On Friday at 8pm UK time, Reading and Derby County will kick off the 127th season of the English second division - also known as the Championship! 24 clubs will compete for 3 promotion spots to the Premier league (2 via automatic promotion and 1 via playoffs) and to avoid the 3 relegation spots to the third tier a.k.a League One.
Its looking like a really tight and competitive season. The league is absolutely full of ambitious player and managerial talent - the more time goes by the more it looks like a Premier League 2. If you want a competitive league with proper English football, that also has the spice of skilful players and forward thinking managers, it really is the place to go.
This is guide written by the fans who have come together on /Championship - an absolutely huge thanks to them. Do check out the sub, we try to keep it a good place to discuss the EFL, away from the rancid gloryhunting shithole that is /soccer (just kidding - I like this place). Lots going on, including a score predictor thread which is running all season.
This guide is in table order with the PL demoted sides first. Only 5 clubs today (because the Swansea one is a fucking novel and I can't fit any more in), the rest will be submitted tomorrow and Friday. Do bare in mind that not all the transfer news will be up to date as these guides were largely written a week ago. Point out to me if there are any clear errors with formatting or spelling.
Season previews:The Guardian | Sky Sports | The Mirror EFL focused podcasts:Not the Top 20 | The Totally Football League Show The 17/18 table - Wolves, Cardiff and Fulham went up. Barnsley, Burton and Sunderland went down. This season West Brom, Swansea and Stoke join from the PL and Wigan, Blackburn and Rotherham join from League 1. These are the bookies' favourites for promotion (via Oddschecker):
Club
Odds
Stoke
2.75
Middlesbrough
4
West Brom
4
Nottingham Forest
4.5
Leeds
4.75
Swansea
5
And relegation:
Club
Odds
Rotherham
2.2
Bolton
2.25
Ipswich
4.5
Reading
5
QPR
6
Hull
6
How to watch in the UK: Live rights are owned by Sky Sports. They are upping the number of televised matches this season. Reading v Derby on Friday is televised. The weekly highlights show previously on Channel 5 is moving to Quest TV, which apparently is on Freeview. How to watch abroad: Depends, but in most territories, the iFollow Service is available, which is £110 to watch all a single club's matches. Bargain. I think the clubs that aren't on iFollow have their own similar streaming services. Check out club Youtube channels - quite a few of them post extended highlights now with their own commentary, including Derby, Norwich, Sheffield Wednesday, Brentford and more. (You may need VPN to watch if you're abroad.)
Location: Swansea, Wales Nickname: Swans, The Jacks Major honours: Football League Cup (2013), Championship Play-off Winner (2011), League One Winners (1925, 1949, 2008) 17/18 finishing postion: 18th (Premier League) Transfermarkt squad value:€115.5 mil NOTE: This number is as of July 22nd, when we still have Mawson (€15 mil), A. Ayew (€15 mil), Bony (€10 mil), Clucas (€8 mil) and Fernandez (€8 mil), who are all pretty much expected to be sold, or loaned out, before the season starts. Without all of these players except Bony (who's injured for a while so it makes it unlikely he'll be sold soon), the squad value would be around €70 mil. Manager: Graham Potter joined the Swans on 11th June 2018. In 2010, he became head coach of Östersund, who were in the fourth tier of Swedish football. 5 years later, he got the club promoted into the Swedish top flight and in 2017, they won Svenska Cupen which qualified them for the Europa League where they managed to get through the group stage. He’s been applauded for what he did at Östersund and the way he managed to build the club up from nothing. The year after his success in the Europa league he signed a 3 year contract with Swansea. Potter is well respected by The Swans and after a few years of poor managerial and financial decisions his appointment is seen as a step in the right direction to bringing us back to our old ways of being a well-run club. Potter has been recognised for his "progressive" and "unconventional" coaching methods. At Östersund, he encouraged his players and staff to engage in community activities, such as performing in theatre and music productions which was designed to take them out of their comfort zone. Potter describes his style of football on the pitch as "tactically flexible, attacking, and possession-based". At Östersund, he deployed a flexible 3–5–2 formation centred on ball possession. Best player(s)/ talisman:With many of our best players being rumoured with a move away what good players that remain at the start of the season is yet to be seen. Alfie Mawson is probably our standout player. He’s been amazing for us since we got him and was a bargain at about £3m. He’s great in the air and is just an all round tank. Keeping him will be a huge boost for us and should be solid in the championship. Federico "El Pajaro" Fernandez has also been strong at the back with Alfie. The pair played with each other for the majority of last season and together became a solid unit. We will most likely sell him to reduce wages though. Jordan Ayew put in a great shift last season and was our top goal scorer. His work rate was immense and was able to drop back and defend when needed. He’s fast, able to beat a man and a decent finisher. Sadly all these players are transfer targets for other clubs and might not even be here at the start of the season. If we can keep a lot of our players we should have a decent season but who knows who'll be left by the end of the window… Rising star: Swansea’s U23 had a great season last year and with Potter wanting a young and fresh squad, a handful have moved up into the first team. Our standout youngster, Oliver McBurnie, joined Barnsley on loan in January last season where he went on to win a Championship player of the month award after 6 goals in 8 games and went on to win Barnsley’s Player of the year award. While only 22, he’s struggled to break into our first team but will most likely be our main striker for the coming season. Be on the lookout for his long legs, miniature