Promotion this year

[maxwhellpower]

Who do you guys fancy for promotion this year? Do you think us blues wil be able to continue our current form?

 

[El Guapo]

The Reading fans on here will be angry if you don’t edit your post to say them.

 

[Walkley_Owl]

Who do you guys fancy for promotion this year? Do you think us blues wil be able to continue our current form?

Not Birmingham

 

[JJH]

Us and Rotherham automatically, possibly Preston or Huddersfield through the play-offs.

 

[Madejski]

The Reading fans on here will be angry if you don’t edit your post to say them.

We're already promoted mate, no need to mention us, just need two other names.

 

[Rammy]

Middlesbrough and Hull automatically. Burnley via the playoffs.

 

[markwwfc1992]

Birmingham don't look good enough to be promotion contenders. They've had a good start, but think they'll fade away to mid table... which would be a good season for them.

 

[HertsWolf]

I can see Birmingham maintaining it.
Bro and Blues automatic. Hull or Derby thru play-offs.

 

[Ciderhead]

Reading look the real deal, easily the best side we've played so far. Reminded me of Burnley a couple of years ago: solid, very strong in midfield and quality pace and movement up top.

Boro will be up there but can see them struggling to break down teams that set up to defend. Everyone seems to be assuming Brighton won't keep it up but who knows? And then there's a fair few teams with very little to choose between them: Burnley, Hull, Birmingham, Derby etc..

 

[markwwfc1992]

Brighton didn't really impress me. We drew 1-1 at home with them with 10 men, and apart from their penalty our goalkeeper didn't really have to make a save. Considering their man advantage they didn't trouble us, I'm surprised from that viewing that they are top of the league.

Birmingham have started well but I don't think they have the quality or strength in depth to keep it up for much longer. Still think they'll be mid table come the end of the season. Rate their manager though.

Derby should be there or there abouts. Their squad on paper looks very strong, and with the amount of money they have spent I think promotion really is a must this season.

Middlesbrough have a good squad and should be fighting for a top 2 place, same with Hull.

Reading are the team that impress me the most. Got some very decent freebies for this league, and with Vydra and and inform Blackman I think any team that can finish above them will be promoted.

My 3 for promotion are Reading, Derby and Middlesbrough.

 

[Rammy]

We won't get promoted.

 

[Bobbin']

We might.

 

[El Guapo]

Birmingham have started well but I don't think they have the quality or strength in depth to keep it up for much longer. Still think they'll be mid table come the end of the season. Rate their manager though.

If we drop out from the top six, which I fear we probably will in time, it will only be through having a small squad of players. If we are able to strengthen the squad further in January I would hope we can seriously challenge for promotion.

We’ve amassed 73 points in the 43 games under Gary Rowett which is normally about good enough for the play-offs. I am very confident we will be nowhere near that 19th place finish you predicted back in August.

 

[markwwfc1992]

Aye you wont be as low as 19th. That's predictions for you, the majority of them look stupid after a couple of months have gone.

 

[Costello]

^ I'll echo that! Classic Championship, bit of shrewd recruitment and a good manager can take you a long way above expectations. There really isn't a lot between most teams in the division.

 

[Magic]

Agreed. As shit as we are, no-one's looked brilliant against us this season.

 

[El Guapo]

Up to second. The Rowett Revolution continues.

Blues up, Villa coming down. Nothing can stop destiny.

 

[91SPP]

We go third if we win tomorrow.

Considering how bad - well average; really, really average - our start was that would be some achievement.

 

[El Guapo]

We go third if we win tomorrow.

Considering how bad - well average; really, really average - our start was that would be some achievement.

What I have seen of Derby (against Birmingham and Wolves), you've looked decent. Probably the best side we've played so far.

 

[Madejski]

They were very average against us, created two goal scoring chances in the whole game despite the fact we were playing with 10 men for a majority of the game. That result might have been what kickstarted their form.

Best teams to play us this season are probably Burnley, Leeds and Birmingham in that order.

 

[HertsWolf]

Up to second. The Rowett Revolution continues.

Blues up, Villa coming down. Nothing can stop destiny.

Even I would admit that would be bloody funny.

 

[AFCB_Mark]

Up to second. The Rowett Revolution continues.

Blues up, Villa coming down. Nothing can stop destiny.

A year ago this weekend that Bournemouth won 8-0 at St Andrews'.
What a difference a year makes for a football club!

 

[Madejski]

We're already promoted* mate, no need to mention us, just need two other names.

*via the play-offs, we can be a shit, sometimes.

 

[JoshBCFC]

I can actually see Reading keeping it up, and I reckon they actually might get automatic promotion along with Burnley. Boro to muck it up in the final again and Hull to beat them to go up.


But obviously now i've said all this Reading, Burnley and Hull will all go down with Boro winning the league

 

[mistermagic]

Hull seem to have the same ruthlessness that worked when they last got promoted. I'm backing them to go up with Brighton. Middlesbrough, Derby and Burnley look inconsistent. If any side could get in the top 2 it's Burnley. It doesn't look like the others will be able to.
Not quite sure what's up with Birmingham. The defeat to Hull and Wolves just goes to show that they probably won't be in the play-offs come May.

 

[Zaragozaram]

Love the idea that Derby are inconsistent. Have you seen the form tables? unbeaten in 9, winning 7. Long may this damn inconsistency continue.

 

[Madejski]

I think it'll be Hull + Derby top two.

Then there's any from about 6-7 clubs who can make the play-offs (Middlesbrough, Burnley, Brighton, Reading, Birmingham, Sheffield Wednesday, Brentford?)

 

[TomPNE94]

Don't think Brighton will go up top 2, they may do the play offs though.

 

[Costello]

Yeah, think we've at the very least put ourselves in a great position for a top six challenge with the points we've already accumulated. All about how we respond when the chasing pack do inevitably catch us and we finally contrive to lose a game of football. Hughton seems to have done a top job of keeping the players grounded and focussed up to this point, so hoping heads won't drop (too much).

The squad's standing up well enough so far despite not having quite the same depth as Boro, Derby etc - we could certainly do with more goals though, so assuming we're still in the mix by then, I think January window strengthening will prove crucial to our chances. Similarly "lesser-fancied" sides such as Burnley and Bournemouth in recent years made key January acquisitions with the likes of Ashley Barnes (from us) and Kenwyne Jones to help them over the line.

I'm probably thinking a little too far ahead though as things can change so quickly - evidenced by the fact we could drop to 5th by the end of Tuesday night if all results go against us.

 

[Walkley_Owl]

You've got us next pal, your record at ours is, well, wank.