Buzzin Championship Football

Last night West Brom secured their promotion to the Premier League with a 1-1 draw against relegation-bound Southampton.

West Brom currently sit on top of the Coca-Cola League Championship equal on points with Stoke City with one game remaining.  Hull City are three points behind but can only challenge Stoke for automatic promotion because of West Brom’s vastly greater goal difference.

Tony Mowbray has been praised throughout the season by football pundits and other managers, players and fans alike for getting West Brom playing the most attractive football in the Championship; and to prove they are the best team in the league this season, something that many have suggested, Mowbray is not satisfied in gaining promotion to the Premier League, he wants to be crowned Coca-Cola League Champions.  They have the chance to do that on Sunday when they play QPR at Loftus Road, at 2pm.

But are West Brom going to be good enough to stay in the Premier League?

It is true, they have played their way out of the Coca-Cola Championship in much the same way as Reading did a couple of seasons ago.  Steve Coppell had a great first season in charge of Reading as they continued to surprise teams by playing attractive high quality football.  But this season they have struggled and are currently looking down the barrel of a relegation gun!

Last season Watford toe-punted their way into the Premier League alongside Reading but failed miserably to keep up with the company.

So where do I think West Brom will finish next season?  That depends on, not how good they are, but in my opinion how bad other teams in the bottom half of the Premiership will perform next season.

I praise Reading’s never say die spirit and more so praise the style of football they play and the backing Steve Coppell receives from the Reading chairman.  But I personally feel that Reading are in the position they are because they haven’t brought in enough Premier League quality players; and West Brom will find themselves in the same position next year unless they make some good signings and invest wisely.