shinpads and ridiculous sock length! LEGS LEGS LEGS!!! Connor Roberts performed well at RB last season and adapted quickly to the premier league where he battled Kyle Naughton to be in the starting line up and did great when given the chance. Decent at going forward and professional at the back. Hopefully potter puts him ahead of Naughton. What happened last season?: What Happened last season?: After our great escape the season before and with Paul Clement at the helm there was optimism that the 17/18 season could be our turning point where we start rebuilding 'The Swansea Way". How wrong we were. After a disastrous transfer window where we sold Sigurdsson and never replaced him and started panic buying the week before the transfer window closed we were left an obvious hole in our team. We had no creativity in midfield and no one could kick the ball into the box to save their life. And just to rub it in further Renato Sanches turned out to be more disappointing than Bob Bradley. With the team sitting bottom of the table Clement was sacked in late December. Then along came the wise talking Carlos Carvalhal who managed to rebuild the confidence the team had lost. Our results took a turn for the good, beating Liverpool, Arsenal, Burnley and West Ham consecutively at home. He pulled us out of the relegation zone and things were looking good. However, the good times were quickly followed by the bad times. Our form turned and we didn’t win a single one of our last 9 matches. We were quickly relegated after pitifully losing to both Southampton and Stoke in our last 2 games of the season. Highlights (Or lowlights): The pass by Renato Sanches that summed up his and our season Swansea City 3-1 Arsenal Summer transfer business (so far): At the end of last season, it was clear we needed several transfers, both in and out. However, this would all depend on the manager we got. Yan Dhanda (Free, Liverpool): A 19 year-old Midfielder, Yan Dhanda left Liverpool this summer and joined the Swans in a free, before we even hired Graham Potter. At one time one of the most promosing youngsters in Liverpool's Academy, injuries slowed down his progress, and ultimately made him fall behind other players. Citing lack of first-team playing time, Dhanda decided to join us this summer in hopes of getting regular playing time in the senior squad. Through 3 pre-season games, Dhanda has been one of the brighest and most impressive players in the squad, even scoring a game-winning goal and smashing a penalty in a shootout against Genoa. With our current injuries and shenanigans involved in our midfield, Dhanda has a good chance of becoming a starter and hopefully guide our midfield during the season. Jordi Govea (Free, Real Madrid): Another 19 year-old from Ecuador, Jordi was the first signing under Potter. Not much can be said about the lad, but this is what Real Madrid had as his bio:
Jordi is an Ecuadorian defender who possess three key qualities for a player in his position: he's skilful, is able to go past a player and has a good shot on him. He's left footed and is able to send in good crosses on the run.
With Martin Olsson currently as our starting LB, and Kyle Naughton as the backup, the hope is that Jordi can develop on our U-23 squad and hopefully move up to the senior squad in coming years. Also the only man I've seen do a medical while wearing jeans (https://twitter.com/SwansOfficial/status/1015251916132057089) Joel Asoro (€2 mil., Sunderland): Yet another 19 year-old, a Swedish winger who has represented his country in the younger levels, he was Potter's first senior signing. With world-class speed, and some impressive skills, Asoro was able to score 3 goals and get 2 assists last season in 26 apperances for Sunderland. While these numbers may seem a bit disappointing, many of these games were sub appearances on a very dysfunctional team. Along with Dhanda, Asoro has been one of the most impressive players during preseason, constantly beating his man with either speed or skills, and whipping in good balls to Legs. At the current rate, Asoro appears to have a good chance of starting on the right wing spot, with Nathan Dyer and Luciano Narsingh backing him up. Predicted starting XI: NOTE: This is gonna be assuming Mawson, A. Ayew, Clucas, and Fernandez are all sold by the start of the season. If by some reason they end up staying, they are pretty much guaranteed to start. Based on the pre-season games so far, a lineup looking like this would be plausible, with Rodon most likely to be replaced by a CB (possibly Scott McKenna) when we buy one. Our second unit is looking something like this. Best case scenario: Graham Potter is able to motivate and make sure our senior players (Fer, Carroll, etc.) stay fit, along with our youngsters being able to make an impact as expected, and also we retain Mawson, Fernandez, and Clucas, we can finish in the top 2 and get promoted automatically. Worst case scenario: Our worst case scenario, and something many of us fear of happening, consists of primarily 3 things. 1. Graham Potter isn't given enough time to build an identity with our squad and is sacked by the midway point of the season by the greedy, dumb American owners. . 2. We end up not replacing the players we sold properly like last summer, therefore having a squad with holes everywhere and no chemistry. 3. Our youngsters such as Asoro, McBurnie, Dhanda and company don't pan out and progress at all, thefore becoming mediocre players. This would all culminate in us looking like Sunderland, and making relegation a probability. Prediction: Realistically I see us selling Mawson and company in the last days before the season starts and not replacing them properly until later on. Because of this, as well as our current injuries with Fer and Clucas, I can see us initially struggling to build an identity but over time, we will start playing like Potter wants us and finishing the season strongly. 8th place, missing the play-offs by 4 points What will happen to your closest rivals?: The scum that is known as Cardiff City will break the record for lowest points ever accumulated in a Premier League season, getting 5 points all from draws, and will therefore get relegated with 17 games to spare.
