Coca-Cola Championship Run-In - Updated

Last updated : 10 April 2007 By Rob Miles (barnsley Boy)

In football they say 50 points guarantees survival so based on that theory Leicester City, Burnley, Hull, QPR, Barnsley, Southend, Leeds and Luton are all in real danger of falling through the trapdoor to League One.

I talked to a fan from 6 of the clubs to see how they thought their team would cope this torturous run-in.

Note: These questions and answers were devised before the Easter fixtures except for Luton's which come from today (Tuesday 10th April)

Coca-Cola Championship Run-In

Fans of the clubs in relegation peril give their views on the final 2 months of the season.

In football they say 50 points guarantees survival so based on that theory Leicester City, Burnley, Hull, QPR, Barnsley, Southend, Leeds and Luton are all in real danger of falling through the trapdoor to League One.

I talked to a fan from all 8 clubs to see how they thought their team would cope this torturous run-in.

Leicester City

Name: Mitch

First and foremost what do you think is the main reason your team is in relegation danger with two months to go?


Players not good enough, and the fact we've had no real money to spend on reinforcements

Realistically how many points do you think you will collect in the run-in?


Struggling to see us getting anymore than 4 or 5 points, may just be enough to survive

Who, if anybody in your team has the ability to drag you away from the bottom three?


Ian Hume, the only player who has any natural ability at the club

If the worst comes to the worst and you do get relegated, how do you think you will cope in League One?


With Mandaric now on board then I think we would cope well, but the fans wouldn't be happy.

Which three teams do you think will be going down come 6th May?


Burnley, Southend, Luton








Hull City

Name: Dan

First and foremost what do you think is the main reason your team is in relegation danger with two months to go?

I think it's mainly down to one thing, change. New manager new players, didn't gel fast enough and got us stuck in trouble, it took time, but they have gelled and we are getting out of this mess at the moment.

Realistically how many points do you think you will collect in the run-in?

I would say another 9 I would like, but 6 I would settle for. We have a 'easier run-in' on paper in my opinion than the other teams. With Norwich, Colchester and Plymouth still to come at home, I reckon they are all there for the taking.

Who, if anybody in your team has the ability to drag you away from the bottom three?

At the moment, Dean Windass, 9 goals since coming back to Hull, and with Nicky Barmby back to fitness an all-Hull born attack up front, no-body will get off easy, sometimes it takes someone to love the club so much everyone ups their work rate.

If you worst comes to the worst and you do get relegated, how do you think you will cope in League One?

I don't think we will end up in League One. Currently 5 points clear of the drop zone and a crushing win over Southend, I see a lot of others below us fighting it out, but you can never be careful. I think we would do well if we did go down. We passed the division in just one season, so we have been there and done it, but there isn't anything to say you would come straight back up.

Which three teams do you think will be going down come 6th May?

I would say Luton, Southend, and I'm split on the last one, QPR or Leeds.

Luton look doomed, but with a new manager a lot of players start to play. Southend will have they work cut out if they play the same as they did at the KC on Saturday.

Leeds how much I would love for them to go down to show every football league chairmen a club has to be run in one way, I see they might just sneak out of it, depending how QPR are going to perform.

Queens Park Rangers

Name: Matt

First and foremost what do you think is the main reason your team is in relegation danger with two months to go?

It all stems back to the appointment of Gary Waddock last season. The majority of fans were in agreement that Holloway had taken the club as far as he could, however what we wanted was a decent replacement. What we got was the cheap option in Waddock, a coach, and former two time cup finalist whilst as a player at the club. After two wins in his first three matches it all went downhill from there, failing to win again for the remaining eleven matches of the season. The fans were patient, ever optimistic that given the chance to bring in his own players in the summer he may be able to turn things around. He made a controversial move in selling Danny Shittu, whilst bringing in a number of unknown foreign players in his place, and fans feared for the worst at the start of the season, with the bookies making us hot favourites for the drop.

