With less than a week to go, it's time for one of these.

As far as Leicester goes, I think most fans are slightly worried that there has been no strengthening up front, although we've been linked with any number of names - Leroy Lita and Kevin Phillips are recent rumours.

Richie Wellens in midfield is the major signing, and comes with good reports.

I would be quite happy with a developing mid-table team, and feel this should be achievable with what we have. However, my main worry is not Mandaric's sometimes-itchy trigger finger - I think he trusts Pearson - but our generation of fans who were reared on the Premier League, feel it is our rightful place and become impatient when we are not thrashing teams at home. If we don't make a good start our stadium could become a theatre of misery, like it was two years ago.

First game is home to Swansea, and as usual it has sneaked up on me and I haven't organised things.

West Brom and Reading for automatic promotion. I haven't paid enough attention to be able to tip for the drop, but Blackpool could struggle without Grayson and Newcastle could struggle with anyone.

Coventry in poor shape. Fox and Dann sold for £6m+, along with Simpson who brought in 300k-ish. Clingan in from Norwich for £1m addresses one of the weak spots, but the sales have left the squad seriously undermanned.

I'm feeling pretty pessimistic about the season - had a bet on relegation which I've never done before. I predict Coleman will have left by the end of the season.

Finding it hard to predict who will do well in the league this season - I predict mediocrity will reign! God, I should contemplate suicide shouldn't I!

You didn't look a level above us last week to be honest.

They also lost to Dunfermline in a friendly, which is no mean feat.

The Times Online published a Championship guide today, complete with predicted positional finishes.

I suspect it was written by a fellow Doncaster fan. 9th?!

Newcastle are predicted to finish 20th by The Times and first by 4-4-2, I notice.

I agree about Newcastle & Doncaster.

Newcastle will finish somewhere between 6th and 9th. Predicting 20th, or 1st is insane.

Doncaster will be bottom half. If they go on to lose centre-back Mills as well, then they could have a very fretfull season, near the very bottom.

I think Barnsley will finish safely in mid table this season (mind you, I always think that).

Despite no real new additions the first team looks quite competent from what I've seen of them so far, especially holding Man City to a (slightly undeserved) draw. If we can battle like that all season we'll be all right.
Other than up front (Macken, an interested looking Kayode, Bogdanovich, fit again Iain Hume, and Sodje) the squad looks a bit thin, but we apparently have some decent youth team players who will be given more of a chance this time.
The only first team player who perhaps needs replacing is 61 year old Darren Moore. He is fantastic at heading and blocking, the greatest player I've ever seen at shielding the ball out of play for a goal kick, but sadly he's not very good at running or kicking the ball.
We need Luke Steele to stay fit and on form too.

Fifteenth.

I couldn't even guess who will go up. The top end of the table is a foriegn land where Barnsley fans don't speak the language.
Going down I'll pick Donny (dire against us and Wellens leaving will hurt them), Scunny (too many ex Barnsley players), and Coventry (they only thrashed us once last season - standards are slipping).

That Times thing has us 4th!

I still haven't got over the end of last season. The new stadium will bring in a novelty factor, but I can see discontent before Christmas if Jones can't rustle up a competitive team again.

delicatemoth wrote:
West Brom and Reading for automatic promotion. I haven't paid enough attention to be able to tip for the drop, but Blackpool could struggle without Grayson and Newcastle could struggle with anyone.

Your faith in Reading is touching. I'm really not sure though. We have kept pretty much everyone from last season's team that finished 4th (apart from Doyle), although Stephen Hunt is clearly available. Sadly it appears teams saw his form after Xmas and are wisely steering clear. But on the flipside no new signings apart from Bertrand on loan for the season.

I was happy that Rodgers got the manager's job but it may take some time for his ideas to show an effect. The Times predictor had us at 10th. I think we might be a bit higher than that, but I wouldn't be too surprised by anywhere in the top 10. It's always a competitive division and hard to judge other teams in pre-season. But I'd be surprised if Sheff Utd & WBA aren't right up there.

Excitedly anticipating Reading-Forest on Saturday. 1st day of the season is always ace - the optimism in the air...