Location:The Hawthorns, West Bromwich, West Midlands Nickname: The Baggies, The Throstles Major honours: 1x League title, 1x League Cup, 5x FA Cup 17/18 finishing postion: 20th in Premier League (relegated) Transfermarkt squad value: £101.16m Manager:Darren Moore or Big Dave as he's known to Albion fans. A club icon as a player in the early 2000s, he returned to look after our U23 squad before being promoted to assistant manager by Alan Pardew in January. Following the end of Pardew's horrific reign, Moore took temporary charge with Albion facing inevitable relegation. He led us to wins over Newcastle, Spurs, Man Utd and a draw with Liverpool, somehow taking our futile battle for survival to the final week of the season. Following this he earned the head coach role permanently. Moore is loved among the Albion faithful, largely due to his reputation as a player here. He heavily favours a 4-4-2 formation and at the back end of last season, tended to soak up pressure and play on the counter attack. It will be interesting to see how his approach differs in a league where we are one of the favourites, not fighting to survive (hopefully) Best player(s)/ talisman: It's an interesting situation for Albion currently. There are plenty of Premier League quality players still in the squad. A lot depends on if they are picked off before the deadline shuts. Chris Brunt is a club stalwart and likely to be reappointed as captain. He is adored by the fans and in my opinion will be an incredible asset in the championship. His set pieces alone will bring 10+ goals to the side. Kieran Gibbs is a high quality player who appears to be set to stay and should make a big difference. Jay Rodriguez, Craig Dawson, Salomon Rondon and Nacer Chadli should all make a big difference in this division IF they stay. In all honesty I expect to lose a few of the above. Sam Johnstone appears to be an astute signing to replace the outgoing Ben Foster. Rising star:Sam Field he's one of our own! He looked completely at home against some of the top Premier League sides last campaign. A box-to-box midfielder, he's full of energy and looks so comfortable on the ball. I expect him to be a major part of our side this season, having just signed a new long-term deal. Kyle Edwards is an exciting attacking midfielder who has been impressing in pre-season. He may have a part to play following a loan spell at Exeter last campaign. Jonathon Leko looked like a potential world-beater when he first came through a couple of years back. A lightning quick winger full of tricks. A loan spell at Bristol City and limited appearances later he seems to be losing his way. Will be an interesting one to watch. Finally, the enigma that is Olly Burke. After signing with us last summer for £15m, he failed to impress any of the four managers we had over the season. He looks exciting when he comes on, without any end product so far, and was unfairly blamed for a loss at West Ham by Alan 'Coward' Pardew. We all know the talent he's got. Hopefully we can see it this season. What happened last season?: Let's not talk about it... We finally escaped the stranglehold of Tony Pulis, only to opt for the human joke that is Alan Pardew and duly hurtled towards relegation. Four of our players stole a taxi and then played (and lost) the following weekend. Pardew was sacked about 3 months too late, and Moore took over, restoring pride with some notable wins over Man Utd and Spurs. This season we also lost the great Cyrille Regis, and the outpouring of emotion and the coming together of the club during the weeks after his passing was something special. Summer transfer business (so far): We started by releasing Claudio Yacob, Boaz Myhill and Gareth McAuley. Yacob and McAuley will be greatly missed but it is perhaps the right time for them to go. Jonny Evans departed for Leicester for a cut-price £3m, Ben Foster left for Watford and James McClean has departed for Stoke City. Sam Johnstone has been bought in to replace Foster, with Jonathon Bond arriving as backup. Kyle Bartley has joined from Swansea City and it appears that Harvey Barnes will soon be arriving on loan from Leicester. Finally, James Morrison is currently out of contract but still with the club. His future is uncertain. I am very happy with Johnstone and Bartley. It has been a quiet window for Albion so far but that is largely a good thing. The squad is packed with Premier League talent and the window is more about keeping hold of them. There is major interest in Dawson and Rondon, along with interest in Rodriguez, Hegazi and Chadli. If any of the above go, then we would need to replace. Otherwise I would be happy with another striker and another CB. It is also worth mentioning that every player in the Albion side suffered a 50% wage cut upon relegation which means that we are financially sound despite relegation, but may lead to more big names leaving. Predicted starting XI:This is my best attempt. It will undoubtedly be 4-4-2. We may see Nyom in at right back and perhaps Barry in for Field. Obviously about half of this side could leave, so we shall see. Best case scenario: The bulk of the side remains and the quality in the side shines through as we breeze to automatic promotion. Worst case scenario: The better players leave or do not put the effort in. Moore cannot transfer his great start into his first full season in management. We become embroiled in a relegation battle Prediction: It will be somewhere in the middle. I'd like to think we'll go up automatically but I think play-offs are more likely. 6th What will happen to your closest rivals?: Villa won't go down but will settle into mid-table, despite the recent takeover. I think Wolves will do well in the PL, although I don't know how long Nuno will last before a big club comes in.
Location: Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire Nickname: The Potters Stadium:bet365 Stadium, 30,089 seats Major honours: 1972 League Cup 17/18 finishing position: 19th, Premier League Squad value: £127.8 million Manager:Gary Rowett signed from Derby in May. His honest attitude has brought lots of optimism to fans, who are looking forward to an overhaul of the Club. His style of play seems to change based on the squad he has available. Best Player:Joe Allen was vital to the Club last season, giving us hope that we would avoid relegation. His massive new contract signed this summer shows how loyal and committed to the Club he is, and will be a vital player this season. Rising star:Tom Edwards is a local lad who has won the Under 18 Player of the Year award twice in the Club. In the latter parts of last season he played some good first team football. What happened last season: A pathetic attempt at a season that had been coming for a while under Mark Hughes. Paul Lambert was appointed in January, but a win rate of just 2 in 15 matches wasn’t enough for him to keep his job and miss out on the million pound bonus offered to him. Transfer business so far: So far this has been a decent transfer window. Peter Etebo had an amazing World Cup for Nigeria and Benik Afobe looks really promising. Adam Federici has also been appointed to replace Lee Grant. Xherdan Shaqiri has left along with a few players like Stephen Ireland and Glen Johnson who will not be missed. Badou Ndiaye also looks to be on his way out, but it looks like Jack Butland will stay with us, which is massive. Perhaps most surprising are the new contracts signed by our 2 best players last season, Joe Allen and Moritz Bauer. Predicted Line up:Here is our predicted squad. I’m not sure what formation we will have. EDIT: This is a new version, complete with our rumoured new signings and in the right formation. Best case scenario: Stoke will finish top with an all-time Championship points record. Worst case scenario: A mediocre start to the season will see Rowett sacked and Stoke with a disappointing mid-table finish. Prediction: I think with our squad and our new manager, we will finish 1st. What will happen to our closest rivals? Port Vale will be relegated to the Vanarama National League.
