User tools SmallNormal Text SizeLargePrintBookmark the SiteEmail this Page

CHAMP PROSPECTS #4

Posted on: Mon 08 Aug 2005

In the final instalment of our four-part feature we take a look at six more Championship teams and their prospects for the season ahead:

We turn the focus on Sheffield United, Sheffield Wednesday, Southampton, Stoke City, Watford, and Wolves.

Links to parts one, two and three are at the bottom of the page.

 SHEFFIELD UNITED

Advertisement

Home: Bramall Lane
Capacity: 30,936

Manager: Neil Warnock

Last season: 8th

QPR Fixtures: Loftus Road: Aug 13; Bramall Lane: Feb 25

Superhoopsbet.co.uk odds:
Champions: 14/1; relegated: 18/1

Players in: Craig Short (Blackburn, free), Gary Mulligan (Wolves, free), Karl Nix (Aston Villa, free), Neil Shipperley (C Palace, free), San Lee (Brentford, free), Lilian Nalis (Leicester, free), Paul Ifill (Millwall, £800,000), Danny Webber (Watford £500,000)

Players out: Andy Liddell (Oldham, free), Danny Cullip (Nottm Forest, undisclosed), Tommy Johnson (Scunthorpe, free), Danny Cadamarteri (Bradford, free)

Sheffield United have seen a remarkable turnover of players in the past couple of years, but with the cash getting splashed for a change, the target is clear - a concerted push for promotion. Messrs Short, Shipperley, Webber and Ifill could well be the missing pieces of Neil Warnock's jigsaw and promotion could be a real possibility.

Editor's prediction: Play-off challengers

 SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY

Home: Hillsborough
Capacity: 40,000

Manager: Paul Sturrock

Last season: 5th, League One (Play-off winners)

QPR Fixtures: Loftus Road: Aug 27; Hillsborough: March 11

Superhoopsbet.co.uk odds:
Champions: 50/1; relegated: 5/1

Players in: John Hills (Gillingham, free), Graham Coughlan (Plymouth, undisclosed) Burton O'Brien (Livingston, undisclosed), Frankie Simek (Arsenal, free), Ritchie Partridge (Liverpool, undisclosed)

Players out: Lewis McMahon (Notts Co, free), Zigor Aranalde (Carlisle, free), Matthew Hamshaw (Stockport, free), Ross Greenwood (Stockport, free) Chris Carr (Queen of Sth, free) Luke Foster (Lincoln, free)

After plumbing the depths, Wednesday are on an upward curve and it's all thanks to Paul Sturrock and his ability to weave promotion magic. He did it twice at Plymouth and has now turned the Hillsborough club right round. Some decent signings will help them to consolidate.

Editor's prediction: Bottom half


 SOUTHAMPTON

Home: St Mary's
Capacity: 40,000

Manager: Harry Redknapp

Last season: 20th, Premiership

QPR Fixtures: St Mary's: Sep 10; Loftus Road: Jan 14

Superhoopsbet.co.uk odds:
Champions: 13/2; relegated: 33/1

Players in: Dennis Wise (Millwall, free), Darren Powell (C Palace, free), Ricardo Fuller (Portsmouth, £90,000), Tomasz Hajto (Nuremberg, free), Djamel Belmadi (Al-Ittihad, free)

Players out: Kevin Phillips (Aston Villa, £1m), Anders Svensson (Elfsborg, free), Jason Dodd (Brighton, free), Alledine Yahia (St Etienne, undisclosed), Jo Tessem (Lyn Oslo, undisclosed), Peter Crouch (Liverpool £7m), Paul Telfer (Celtic £200,000)

Of the three relegated sides, the Saints appear the least likely to challenge for automatic promotion. After a wretched Premiership season, the loss of Peter Crouch, Kevin Phillips, Anders Svensson and more is a grievous blow and unlike Palace and Norwich they have no recent experience of this division's vagaries.

