2025/26 Championship, Lower, Non-League & EFL Trophy - On BeIN Sports and iFollow

[Occidental]

Looks like Burstow had a good debut for Bolton.

He was OK, subbed out after 62 minutes. Lively in the first half and was a bee's dick away from connecting with a cross during that first half. Bolton's problems of last season haven't been fully resolved with loads of possession and excellent chances created (including hitting the post twice), but yet again no goals. Burstow was OK until he ran out of gas, so hopefully he can do something about that lack of finishing.

 

[RossFC]

Insane finish in the Soton game

 

[RossFC]

Happened again

 

[DBAH0]

 

[Bradesmaen]

Bruno Fernandes lending a hand to Sheffield Wednesday by being on the bench

 

[Jatz]

Nice to start with a win.

 

[Upstart Swan]

Nice to start with a win.

I like your positivity!

All wins should be enjoyed. Reading some of the gloomy posts on Foxes Talk, you'd think you'd just been smashed at home.

 

[SM]

I like your positivity!

All wins should be enjoyed. Reading some of the gloomy posts on Foxes Talk, you'd think you'd just been smashed at home.

I think people assume Wednesday are going to get battered every week, but this sort of situation can end up galvanising a group. Look at Derby and Reading in similar situations.

 

[Jatz]

I like your positivity!

All wins should be enjoyed. Reading some of the gloomy posts on Foxes Talk, you'd think you'd just been smashed at home.

Oh I still expect a tough season but as you say, if you can't enjoy a win on opening day, why bother following?

Didn't get to watch it live but it looks like we played ok, albeit perhaps didn't capitalise all that well.

 

[Upstart Swan]

I think people assume Wednesday are going to get battered every week, but this sort of situation can end up galvanising a group. Look at Derby and Reading in similar situations.

True. Opening day is probably the worst time to play them too. Might be a different story by November when they've had a couple of months of futile losses and wondering if they're going to get paid that month.

 

[Upstart Swan]

Coventry bang in 5 goals away at Derby. Bit of a turnaround after a dull 0-0 home opener.

 

[Jatz]

Going to lose at Preston.

Club is in a shockingly bad way. Several players that don’t want to be there, some of whom are fighting with supporters etc.

Going to be a tough old season I think.

 

[SM]

Well that was a game. My word.

 

[RossFC]

 

[Jatz]

Got absolutely dominated by Charlton but have walked away with a 1-0 win.

I’ll take it but geez the signs aren’t good for the season ahead.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Poor QPR.

 

[Upstart Swan]

Poor QPR.

What the hell, this isn't the Coventry I know and love!
Also good work Raphael getting his first league assist coming on as a sub.

 

[RPCB]

With an xG of 1.27.

 

[Upstart Swan]

With an xG of 1.27.

That's a crazy stat

 

[SM]

He was OK, subbed out after 62 minutes. Lively in the first half and was a bee's dick away from connecting with a cross during that first half. Bolton's problems of last season haven't been fully resolved with loads of possession and excellent chances created (including hitting the post twice), but yet again no goals. Burstow was OK until he ran out of gas, so hopefully he can do something about that lack of finishing.

Looks like he's doing well now?

 

[RossFC]

 

[RossFC]

 

[Art Vandelay_]

The English Football League (EFL) is considering a plan to add an eliminator round to the Championship play-offs, a move that would extend the number of teams in the play-offs to six.
The proposal, which has received wide initial support from Championship clubs, is for a similar format to the one used by the National League, with the team that finishes fifth playing the eighth-place team and sixth meeting seventh in singles ties at the better-placed team’s home ground.
But unlike the National League’s play-offs, which are all one-off matches, the winners of these eliminators would then proceed to two-legged ties against the teams that finished third and fourth, with the winners meeting at Wembley for a place in the Premier League.
Preston North End chief executive Peter Ridsdale presented the idea to fellow Championship club executives at a meeting last week and it was very well received as it would reduce the number of dead-rubber matches at the end of the season, add two more high-profile games to the calendar and give more clubs a shot at promotion.
Last season’s play-offs were contested by Sheffield United, Sunderland, Coventry City and Bristol City, with fourth-placed Sunderland beating third-placed Sheffield United in a thrilling final. It was a fitting conclusion to a season that had seen almost half of the division have a chance of reaching the play-offs until the final weeks of the campaign.
The EFL would also like a similar expansion for the promotion play-offs in League One and League Two, the third and fourth divisions of English football. Each of those play-off systems currently have the same format as the Championship, with the four highest-ranked sides outside the automatic promotion places contesting two-legged play-offs ahead of a promotion final.
However, a change in the Championship system is a priority due to ongoing talks to increase the number of clubs promoted from the fifth-tier National League from two to three, which would also see the number of teams relegated from League Two increase to three.

 

[Jatz]

Why do we insist on changing things.

If you finish 8th, you haven't been good enough across a season.

 

[SM]

Why do we insist on changing things.

If you finish 8th, you haven't been good enough across a season.

At the end of the day every code wants to maximise the number of games that mean something. Which I think is fair enough. You want to encourage more people to go to games, to watch games, and to enjoy games. What's wrong with that? If the team that finishes 8th isn't good enough, they'll lose the play off game and that will be that.

The Play Offs themselves are a relatively new addition and no one would dare consider scrapping them, imagine just the top 3 going up and by March anyone around 8-13th's season is effectively done.