Location:Villa Park, Trinity Rd, Birmingham B6 6HE Nickname: The Villans, The Villa, Prince William's Club, David "Twat" Cameron's Second Club. Major honours: 7 First Division wins, 7 FA Cups, 5 League Cups, 1 European Cup, 1 European Super Cup, 1 Intertoto Cup 17/18 finishing postion: 4th Transfermarkt squad value: £67.77m and dropping fast Manager:Steve Bruce (for now). Former Man Utd playing legend who's been a fixture of English football for decades. He joined Villa in 2016 after successful runs at Hull, Sunderland (yes they were good once) and Birmingham City. A bit of a promotion specialist, he's taken Championship clubs up to the Premier League 4 times in the past and just missed out last season, losing 1-0 to Fulham in the Playoff Final. Tactically, he's fairly old school who prefers 4-4-2 or a 4-1-4-1, usually involving a big man up top. Fun fact: while managing Huddersfield in 1999 he wrote three novels, "Striker!", "Sweeper!" and "Defender!", which focus on main character Steve Barnes, a football manager. Barnes solves crime and takes on terrorists, and the books have become prized rarities. The Guardian's Football Weekly podcast managed to get a copy and read out some of the copy - suitably awful. Best player(s)/ talisman: There's only one Jack Grealish. A Villa boy through and through, he's been with the club since 2001 (aged 6), and made his way into the first team in the 2013-14 season. He's been the centre of controversy a few times, most notably getting on the beers and passing out on a Tenerife street. Playing as a number 10, his quick feet and dribbling skills provide a number of goals and assists, as well as fouls. He probably went down a bit too easily when first in the Premier League, but time in the gym has noticeably toughened him up and he's a much more solid player as a result. One of the better players in the Championship, and due to Villa's abject finances, a transfer target for the likes of Leicester. Rising star: Keinan Davis could possibly be it, potentially Andre Green and Rushian Hepburn-Murphy as well. What happened last season?: Have you ever walked into a casino, spotted the roulette table and popped £10,000 on red? It's a bold strategy, Cotton. Let's see if it pays off. You've doubled your money if you win, but look like a right git if you lose. Villa figured this was a good way to approach 2017-18: spend millions on players, get in lots of loans, gamble everything on achieving promotion. After a so-so start, Bruce got the team playing well, stringing together a number of wins and moving through the playoff spots. Unfortunately they ran into a few teams playing out of their skin - champions Wolves ran away with the league and boasted a squad that included several Champions League players. Neil Warnock's Cardiff couldn't stop winning and grabbed the second automatic promotion. In the playoff final Villa came up against a Ryan Sessegnon-led Fulham and were just pipped at the post 1-0. Summer transfer business (so far): It's one-way traffic, due to absolutely abysmal finances. Loan spells for Lewis Grabban, Robert Snodgrass, Josh Onomah and Sam Johnstone have all ended, which is almost the spine of the team (Johnstone in particular - he was arguably the best keeper in the Championship and personally bagged a number of wins). Plus clubs are circling to pick off whatever assets we have left (eg. Jack Grealish, James Chester). With no prospect of anyone new coming in, it looks like the youth academy will be getting a lot more game time. Predicted starting XI:Possibly this, but half these players could be gone before the first match. Best case scenario: Mid-table anonymity would have to be best case - Villa are a mess and could go down this time around. Worst case scenario: Our finances are the real issue - they are dire. Villa need to find £9 million this month to avoid going into administration. Owner "Dr." Tony Xia is a billionaire, apparently, but tax bills went unpaid and the question remains if he's able to support the club as generously as he has in the past. Administration, points deductions and potentially relegation to League One are all real possibilities right now. It's not looking good. Prediction: Due to financial irregularities in the 23 clubs above us, Villa will get into the Champions League and take out the likes of Atletico, Bayern and Real Madrid on the way to our second European Cup. "Taylor, Green, prepared to venture down the left. There's a good ball played in for Jack Grealish. Oh, it must be and it is! It's Keinan Davis!" What will happen to your closest rivals?: Unfortunately the Scum managed to avoid League One in the final rounds of the season. Here's hoping they go one better. Agbonlahor to re-sign for one game: the Derby. And score the winner, again.
Location: The Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough Founded: 1876 Nickname: The Boro (Or just Boro) Major honours: The League cup 2003-2004 season 17/18 finishing position: 5th Transfermarkt squad value: 79.34m Manager: Tony Pulis became manager of us in late December 2017, replacing the sacked Garry Monk after a pretty lacklustre few months of the campaign (despite where our league position was). Pulis is known in England for being the man that is never relegated when in charge of someone in the top flight. We are all aware of Tony Pulis' style of football. You start by having a strong and massive defence and maximise your use of set pieces to gain an advantage. Pulis is a lover of all set piece plays, whether that is crossing the ball in from a corner or free kick, or launching a ball into the box from a throw in, they're all in his arsenal of weapons. 'Pulisball' as it is pretty much known. Pulis has achieved promotion from the championship once before with Stoke, and I hope he achieves it again with us this season Best player(s)/ rising star: I mean, where else do I begin. Adama Traore. Arguably the best player in the championship on his day and is one of the most frightening dribblers in English football, maybe even world football. The winger is known for his speed and dribbling ability although is usually criticised for his lack of end product. Before last season I would've agreed, however 5 goals and 10 assists, with all but 2 assists coming before Pulis' arrival show the progression of the Spanish winger. As for other members of the squad, Ben Gibson, the prodigal son. Boro through and through he's progressed into a commanding centre half with the ability to play out from the back thanks to Karanka. He gained attention and emerged as one of the few given credit after our disappointing premier league campaign but was only the subject of one bid upon our relegation, from now manager Tony Pulis. It remains to be seen whether he'll be here come the first game of the season, but I hope he will be. As for future stars, Dael Fry, already has played 2 championship campaigns for us and looks as assured as a veteran of the game. Another centre half produced by our academy and he is being played in cdm this pre-season by Pulis, to add to his versatility. Hopefully a standout season for him, especially if Gibson does end up leaving. Finally, yes, he does always look as confused as images of him show. What happened last season?: Well, the first half of