Midweek Championship Preview
Monday, 27th Oct 2008 17:36

LFW takes a look ahead to another full programme of midweek fixtures from the Coca Cola Championship.

Welcome back to LFW’s look ahead to another full programme of midweek fixtures in the Coca Cola Championship. In the weekend preview last Thursday, we highlighted Jim Magilton and Alan Pardew as Managers under pressure. Little did we know then that when writing this preview that it would be Iain Dowie that was a casualty. After the weekend, the top two are starting to break clear of the chasing pack and leaders, Birmingham are the visitors to Loftus Road to take on Gareth Ainsworth’s QPR and is one of the games of the night – LFW Preview of the Tuesday nights game will be on line soon. Second placed Wolves take on 7th place Swansea in an interesting looking game at Molineux.

Looking down the rest of the fixtures and yet again they are hardly kind to the travelling football fan with the Yorkshire derby between Doncaster and Barnsley at the Keepmoat Stadium, the only real fixture that is kind on the supporter. Without a win in 9 league games, second from bottom Rovers will be looking to gain some ground on Barnsley who are two places about them and separated by just 4 points. Bottom club Forest face a tricky looking midweek trip to Selhurst Park to take on Crystal Palace.

Staying at the bottom and third from bottom Southampton continue to struggle putting any sort of form together and were on the wrong end of another hiding on Saturday, losing 3-0 away at Swansea. The Saints have a home game against Coventry who beat them 4-1 in the reverse of the fixture just three weeks ago.

Elsewhere and no doubt more holiday forms have been handed in or sick days will be taken because as mentioned previously, the fixtures are hardly kind and I would say that they are the worst midweek ones yet this season. Reading fans have to make the long trip to Burnley, Sheffield United to Bristol City, Watford to Preston and Blackpool to Cardiff amongst many others. Spare a thought please to the travelling Plymouth supporters who are being asked to make a mammoth trip to Yorkshire as the Pilgrims take on Sheffield Wednesday.

Tuesday, 28 October, 2008

Bristol City v Sheffield United

Burnley v Reading

Cardiff City v Blackpool

Crystal Palace v Nottingham Forest 20:00

Derby County v Norwich City

Doncaster Rovers v Barnsley

Ipswich Town v Charlton Athletic

Preston North End v Watford

Queens Park Rangers v Birmingham City 20:00

Sheffield Wednesday v Plymouth Argyle

Southampton v Coventry City