These fears were realised, and after a disastrous start to the season that saw us pick up only one win in eight matches, he got the sack. Gregory has done his best to pick up the pieces, but it was one hell of a mistake appointing Gary Waddock as manager, one that we still might be made to pay for.

Realistically how many points do you think you will collect in the run-in?

Our run in starts with a home match with Preston tonight, and in the upcoming weeks we'll go to Coventry, Sunderland and Wolves, and have home matches with Luton, Cardiff, and finish the season at home to Stoke.

Preston at home is never an easy fixture for us, so the best we can hope for is a draw tonight. The general consensus is that we can beat Luton and Stoke, whilst picking up points at Coventry and at home to Cardiff. We'll more than likely lose at Sunderland and Wolves. We should, realistically pick up 9 more points this season, giving us 49 points.


Who, if anybody in your team has the ability to drag you away from the bottom three?

The signing of Inigo Idiakez could be a crucial one. He's been one of the Championship's best players in the last 3 years and it's a bit of a coup for the club to have signed him. He's a match winner on his day and has already impressed in the games he's played in, scoring the crucial first goal up at Leicester in our recent 3-1 win. On paper our midfield of Lee Cook, Rohan Ricketts, Adam Boulder and Inigo Idiakez is one of the best in the league, but of course football isn't played on paper.

If the worst comes to the worst and you do get relegated, how do you think you will cope in League One?

Having worked so hard for three years to get out of League One it would be an absolute nightmare for the club if we were relegated again. The general consensus is that if we go down again we would be unlikely to come back, with the possibility having to sell our ground to survive. We still have a big debt to pay off, and although our chairman recently stated that we would make a profit next year even if we were to be relegated, a few too many seasons not playing Championship football would be the end of the club. It really is survival or nothing at all for us this season.

Which three teams do you think will be going down come 6th May?

It's difficult to say. It's any three from Luton, Barnsley, Southend, Leeds, Burnley and QPR. I just feel that Leeds have too much quality in their team, and with a manager as good as Dennis Wise you just can't see them going down. Barnsley seem to be as inconsistent as the other teams in trouble at the moment, but the general consensus from the QPR fans is that they do have the quality and more importantly the spirit to stay up.

I think Luton out of all the sides in trouble are the most likely to be relegated. They've sold too many good players, and sacked Mike Newell at the worst possible time. Southend have looked like turning the corner at a number of times this season, although I think they may be running out of steam, and having been thrashed 4-0 twice in recent weeks I think they could easily be in the bottom three come the end of the season. Finally Burnley can't seem to buy a win at the moment, they've hit a miserable vein of form at exactly the wrong time of the season, and could be the third side to be relegated in may.

As for my own team, the fans, players and management believe we can stay up. We've got a much better side than we had at the start of the season, with key players coming good at the right time. Furlong is now back from injury, Nygaard and Blackstock have started scoring again, and 3 million pound rated Ray Jones can't even get in the team. Our fans have started getting behind the side in numbers, and the atmosphere home and away has been incredible. We might not have secured survival until the full time whistle of the final day of the season but we will stay up.

Barnsley

Name: Ali (Our very own tykesmad)

First and foremost what do you think is the main reason your team is in relegation danger with two months to go?

The management. Simon Davey has brought in some decent enough players, eg. Ferenczi, Rajczi, McCann but he doesn't preach good football and I believe if we go down it will be mainly his fault.

Realistically how many points do you think you will collect in the run-in?

I think we will get another eight. Win against Southend and Leicester and a point against Ipswich and Palace. Can't see us getting anything from Brum or West Brom.

Who, if anybody in your team has the ability to drag you away from the bottom three?

Gotta be Ferenczi. He is a natural goalscorer as he has already shown. Devaney can be lethal on his day (take Plymouth for example) and I think Colgan is crucial as well. He has his critics but he is a good keeper and I think he can do a job.

If you worst comes to the worst and you do get relegated, how do you think you will cope in League One?

Hopefully not as badly as last time we dropped out of the CCC/Div 1. I don't think I could cope with another 4 seasons in League One.

Which three teams do you think will be going down come 6th May?