Editor's prediction: Play-offs at best


 STOKE CITY

Home: The Britannia Stadium
Capacity: 28,384

Manager: Johan Boskamp

Last season: 12th

QPR Fixtures: Britannia Stadium: Dec 3; Loftus Road: Feb 18

Superhoopsbet.co.uk odds:
Champions: 50/1; relegated: 5/1

Players in: Mamady Sidibe (Gillingham, free), Peter Sweeney (Millwall, undisclosed), Carl Hoefkens (Germinal, undisclosed), Marlon Broomes (Preston, swap deal), Bruce Dyer (Watford, free)

Players out: Chris Greenacre (Tranmere, free), Richard Keogh (Bristol C, free), Ben Foster (Man Utd £ 1m), Clive Clarke (West Ham £275,000), Lewis Neal (Preston, swap deal), Gareth Owen (Oldham, £50,000), Jermaine Palmer (Grimsby, free), Wayne Thomas (Burnley, free), Jay Denny (Shrewsbury, free), Gifton Noel-Williams (Burnley, free)

Tony Pulis may well have worked small miracles at Stoke, but it didn't prevent him becoming one of the more curious dissmissals of late. Can the unheralded Johan Boskamp carry on the good work? Hard to know for certain, but although City aren't of the calibre to sustain a play-off push, they will be perfectly safe from the drop

Editor's prediction: Mid table anonymity

 WATFORD

Home: Vicarage Road
Capacity: 22,000

Manager
: Ade Boothroyd

Last season: 18th

QPR Fixtures: Vicarage Road: Nov 1; Loftus Road: Apr 22;

Superhoopsbet.co.uk odds:
Champions: 100/1; relegated: 5/1

Players in: Martin Devaney (Cheltenham, free), Jordan Stewart (Leicester £125,000), Junior (Derby, free), Darius Henderson (Gillingham, £450,000)

Players out: Heidar Helguson (Fulham £1,3m), Jack Smith (Swindon, free), Sean Dyche (Northampton, free), Neil Cox (Cardiff, free), Jermaine Darlington (Cardiff, free), Brynjar Gunnarsson (Reading, undisclosed), Bruce Dyer (Stoke, free), Danny Webber (Sheff Utd £500,000), Ben Herd (Shrewsbury, free)

Too many quality players have gone, not enough quality has been brought in. The Hornets struggled last season with a far better squad and therefore appear set for a winter of discontent. They will need bucketfuls of luck to avoid the drop

Editor's prediction: Relegation


 WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS

Home: The Molineux
Capacity: 28,525

Manager: Glenn Hoddle

Last season: 9th

QPR Fixtures: Molineux: Aug 29; Loftus Road: Mar 4

Superhoopsbet.co.uk odds:
Champions: 6/1; relegated: 40/1

Players in: Rohan Ricketts (Tottenham, free), Jackie McNamara (Celtic, free)

Players out: Keith Andrews (Hull City, free)

Having made an absolute rick of the first half of last season, Wolves' recovery was nothing short of sensational and, despite only finishing 9th, are everyone's tips to break the proposed dominance of the relegated three. A couple of canny signings and a squad that looks stable for the first time in a while suggests good times ahead for Hoddle's men

Editor's prediction: Could be their year


So that's your lot: all 23 teams that Rangers will face this season examined and appraised. Bring it on!

Part One: Brighton - Crystal Palace

Part Two: Derby - Luton

Part Three: Millwall - Reading


 News Archive
Display Stories From Week

QPR business finder is powered by city-visitor.com & cityvisitor.co.uk

All materials on this website © Queens Park Rangers Football Club & FL Interactive Ltd.

Photographs © Back Page Images and QPR FC.

CEOP - Report Abuse

Part of the Club Player network

Company Details

All rights reserved save as per website Terms of Use. Privacy Statement. Subscription terms and conditions.

Accessibility.

For all advertising and sponsorship enquiries, please click here