CHAMPIONSHIP 2020-21

Aug 26, 2020 36 minutes

With a pandemic exacerbating overstretched finances, few Championship promotion races could end up being more important than this one.

England’s second tier has been variously described as “a bubble waiting to burst” and “a runaway train ready to hit the buffers” recently, after its 24 clubs lost a combined £300m in 2018-19, with an average wages-to-turnover ratio of 107 per cent. And that was before coronavirus arrived. With huge chunks of income already lost and such problems far from over, some need the Premier League gold more than ever.

But which three clubs will grab those riches? Norwich will aim to go again after a miserable end to their Premier League campaign in which they lost all nine games after lockdown; Bournemouth and Watford were closer to survival, but both have undergone managerial changes – the Cherries are venturing into the unknown without Eddie Howe.

Brentford were immediately installed as bookies’ favourites for the title in 2020-21 after play-off final defeat – and their first task is to avoid a hangover, with just 39 days between seasons. Swansea and Cardiff must also bounce back from play-off angst, while a baffled Nottingham Forest figure out how they managed to miss out on the top six altogether.

Derby will have a full season of Wayne Rooney, who undoubtedly made an impact from January onwards, while Middlesbrough are hoping for a much improved campaign under boss Neil Warnock – the 71-year-old is just four matches from reaching 1,500 games as a manager, after coming out of retirement for the 316th time. Millwall, Preston, Blackburn and Bristol City also want play-off pushes, while Michael O’Neill begins his first full season at Stoke after guiding them to safety last time.

Huddersfield have revisited a tried-and-tested method to turn their fortunes around – after previously enjoying success by employing Jurgen Klopp’s pal, they’ve now gone for Marcelo Bielsa’s chum in former Leeds assistant Carlos Corberan. Birmingham have hired Aitor Karanka, meanwhile, after finishing bottom of the post-lockdown table.

They won’t be the only Championship team based at St Andrew’s this term – Coventry will groundshare again, after returning to this level for the first time since 2012. Like QPR, Reading and Luton, most expect them to occupy a spot somewhere in the bottom half.

Having gone down, up, down and then up again, Rotherham want their yoyo days to stop – and like Coventry, automatic promotion from the curtailed League One means they’ve not played a competitive game since March. Wycombe starred in the play-offs more recently, but face a monumental task to survive their first ever season in the Championship.

“CHAMPIONSHIP CLUBS LOST A COMBINED £300M IN THE 2018-19 SEASON. AND THAT WAS BEFORE CORONAVIRUS”

They’ll take inspiration from Barnsley, who did so improbably last term via injury-time winners in their last two matches, plus Wigan’s 12-point deduction. Those battling relegation may be helped by another 12-point penalty for Sheffield Wednesday, after the Owls breached Financial Fair Play regulations. It was deja vu for manager Garry Monk, who also suffered a deduction with Birmingham in 2018-19.

Such punishments are indicative of a division that operates on a financial knife-edge. An increasing number of clubs are dreaming of success on the field this season, to avoid problems off it.

BARNSLEY

LAST SEASON

CHAMPIONSHIP 21st FA CUP Fourth Round LEAGUE CUP First Round TOP SCORER (ALL COMPS) Cauley Woodrow (15)

FAN FILE LEWIS ROBINSON @robinsonlewis_

The big talking point among the fans is how we managed to stay up!

This season will be different to last because we’ll learn from our mistakes, recruit better and adapt to the division more effectively – I hope.

I won’t be happy unless we add a few more players to make this a decent Championship squad.

Our most underrated player is Michael Sollbauer [above, left]. He has had a huge effect on the team.

Look out for Callum Styles. He finished last season really well and looks a really promising prospect.

The player I’d happily drive to another club is no one. Unlike before, Barnsley recruit hungry youngsters who work for the shirt.

Our key player will be Alex Mowatt [below]. He’s the engine of our team and so integral in how we play.

Save the date for the Sheffield Wednesday games, although Rotherham’s promotion makes for another derby this season.

The pantomime villain will be the Carabao Cup. Realistically, the teams starting from the first round won’t have much of a chance to win it, and it will only add to what is an already extremely congested season.

The one change I’d make would be that we could afford to keep hold of the good players we develop and see a side grow together.

The best Barnsley social media account is @RedsReport_ – a good bunch of lads who love the club.

Did you know that we once had Demba Ba on trial, but didn’t offer him a deal. What a great signing that would have been.

The fans’ opinion of the gaffer is brilliant! It’s hard not to love Gerhard Struber. Just look at the passion the guy showed on the night we stayed up – raw emotion. That desire is so refreshing and inspiring. Keeping us in the division was a fantastic achievement. Let’s hope he stays and continues to develop this squad, to see how far we can go.

If he left, he should be replaced by Danny Cowley: young and ambitious.

We’ll finish 15th. Keeping hold of the current players will be crucial.

FFT VERDICT 18^TH

This young, hungry squad has enough to avoid relegation even if Gerhard Struber does leave. If, however, the Austrian stays, works his magic and keeps the defence as tight as it was after lockdown, then the sky – or at least mid-table – is the limit.