With apologies to the "Predict the Championship" thread, I thought it might be an idea, with the season almost upon us, to have a thread where we predict the various leagues for the upcoming year. We can then all laugh at how far off we were, this time next year. You can always just copy and paste your Championship predictions if you like!
Premier League
I know less about this every year and my knowledge has got even worse since we got kicked out of it.
Still, it seems that Man City had a brilliant attacking side but didn't necessarily have the defensive attributes to grind out scrappy wins. They've added in all areas. Chelsea should be strong again, with Morata a likely upgrade on Costa. Man Utd will be competent but dull under Mourinho, Arsenal will flatter to deceive, Tottenham might struggle at Wembley, Liverpool are one of the biggest question marks while Everton have spent big but their fans still think they lack the pace to compete for the title.
I reckon Brighton and Newcastle will have enough to avoid trouble, but Huddersfield look the worst newly-promoted side for decades and will go down. Members of this forum may want Albion to sink, but I just can't see it with Pulis in charge.
1 Man City
2 Chelsea
3 Liverpool
4 Man United
5 Arsenal
6 Tottenham
7 Everton
18 Swansea
19 Burnley
20 Huddersfield
Championship
Middlesbrough look like they have enough to go straight back up, I don't think Hull have enough for automatic promotion and Sunderland look to be in disarray. We will be better but I think we lack firepower and will narrowly miss the playoffs in agonising fashion. Wednesday have a good choice of attacking options and I fancy them to go up while Norwich improve and Derby bottle it as ever.
Small Heath overachieved under Rowett and underachieved under Zola and I think they'll be somewhere in the middle. Say thirteenth. Of the promoted clubs, I reckon Bolton will go but Sheff Utd and Millwall could generate good enough home records to survive. Forest are shite and the magic will wear off for Burton.
1 Middlesbrough
2 Sheff Wed
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3 Norwich (P)
4 Brentford
5 Reading
6 Hull
22 Burton
23 Bolton
24 Forest
League One
Blackburn were one of the better clubs to be relegated to this tier in recent years while Wigan know how to get out of this division. They'll both go straight back up while Rotherham have a season of consolidation.
1 Blackburn
2 Wigan
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3 Bradford (P)
4 MK Dons
5 Fleetwood
6 Charlton
21 Walsall
22 Oldham
23 Gillingham
24 Blackpool
League Two
Steve Evans is a c*** but knows how to get teams promoted. Coventry finished well and should finally finish in the top six of a division for the first time since Ted Heath last won a General Election.
1 Mansfield
2 Coventry
3 Carlisle
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4 Luton (P)
5 Swindon
6 Lincoln
7 Forest Green
23 Morecambe
24 Crawley
Other English competitions
FA Cup: Man Utd
League Cup: Liverpool
Vans Cup: Oxford
Conference: Tranmere
Conference Playoffs: Eastleigh
Scottish Premiership
Hmmmm... I wonder who will win this?
1 Celtic
2 Aberdeen
3 Rangers
4 St Johnstone
11 Kilmarnock (R)
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12 Hamilton Accies
Scottish Championship
Should be a battle between Dundee Utd and Falkirk but I fancy St Mirren to be up there after the way they finished the season.
1 Dundee Utd
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2 Falkirk (P)
3 St Mirren
4 Dunfermline
9 Dumbarton (survive via playoffs)
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10 Brechin
Scottish League One
Ayr look much-improved on last season based on their excellent League Cup Groups form.
1 Ayr
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2 Raith
3 Alloa
4 Stranraer
9 Arbroath (R)
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10 Albion Rovers
Scottish League Two
Only a fucking idiot would predict Clyde to go up.
1 Peterhead
---------------------
2 Stenhousemuir
3 Stirling
4 Clyde (P)
10 Edinburgh City (R)
Other Scottish competitions
Scottish Cup: Celtic
Scottish League Cup: St Johnstone
Scottish Challenge Cup: Morton
Scottish League Two/Highland League/Lowland League Playoffs: East Kilbride.
Other Leagues
La Liga: Barcelona
Serie A: Juventus
Bundesliga: Bayern Munich
Ligue Un: PSG
Eredivisie: Ajax
Süper Lig: Besiktas
European/International Competitions
World Cup: Germany
Champions League: Real Madrid
Europa League: Villarreal.