Tis a desperately poor division. Forest have a strong squad on paper whilst there are some very good footballers at Posh. Either of them could be there or thereabouts and Derby will do ok if they stop leaking so many goals. West Brom and Sheff Utd look streets ahead though, I have to say.

Davies for Reading looked decent on Saturday.

We'll be mid-table again (like everyone else!) Which is pretty sad considering this is third season of Il Duce's four year plan to get us into the PL.

As usual we haven't got a striker who can be counted on to score more than ten goals a season. And, as usual, we'll begin with three of our starters on the disabled list.

The Times' correspondent may want to revise his prediction for our lot as Matt Mills is about to join Reading leaving us short of two of the rocks on which the successful second half of last season was founded.

We've been told having a fit Steve Brooker will be like having a new signing, although that looks set to be revised to like getting a new signing in the January transfer window as he remains injured now.

We're sliding down the prediction tables with each day and hour. Where the money from Mills and Wellens goes will make the difference as we do have a knack for a shrewd bargain or two... as those two typify.

In any other division I'd be fearing relegation, but such is the make-up of the Championship I still have faith in a mid-table finish.

I was looking forward to the new season, but then I read this pile of bollocks.

Sample quote:

The Club is looking to use the Band in a number of ways with a view to helping create a community legacy. The band is keen to increase involvement and enhance the matchday experience and atmosphere, this includes engaging the community through participating in SWFC schools outreach programmes, participation in various community events, and providing greater support for SWFC on non-matchdays. long term. There are also plans for an extended band, which would ultimately enable the members to rotate so that they can enjoy matches like regular fans, based on recruiting kids through the outreach activity in schools through which we will spread the brand of Sheffield Wednesday..

On the pitch things are looking okay, we kept Grant and Tudgay and signed some 32 year olds who might be good for one season at least, and only got rid of crocks and reserves. Mid table, verge of the playoffs maybe, hope for a cup run.

Leo Fortunes Vest wrote:
The Times' correspondent may want to revise his prediction for our lot as Matt Mills is about to join Reading leaving us short of two of the rocks on which the successful second half of last season was founded.


The Times have predicted Newcastle will finish 20th. 442 have a different opinion:

Prediction from 442:

1. Newcastle United
2. Ipswich Town

3. Reading
4. Middlesbrough
5. West Brom
6. Preston North End

7. Sheffield United
8. Cardiff City
9. QPR
10. Derby County
11. Nottingham Forest
12. Peterborough United
13. Bristol City
14. Crystal Palace
15. Coventry City
16. Sheffield Wednesday
17. Swansea City
18. Leicester City
19. Watford
20. Doncaster Rovers
21. Plymouth Argyle

22. Blackpool
23. Barnsley
24. Scunthorpe United

I read a Roy Keane interview in the Guardian (Times maybe?), lamenting that Premier League players have too high wages and he won't have £6 million to play around with as with Sunderland last time.

I think this season might be reality bites time for him. Honestly, the guy might have to manage a team this time around, rather than shout at an expensively arranged team of millionaires.

I presume this (from The Observer) is the interview you mean? I can't find a recent one in The Times.

If so, you've let your obvious dislike of the man distort your reading of what he actually said. His comments on the subjects you mention are far from your interpretation;

"I spent about six million pounds (at Sunderland). If I can spend six million and get this team promoted I'll be very pleased."

"I'd like to think we'll be in the mix if I can get a few more players in, [but] over the last few years you look at the teams who got relegated from the Premier League and generally two of the three bounce straight back, so Newcastle, Middlesbrough and West Brom will be looking to go back up."

Pretty stunned that Reading are about to spend £2M odd on Mills. Not cos I don't rate him - I've never seen him play but all the reviews are glowing - but I just didn't think we had that sort of cash to splash. Would be quite sweet for him to make his debut on Sat as Forest had agreed a fee for him as well I believe?

I see Lita has signed for Middlesbrough. A talented if inconsistent player, certainly at Championship level. Nightclubs in the Middlesbrough area may also see an increase in trade.