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Championship Round-up

Strach's Back!

The Championship round-up returns after an extended international break on my part with a review of this weekend’s action in the world’s most topsy-turvy league in which anyone who finishes above Sheffield United will apparently get promoted.

Just the twelve teams at present then, Mr Merson.

Gordon Strachan has finally been appointed as manager at Middlesbrough and his first game in charge of the Smoggies will be next weekend’s visit of Paul Sturrock’s struggling Pilgrims. He should have one of the easiest jobs in the country getting Boro promoted with their squad and his hardest task will probably be persuading young Adam Johnson that the grass isn’t greener in the promised land come January. Johnson of course scored a great goal against Preston on Saturday, his ninth of the season, but Boro could only manage a point thanks to Billy Jones’ injury-time header for the Lilywhites.

Elsewhere in the north-east Newcastle somehow managed to overcome Donny despite being outplayed for large parts of the game. Rovers, however, were the architects of their own downfall with Martin Woods blazing wide a penalty which would have put the Yorkshiremen 2-1 up before Kevin Nolan popped up with a winner for United deep into injury time.

Cardiff City joined Newcastle in the top two with an enthralling 4-3 win at Bramall Lane; the Bluebirds have gone on a rampage since their defeat at Hillsborough last month, scoring 17 goals in their last five games. Kevin Blackwell’s Blades meanwhile have lost three on the trotter, shipping ten goals in the process as the Steel City’s respective defences continue to battle it out in levels of sheer ineptitude.

Poor old Roy Keane is still without a win as Ipswich boss although he shouldn’t have to wait too long as notoriously poor travellers Wednesday visit Portman Road next month. The Tractor Boys earned a battling point at fellow strugglers Plymouth this weekend as a shocking backpass gifted Jon Stead a second half equaliser. Keano continues to amuse in his post-match interviews with his one word answers to the perennial questions about his future in Suffolk.

His next chance to pick up a win comes next weekend as Ipswich host Derby who were beaten 4-2 by QPR on Saturday evening despite leading 2-0. Brian Clough’s squad has been devastated by injury and they continue to slide down the table towards the dreaded drop zone while QPR are into the top six following the Adel Taarabt-inspired win at Pride Park. Barnsley continue to flirt with the drop following their 3-2 reverse by Bristol City, although if Football Heaven is anything to go by their fans are far more concerned with getting turned over by Man United’s reserves tomorrow night than they are about actually staying up in the Championship!

Talking of the Carling Cup, only two other Championship sides remain in contention with Peterborough travelling to Blackburn tomorrow night and moneybags Man City hosting Scunthorpe on Wednesday evening.

Finally, my favourite story of the weekend comes from the Palace-Forest game where two odious characters Neil Warnock and Billy Davies became embroiled in a war of words after the game following an alleged elbow by Palace defender Clint Hill on Forest winger Paul Anderson.



The BBC reports that the local radio commentary was played over the tannoy just as they were describing Forest manager Davies as being “out of his pram.” Davies responded after the game by saying: "I was out of my pram because I'm trying to protect my player, 21 years of age who had just been hit in the head. And I'm really sorry if I've upset this tannoy guy. Tell him I'm sorry!" Warnock responded with his usual class to Davies’ criticisms of his side’s physical nature saying: “Tell Mr Davies to keep his mouth shut. That is a disgraceful statement. If I had £4.5million to spend I would play different football.”

You’d expect no less from those two but expect this one to run and run...


Enjoy your football!

Creg,