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Championship Round-up

We start this week’s round-up in the East Midlands where yet again Forest and Derby failed to behave themselves. Rob Hulse got the only goal to end Forest’s unbeaten run of about 74 games but the real talking point was the bizarre accusations by the odious Billy Davies that Nigel Clough had kneed him the back after the game. We can only hope Father Irvine chins him on Saturday. West Brom took advantage of Forest’s slip-up by battering Sheffield United; a game which included two dodgy pens and arguably goal of the weekend by Bednar who finished off a fine passing move. Troubled Cardiff beat Donny with literally a helping hand from Neil Sullivan to keep themselves in the promotion hunt. Ipswich are back in trouble after a 2-0 defeat at Preston; debutant Danny Welbeck with another contender for goal of the weekend for the hosts. Reading got a valuable win to stay within three points of the aforementioned men from Suffolk, while Palace ended a bad week on a good note beating doomed Peterborough.

Talking of Posh, they yesterday put Mark Cooper out of his misery by giving him the boot. Despite his non-league achievements it was a strange appointment and shy and retiring chairman Darragh MacAnthony decided enough was enough after just 13 games in charge for Cooper. It was fairly inevitable after his bizarre rant last week and Posh are surely destined for League One next season despite the appointment of Jim Gannon. Expect a mass exodus from London Road in the summer; Paul Coutts joined his former boss Darren Ferguson at Deepdale yesterday.

In other transfer news, the transfer window yet again proved to be boring and pointless despite Sky Sports News’ best efforts. Moses went to Wigan for a measly £2.5 million to appease the Palace administrators for now. Boro’s Adam Johnson went to Citeh at the last minute as well so that’s my fantasy footie team buggered! It will be interesting to see how Johnson gets on in the Prem (if he even gets a game) as he’s probably the best player I’ve seen in this league this season. Sheffield United made their 37th loan signing of the season bringing in Nyron Nosworthy from Sunderland and Gordon Strachan brought in ANOTHER two players from Scotland as presumably he thinks the SPL’s top players are just about good enough to play for a mid-table Championship side.

There’s a smattering of midweek action; Preston host Barnsley with both sides hoping a win will push them further away from trouble. Sheffield United travel to Watford where once again your discerning Wednesdayite is faced with the problem of whether to support ‘anyone who is playing against United’ or hope them lot from S2 can beat one of our relegation rivals. There’s one game tomorrow night with West Brom heading to the great wooden stand of Blackpool while Newcastle play Cardiff on Friday night; technically that’s not midweek but technically it’s not the weekend either so there.


Enjoy your football.

Creg,