the season was tragic under Monk. We played really poor football at times and looked like we hadn't defended a day in our lives. There was also no consistency in the team, we'd win one game then lose the next. A key theme under both managers however, was our inability to beat those around us in the table. After Pulis' appointment the results picked up and it ended with us finishing 5th in the table. We ultimately lost in the playoff semi finals to Aston Villa but honestly, we didn't think we'd even be in the top half around Christmas. Summer transfer business (so far): Just the three deals to talk about so far. We've acquired Paddy McNair from Sunderland who looks like a decent player. He's been utilised in right back and midfield during pre-season so it looks like they'll be his positions for the season. I imagine he'll play alongside Clayts and Howson in a midfield three. Aden Flint was signed from Bristol City and I think I'm in the minority when I say I don't like how much we paid for him. Obviously the man is a Pulis player but I'm a bit unsure about his defensive ability. That being said he's looked strong during pre-season and I'm sure Pulis will get the best out of him. Fabio departed our club for Nantes so we'll need more full back cover. As for the rest of the window, I expect Gibson to leave but will be delighted if he doesn't. One of our strikers will also leave and Braithwaite should follow after his decent World Cup performances. We'll probably bring in a striker and a winger and hopefully hold onto Adama. That'd be a successful window in my eyes. Predicted starting XI: My best guess The only other guess I could make is that Gibson might leave and then Ayala would start, but he's injured at this point in time. Britt might play over Gestede too if Pulis is feeling fancy. Best case scenario: It has to be top of the pile right? It's not out of the question to imagine us up there and if everything clicks then we've got a chance. A defence that scores more than some teams' strikers, Adama channelling his inner Messi and finding consistency, Rudy/Britt/Bamford scoring for fun. It could be carnage. Worst case scenario: I can't see us finishing outside the playoffs, if we did then that would be gut-wrenching. But if we did then that would most certainly be the worst. Realistically, it'd be losing in the playoffs... again, and if it were in the final again then god help me. Although saying this, now losing Bamford and maybe Traore will be a worst case scenario in itself, definitely if they're not replaced. Prediction: Have to be confident, although it always kills me. 1st or 2nd. Tony Pulis and his nice white trainers carry us to the promise land. That being said, we never do it the easy way. Best Match of Last Season Sorry Leeds fans, but it had to be. "Hattrick Bamford" as our Twitter account tweeted, 3-0 against Leeds with Adama running the show. Leeds clearly found some positive from the game as they're set to sign him off us. This was the sign of what we should've done more last season. Showed what Paddy could've been too if given an even more extended period in Striker by himself. Oh well. What will happen to your closest rivals?: Who even are our closest rivals in this league? We're in geographical purgatory. Can't say Sunderland anymore so what? Leeds? Bielsa either turns them into the well oiled machine they hope for or he succumbs to the old Leeds ways and is sacked by December. As for the Mackems, probably promoted from League 1.
Bet365: UK's best-paid boss sees pay rise to £265m - The UK's best-paid boss, co-founder of online gambling firm Bet365 Denise Coates, has received another bumper pay rise. However the industry is facing mounting criticism for not doing enough to deal with problem gambling and addiction.
This is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 47%. (I'm a bot)
The UK's best-paid boss, co-founder of online gambling firm Bet365 Denise Coates, has received another bumper pay rise. The firm's accounts show compensation, for the firm's "Highest paid director" rising to £265m including dividends. The privately held company is owned jointly by Ms Coates and members of her direct family, including her brother John who is joint chief executive and her father Peter, the firm's chairman. Last year Ms Coates' pay and dividends were reported to total £217m. In the year to the end of March her basic pay rose from £199m to £220m. The firm paid out £90m in dividends in the same year, half of which are thought to have gone to Ms Coates, as the owner of half of Bet365's shares. The accounts showed that the firm's revenues grew by 25% in the year to the end of March and operating profit was up by 31%. While the online gambling sector has ballooned in recent years, it has also come in for increasing criticism over its impact on some customers who have become addicted or accrued large debts. Ms Coates lives in Cheshire with her husband, Richard Smith, who also serves as the firm's property director, and her five children.
Summary Source | FAQ | Feedback | Topkeywords: firm#1gambling#2Coates#3year#4online#5 Post found in /worldnews. NOTICE: This thread is for discussing the submission topic. Please do not discuss the concept of the autotldr bot here.
Thanks for joining us on the Transfer Blog today, we'll see you bright and early at 7am for another day of news. 21:48
WATCH: TRANSFER LATEST
21:28
BLADES PRICED OUT OF WAGHORN RACE
Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder has confirmed the club have been priced out of buying Martyn Waghorn, after revealing he was quoted £8-10m for the Ipswich Town striker. The Blades boss added the club will need a new striker and midfielder this year - but it looks like the former won't be Waghorn. 20:55
JOSE FRUSTRATED ON TRANSFER FRONT?
We haven't even had to wait for the Premier League season to begin to get the sharp end of a prickly Jose Mourinho this summer. The Manchester United boss has slammed the "disadvantage" his side has with so many players away from the club following their countries' progress at the World Cup. But he suggested he may also be frustrated with United's progress in the transfer market - having signed only Fred, 19-year-old Diego Dalot and 35-year-old third-choice goalkeeper Lee Grant so far this summer. He said: "I don't have the majority of the players that are going to be in the squad on the 9th of August, when the (transfer) market closes and we can make the squad official for the season. "Of course I am not happy." 20:50
SCHURRLE CLOSE TO FULHAM MOVE
Borussia Dortmund forward Andre Schurrle is flying to London tonight ahead of a medical tomorrow at Fulham. Sky Sports News understands that Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic has secured the signature of Schurrle ahead of a number of interested clubs including Crystal Palace and AC Milan. The German international was released from Dortmund’s tour of the US to discuss the move. 20:27
DUO CHASE EXETER ACE
Jayden Stockley is attracting some serious attention from the Championship, with Preston and Ipswich monitoring the Exeter forward according to Sky sources. The 24-year-old scored 24 goals in 45 appearances for the Grecians last season - and you can read the full story here. 20:10
GREEN TO... CHELSEA?
