The Championship

[tompo]

[giles_23_bcfc]

[badger22]

Good post, and l can see what you are saying in full.

The step up from the Championship to the Premiership is a MASSIVE one, and l think we will all be grateful if we avoid relegation next season.

At the moment l am looking at teams such as Colchester, Plymouth, QPR, for my inspiration on how it is possible to be successful in that league coming fresh out of league 1.

If we can do a Reading or Manchester City in the 07/08 season, l will be more than happy.

[Antman]

Is the premiership a level playing field? No. Chelsea, Man United, Arsenal, Liverpool top 4 again.

Is/was the Championship a level playing field this season? No. Birmingham and Sunderland top 2 with millions upon millions of pounds.

Is/was League 1 a level playing field this season? No. Us and Forest in the top 4. The 2 biggest teams in the league (NOT saying either team is a big club!)

Is/was League 2 a level playing field this season? No. 3of the 4 relegated teams all finished in the top 4.

No league is ever on a level playing field. We will be going from being a sure fire promotion candidate team at the start of the season to a sure fire relegation tipped team. We won't be competing with the likes of Preston, Wolves, West Brom, Derby, Leicester (watch them next season) etc. Even Colchester will struggle this season.

I will be more than happy to finish 21st next season.

I think the original post is very true.

Whilst it might be argued that us and forest are the 'big' clubs in Div 1 (I hate that anyhow - we're no 'bigger' than our current league position) we didn't have any financial leg up greater than the samller clubs, yes we probably had bigger crowds, in a bigger capacity ground, but how many clubs are filling capacity week in week out? There are few clubs who can point to a capacity of, say - 6,000 and argue that it puts them at a disadvantage.

The gap between the championship and the premier league is too great. We already have a culture of clubs who exist between the divisons, but to be honest - if we can emulate Watford or suchlike and have a brief spell 'upstairs' that would make me very very happy.

It's about steady growth from here, I expect us to be in the bottom third next season, I just hope fan's expectancy doesn't sour too early.

Then again, there always seems to be a team who do well after promotion the season before - so who knows!!!!

[swindlered]

Leeds have proved that the gap between league one and the Premiership can be bridged. If we look at recent rivals to city in League One. Reading & Wigan now in the Premier League, Cardiff and Stoke both had good seasons in the Championship. QPR & Plymouth look to have consolidated. Barnsley & Hull just about survived. None of these teams are too far away from us in terms of there support.

Of the teams that have struggled its been the likes of Luton, Crewe, Southend, Brighton, Gillingham all of which are smaller clubs and i'd be surprised if Colchester don't struggle next season.

We deserve to be in the championship and its down to Steve L & Gary Johnson to make sure that we become a regular there.

[megansdad]

The original post is a good one - the creation of the Premiership and advent of Sky have combined to create a cosy club which supports its members even when they leave. Were it not for the Prem Charlton would be no bigger a club than we are but parachute payments will help them keep a Premiership squad in place and will certainly give them an advantage their crowd size alone could not. Their will always be big clubs but the Premiership helps sustain others, which is precisely why Sunderland and Birmingham have been able to bounce back.

[Red_Chelt]

The original post is a good one - the creation of the Premiership and advent of Sky have combined to create a cosy club which supports its members even when they leave. Were it not for the Prem Charlton would be no bigger a club than we are but parachute payments will help them keep a Premiership squad in place and will certainly give them an advantage their crowd size alone could not. Their will always be big clubs but the Premiership helps sustain others, which is precisely why Sunderland and Birmingham have been able to bounce back.

So all we need to do is get promoted to the Premiership and we'll be rolling around in £millions whatever happens. <dreams>

[megansdad]

as long as we don't hock ourselves in piursuit of an even bigger prize a la Leeds or indeed BCFC last time we were there yes....

[Chappers]

So true. Football in the Premiership is really becoming dull, and ever-increasing parachute payments are likely to make the Championship a bit too predictable as well. Let's hope the so-called Big 4 FO to a Euro League, take the TV cash and get the unpredictability back into football.

[lotusman]

So true. Football in the Premiership is really becoming dull, and ever-increasing parachute payments are likely to make the Championship a bit too predictable as well. Let's hope the so-called Big 4 FO to a Euro League, take the TV cash and get the unpredictability back into football.

Premiership becoming dull? Not in a million years.The standard of the product has risen each and every year since its origination.It is a worldwide entertainment sport and something that we should all be proud of.One may be cynical towards the financial aspect that it entails yet it really is the only place to be if you are a supporter or player.Fortunately I still remember our brief tenure in the very top-flite, that the dream of one day scaling those heights is at least one step nearer excites me for our club and its fans.

[Andy Horsman]

I do agree with the sentiments and facts presented in the original post on this thread, but even in the Western League, small clubs like Wellington, who lease their ground from the council, have a modest club house and average attendance of maybe 40, are competing with Truro City, a millionaires plaything full of ex-pros and players on eye-watering contracts considering the league they are in (Western League Div.1).It is endemic in football and money does buy success, Chelsea have proven the point.This is why SL is talking cautiously, because even by quadrupling the wage budget and spending £8M on players, we would still be financially unable to compete with ex Premiership sides with their parachute payments.

GJ's team spirit and unity however cannot be bought, so I will settle for lower-to-mid table next season, very happily!!!!!!

[Mad Cyril]

is it a level playing field?

I do hope so.

The days of pitches with big slopes should be consigned to Sunday Pub League and Yeovil town.

[southwestgooner]

Premiership becoming dull? Not in a million years.The standard of the product has risen each and every year since its origination.It is a worldwide entertainment sport and something that we should all be proud of.One may be cynical towards the financial aspect that it entails yet it really is the only place to be if you are a supporter or player.Fortunately I still remember our brief tenure in the very top-flite, that the dream of one day scaling those heights is at least one step nearer excites me for our club and its fans.

The premiership is the greatest league in the world and the only place to play and watch the beautiful game.

On top of that the champions league is the best club cup competion in the world and the icing on the cake if your team qualifies.

Myself and my son are gooners but simply love the game and we do attend Ashton Gate a couple of times a season when fixtures don't clash because we simply enjoy watching football and it's our local team.

The game has gone to new levels in the last ten years or so, with the television deals etc, etc.

But that doesn't mean that all clubs should have a target to get there one day, and this chance should never be taken away by closed shops/break aways.

Nobody can dispute that the football played and entertainment at the top level is great to watch and gives great value for money. If that wasn't the case then the stadiums of the top clubs wouldn't be sold out week in week out.

Good luck for the future and always believe that one day your club will get there.