YankeeCanary 0 Posted May 2, 2016 Which sets up an intriguing final match between Middlesbrough and Brighton. Chris Hughton and his men will have to go for a win in if they want automatic promotion. A draw is no good. Can Chris handle that in a pressure situation. Middlebrough, on the other hand can gain automatic promotion with a draw but their aspirations will be on pins and needles not wanting to go into a playoff scenario and risk failing again. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
morty 0 Posted May 2, 2016 [quote user="YankeeCanary"]Which sets up an intriguing final match between Middlesbrough and Brighton. Chris Hughton and his men will have to go for a win in if they want automatic promotion. A draw is no good. Can Chris handle that in a pressure situation. Middlebrough, on the other hand can gain automatic promotion with a draw but their aspirations will be on pins and needles not wanting to go into a playoff scenario and risk failing again. [/quote]I really hope Boro blow it again. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Move Klose 303 Posted May 2, 2016 Would Love to see Boro blow it again. And would like to see Hughton get promoted wasn''t a huge fan of his when he was here but like the guy. Think this year''s playoffs look trickier than last year''s. Derby, Hull, Boro or Brighton looking pretty strong. Sheff W looking like the underdogs but with players like Hooper, Forrestieri & Lucas Joao they look a threat.But saying that I think the division as a whole isn''t very strong. Alot of bang average sides like Leeds, Forest, Huddersfield, Birmingham etc. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Katie Borkins 1 Posted May 2, 2016 It''s not really that OT.Burnley were relegated, they trimmed the squad a little, spent wisely to bring in Andre Gray, kept the same manager, and now they have a very good chance of going back up as Champions.And getting £3.5m+ for Trippier is a stroke of absolute genius. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Horse Renoir 1 Posted May 2, 2016 I''m supporting Brighton and Hughton!After the last two years I''m sick to friggan death with NE teams, their drunken lout fans, sense of entitlement and annoying, arrogant managers.Come on Hoots!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted May 2, 2016 Well done to Burnley. Not easy bouncing straight back up.Expect Boro to win against Brighton. I see they have only conceded 7 goals at home all season, which is exceptional. Then again, it is a high-pressure one-off game and we all know Boro can crumble in those kind of matches. Would be worth a watch, if we weren''t playing at the same time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Katie Borkins 1 Posted May 2, 2016 [quote user="Pyro Pete"]Well done to Burnley. Not easy bouncing straight back up.Expect Boro to win against Brighton. I see they have only conceded 7 goals at home all season, which is exceptional. Then again, it is a high-pressure one-off game and we all know Boro can crumble in those kind of matches. Would be worth a watch, if we weren''t playing at the same time.[/quote]If a Houghton team won 1-0 away from home at the Riverside, I think all the gods of Irony would meltdown and we would skip straight to that Revelations-style end of the world.Boro 2-1 and promoted, Houghton''s side to bottle the playoffs. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
norfolkbroadslim 223 Posted May 2, 2016 I would much rather see the Seagulls go up than Boro. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
? 0 Posted May 2, 2016 Brighton for me. Well run club with a new ground that hasn''t been a millstone round their neck. Haven''t got a wealthy sugardaddy propping them up and haven''t crippled themselves with expensive signings. Average manager as well!😉That being said, should they fail to go up either automatically or via the playoffs, would love to see Knockheart here, looks a terrific midfielder! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
K Lo 221 Posted May 2, 2016 I wish the best for Brighton & Hughton but still think he wasn''t the right man for Norwich at the time he was here. There was nothimng to suggest that he could have kept us up that season. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Katie Borkins 1 Posted May 2, 2016 Burnley on a 22 game unbeaten streak... which will probably end on the first weekend of next season, but still one hell of a run. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jools 584 Posted May 2, 2016 [quote user="Katie Borkins"]Burnley on a 22 game unbeaten streak... which will probably end on the first weekend of next season[/quote]But only if they start next season against another Northern club - it''ll have conspiracy written all over it otherwise [:)][;)] Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FenwayFrank 2,456 Posted May 3, 2016 A mate at work travels up to Middlesborough reasonably regularly, they''re still bitter about last season 😀 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim Smith 2,314 Posted May 3, 2016 In fairness to Hughton he appears to have learnt something from his time with us and has been far more positive this season with Brighton although that may equally be down to having the confidence to do so at championship level rather than the fear of the opposition at premier league level.Ron - one point of correction, Brighton do have a sugar daddy propping them up although he seems admirably keen to see them operating and growing sustainably.Despite my frustration at the time I would much rather see Brighton go up than Boro and would find it highly amusing if Boro screw it up again. It would also render our victory last season somewhat hollow if they passed us in the opposite direction this season but with the added bonus of the new tv deal coming their way.All in all though I havr to say that from what I''ve seen on the tv this season the standard of the championship looks awful and if Burnley are the best side in it then it again should hold absolutely no fears for us. That said, it will be harder next season with Villa there and at least one of Newcastle and Sunderland plus Derby or Hull still strong and a few of the bigger boys such as Wednesday, Forest or Leeds due to find their feet at some point soon. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mrs miggins 0 Posted May 3, 2016 Burnley did it the right way; kept their manager and kept their players, adding solid championship players to their squad. Good for them.Hughton''s done a remarkable job at Brighton and I hope they beat Boro (who I dislike after last season). Considering how bang average his squad is, it is a huge achievement what Brighton have done and just shows how good Hughton despite for many fans thought. Personally I''m relieved that we went straight back up again (just) last season because it would''ve been hard to take if we hadn''t; especially now. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
It's Character Forming 1,160 Posted May 4, 2016 I spoke to quite a few Boro fans after the playoff final and they were extremely resigned to the fact that losing in the playoff final is the sort of thing that happens to their club. Pretty similar to how we''d have felt, if we hadn''t won. The ones I spoke to were, without exception, decent and down to earth fans. And over the summer I was up in the NE, & when we were out having dinner one evening a Boro fan was talking about the playoff final at a table nearby and he was saying pretty much the same. He also made the comment about how generous the Norwich fans had been, when he spoke to some of us after the end of the game, and said he thought they (Boro fans) would probably have crowed about the victory a lot more if the positions had been reversed. Modesty forebade me from joining their conversation. So anyway, I didn''t see any evidence of entitlement etc from the Boro fans so I''d probably prefer them to go up. I still have a lot of negative feelings about Hughton''s period in charge so I can''t bring myself to want him to get promotion, nothing against the guy personally but that''s just the way I feel. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites