Championship Preview

LFW looks ahead to the forthcoming weekend fixtures in the Coca Cola Championship.

No great movers and shakers following the midweek fixtures, with the exception of Stoke and Sheffield Wednesday. After a recent wobble, Stoke moved back into the top two with a 1-0 away win over Norwich. The Potters are on the road again this weekend with one of the stand out games of the weekend, as they visit third placed Watford.

Sheffield Wednesday moved out of the bottom three with a vital 2-1 win against bottom club Colchester at Layer Road. The Owls take on the team just one place above them on Saturday, Coventry at the Ricoh Arena. Wednesday were replaced in the bottom three by Leicester, who went down 1-0 away at Southampton, putting the pressure firmly on Manager, Ian Holloway. It gets no easier either for the former R's boss, as the Foxes travel to cup semi finalists and 4th placed, West Brom.

Despite a midweek setback midweek at Cardiff, Hull have the chance to continue their good form with a home game against Southampton. The Tigers have sneaked into the play off positions almost unnoticed.

Elsewhere and league leaders, Bristol City take on Plymouth at Ashton Gate in what could be considered a local derby of sorts for both sides. But what certainly is a local derby, comes from Bloomfield Road, as Blackpool take on the very much in form, Preston.

The excellent LFW preview of QPR v Scunthorpe will be online shortly...

Saturday, 15 March, 2008

Blackpool v Preston North End (12:30)
Bristol City v Plymouth Argyle
Burnley v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Colchester United v Cardiff City
Coventry City v Sheffield Wednesday
Crystal Palace v Barnsley
Hull City v Southampton
Ipswich Town v Charlton Athletic
Queens Park Rangers v Scunthorpe United
Sheffield United v Norwich City
Watford v Stoke City
West Bromwich Albion v Leicester City

Tuesday, 18 March, 2008

Colchester United v Hull City
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Scunthorpe United

What to read next:

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Coventry left to reflect on another Wembley heartache - Oppo Profile
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The Copa de Ibiza - History
As QPR prepare to visit Coventry City on Saturday, we look back at connections between the two sides, past results, and Rangers’ last successfully foray into European competition with the 2005 Copa De Ibiza triumph.

Smith in charge at Coventry - Referee
Josh Smith, last in charge of QPR for the memorable Good Friday win at home to Birmingham, is the man in the middle for the final day trip to Coventry.

Watch me rise up and leave, all the ashes you made out of me – Report
On Friday night, under the lights at Loftus Road, Queens Park Rangers landed on their wheels, pulled over and asked what you were worried about.

Queens Park Rangers 4 - 0 Leeds United - Photo Gallery
Pictures from Ian Randall on an extraordinary night at Loftus Road as QPR put their season to bed with a 4-0 thumping of promotion chasing Leeds.

Queens Park Rangers 4 - 0 Leeds United - Player Ratings and Reports
If you saw the match, please give us your player ratings and a mini match report.

End game – Preview
QPR need one result, in any one of a multitude of the remaining games, to secure their Championship safety - they get first swing at getting it for themselves tonight at home to Massive Leeds United.

So near and yet so far - History
Ahead of the visit of Leeds to Loftus Road on Friday we look back at the final day of the 1975/76 season when QPR got the 2-0 win they needed to take their title bid down to Liverpool's final match at Wolves - 48 years ago this week.

Three into two won't go, will Leeds last the pace? Oppo profile
Having started the year with nine straight wins Leeds looked all set to overpower the Championship even in this extreme year at the top, but they’ve dropped points in five of their last ten to put the whole thing back in the balance. Nico Franks and Gruev Armada (@timmsy_ks) gave us the latest.