Alan Swann’s guide to the Championship clubs 2021-22. Who’s going up? Who’s going down?
Predicting the final Championship table for the 2021-22 season is fraught with danger because of the financial nightmare for many clubs following the Covid march through the country.
By Alan Swann
Published 25th Jul 2021, 13:55 BST
Updated 6th Aug 2021, 07:29 BST
But I’ve had a go...
9. SWANSEA CITY
9th: Swansea City. Major signings: Kyle Joseph, Joel Piroe, Liam Walsh. Manager Steve Cooper’s departure hints at unrest behind the scenes at the Liberty Stadium. Former Posh star Russell Martin will have his work cut out to to keep the Swans swimming towards the top especially as last season’s top scorer Andre Ayew has also left. Last season’s surge to the Championship play-off final is unlikely to be repeated. Quality footballing team though and that won't change under Martin.
10th: Coventry City. Major signings: Bright Enobakhare, Ben Sheaf, Martyn Waghorn. The Sky Blues defied the odds last season by surviving comfortably at Championship level despite playing every game away from home. A return to the Ricoh will undoubtedly help as will a couple of shrewd signings, although Enobakhare failed to impress on trial at Posh last season. Good footballing team who will enjoy a comfortable season under a bright manager.
11th: Nottingham Forest. Major signings: Ethan Horveth, Cafu. You don’t appoint Chris Hughton as manager in the hope of seeing fluent, flowing football, but you do expect to win plenty of games. Forest, under Hughton, have managed the former, but not the latter and for a club with an impatient owner that will need to change pretty quickly to avoid more bloodletting. A line-up Posh shouldn’t fear.
12th: Reading. Major signings: None. Reading missed out on the play-offs on the final day of last season. They probably won’t get that close again having failed to improve the squad this summer. In fact I’d say the other Royals are likely to welcome Prince Harry back into the fold sooner than the football club reach the Premier League. They’ll probably finish top half, but they lack the clout of the obvious title favourites.