Probably an unpopular opinion

[CrookesBlade]

But the fixtures coming out Thursday is another reminder of my disdain for this ludicrous argument that somehow the championship is better than the prem.

My first 12 years as a blade (1994-2006) we were division 1/championship and I absolutely hated that we played in that league.

I’ll go so far as to say the 12 years where we had 6 years in league 1 were more enjoyable than that first 12 year block following the mid 90s.

Playing the likes of Preston, brum, Blackpool, Millwall is absolutely worthless, makes no difference to playing in league one other than it being one league closer to the one that matters.

Yeah the prem isn’t perfect, doesn’t have to be compared to the championship and league one which both blend in to the same forgettably piss pot poor procession of mediocrity.

I hate this league, always have done, we spend way too much time in it and getting promoted is all that matters.

Saying "I prefer the championship" is a comfort blanket for when we get relegated that people repeat so much they actually believe it.

Kick off times, VAR etc are a pain in the arse but they aren't worth dropping down into an inferior league for.

The standard of the Championship is good (probably better than most European top tiers) and its a more open competition but that's mainly down to the play off system keeping it interesting which holds its excitement because everybody wants to play at the top level.

Winning more games is great but a it pointless if there is no end result to strive for.

 

[BettingBlade]

Saying "I prefer the championship" is a comfort blanket for when we get relegated that people repeat so much they actually believe it.

Kick off times, VAR etc are a pain in the arse but they aren't worth dropping down into an inferior league for.

The standard of the Championship is good (probably better than most European top tiers) and its a more open competition but that's mainly down to the play off system keeping it interesting which holds its excitement because everybody wants to play at the top level.

Winning more games is great but a it pointless if there is no end result to strive for.

Interesting point on kick off times. I actually found the KO times in the Championship were far more of a pain in the bollocks than any time we’ve been in the Prem. So theres another myth about how great the Championship is.

 

[Berkshire Blade]

I honestly don't understand how anyone can prefer watching the championship. Bar a handful of players it's crap.

 

[robbiez666]

I find the EPL soulless and boring. The Man City team next season will be almost the same as this one. Same for most teams. Man City and Liverpool will be top two unless someone starts throwing money around. Hardly any surprises.

At the same time, the Championship is changing so fast. I have no idea what most teams will be like this season. So many players coming and going.

 

[ReeceofBDTBL]

I honestly don't understand how anyone can prefer watching the championship. Bar a handful of players it's crap.

Against clubs I couldn’t give a fuck about playing. Yeah there’s the odd worthless club like Bournemouth in the prem, but generally at least half with clubs have some real substance, history and culture around them.

So most of the matches have that little bit more spice based on who you’re playing rather than just 3 another points.

 

[mattbianco1]

Get me back in the Premier League ASAP.
I'd love a sustained amount of time at the top table. Give me 10 years minimum up there

 

[Badger Blade]

Premier League = ££

Unless you're Sheffield United and you proceed to "spunk" said money on various failed player restoration projects while the training ground roof is still leaking.

It's where we all want to be though and we all did no end of moaning on here when we didn't get to the play off final. The attraction is being able to have the opportunity to pit yourself against the best most weeks, even though you know that you're likely to come off the wrong end of a drubbing at Anfield or the Etihad. It's simply the possibility that you can spring an upset like we did a few times in the first season back there and that your time eventually comes that keeps us wanting more, even though we might never win anything.

The problem is, outside of perhaps a tilt at the Europa Conference League or getting some lucky cup draws, its simply a fight among the likes of Palace, Brentford, Brighton, Leeds, Southampton, Everton and your newly promoted teams to simply try not to get relegated rather than ever go and achieve anything other than continuing to inflate your bank balance to keep yourself there.

I'd sooner win a cup and go down than just float about like the clubs I mentioned who are simply obstacles for the race to the title. Better though than playing at a 1/4 full St Andrews for the millionth season in a row or conceding yet another Jake Cooper goal against Millwall.

 

[Greasy Chap Butty]

But the fixtures coming out Thursday is another reminder of my disdain for this ludicrous argument that somehow the championship is better than the prem.

My first 12 years as a blade (1994-2006) we were division 1/championship and I absolutely hated that we played in that league.

I’ll go so far as to say the 12 years where we had 6 years in league 1 were more enjoyable than that first 12 year block following the mid 90s.

Playing the likes of Preston, brum, Blackpool, Millwall is absolutely worthless, makes no difference to playing in league one other than it being one league closer to the one that matters.

Yeah the prem isn’t perfect, doesn’t have to be compared to the championship and league one which both blend in to the same forgettably piss pot poor procession of mediocrity.

I hate this league, always have done, we spend way too much time in it and getting promoted is all that matters.

I'd consider another club if you want long term PL football, and hate other stuff.
Sorry.

 

[BarcaBlade]

I'd like one night of European football in my lifetime. The chances of that increase ever so slightly when we are in the Premiership, but other than that, couldn't really care less which division we are in.

 

[Bladesince59]

PL cheers

 

[broomhillblade]

I honestly don't understand how anyone can prefer watching the championship. Bar a handful of players it's crap.

Fans want to see their team winning. Most are prepared to accept a "lower standard" of play if it achieves this. Bassett's style of play had a lot of critics, but he gave us excitement and some of the best memories.

It is arrogant for some people to suggest that football should be played "the right way". This seems to involved a lot of sideways and backwards passing before an occasional moment of quality.