Rob Green could be set for a shock move to Chelsea as their new third-choice goalkeeper, according to The Sun. The former England goalkeeper, aged 38, spent last season at Huddersfield Town but failed to make an appearance and was released. 20:04
RICO JOINS CHERRIES
Leganes defender Diego Rico has completed his move to Bournemouth, signing a four-year deal following his £10.7m transfer. The 25-year-old left-back had been with the club since 2016. 19:17
Sven Goran Eriksson in advanced talks to take over as Iraq coach. We are told Sven and his representative have been meeting officials from the Iraqi FA in Istanbul. It is hoped a deal can be finalised next week. 18:38
PALACE DEFENDER LEAVES ON LOAN
Crystal Palace defender Jaroslaw Jach has joined Turkish side Caykur Rizespor on loan until end of season. Jach joined the club in January for £3million. 17:53
Diego Rico has passed his medical with Bournemouth according to Sky sources and is close to completing his move to the club. The Leganes defender will sign for £10.7m, assuming no last-minute snags in the deal. 17:38
MOUTINHO SIGNS FOR WOLVES
Joao Moutinho has completed his move from AS Monaco on a two-year deal. The Portuguese midfielder has 112 caps for his country, and has signed for around £5m. 17:36
RICHARLISON DEAL DONE
Sky sources have revealed Richarlison has completed his move to Everton, where he will sign a five-year deal. The 21-year-old Brazilian winger joins from Watford, where he has spent only a year since moving from Fluminense in 2017. 17:12
WATCH: TRANSFER CENTRE LATEST
16:48
FENERBAHCE MAKE JANSSEN OFFER
Fenerbache have made a loan offer to Tottenham for striker Vincent Janssen, Sky sources understand. It is understood discussions are now ongoing with Spurs keen to include an obligation to buy clause. Janssen is not with the Spurs squad on their pre-season tour to America and Mauricio Pochettino has suggested that the striker is not part of his plans. 16:28
MALCOM HEADING TO BARCA
Brazil and Bordeaux winger Malcom is on his way to Barcelona, the club have tweeted - but he's due to undergo a medical on Wednesday morning before signing terms at the Nou Camp. Here's what they said about "enjoying" the impending arrival... https://twitter.com/FCBarcelona_es/status/1021793262229770241 16:23
BROWNE DOWN TO OXFORD
Marcus Browne has joined Oxford United on a season-long loan from West Ham. The 20-year-old attacking midfielder spent last season on loan at Wigan, and U's manager Karl Robinson said: “He has so much to offer. He is technically very good, he sees a pass and will score goals so he is very talented and we know there were a lot of clubs chasing him." 16:08
NORWICH SIGN KRUL
Tim Krul has joined Norwich City after his contract expired with Brighton and Hove Albion. The former Newcastle number one, who suffered somewhat of a fall from grace in recent years, has signed a two-year deal at Carrow Road. 15:43
MCGOLDRICK JOINS BLADES
Sheffield United have signed David McGoldrick following a successful trial period at the club. The free-agent, formerly of Ipswich Town, has put pen-to-paper on an initial one-year deal at Bramall Lane, although there is a view to an extension. 15:41
BRENTFORD CHASE ENGELS
Brentford are in talks to sign centre-back Bjorn Engels from Olympiacos, Sky Sports News understands. The 23-year-old Belgian has emerged as their top target to replace John Egan, who joined Sheffield United last week. Engels is a former Belgium U21 international and has three years left on his Olympiacos contract. 15:06
MORE FUNDS FOR RAFA?
An MP has launched a Parliamentary petition calling on Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley to invest in the club - saying Rafa Benitez needs more support from the man at the top. Chi Onwurah, Labour MP for Newcastle Central and a lifelong Magpies fan, is raising the issue of the Sports Direct tycoon's stewardship of the Premier League side which she perceives to be failing manager Rafa Benitez. Her action follows a separate fan-led online petition titled If Rafa Goes I Go where supporters threaten to withdraw from the club if Benitez is not satisfactorily backed by the owner. 14:37
RANGERS TARGET BEEVERS
Chris Kamara might hope he's up at Ibrox next season as Rangers are targeting Bolton defender Mark Beevers, according to TalkSPORT. The Gers have reportedly watched the centre-back during the Trotters' 0-0 friendly draw with Girona last weekend - although it remains to be seen whether they thought he fought like the hairy critters... 14:11
Fulham have announced the signing of goalkeeper Fabri from Besiktas for an undisclosed fee. The 30-year-old goalkeeper signs a three-year deal, with an option for an extra year. Sky Sports News understands the fee is close to £5m. 13:45
CASTRO TO WOLVES?
Spanish wing-back Jonny Castro is set to join Wolves on a season-long loan, according to the Express and Star. The 24-year-old will leave Celta Vigo for Atletico Madrid on a permanent deal, and then immediately move to Premier League newcomers Wolves. 13:22
BREMEN IN FOR KLAASSEN
Sources in Germany are telling us Bundesliga side Werder Bremen have made an enquiry for Everton midfielder Davy Klaassen. The former Ajax captain has failed to nail down a regular starting place at Goodison Park. New Everton boss Marco Silva has told SSN that he expects departures after assessing his squad over pre-season. 13:08
A RISK WORTH TAKING?
