Mid table finish

ADVERTISEMENTPublished Date: 19 July 2010
By Lee Sobot
Leeds United, Sheffield United and Middlesbrough are primed for the npower Championship play-offs, says Sky Sports
presenter
Jeff Stelling.

Never mind the umpteen Football League clubs of Yorkshire, one man knows pretty much everything about all 92 of them. After all, it's his living to update viewers with their goings-ons and scores.

* Click here for latest Leeds United news.

Few people will be better placed to offer pre-season predictions for Yorkshire's clubs than Sky Sports Soccer Saturday frontman Jeff Stelling – and it's Leeds United who the presenter is tipping for the top next term.

Stelling will, naturally, principally have his eyes on the fortunes of his beloved Hartlepool United, the side he famously supports.

* Click here for latest Sheffield United news.

League One will therefore hold extra significance for the 54-year-old, but the County Durham-born broadcaster also has strong feelings about the Championship, insisting English football's second tier will not be particularly strong in 2010/11.

* Click here for latest YEP news and sport picture slideshows.

Yorkshire no longer has representation in the country's top flight with sole White Rose side Hull City relegated last year, but of the six Yorkshire clubs in the country's second tier it is Simon Grayson's Whites that Stelling expects to make the strongest challenge.

Telling Yorkshire Sport his thoughts on how the county's clubs will fare next season, Stelling said of Leeds: "Next season I think they've got a good chance of making the play-offs. I don't think that the Championship is going to be that strong.

"I think Simon Grayson has a good track record at Blackpool and Leeds, and if they can just strengthen a couple of key positions and successfully replace Jermaine Beckford, because goals are the key to survival really, let alone going up, then I think they've got a great chance of making the play-offs."

Battling it out in Yorkshire derbies with Leeds will be Sheffield United, Barnsley, Doncaster Rovers and relegated Hull City as well as Middlesbrough for those sticking to particular county boundaries.

Stelling can see the Blades making their customary play-off push but envisages Gordon Strachan's Boro being the neighbours to give Leeds the most problems.

The Riversiders have been boosted by the signing of Scotland striker Kris Boyd from Rangers last week and the captures of defender Stephen McManus, 27, from Celtic and a £2m swoop for 25-year-old Rangers midfielder Kevin Thomson on Friday.

"As far as the Championship goes, it's a tough division," said Stelling.
"Cardiff only just missed out last season and you've got decent sides coming up in Leeds, Norwich and Millwall.
"Maybe the sides coming down from the Premier League aren't as powerful as they have been, but I fancy that Middlesbrough will be there or thereabouts.
"I think Sheffield United are going to have another decent season. I think play-offs at best for them; they need someone to put the ball in the net consistently."
Stelling also has much time for Barnsley and Doncaster and is predicting comfortable seasons for both but is unsure about Hull's chances with the Tigers still required to significantly cut their budget from last year.
"I think Hull will find it very difficult to bounce back," Stelling said. "Financially, the club is in such a mess and that will be a huge burden to carry. I'm not sure they'll be capable of bouncing back at the first attempt.
"Barnsley's a great club. I like going to Oakwell, it's a good ground with a good atmosphere.
"They've suffered a bit being in the shadow of their neighbours I suppose, in recent seasons.
"Mark Robins is a good manager and I think when he came in he did a great job. Just for a little while it looked like they might gatecrash the play-offs.
"But I think, realistically, Barnsley fans should be satisfied with life where they are the moment. I don't mean it'll be a battle for survival but I see mid-table as being success for Barnsley.
"As far as Doncaster Rovers are concerned, they do play lovely football. They had a great run at the end of last season and almost got into the play-offs, but I don't see them doing any better than that to be absolutely honest.
Realistic
"I think Billy Sharp got a load of goals on loan last season and that's been their problem, finding a goalscorer. They haven't had someone who has been really prolific outside of Sharp.
"Mid-table is an achievement for them. It's not what the fans want to hear, but I think that would be a realistic achievement for them."
Stelling is realistic, too, about his side's ambitions, with Pools among the favourites for relegation in the third division. The broadcaster's supported outfit will tackle Yorkshire opposition in Huddersfield Town and relegated Sheffield Wednesday and he has no pretensions about his men keeping pace with those two heavyweights.
Stelling feels both sides could get promoted, but warns Town must improve their away form while the Owls must recognise they have no divine right to go back up.
"It's always a tough league to get out of," warned Stelling of League One.
"Obviously Wednesday have had a few seasons now up in the Championship and when Alan Irvine first went in he had an immediate impact.
"What they've got to do is give him time to build his own team because I really think he's a high quality manager that could manage at a higher level.
"Again, they are another one of the big clubs that will get big crowds.
"It can work both ways, of course. If things go well, having a big home crowd behind you and travelling support is great.
"But if the season doesn't start so well, they've got to be patient and have to give him time. Bear in mind, he only came in towards the end of the season.
"I think Wednesday have a good chance of bouncing right back but I don't think they should take it as read by any means, because there are going to be a lot of decent sides in that division."
Flair
Turning his attention to matters at the Galpharm, Stelling reasoned: "Huddersfield had a great season last season, let's not forget. They were close to promotion themselves.
"At home, Lee Clark's men tended to overpower sides and they have a lot of attacking flair.
"If they improve their form on the road they have to be contenders for automatic promotion. Again, they have fantastic support, which really helps."
Also extremely well followed are Yorkshire's two League Two clubs, in Bradford City and Rotherham United, and both hold aspirations of promotion.
Stelling can see both going well, but only hopes his beloved Hartlepool are not joining that division in nine month's time!
Pools only stayed up on the last day of the season last term – just like the season before – and however Yorkshire's clubs fare, Stelling can be doing without that sort of knife-edge pressure!
"If James Brown can stay fit this season and we get off to a good start, hopefully we'll do a little better than the last couple of seasons," he said.
"But you can't get carried away. If you look at our attendances they're the smallest in the division, so survival is an achievement.
"It's two seasons in a row we've gone to the last day of the season and survived.
"I'm just praying that it's not going to happen again!"
lee.sobot@ypn.co.uk