Leeds, Southend and Luton (in that order)

Southend United

Name: Liam

First and foremost what do you think is the main reason your team is in relegation danger with two months to go?

Struggled to adapt quick enough really. We started well, but the type of football played in this league got to us eventually and we didn't put a string of results together like Colchester did. Also helps to bare in mind that we've gone straight up 2 divisions, the majority of the squad were playing League 2 Football 2 seasons ago and have understandingly found the jump hard. Rumours of unrest in the squad regarding Michael Ricketts and his attitude couldn't have helped either.

Realistically how many points do you think you will collect in the run-in?


Tilson says 10 will be enough to keep us up, and I think 10 is extremely achievable. We have Barnsley and Luton at home which are vital, as well as Colchester at home in the Essex Derby where i fully expect the team to fight for pride as well as the 3 points.

Who, if anybody in your team has the ability to drag you away from the bottom three?


Alan McCormack and Freddy Eastwood. Macca is the perfect player to have at a time like this, a real terrier in midfield and never stops running from box to box.

If you worst comes to the worst and you do get relegated, how do you think you will cope in League One?

Buoyed by the potential income from Eastwood's sale and Tilson at the helm I'm fairly confident we'll do alright. Teams like Crewe and Brighton jumped straight back up and, with a little luck, i see no reason why we can't do so as well. Of course, staying in League One would be the first priority though.

Which three teams do you think will be going down come 6th May?

QPR
Barnsley
Luton


Luton Town

Name: Peter

First and foremost what do you think is the main reason your team is in relegation danger with two months to go?

The two main reasons are because the players haven't performed at all and the club is in complete turmoil. We haven't been able to replace Howard, Nicholls, Vine and Edwards properly since they were sold, and the players we have got at the moment have largely been a disappointment. With the exception of Keane, Bell and possibly Barnett, none of the others have been good enough. Beresford and Robinson have been great players for us, but their best days are over, Heikkinen (player of the season last season) hasn't performed well since October and Warren Feeney couldn't hit a ten foot long five foot high brick wall, let alone the back of the net. There are also frustrations with how Bill Tomlins and John Mitchell are running the club, as they couldn't run a bath between them (still no news on the stadium). Newell has also made some bad decisions as a manager. All in all, it's much easier to ask what has gone right this season since November.

Realistically how many points do you think you will collect in the run-in?

We have apparently looked a little more resilient under Blackwell, at least when we haven't played with one up front. Having said that, we've got to travel to Derby and we are at home to Sunderland, so we won't get anything from those matches. However, a win at home to Plymouth isn't an unrealistic possibility, and a point at Southend is also possible, so I think we can get 4 points out of 12, which is nowhere near enough of course. Whether we'll perform well enough in those matches is a different matter.

Who, if anybody in your team has the ability to drag you away from the bottom three?

David Bell has been our best player in the second half of the season, and his brace on Monday shows this. Other than Bell, it's difficult to think of anyone who can save us or at least play very well until the end of the season. Ahmet Brkovic is capable of doing great things but rarely does unfortunately and Leon Barnett is a solid defender but he may be out for the season. In reality, it is too late for anyone to pull us away from relegation.

If you worst comes to the worst and you do get relegated, how do you think you will cope in League One?

It's difficult to say how well we'll cope next season in League One, because we have a new manager and he'll presumably be bringing in his own players and own methods of coaching to change the team. Blackwell has already brought in Sam Ellis and John Carver to help him out, and hopefully some new players will follow in the summer. Promotion from League One isn't an unrealistic aim, but I don't think many teams achieve promotion straight after relegation from the Championship, so we may simply be heading for mid-table obscurity. However, Blackwell will have more time with the club by then and can hopefully get Luton in the play-offs. My personal view is that Newell would have done a good job with us in League One again, although that's academic now.

Which three teams do you think will be going down come 6th May?

Luton will definitely be down. Southend and Leeds will probably go down with us as well, although teams down the bottom keep on picking up a few points and then losing matches (except Luton, who just lose matches), so it's difficult to say.