The Championship is often spoken about as being one of the most exciting leagues in Europe and for the most part, this season has been no different. After a dramatic final day where Sheffield Wednesday, Rotherham United and Wycombe Wanderers were all relegated, we now move onto the play-offs.
We are @dcfcofficial ?? #dcfc pic.twitter.com/4EN0kuXXc0
— Wayne Rooney (@WayneRooney) May 9, 2021
Onto the play-offs
Brentford, Swansea, and Bournemouth would have all anticipated a promotion push at the start of the season, so they should have all been well prepared mentally for these matches. Barnsley have done exceptionally well to get here after only narrowly avoiding relegation last season. In the semi-final first legs, Bournemouth host Brentford and Barnsley host Swansea.
A quick look at this update on the English Championship odds puts Brentford as the slight favourite to win their first leg against Bournemouth. Despite finishing the season in 6th position, it would take a brave man to rule out Bournemouth in this one. After losing in the final last season, Brentford will be determined to go one better.
Wayne Rooney’s Derby County stay up
An extraordinary final day of the season involved three clubs with genuine hope of staying up. Derby’s 3-3 with Sheffield Wednesday saw them stay up by only a point after Rotherham conceded a late equaliser away to Cardiff. Former Manchester United player Rooney was appointed as Derby manager in November 2020. He was given the task of keeping Derby up and he achieved this, even if their end of season form will be a concern for those in the boardroom.
Following a points deduction, Championship relegation odds had placed Sheffield Wednesday as one of the favourites alongside Wycombe to drop into League One. It has been a period of instability with the club as they have changed managers on numerous occasions in recent seasons and this ultimately ended with a disappointing drop into the third tier.
Let’s reminisce about 2012/2013
In a league that is used to drama and excitement, the 2012/2013 season was one of the best. The promotion battle went down to the last day of the season and Hull City narrowly edged out Watford.
The Hornets were then involved in probably the most dramatic play-off semi-final ever. The game involved a late penalty miss and an even later winning goal from Troy Deeney. Many Watford fans see this as one of the greatest matches in history involving the club. The commentary of the goal does an exceptional job of showcasing the drama on display… “Here’s Hogg… Deeney!”
This particular season also had a relegation battle that was only decided in the season’s final moments. This tussle to stay in the Championship involved Barnsley and Huddersfield, who played out a final-day draw which saved them both and consigned Peterborough to the drop.
What makes the Championship so dramatic?
Ultimately, the drive to get promoted into the Premier League means that every game played involving the top teams has a lot riding in it.
Clubs relegated from the Premier League can often struggle with the huge number of games played, with two games a week being a regular occurrence. This can sometimes level the playing field between the bigger and smaller Championship sides. Heavy legs can make for an arduous season and the gruelling schedule is tough for even the fittest of pros.