Of the 12 founding members of the Football League 8 will be in the Championship for 2026-27.

Only the original big city clubs of Aston Villa and Everton remain in the Premier League.

No founder members in League One, but Notts County and the reformed Accrington in League Two.

All the Championship clubs were in the Football League in 1926-27, and here are their positions in that season.

Division- position club:

1-4 Bolton Wanderers, 1-5 Burnley, 1-6 West Ham United,, 1-8 Sheffield United, 1-12 Derby County, 1-14 Cardiff City, 1-17Birmingham City, 1-18 Blackburn Rovers, 1-22 West Bromwich Albion, 2-1 Middlesbrough, 2-2 Portsmouth, 2-6 Preston North End, 2-12 Swansea Town (now City), 2-13 Southampton, 2-15 Wolverhampton Wanderers, 3S-1 Bristol City, 3N-1 Stoke City, 3S-3 Millwall, 3N-11 Lincoln City, 3S-13 Charlton Athletic, 3N-13 Wrexham, 3S-14 Queens Park Rangers, 3S-16 Norwich City, 3S-21 Watford.

2 hours ago, Leyther_Matt said:

The one to keep an eye on is whether you can still hand back rearranged games.

I only handed one back all season (Northampton), but Mrs got Stevenage refunded and didn’t count towards the five (praise be for the end of international weekend uncertainty)

Yep, very interested to see if they tweak anything.

I assume quite a few midweeks, but with Championship they often split the fixtures half Tuesday, half Wednesday. So will see if they count as rearrangements or not!

6 hours ago, Marc505 said:

Been worth its weight in gold for me last few years. I'm unsure this time around as there won't be many allocations where spares won't be available.

Difference is in championship you could end up paying some wild prices for match tickets.

But with no Papa Johns and presumably a few less Carabao/FA Cup games to worry about, the 5 returns will take you further.

They've increased the joining fee year on year, and have done away with free postage, though.

Last year we played 7 cup games before Christmas.

This year if we do same as last year and lose in 1st round of LC, it will be 1.

That's 6 games Richard Taylor, Christie, the reserve keeper and Charlie Warren can't play 😀

Joking aside, no opportunities for new signings or those out of favour to show what they can do and get a false impression of being part of the team, its the championship or nothing assuming no run in the cup.

1 minute ago, Johnnyrotten said:

Last year we played 7 cup games before Christmas.

This year if we do same as last year and lose in 1st round of LC, it will be 1.

That's 6 games Richard Taylor, Christie, the reserve keeper and Charlie Warren can't play 😀

Joking aside, no opportunities for new signings or those out of favour to show what they can do and get a false impression of being part of the team, its the championship or nothing assuming no run in the cup.

Didn't realise the first round of the Carabao cup is before the league season starts

We could do with a couple of basket case clubs coming to the fore.

And contenders ?

My Saints mate says they are & the repercussions from the play-offs will have a huge & ongoing impact financially.as well as the psychological impact. Some players want out and the manager i& his team s likely to be shown the door.

The fans are pissed too.

1 hour ago, Dr. Feelgood said:

We could do with a couple of basket case clubs coming to the fore.

And contenders ?

My Saints mate says they are & the repercussions from the play-offs will have a huge & ongoing impact financially.as well as the psychological impact. Some players want out and the manager i& his team s likely to be shown the door.

The fans are pissed too.

Gone very quiet for Southampton, 

Someone's gotta be accountable for that and it certainly won't be the "intern"

1 minute ago, only1swanny said:

Gone very quiet for Southampton, 

Someone's gotta be accountable for that and it certainly won't be the "intern"

The manager will end up being sacked

1 hour ago, Dr. Feelgood said:

We could do with a couple of basket case clubs coming to the fore.

And contenders ?

My Saints mate says they are & the repercussions from the play-offs will have a huge & ongoing impact financially.as well as the psychological impact. Some players want out and the manager i& his team s likely to be shown the door.

The fans are pissed too.

Our fans looked very pissed on Sunday, and the players even more so in the last couple of days, but I'm hoping its a positive and not an indication of trouble at mill.

The games on the opening weekend of the EFL season will be broadcast live on Sky Sports and Sky Sports+ for subscribers.  

Up to five Championship matches are broadcast live each weekend and the deadlines for Sky selections next season are as follows:

 

• Selections for games to be played before the end of September will be confirmed by July 2
• Selections for games to be played up to January 11 will be confirmed by July 31
• Selections for games to be played up to March 3, 2027, will be confirmed by November 6
• Selections for games to be played on the weekend of March 7, 2027, will be confirmed by February 5, 2027, followed by weekly announcements looking four weeks ahead
• Selections for games to be played on the penultimate weekend of the regular season will be confirmed three weeks in advance
• Selections for games to be played on the final weekend will be confirmed the week prior

Opening game : Lincoln v West Ham live on Sky on a Friday night.
TV full of moaning Hammers because they can't get tickets.