The man is a tool.........................END OF!
Cheeky get.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Stelling, top bloke but i honestly reckon we're gonna struggle to stay up this season

Because he reports on the games, he thinks he knows what's happening!
I haven't got a problem with him as a person but there seems to be alot of 'sweeping' statements and more than an element of the 'big name' team mentality about his assessments.
Leeds for relegation ? Not a chance LL imo , you're just trying to stake out the lowest ground just in case they fall/fail.

I think you will struggle to stay up.
No cash.
All free transfers.

Not long till we find out.

I disagree ff.........we'll see.

Cant wait for the season,i fancy the boro to get up through the autos,sheff utd fail in playoffs and donny to finish 14th.
dingles 17th

hoolahoop wrote:Because he reports on the games, he thinks he knows what's happening!
I haven't got a problem with him as a person but there seems to be alot of 'sweeping' statements and more than an element of the 'big name' team mentality about his assessments.
Leeds for relegation ? Not a chance LL imo , you're just trying to stake out the lowest ground just in case they fall/fail.

Obviously i hope your spot on mate...but there int that much that makes me confident about next season. Especially with who imo will easily be one of the championships best defenders out until november i think.

A lack of proovern players...that could actually work out well for us. We lack a battler in midfeild now we've got rid of Doyle. Not panicing just yet as theres obviously plenty of time until window shut's, just need to bring in 3 or 4 decent players before we could really compete imo

hoolahoop wrote:Because he reports on the games, he thinks he knows what's happening!
I haven't got a problem with him as a person but there seems to be alot of 'sweeping' statements and more than an element of the 'big name' team mentality about his assessments.
Leeds for relegation ? Not a chance LL imo , you're just trying to stake out the lowest ground just in case they fall/fail.

Tonight just makes me even more worried about next season, losing 1-0 at Ruzemberorganwakerndakern (something along those lines, who have played in the c.l. before) there's nowt to worry about, but losing 4-0 to Bury 2 weeks before the season starts! very worrying indeed

I like to watch Jeff on a saturday afternoon when i'm not at a match,but i have to agree with Hoola they always favour the big name teams,i am very confident we will prove him wrong...

I can see you having a decent season on alll accounts. Upper mid table if billy bags a few.

R+R

What about you Dale , you seem to be firing on all cylinders in the friendlies, have you changed too many personnel though for a quick and positive start to the season ?

A big ish change was required though, we've changed to a pass and move system which is always nice to see. It is a real possibility that we will have a slow start to the season with the amount of change that has took place. Also with a trip to QPR away first game who knows what could happen.

I'm happy so see us playing decent football with a passionate team. Last year was too much like watching statues, no free-form flowing movement just a stock line up.

My honest opinion is that we will have a very, very good season (upper mid table) and by all accounts i think now you have Billy i think you'll go from strength to strength and will be pitching up in the higher reaches of the table.

Im really unsure as to whatc UTD and L**ds will do, will be interesting to see.

R+R