City Versus Teams Coming Out Of The Prem

[lobster]

After being relegated from the Premier League, with all its riches, and then benefiting from parachute payments (which are an absolute joke), teams such as Charlton, Sheff U and Watford really ought to have a distinct advantage over others in the Championship, especially those who have been at the third level for the best part of a decade.

However, I now wonder whether this is necessarily the case given that they have to sell their best players (eg Jagielka), reduce the wages of players who stay (who may think they're too good for the league) and rebuild for a promotion-challenging season, when their mindset had been to avoid relegation.

It's not entirely surprising that Watford are up there given that they're doughty scrappers, but Charlton have had to reacquaint themselves with the Championship and Sheff U had a hangover from the whole Tevez affair, and then replaced Warnock, who might have kicked them back up, with Robson (enough said).

We've got the advantage of coming into the division with a settled side, to which we've added some good signings (McIndoe looked better value than Varney last night) and a winning habit built up over a few seasons. Personally, I thought we'd finish mid-table given that we were defensively sound, but probably wouldn't score enough goals. Credit to GJ and co for proving me wrong.

Would need to spend some money if we went up, but it's ridiculous to say that the teams promoted this season will fare no better than Derby, who clearly felt inadequate from day one. The template for me are Portsmouth, who got promoted, had to battle for a few seasons but, by showing the right spirit and guile and splashing a bit of cash, have turned themselves into a solid Premier League club.

The Charlton fans on the boards have been pretty fair-minded and complimentary although there was one guy on the train last night who was telling his mates that he'd hate it if us or Stoke went up, as if we didn't have any right to be there. He added that West Brom had been 'by far' the best team in the league and that Charlton should be up there as they'd beaten them home and away. The table doesn't lie my friend.

P.S. City fans were Premier League last night

[double-trouble]

After being relegated from the Premier League, with all its riches, and then benefiting from parachute payments (which are an absolute joke), teams such as Charlton, Sheff U and Watford really ought to have a distinct advantage over others in the Championship, especially those who have been at the third level for the best part of a decade.

However, I now wonder whether this is necessarily the case given that they have to sell their best players (eg Jagielka), reduce the wages of players who stay (who may think they're too good for the league) and rebuild for a promotion-challenging season, when their mindset had been to avoid relegation.

It's not entirely surprising that Watford are up there given that they're doughty scrappers, but Charlton have had to reacquaint themselves with the Championship and Sheff U had a hangover from the whole Tevez affair, and then replaced Warnock, who might have kicked them back up, with Robson (enough said).

We've got the advantage of coming into the division with a settled side, to which we've added some good signings (McIndoe looked better value than Varney last night) and a winning habit built up over a few seasons. Personally, I thought we'd finish mid-table given that we were defensively sound, but probably wouldn't score enough goals. Credit to GJ and co for proving me wrong.

Would need to spend some money if we went up, but it's ridiculous to say that the teams promoted this season will fare no better than Derby, who clearly felt inadequate from day one. The template for me are Portsmouth, who got promoted, had to battle for a few seasons but, by showing the right spirit and guile and splashing a bit of cash, have turned themselves into a solid Premier League club.

The Charlton fans on the boards have been pretty fair-minded and complimentary although there was one guy on the train last night who was telling his mates that he'd hate it if us or Stoke went up, as if we didn't have any right to be there. He added that West Brom had been 'by far' the best team in the league and that Charlton should be up there as they'd beaten them home and away. The table doesn't lie my friend.

P.S. City fans were Premier League last night

The table does'nt lie and although many on here and elsewhere will say WBA are the best side ( or the best side they have played ) , they have proved more inconsistant than others . This may keep them down similar to Forest last season who from the off believed they were destined to go up and look what happened .

The best two over the season will go up followed by whoever from the next four who can battle over another three games .

Presently we are the most consistant and top the table .

LONG MAY IT LAST. :goingup:

[westy]

After being relegated from the Premier League, with all its riches, and then benefiting from parachute payments (which are an absolute joke), teams such as Charlton, Sheff U and Watford really ought to have a distinct advantage over others in the Championship, especially those who have been at the third level for the best part of a decade.

However, I now wonder whether this is necessarily the case given that they have to sell their best players (eg Jagielka), reduce the wages of players who stay (who may think they're too good for the league) and rebuild for a promotion-challenging season, when their mindset had been to avoid relegation.

It's not entirely surprising that Watford are up there given that they're doughty scrappers, but Charlton have had to reacquaint themselves with the Championship and Sheff U had a hangover from the whole Tevez affair, and then replaced Warnock, who might have kicked them back up, with Robson (enough said).

We've got the advantage of coming into the division with a settled side, to which we've added some good signings (McIndoe looked better value than Varney last night) and a winning habit built up over a few seasons. Personally, I thought we'd finish mid-table given that we were defensively sound, but probably wouldn't score enough goals. Credit to GJ and co for proving me wrong.

Would need to spend some money if we went up, but it's ridiculous to say that the teams promoted this season will fare no better than Derby, who clearly felt inadequate from day one. The template for me are Portsmouth, who got promoted, had to battle for a few seasons but, by showing the right spirit and guile and splashing a bit of cash, have turned themselves into a solid Premier League club.

The Charlton fans on the boards have been pretty fair-minded and complimentary although there was one guy on the train last night who was telling his mates that he'd hate it if us or Stoke went up, as if we didn't have any right to be there. He added that West Brom had been 'by far' the best team in the league and that Charlton should be up there as they'd beaten them home and away. The table doesn't lie my friend.

P.S. City fans were Premier League last night

Just interested as to why you think the parachute payments are joke? seem alot of sense to me saving teams going bust + helping keep at least some of their players and not having to sell at really low prices

[Nibor]

Just interested as to why you think the parachute payments are joke? seem alot of sense to me saving teams going bust + helping keep at least some of their players and not having to sell at really low prices

I think they're a joke for a number of reasons.

First of all they are effectively prizes for failure. That is completely wrong in any competitive arena.

Second, they don't stop teams going bust at all. Prudent financial management does that.

Third, they just give the Prem yoyo clubs a massive unfair advantage over the rest of the Championship which helps to maintain an already huge gap.

One season in the Prem will net a club £30m in TV money. They don't need another £11m two seasons running for being crap.

[Spud55]

I think the problem that both Sheff U and charlton to a lesser extent have face is that neither really in any way planned for the eventuality of going down. Watford started planning for this season almost the second they went up, they spent most of their money on buiding a side with an outside shot of staying up in the prem but mainly to make sure they got back up soon.

West Brom did the same when they have been up in the past, don't be stupid and gamble on staying up as it can easily cripple you ala bradford, that why they brought in parachute payments, to stop that happening again which was mainly down to piss poor management at the board level. should west brom go up again and get the massively increased payout which came in this season iirc, they will have a lot of money floating around.

This is what i would expect us to do, have a go at staying up but mainly pocket the money and use it to secure the future of bristol City FC for a very long time.

I'm extreemly confident that with Sl and Gj at the helm that if we do get up the money will be used very wisley in a balance of both trying to stay up and securing the clubs long term future and goals.