Watford's Richarlison represents undoubted potential for Everton, but for a reported £50m, is he a risk worth taking? Sky Sports assesses whether the Brazilian's inconsistency warrants the big price tag... Read the feature HERE 12:48
BERNARD MOVES ON LOAN
Birmingham City defender Dominic Bernard has joined Aldershot Town on loan. The 21-year-old will be at the club until the end of January 2019. 12:30
BARNES NEW DEAL, JOINS WBA
Midfielder Harvey Barnes has signed a new four-year deal with Leicester City, and will also join West Bromwich Albion on a season-long loan. 12:21
INCE SIGNS FOR STOKE
Ince has signed a four-year contract at the bet365 Stadium with Stoke paying an initial £10m to Huddersfield for the 26-year-old with another potential £2m in add-ons. Sky sources understood Ince had a medical with the Potters on Saturday and he becomes their fifth signing of the summer following the arrivals of Benik Afobe, Oghenekaro Etebo, Adam Federici and James McClean. 12:15
BREAKING NEWS
Stoke have completed the signing of winger Tom Ince from Huddersfield in a deal worth up to £12m - a club record fee received for a Terriers player. 12:08
SHAQIRI TO JOIN UP WITH REDS
Xherdan Shaqiri is set to meet up with his new Liverpool team-mates in New Jersey as he joins the tour of the US. The Switzerland international has been on extended leave because of his involvement in the World Cup - interrupting that only to complete a £13m move from Stoke - but that is now over and the 26-year-old has some catching up to do. Liverpool's squad will will train in Charlotte, North Carolina, before flying to New Jersey ahead of their International Champions Cup match against Manchester City. 11:45
POG LINKED WITH MOVE BACK
Juventus are being linked with an audacious move to bring Paul Pogba back to the club by Corriere dello Sport. Current midfielder Miralem Pjanic has been attracting interest from a number of big clubs, and Juve see this as a chance to refresh their midfield. Pogba is the dream target at the top of their list, which also contains the names of PSG Adrien Rabiot, and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic of Lazio. 11:26
TRIO ON TRIAL AT WIGAN
Darron Gibson, Ross Wallace and James Perch are all on trial at Wigan Athletic. Gibson, 30, was released by Sunderland this summer; Wallace, 33, was released by Sheffield Wednesday; Perch, 32, was released by QPR and previously played for Wigan between 2013 and 2015. 11:10
PAREJO A BARCA TARGET?
Dani Parejo has emerged as a target for Barcelona, should they fail to land one of Ilkay Gundogan or Adrien Rabiot, according to AS. The 29-year-old midfielder began his career at Real Madrid, and spent some time on loan at QPR, before moving to Valencia in 2011. 10:52
ROMA ‘SWOOP FOR NZONZI’
Roma are among the other clubs interested in Sevilla midfielder Steven Nzonzi, and will challenge Arsenal for his signature, according to Gazzetta dello Sport. Their director of football, Monchi, signed the midfielder during his time as Sevilla sporting director, and wants to reunite with the player in the Italian capital. 10:36
TRANSFER ROUND-UP
As we approach midday, the latest Transfer Centre round-up from Sky Sports News 10:29
TELLES A REAL TARGET?
Porto's Brazilian left-back Alex Telles is a Real Madrid target, as the European Champions look for someone to challenge Marcelo and possibly a long-term replacement for the 30-year-old, according to Record Club officials were in Portugal on Monday to negotiate a deal. 10:12
FENERBAHCE OFFER FOR AYEW
Sky sources: Fenerbahce have made a loan offer for Swansea forward Andre Ayew. Talks between the clubs are ongoing. 09:57
MOUTINHO IN WOLVERHAMPTON
We understand Joao Moutinho is in Wolverhampton as he closes in on a move to Wolves. Monaco and Wolves have agreed fee of around £5m for the midfielder, and he will join on a two-year deal, subject to a medical. 09:39
GATTUSO ON BONUCCI
AC Milan manager Gennaro Gattuso has indicated that defender Leonardo Bonucci may want to leave the club this summer. The 31-year-old has been linked with a move to Manchester United, among other top European clubs. “I’ve spoken to Leo and you need to be honest and say things as they are,” said Gattuso. “Leo had a meeting with me, but I am not the club and he needs to talk to the directors. "It will be up to Leo and the club to decide, but I hope that Bonucci can stay here. I think that when a player expresses a desire, the Coach must do all he can to convince him to stay.” 09:29
MALCOM TO BARCA?
Sky Germany understands that Bordeaux winger Malcom’s agent is in Barcelona to discuss a move for the Brazilian. Roma had earlier agreed a deal with Bordeaux for Malcom, subject to a medical, but the player pleaded with his club to let him speak with Barcelona once he learned of their interest. Malcom will cost around half the price of Willian, another Barcelona target, with Chelsea asking for £70m. 09:19
STURARO TO THE PL?
Juventus midfielder Stefano Sturaro is set to move to the Premier League as the Turin club try to recoup some some of their outlay for Cristiano Ronaldo, according to Gazzetta dello Sport. West Ham or Leicester are said to be the preferred destinations for the 25-year-old, who has a number of offers on the table. Gazzetta say it is likely that Juventus will decide his destination by accepting only the best offer. 09:05
COMAN DENIES ARSENAL LINK
Bayern Munich midfielder Kingsley Coman has denied reports he has held talks over a transfer to Arsenal. New Gunners boss Emery is reportedly in the market for a winger and has been linked with Coman along with Barcelona's Ousmane Dembele. But 22-year-old Coman insists he has no intention of leaving Bundesliga champions Bayern, where he signed a new five-year contract in December. "I've had no contact with Arsenal. That's not true," he told Sport1. "I've just extended my contract here at Bayern and I'm planning to stay for many more years." 08:53
BREAKING NEWS
Leganes defender Diego Rico is having medical at Bournemouth this afternoon. The clubs have agreed a £10.7m fee. 08:41
LIVERPOOL WANT £27M FOR ORIGI
Liverpool have slapped a £27m price tag on Divock Origi as Jurgen Klopp looks to trim his squad ahead of the new season, the Liverpool Echo reports. Seven players could leave Anfield before the August 9 transfer deadline, potentially generating £100m in sales. Liverpool want £27m for Belgium international Origi, who spent last season on loan at Wolfsburg and has attracted interest from Valencia. Danny Ings, Marko Grujic, Sheyi Ojo, Lazar Markovic, Simon Mignolet and Pedro Chirivella are also expected to leave before the start of the season. 08:21
JOSE'S MARTIAL STANCE
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho will consider selling Anthony Martial but only to a club outside of the Premier League, reports the Guardian. The United boss has reluctantly decided that if Martial does not wish to play for the club then his departure should be explored. It is understood bidding for the 22-year-old French winger will start at £50m. 08:08
OBIANG OUT, LEMINA IN?