Fans of non-league sides are just as passionate as those in the Premier League or championship. They sing the same songs, and scream abuse at the refs and the opposition, just as we do in the bigger leagues. If their side is winning and scoring lots of goals they are just as happy as those from the Prem.

The problem is that success brings promotion, and that sometimes means that it becomes a struggle. Supporting one's team becomes more of a duty than a pleasure, but we do it just the same.

 

[robbiez666]

Being a yoyo club isn't the worst thing. As long as we had a decent shy at staying up. Being in the top flight and fighting relegation every year would be demoralising.

 

[KeyffSmyff]

Perhaps I wasn't clear. Much prefer the championship but would rather we were in the EPL.
Watching the mercenaries of corporation Liverpool against the mercenaries of Saudi Arabia trading as Newcastle United holds more interest to others than blood and thunder of Millwall v Cardiff. I get it but not for me thanks.

 

[s6Blades]

I prefer the championship but always stuck in the conondrum of wanting Sheffield United to win but not wanting to go back to the premiership, so just thinking ‘what’s the point then?’

Every Prem game feels like an event which is a bonus, just a shame that event usually takes place on a Sunday Afternoon, Monday Night or Saturday evening.

 

[Tezza1889]

Hopefully we can get promoted and sell the place for 500M in the future..

Love the thrill of the chase, but the prize is tainted..


By VAR

 

[Ralph Blade]

I prefer the championship but always stuck in the conondrum of wanting Sheffield United to win but not wanting to go back to the premiership, so just thinking ‘what’s the point then?’

Love the thrill of the chase, but the prize is tainted..

Absolutely, it’s the thrill of the chase. But I’m not unhappy with playing in the Championship for reasons such as:

More games, I love watching the Blades, I can watch them eight more times than in the Prem.

Every game starts with a realistic feeling that we can win it. Not really the case in the Prem.

More of a level playing field, Prem even worse in terms of this, this year with five subs allowed.

A well run and managed club can still achieve promotion rather than one that spends more money. That is how the top division used to be.

No VAR

Yes in terms of the clubs this year it maybe poorer but some of the poorer clubs can and will still beat us or come back to draw when 2-0 down with ten men.

 

[Berkshire Blade]

Fans want to see their team winning. Most are prepared to accept a "lower standard" of play if it achieves this. Bassett's style of play had a lot of critics, but he gave us excitement and some of the best memories.

It is arrogant for some people to suggest that football should be played "the right way". This seems to involved a lot of sideways and backwards passing before an occasional moment of quality.

Fans of non-league sides are just as passionate as those in the Premier League or championship. They sing the same songs, and scream abuse at the refs and the opposition, just as we do in the bigger leagues. If their side is winning and scoring lots of goals they are just as happy as those from the Prem.

The problem is that success brings promotion, and that sometimes means that it becomes a struggle. Supporting one's team becomes more of a duty than a pleasure, but we do it just the same.

All valid arguments. The championship is still crap. I have watched hundreds of non league games. Enjoyed it. It was still crap

I find it physically impossible to enjoy a championship game on the TV not involving us but can watch nearly any premier league game and enjoy it.

I dare anyone to say they didn't enjoy pre covid under Wilder in the Prem more than the league one title win or even promotion to the premier league with a straight face!

 

[SUFCScorecard]

I would rank the last 6 seasons in terms of enjoyment

1. 2018-19 Promotion to PL
2. 2019-20 10th in PL
3. 2016-17 L1 Champions
4. 2021-22 Champ Playoffs
5. 2017-2018 missed out on playoffs
6. 2020-21 PL Relegation

Which is to say that for a club like us it is the season, rather than the league that matters. There is no doubt in my mind the Championship football is far better than it was a decade ago (94-2006 it really was pretty crap!!). These days the football is pretty good, even if its clearly not on the level with the PL. In any given year I think we are more likely to have a fun year in the Championship than the PL, but part of that is because the PL is 'the dream'.

19-20 was wonderful, but it was an outlier for promoted teams. I can't imagine how the Norwich fans are feeling right now. It doesn't seem like much fun, and I can imagine it all feels rather pointless going back into the Championship. At least we had the taste of a fun season in the PL, and that keeps 'the dream' of the PL alive, and keeps the stakes high for us in the Championship.


edited - I missed a season

 

[Ron_Justice]

The Journey is better than the destination. 2 years in the Prem have, for me, brought into sharp focus that the last thing I want UTD to be is one of the those 'Also Ran' clubs who exist purely to maintain their PL status, with no hope of ever winning anything.

 

[3Cheers4Ramirez]

All leagues are shit

best we can hope for is to bounce between them a bit just to keep it fresh

 

[PurpleRain]

The championship is a lot more authentic than the PL. Less money involved and more true passion. It would be better if al those money clubs like Man U, man city and Liverpool start their own league together with the European super powers and let all the other teams play a normal competition without var, with sensible player fees, capped agents fees, affordable ticket prices and every game kicks off at sensible hours.

 

[Silent Blade]

I would rank the last 6 seasons in terms of enjoyment

2. 2019-20 10th in PL

9th not 10th

 

[Bell4]

Hate the prem

Had we gone up I would have loved the prem

Love the championship but loved it more when it was division 2 , the team shirts were brighter the grass was greener and the rubbing oils were smellier . We knew every player from every team and no one talked about who are we buying .