Roy Keane gets another medal

The Permiership’s been OK this season, but for English football excitement, the Championship has been the place to be in 2006/7. It’s been tight at the top all season long, but things were finally resolved with the final round of fixtures today. Roy Keane’s Sunderland won the title with a 5-0 win at relegated Luton Town, while Birmingham City will go up in second place.

But now the fun really begins, as the four teams who made the play-offs will duke it out for the one remaining promotion spot. Maybe literally in the case of West Bromwich Albion and Wolves, the Black Country rivals facing off over two titanic legs (May 13 and 16) for the right to play the winner of the Derby vs Southampton (May 12 and 15) tie. If you live in the West Midlands, this tie will be all you hear about for the next week or so.

Poor old Preston North End just missed out on the play-offs despite beating Birmingham City 1-0. Their failure to get promoted should spark a bidding war for star striker David Nugent, who scored on his England debut vs Andorra back in March.

I juts hope whoever does go up has what it takes to make a decent go of it in the Premiership. Sunerland will do better than last time, because they can’t do anyworse. Plus they should have some cash to flash about. Birmingham have retained largely the same squad from when they were relegated, wisely not sacking Steve Bruce and losing only Matty Upson to West Ham. But of the four play-off teams, it’s hard to see any of them doing very well in the top flight (and I say that as a Wolves fan) without some serious investment in players.

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Category: England, World Football