We will finish in the top 6 - who wants a bet?

[Flyingkiwi]

I agree with the top 6 shout, verging on agreement with the top 2 call as well. I have a positive feeling about this season and predict promotion which we will be better adapted to deal with in the future.

If I'm wrong, there will always be the next season!

[Bill Oddie's Beard]

Hopefully the BBC will put their predictor thing up soon and then we'll know for sure where we're gonna finish.
I think I worked out that we'd finish 8th again last year

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

SHould still make top 6 with this squad.

We could make it easier for ourselves though.

[Southbank Old Boy]

Positive Rouge.

What odd's you offering Rouge?

[Vision]

Sorry, but with Coppell in charge I can only see us getting worse and finishing mid table.

I bet Steve Coppell resigns during the season.

You've perked up, you were predicting relegation last week.

[Ian Royal]

Top 6 is where it's at for me too. I'll be dissapointed with less, but it won't make me go mental and start gnashing and wailing. Unless we're talking bottom half.

[The Rouge]

Positive Rouge.

What odd's you offering Rouge?

Evens.... - 50/50
With all the doom-mongers I thought someone would take me on at Evens...

[mattmartin89]

ZOO Weekly (Alan Hansen..i think?) has us predicted at 3rd with Brum winning the league and Palace finishing 2nd..

[Huntley & Palmer]

I think we should all accept whatever happens and then just get on with our lives.

Either that or sit around moaning all day about something completely insignificant, I can't decide.

'greed. I'm going to moan about the temperature of the A/C in my office today, join in if you wish

[Stranded]

ZOO Weekly (Alan Hansen..i think?) has us predicted at 3rd with Brum winning the league and Palace finishing 2nd..

I've seen about 5 previews to date, lowest place predicted is 4th. News of the World has us down for Champions.

Top 6 will do me, auto promotion would be superb though.

[East Stand Royal 500]

Times yesterday put us 4th after Birmingham Derby and QPR I think

[Tony Le Mesmer]

Our current squad is head & shoulders above the Hull and Stoke of last season. And this season probably.

Hahnemann
Rosenior
Bikey
Ingamarson
Hunt
Harper
Matejovsky
Doyle
Lita

Every other championship side would love to have those players in their squad.

Remember how many bad performances we put in from 2003 - 2005, yet 3 seasons running we were in or just missed the play offs.

Top 6 YES. Top 2 not so sure, but the championship is not very good.

[earleyroyal]

No. We will do exactly as we did in Sir Steve's 1st 2 years in Div 2. i.e. somewhere 9th to 7th. We will be in with a shout of the play-offs going into the last few games, but will blow it by losing at home to Birmingham, (the eventual Champs),

Have a horrible feeling that might happen. Think it was Wolves we lost at home to in the last home game a few years ago to ruin our play off chances.

[Bill Oddie's Beard]

No. We will do exactly as we did in Sir Steve's 1st 2 years in Div 2. i.e. somewhere 9th to 7th. We will be in with a shout of the play-offs going into the last few games, but will blow it by losing at home to Birmingham, (the eventual Champs),

Have a horrible feeling that might happen. Think it was Wolves we lost at home to in the last home game a few years ago to ruin our play off chances.

Yeah, we were one nil up at ht and west ham had lost to sunderland the night before, so we wud hav gone into the final game ahead of them. Didn't matter anyway tho, cos we went to wigan and got absolutely played off the park.

[dellwoodboy]

I also think we will finish in the top 6 bearing in mind the squad we still have and where we finished in our last four seasons in this league. As for who else will finish in the top 6 my thoughts are Birmingham
Q.P.R.
Wolves
Palace
Derby
What does everyone else think of that?

[Tredder]

We will finish in the top 2.

I'll take that bet.

[Arch]

No. We will do exactly as we did in Sir Steve's 1st 2 years in Div 2. i.e. somewhere 9th to 7th. We will be in with a shout of the play-offs going into the last few games, but will blow it by losing at home to Birmingham, (the eventual Champs), and losing a lead at Norwich in the last minute.

NoTW have us as Champs, and The Sun has us third. Reason enough to believe we'll be nowhere!

Trouble is, after Birmingham, I can't really see anyone of quality. Sheff Utd have a little bit of a chance, Ipswich are talking the talk pre-season, and Wolves are always a threat on paper. But seriously, where is the quality in this division? Oh, and don't say at the Mad Stad!!

I voted for playoffs, but this scenario wouldn't surprise me at all, except that I'm not sure Birmingham will be that good. Remember how really piss poor we were when we came 7th? Getting seventy points in this league ought to be a breeze for this team, but getting 75-80 will be tough unless there's a surprise waiting.

[Denver Royal]

I will be laying the Royals every week. Virtually the same side for the last three seasons. They have not got it in them to fight in this division. LOL at Harper running the midfield at a cold wet Barnsley in December.

LOL indeed. Thats just the type of game that Harper disappears in.

[readingbedding]

I will be laying the Royals every week. Virtually the same side for the last three seasons. They have not got it in them to fight in this division. LOL at Harper running the midfield at a cold wet Barnsley in December.

LOL indeed. Thats just the type of game that Harper disappears in.

Untrue.

[Dr Hfuhruhurr]

I will be laying the Royals every week. Virtually the same side for the last three seasons. They have not got it in them to fight in this division. LOL at Harper running the midfield at a cold wet Barnsley in December.

LOL indeed. Thats just the type of game that Harper disappears in.

All these sentences are utterly baffling.
Our last season in the Championship, which we won by the way, involved many winter Northern trips. With Harper.
Harper disappears when he's up against someone better than him. Which Barnsley arent.

We'll do quite well if the squad settles down - i.e. we sell Shorey. Doubt if we'll win it mind, as Ipswich seem to tick a large number of the necessary boxes this year.