West Ham and Sampdoria in advanced talks over the sale of Pedro Obiang for around €10m (£8.9m). Obiang has a contract at West Ham until 2022 and the club will leave the final decision with him if and when a fee is agreed. Obiang joined West Ham from Sampdoria in 2015, and if he does leave, we are told the club are looking at Southampton midfielder Mario Lemina as a potential replacement. 07:59
CELTIC IN BID TO KEEP BOYATA
Celtic are to hold crunch talks with Dedryck Boyata in a bid to keep him at the club, according to the Daily Record. The Scottish Sun revealed last week that Lyon were after the defender, with Lazio and Fulham also interested. But Celtic will now sit down with the 27-year-old, who joined from Man City in 2015. 07:45
FODEN GLAD HE STAYED WITH CITY
Phil Foden says says the chance to go on Manchester City's pre-season tour was too good to miss. 07:31
DONS FAIL TO AGREE DOYLE TERMS
Aberdeen have failed in a bid for Eoin Doyle, according to The Scottish Sun. Both Aberdeen and Peteborough reportedly had bids of around £300k accepted, but could not agree personal terms with the 30-year-old Irishman. 07:14
EVERTON KEEN ON DIGNE
Everton manager Marco Silva has confirmed he is interested in bringing Barcelona full-back Lucas Digne to the club. Everton are close to completing a deal for Richarlison from Watford, and Digne could follow soon after. "The English transfer market appears to be easy but it isn't. Some players have been identified but others must arrive sooner. "Richarlison and Digne? We're interested in them and hope they can reinforce our squad. We'll see what happens in the next few days." 07:00
Liverpool will feel the weight of increased expectation to deliver silverware this season after making encouraging forays into the transfer market, manager Jurgen Klopp said. "You're right and people will say that it is the next step. We need to be ready for that," Klopp told reporters in New York, where Liverpool were continuing their pre-season tour. "I know about the expectations and that's completely normal. First of all we have to play the football that gives us an opportunity to win something. We cannot talk about winning something before we start the season." 06:43
ARSENAL LOOK TO LOWER NZONZI PRICE
Arsenal are attempting to reach a cut-price deal for Sevilla midfielder Steven Nzonzi, according to France Football. Nzonzi has a 40m euro release clause, but Arsenal are looking to lower that price ahead of the new season. The 29-year-old played 47 times under new Arsenal boss Unai Emery at Sevilla. 06:31
ALONSO UNFAZED BY TRANSFER TALK
Marcos Alonso insists he is unconcerned about transfer speculation linking some of Chelsea's key players with moves away from Stamford Bridge. "I am not even thinking about that. They are Chelsea players and I am looking forward to seeing them after their holidays," Spanish defender Alonso told Sky Sports News when asked about the possibility of Eden Hazard, Thibaut Courtois or Willian leaving the club. 06:24
The latest transfer bulletin from Sky Sports News this morning... 06:10
PUEL: MAGUIRE MUST STAY
Leicester boss Claude Puel says Harry Maguire must remain at the King Power Stadium, amid reported interest from Manchester United. "It is important for Maguire to continue for Leicester. It is a good feeling. If our players are interesting a lot of clubs it is because we are recruiting well and doing good work. It is important we continue this. "When we welcome players back from the World Cup, I hope we can give them the opportunity to continue advancing their ambitions and perform in the Premier League." 06:02
GOOD MORNING!
And welcome to Sky Sports' live coverage of the Transfer Centre, bringing you all of the latest news and rumours from the window. 06:01
Bet365 posted a 28 per cent rise in pre-tax profit to £660.6 million in the year to March on turnover of £2.9 billion. It is now the largest private sector employer in Stoke, though it moved Bet365 queen's land grab: Betting boss spent £5.5m in four years buying up her neighbours' land to turn £90m space age glass palace into a fortress The UK’s best-paid boss, co-founder of online gambling firm Bet365 Denise Coates, has received another bumper pay rise. The firm’s accounts show compensation, for the firm’s “highest paid director” rising to £265m including dividends. betting, Bet365 has consistently remained one step ahead of the competition. By 2005, the company’s success had become assured. This allowed Denise to sell off the family’s land-based betting shops to Coral for over $50 million, and a portion of the profits were used to pay back the Royal Bank of Scotland for their initial loan. Bet365: UK’s best-paid boss sees pay rise to £265m On Nov 21, 2018 26,112 The UK’s best-paid boss, co-founder of online gambling firm Bet365 Denise Coates, has received another bumper pay rise. Denise Coates, the founder of Bet365 has seen her compensation rise to £265m as online gambling booms. Denise Coates, 51, the billionaire boss of Bet365, was paid £220 million in 2018, as well as netting half of a £90 million dividend, making her one of the highest paid executives in the world. Bet365 boss Denise Coates and her family paid a staggering £573 million in tax last year, it has been revealed. The Coates family - who run the Etruria-based gambling business - handed over more Photograph: Felix Clay/The Guardian. Denise Coates, the multibillionaire founder of the gambling company Bet365, paid herself £323m last year. The sum is the highest amount paid to the chief 1,132. 1132. Denise Coates, the multibillionaire founder and boss of the gambling firm Bet365, paid herself £265m last year in a record-breaking pay deal for the chief executive of a British...
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