull my eyes out watching it.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

Man U
Man City
Liverpool
Arsenal
Spurs
Chelsea
Newcastle
Everton


Burton Albion
Barnsley
Millwall
Brentford
Bristol City
Hull
Cardiff
Preston


Puts a different spin on it. But for me, the championship does have a lot of exciting fixtures in store for us. We've been away a long time and there's plenty to get excited about looking at the fixture list.

 

[Darthblade]

Man U
Man City
Liverpool
Arsenal
Spurs
Chelsea
Newcastle
Everton


Burton Albion
Barnsley
Millwall
Brentford
Bristol City
Hull
Cardiff
Preston


Puts a different spin on it. But for me, the championship does have a lot of exciting fixtures in store for us. We've been away a long time and there's plenty to get excited about looking at the fixture list.

With the current shambolic state of refereeing its pretty tricky to get a decent refereeing performance against the BOTTOM list .........

I would venture to suggest it would be IMPOSSIBLE to get a decent refereeing performance against the top list ......

UTB & FTP

 

[WigglyBlade]

Sorry to bump this, but I see another thread has started along the same lines. With clever marketing the championship could be as popular as the prem. For this coming season it has a better selection of clubs and as always a much bigger prize for the clubs promoted in terms of financial reward.

Sorry Edinblade, I didn't realise you'd already started a similar thread back in May. Great minds hey! ;-)

You're definitely right about the Championship being incredibly marketable though. All they'd need to do is have a flashy video listing the following games:

Sheffield derby, Villa v Brum, Sunderland v Middlesbrough, Ipswich v Norwich, Derby v Forest, Leeds v Villa, Wolves v Brum...etc and make a big deal about the excitement of the playoffs and it would already put the predictable Premiership to shame.

 

[Edinblade]

Man U
Man City
Liverpool
Arsenal
Spurs
Chelsea
Newcastle
Everton


Burton Albion
Barnsley
Millwall
Brentford
Bristol City
Hull
Cardiff
Preston


Puts a different spin on it. But for me, the championship does have a lot of exciting fixtures in store for us. We've been away a long time and there's plenty to get excited about looking at the fixture list.

Does it really put a different spin? Watching those top teams with Almost 100% foreign players (except Spurs), foreign managers, fake (quiet) crowds, cheating (diving players) etc etc unless you're a true supporter of one of the clubs involved its often extremely boring. I'm not saying I don't want our Mighty Blades to be there, as that would make our matches fine, also as more of the bigger clubs climb out of the championship in place of the crap thats in the prem. it will also get more interesting. Next season though, for me the championship wins hands down.

 

[SteveBlade]

Imagine the aim every season is to avoid relegation. You mug off every other opportunity of winning a trophy to help achieve survival.

17th is a success. You sign players like Stewart Downing and Wayne Routlege every season to achieve this.

What a shit existence.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

Does it really put a different spin? Watching those top teams with Almost 100% foreign players (except Spurs), foreign managers, fake (quiet) crowds, cheating (diving players) etc etc unless you're a true supporter of one of the clubs involved its often extremely boring. I'm not saying I don't want our Mighty Blades to be there, as that would make our matches fine, also as more of the bigger clubs climb out of the championship in place of the crap thats in the prem. it will also get more interesting. Next season though, for me the championship wins hands down.

I was just talking about the prestige of the clubs involved really. The Football pyramid is a meritocratic system whereby the top league, logically, has to be the best league. If the teams in the championship were better, they would be in the Premier League.

 

[BushBlade]

Sorry Edinblade, I didn't realise you'd already started a similar thread back in May. Great minds hey! ;-)

You're definitely right about the Championship being incredibly marketable though. All they'd need to do is have a flashy video listing the following games:

Sheffield derby, Villa v Brum, Sunderland v Middlesbrough, Ipswich v Norwich, Derby v Forest, Leeds v Villa, Wolves v Brum...etc and make a big deal about the excitement of the playoffs and it would already put the predictable Premiership to shame.

Yeah, it's a shame Sky Sports aren't involved as they know how to market football.

 

[Kop Cat]

Also, in your championship list there are several clubs that have won the 1st Division/ Premier League in the last 40 odd years and 2 that have been Champions of Europe, while in the "Premier" list there is Leicester and Huddersfield (about 100 years ago)

 

[Working Class Hero]

Last season there were 12 former champions of England in the Prem and 11 in the championship. If promotions and relegations had worked out differently there could easily have been more in the 2nd tier.

 

[St Annington]

I was just talking about the prestige of the clubs involved really. The Football pyramid is a meritocratic system whereby the top league, logically, has to be the best league. If the teams in the championship were better, they would be in the Premier League.

This isn't so. In 1992, when the First Division clubs resigned from the Football League en masse and formed the Premier League, the other clubs in the country weren't given the opportunity to join. Also, each year only 3 teams are replaced through the promotion/relegation system, so the idea that teams in the Premier League MUST be better, isn't true either. Meritocracy doesn't even exist within the Premier League. The whole reason for the Premier League's initial existence was (and still is) to give the Top 4 (now 6) clubs the opportunity to compete in European competition. The 'Big 4' Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United have never been challenged in the 25 year existence of the league. The funny thing is that when I was a kid in the 70's and 80's Chelsea were shit, and Man Utd not much better - how's that for meritocracy!! It's only their billionaire owners that keep them where they are.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

This isn't so. In 1992, when the First Division clubs resigned from the Football League en masse and formed the Premier League, the other clubs in the country weren't given the opportunity to join. Also, each year only 3 teams are replaced through the promotion/relegation system, so the idea that teams in the Premier League MUST be better, isn't true either. Meritocracy doesn't even exist within the Premier League. The whole reason for the Premier League's initial existence was (and still is) to give the Top 4 (now 6) clubs the opportunity to compete in European competition. The 'Big 4' Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United have never been challenged in the 25 year existence of the league. The funny thing is that when I was a kid in the 70's and 80's Chelsea were shit, and Man Utd not much better - how's that for meritocracy!! It's only their billionaire owners that keep them where they are.

Agreed that the meritocracy I refer to is not pure and is skewed to help those at the top retain their grip. But the system still dictates that the best footballing teams should be at the top. It's just that being the best footballing team is now about having the most money and by finishing at the top you get more money thus increasing your chances of remaining amongst the best teams. This said, there is still no reason that the promotion/ relegation system shouldn't result in the teams that are best at football (no matter how that came about) should find themselves in the top league.

 

[Gimli]

Agreed that the meritocracy I refer to is not pure and is skewed to help those at the top retain their grip. But the system still dictates that the best footballing teams should be at the top. It's just that being the best footballing team is now about having the most money and by finishing at the top you get more money thus increasing your chances of remaining amongst the best teams. This said, there is still no reason that the promotion/ relegation system shouldn't result in the teams that are best at football (no matter how that came about) should find themselves in the top league.

So not a meritocracy at all then if it's all about the money.