Top 6 championship.

[DB]

Not sure about Newcastle. With the squad they have they are favourites, but will RB get the best out of them? He is not used to dealing with players of the quality in the C-ship i.e. wanting them to do / play a certain way but may not be good enough to execute it. Also, come Oct / Nov when a few PL clubs are not doing as well as they hoped and looking to replace a manager, where would they look for a high-profile replacement - if he had a chance to return to the PL, he would go. Maybe, one of the reasons he stayed at Newcastle, waiting for a PL job?

Or they could just walk it...

[ozzjim]

I think if one of the top 6 ish sides sack someone early doors he will be in high demand for sure.

[UK Redsox]

Grauniad place Villa in their candidates for automatic promotion

https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2016/aug/04/championship-2016-17-season-preview

[Damo70]

Not sure about Newcastle. With the squad they have they are favourites, but will RB get the best out of them? He is not used to dealing with players of the quality in the C-ship i.e. wanting them to do / play a certain way but may not be good enough to execute it. Also, come Oct / Nov when a few PL clubs are not doing as well as they hoped and looking to replace a manager, where would they look for a high-profile replacement - if he had a chance to return to the PL, he would go. Maybe, one of the reasons he stayed at Newcastle, waiting for a PL job?

Or they could just walk it...

When you say Benitez is not used to dealing with championship quality players you are over looking the fact he led both Extremadura and CD Tenerife to promotion from the Segunda to La Liga at the first time of asking in the late nineties.

[Damo70]

The bookies go Newcastle, Norwich, Villa, Derby, Brighton and Wolves in that order. Personally I don't fancy Wolves and Brighton might have a hangover from missing out last season. Newcastle look the strongest on paper, Norwich look like one of those yo yo teams not good enough for the top flight but good enough to get promoted and Derby under Pearson must stand a chance.

[ozzjim]

Looking at their squad, Newcastle should walk 100 points.

[Gregorys Boy]

Wolves are a bit unpredictable because of the gamble they've taken on this new manager.  But in general I see them as a mid-table side right now at best. 

Think Brighton and Derby are the two who could steal the play-off promotion ahead of us.  Newcastle and Norwich for the top two I think. 

[Sexual Ealing]

Grauniad place Villa in their candidates for automatic promotion

https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2016/aug/04/championship-2016-17-season-preview

A big no for me, Marcel, because the writer calls last summer's signings Remi Garde's.

[four fornicholl]

Looking at their squad, Newcastle should walk 100 points.

That is a depressing statement.

[Gregorys Boy]

Grauniad place Villa in their candidates for automatic promotion

https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2016/aug/04/championship-2016-17-season-preview

Good spot.  Maybe she knows something we don't.

A big no for me, Marcel, because the writer calls last summer's signings Remi Garde's.

[Chinchilla Bathhouse]

Yes, I just read that Grauniad piece and it's extremely lazy. Factually flimsy (on Garde) and full of stupid statements (on Pearson particularly). When the "three players to watch" are the most obvious three in the competition you know it's a half-arsed article by someone who doesn't know their stuff and can't be bothered to dig any deeper.

[adrenachrome]

Yes, I just read that Grauniad piece and it's extremely lazy. Factually flimsy (on Garde) and full of stupid statements (on Pearson particularly). When the "three players to watch" are the most obvious three in the competition you know it's a half-arsed article by someone who doesn't know their stuff and can't be bothered to dig any deeper.

It isn't a Guardian piece, it is a blog in the Grauniad web space, as they say. And "Louise Taylor is north-east football correspondent for the Guardian".  In other words "get involved" with the bantz or we will soon be even more freelance.

[Damo70]

Looking at their squad, Newcastle should walk 100 points.

That is my favourite Proclaimers song.

[brontebilly]

1) Newcastle
Other top 6, Derby, AVFC, Norwich, Sheff Wed/Brighton

[Archbishop Herbert Cockthrottle]

Grauniad place Villa in their candidates for automatic promotion

https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2016/aug/04/championship-2016-17-season-preview

If I've read that article correctly, 75% of the teams in the Championship will be getting promoted.