23 hours ago, only1swanny said:

Gone very quiet for Southampton, 

Someone's gotta be accountable for that and it certainly won't be the "intern"

Keiran Maguire, the football finance expert, did a piece on them on X, their finances are very precarious. Aside from over £100m operating debts they owe over £90m in instalments for player signings, while their parachute income will drop. They could easily end up next season's Leicester

14 minutes ago, ianofcleveleys said:

Keiran Maguire, the football finance expert, did a piece on them on X, their finances are very precarious. Aside from over £100m operating debts they owe over £90m in instalments for player signings, while their parachute income will drop. They could easily end up next season's Leicester

So pretty much panic stations. 

These clubs aren't learning 

13 hours ago, burnden said:

The games on the opening weekend of the EFL season will be broadcast live on Sky Sports and Sky Sports+ for subscribers.  

Up to five Championship matches are broadcast live each weekend and the deadlines for Sky selections next season are as follows:

 

• Selections for games to be played before the end of September will be confirmed by July 2
• Selections for games to be played up to January 11 will be confirmed by July 31
• Selections for games to be played up to March 3, 2027, will be confirmed by November 6
• Selections for games to be played on the weekend of March 7, 2027, will be confirmed by February 5, 2027, followed by weekly announcements looking four weeks ahead
• Selections for games to be played on the penultimate weekend of the regular season will be confirmed three weeks in advance
• Selections for games to be played on the final weekend will be confirmed the week prior

Well since we’re unlikely to be one of the leading teams as we’ve been in recent seasons our games frequency will probably be limited in the Championship with mainly Derby’s against Rovers, Nob End and  the Clarets..

9 hours ago, only1swanny said:

So pretty much panic stations. 

These clubs aren't learning 

Good BBC article on it last month

Is the Championship heading for financial 'catastrophe'? - BBC Sport

1 hour ago, SatanGreavsie said:

Good BBC article on it last month

Is the Championship heading for financial 'catastrophe'? - BBC Sport

it's mental

folk keep saying something needs to change but it just gets worse 

fuck knows where it goes from here 

too many clubs spaffing money they don't have on players wages who will always have options for a better deal somewhere else

they need financial rules in place and clubs can't be allowed toget away lightly with them 

from the top to the bottom

 

Skubala leaving Lincoln. 
 

As well as they did last year him leaving is massive. They also got lucky with injuries and suspensions, 9 players doing over 40 appearances each. 
 

Just need a couple to go bankrupt and we could be staying up 😎

On 25/05/2026 at 18:41, burnden said:

It looks ace !! Big games most weeks .

Will the muppets give the manager time ????

On 25/05/2026 at 18:41, burnden said:

It looks ace !! Big games most weeks .

Been toying with the idea of doing every away game one season, this could be it. 

Just looks big game after big game bar, Bristol, Charlton, Portsmouth, QPR & Wrexham

What you reckon @Marc505

25 minutes ago, L/H White said:

Been toying with the idea of doing every away game one season, this could be it. 

Just looks big game after big game bar, Bristol, Charlton, Portsmouth, QPR & Wrexham

What you reckon @Marc505

Piece of piss 😃

8 hours ago, L/H White said:

Been toying with the idea of doing every away game one season, this could be it. 

Just looks big game after big game bar, Bristol, Charlton, Portsmouth, QPR & Wrexham

What you reckon @Marc505

Be the TRAINS that will fuck you up 

on a couple 

2 hours ago, little whitt said:

Be the TRAINS that will fuck you up 

on a couple 

Don't worry, National Express will save your 100% season effort.

Took me 9 hours to get from Nottingham to Horwich during a train strike once.

To get to a Papa Johns game.

Against an U-21 team 😃

On 25/05/2026 at 21:24, kent_white said:

I'd snatch your hand off for fourth from bottom right now. 

Next season is about staying up unless we get some major investment from somewhere over the summer. 

I think a large proportion will be happy to just keep our noses above the waterline. But over the past 4 years we have been in, or been very close to the playoffs. That means winning (and drawing 🙄) more games than we lose. Next season that will almost certainly not be the case. Unfortunately, if just getting a foothold in the division is the priority, folk will get "grumpy" and question SS, the board and the playing staff. Next season isn't going to be pleasant compared to previous ones. Unless it goes spectacularly tits up then people need to keep their pitchforks in the barn.

9 minutes ago, Underpants said:

I think a large proportion will be happy to just keep our noses above the waterline. But over the past 4 years we have been in, or been very close to the playoffs. That means winning (and drawing 🙄) more games than we lose. Next season that will almost certainly not be the case. Unfortunately, if just getting a foothold in the division is the priority, folk will get "grumpy" and question SS, the board and the playing staff. Next season isn't going to be pleasant compared to previous ones. Unless it goes spectacularly tits up then people need to keep their pitchforks in the barn.

Can't help but think back to the equivalent Rioch season. Lower mid table without ever looking in danger would be a very successful season. We need to give Schumacher the same grace we gave Rioch. 

Google Gemini 

 

1 minute ago, donkeyshorn said:

Google Gemini 

 

Overall suggests the odds are in our favour. Unfortunately I imagine clubs finishing 5th and winning the playoffs may be the ones that struggle. Can't help feeling hopeful though.