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Apparently there are another 23 teams that play in the Championship that I need to pass comment on. So, here are my 2018/2019 Championship predictions:
Champions
Middlesbrough. Tony Pulis May have lost a little bit of his aura for building successful teams but he is perfect for Boro. They have a team packed with top class players. They’ve got Assombalonga, Gestede and Bamford as their strike force FFS. New manager Pulis will bring organisation and that never say die mentality to the team. They will be simply too strong for this league, do a Wolves and win at a canter.
Runners up
Stoke. Got a huge parachute payment to use at their leisure but the master stroke was getting Gary Rowett in. I really rate him as a manager. The core of their Prem squad has had a number of players added who’ve been there and done it in the Championship. Afobe and Ince to name but two. All a successful combination that will see Stoke bounce straight back up.
Play-Offs
Swansea, WBA, Bristol City, Aston Villa. Swansea and Brom have enough Prem pedigree left to make a good fist of a promotion charge. Money counts and both clubs have plenty. WBA have signed up two good players in Barley and Johnstone. Aston Villa have gone from free fall candidates to play off contenders thanks to a partial takeover from a billionaire or two. A summer of off field chaos stops automatic promotion but under Steve Bruce’s guidance, they will be there or thereabouts. Brizzel City are my punt for this seasons surprise package.
Relegated
Rotherham, Bolton, Reading. Bolton survived by the length of a gnats tadge last season. Insufficient investment and a too small squad will be their undoing this time around. Similarly Reading haven’t made any decent signings and their downward spiral will see them slip out of this league. Rotherham, just don’t have what is needed to stay up. No real signings to support a squad lacking both in quality and Championship experience, so back down they go.
Where Will Bolton Wanderers Finish?
22. We’ll go down with a fight.
League Top Scorer
I’ll go with one of Boro’s Assombalonga, Gestede and Bamford.
Mad Random Event Prediction
Despite spending over £25m, the team does not gel and Forest become the most expensive team to get relegated from the Championship.