Relegated Premier League clubs continue to come down with parachute payments that more closely resemble yo-yos, but that financial advantage isn’t a panacea – as Luton found to their cost... 2025-26

T he 2024-25 Championship was a split league. The second tier produced an unprecedented two 100-point campaigns, with Leeds and Burnley pulling clear of play-off finalists Sheffield United and Sunderland.

A play-off spot, however, required the joint-lowest points total – Bristol City’s 68 – since 1989’s expansion to 46 games. The Robins were 13 points closer to relegation than they were to the top two.

Might the division even out? Let’s hope so. Six of the last 12 automatically promoted teams were in the first year of parachute payments, and a further four in their second year. The two exceptions had either a manager worshipped by Pep Guardiola, or one subsequently sought out to rival him: Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds and Kieran McKenna at Ipswich respectively. The latter seems likely to remain at Portman Road, making Ipswich convincing favourites for an instant return. Joining them after just one top-flight season are Southampton, banking on Will Still’s burgeoning reputation, and Leicester, who retain plenty of their 2023-24 title-winners. Parachute payments offer an advantage but it’s one thing having the parachute and another thing remembering to pack it. Just ask Luton. Also throwing their financial weight around are Wrexham and Birmingham, ascending from League One. The Blues are feeling confident after amassing a record-breaking 111 points. Like Wrexham, Sheffield United picked up 92 points last season (well, 90 after the points deduction), yet it didn’t result in promotion and Blade-by-birth Chris Wilder has since departed amid controversy. If Ruben Selles is daunted by

Wilder’s legacy, though, he can take inspiration from Frank Lampard, who replaced Coventry icon Mark Robins in autumn with the Sky Blues in the bottom half and steered them to 5th. Fellow play-off semi-finalists Bristol City have set more modest expectations for Gerhard Struber, who replaces Liam Manning as head coach. Manning, Ryan Mason and Rob Edwards have been appointed, in turn, by Norwich, West Bromwich Albion and Middlesbrough after each finished outside of the top six with squads capable of better, so a response is now required.

Millwall and Blackburn were in the play-off scramble last season and aim to make that jump under the same bosses, Alex Neil and Valerien Ismael. Switching things up are QPR, Watford and Hull, who looked abroad to Julien Stephan, Paulo Pezzolano and Sergej Jakirovic. Swansea are hoping that their top-six form under caretaker Alan Sheehan extends into his permanent tenure. It took them to a top-half finish – heights untouched by Stoke in any of their seven extravagant Championship seasons, with last year’s 18th a new low. Mark Robins is out to fix the division’s Manchester United. Off-field question marks could dominate at Sheffield Wednesday, so Derby, Preston and League One play-off winners Charlton will be glad of their comparatively stable ownership. Limited investment means it’s on established managers John Eustace, Paul Heckingbottom and Nathan Jones to maximise their resources. Finally, Portsmouth and Oxford survived last term by losing just five and seven home games respectively. Their home form will be vital again – but no team can afford to rest on their laurels.

Gabriel Sutton

WHO WILL WIN THE LEAGUE?

IPSWICH

BIRMINGHAM

COVENTRY

NORWICH

WREXHAM

OXFORD

THE ULTIMATE QUIZ

01 Which were the highest-placed club in last season’s Championship not to be promoted to the Premier League?

02 Which Championship returners are nicknamed the Addicks?

03 Which player, whose twin brother plays in the Premier League, registered the most Championship assists last season (14) along with West Brom’s Tom Fellows?

04 Following Sunderland’s promotion last term, which is now the most northerly team in the second tier?

05 At just shy of 40,000, which club’s stadium boasts the largest capacity?

06 Frank Lampard (right) led Coventry into the 2024-25 play-offs with a 5th-placed finish. Where were they in the table when the former Chelsea midfielder was appointed in November 2024: 17th, 19th or 21st?

07 Two clubs are sponsored by their respective local universities, one on the chest, the other on the sleeve. Name them.

08 Championship new boys Wrexham play their home games at which ground?

09 Which second-tier side can boast having easily the most Instagram followers, with more than eight million?

10 Three current Championship clubs have spent the past decade or longer in the second tier. Name them.

1 Sheffield United (3rd) 2 Charlton 3 Josh Murphy of Porstmouth 4 Middlesbrough 5 Sheffield Wednesday, Hillsborough 6 17th 7 Portsmouth (chest), Watford (sleeve) 8 The Racecourse / Cae Ras 9 Leicester 10 Bristol City, Preston, QPR

BIRMINGHAM CITY

LAST SEASON

LEAGUE ONE Winners FA CUP Fourth Round LEAGUE CUP Second Round TOP SCORER (ALL COMPS) Jay Stansfield (23)

FAN FILE

RYAN DEENEY @RyanDeeney2194

Last season was almost perfect. The aim was to smash records. Transfer record, earliest League One title win, EFL points record, the most wins... job done.

The big talking point is whether we can go back-to-back. Our budget is the biggest outside of the parachute payment clubs.

Fans think our owner is the saviour of Birmingham and the saviour of Birmingham City FC.

Our key player will be Christoph Klarer [below], a natural leader.

The opposition player I’d love here is West Bromwich Albion’s Torbjorn Heggem. He’s a versatile, powerful, leftie defender and it’s a transfer that would cause a stir.

The opposition player who grinds my gears is Barry Bannan. He hates us, so it will be nice to have a midfield that can run rings around him.

A social media account to follow is @Jam3s_34, who provides excellent analysis and in-depth previews of every Blues game.

The thing my club really gets right is the work it does with the foundation. For all of the talk around money, we’ve continued to support those in the community, which is an important facet of being a working-class football club at heart.

The one change I’d make would be another (imaginary) route out of the ground, to ease traffic. It’s the one downside to filling the ground every week.

Fans think our gaffer is fantastic, beside a few minor concerns over Chris Davies’ style and rotation.

The active player I’d love to have back is Jude Bellingham, and it will be for the next 15 years. Failing that: Jobe Bellingham.

I won’t be happy unless we get on the wrong side of every fanbase in the Championship.

We’ll finish in the top six, for sure. I think it’ll be the top four... and I wouldn’t put the top two past us.

BLACKBURN ROVERS

LAST SEASON

CHAMPIONSHIP 7th FA CUP Fourth Round LEAGUE CUP Second Round TOP SCORER Yuki Ohashi (10)

FAN FILE

MIKE DELAP @MikeyDelap

Last season was much better than expected, largely down to John Eustace and Valerien Ismael. Pre-season predictions of doom and relegation were way off, with Rovers even being in contention for a play-off spot on final day.

Fans think our gaffer is turning things around. Ismael had a poor start, but a late-season surge in form assuaged some doubters.

The big talking point is Steve Waggott’s sudden departure as CEO – a much-derided figure, but experienced compared to a duo of seemingly underqualified club executives. We also withdrew our women’s team from WSL2.

The thing my club really gets right is our youth academy, which is really the saving grace of the past decade or so. That, and some good child fan ticket initiatives when the occasion demands.

Look out for 17-year-old forward Igor Tyjon [below]. He’s had some admiring glances from big clubs.

The opposition player I’d love here is Gus Hamer. I absolutely love his endless industry and energy, which is something Rovers sorely lack between both boxes.

A social media account to follow is The 4000 Holes Podcast – great host, engaging chat, often with an injection of much-needed humour.