Football

Brighton are likely to sneak into the autos on the last day. I can't decide which of Boro or Burnley wants it the least at the moment. Boro results have picked up with their last minute escapades masking over the Karanka cracks.

I'd fancy us to make it to Wembley again if we don't have some sort of mental meltdown beforehand (the Derby way), but we won't be heavy favourites again this year which will make it better when we inevitably lose. Again.

'We scored our goal because we always try to play good football, Burnley just played with long balls'

I think the pressure may be getting to him. He also claimed that if he had the Burnley squad he'd have had them promoted in February and that the Championship team of the season should have been 11 Boro players.

Preston is the one I'm concerned about for Burnley. Difficult to predict with it being a local derby. I'm hoping Derby will turn Brighton over to give us some breathing room. I'd hope that if we need a result on the last day we should be able to beat a relegated Charlton.

It says "Everton Melt" and advertises a sandwich.
it'll be due to my permissions on instagram.

^
WhaT THE FUCK IS THAT?

Mourinho to Celtic.

taps nose

OH THAT WOULD BE HILARZ.

I wonder what the karanka cracks are caused by. They've played good football for two seasons and he looks like he's enjoying it top there ( no idea why or how).

I'd like Derby to go up, if only to see how your owners are going to deal with is it as they seem to be conducting a all our nothing sort of approach

If United don't get him I'd expect Woodward to walk away, no?

You have clearly mistaken me for someone who gives a fuck.

But surely if United wanted him they'd have had it all signed, sealed and delivered by now?

Not with Woodward in charge.

I think it's all guff. United don't want him. The papers want him to go, he wants to go.

I don't think @dst will agree on the "played good football" bit this season. They've been effective, like we were under Clement, but it's not always been pretty and I think him walking out and then coming back after missing a match shows that there's something not quite right up there. I wouldn't say he's enjoying it at all. The pressure is on him to get Boro promoted.

We've spent less than some of the other clubs around us, although it seems that we get labelled as the big spenders as we broke our transfer record a couple of times in one window. We seem to be operating within our budget so it shouldn't be the end of the world if we don't go up this time. The owner is a lifelong Derby fan with a shitload of money which can be dangerous or good. I'm not too sure which of those it is yet.

This. He won't be going there. I hope he does and fucks them up for good, but it won't happen

'Arry in the away end in his Air Max's last night. Probably dodgy knock offs...

Do we ease up and rest players for the playoffs?
Some teams will still be playing hard up to the end so fresh players would be an advantage.
Do we play hard and go in with momentum?

It's a tough call but I'm glad we have someone as experienced as 'arry to advise the manager on the pros and cons of each approach.

@roboto @Chalfie are you heading to Derby for the open top bus parade?

We've spent less than some of the other clubs around us, although it seems that we get labelled as the big spenders as we broke our transfer record a couple of times in one window. We seem to be operating within our budget so it shouldn't be the end of the world if we don't go up this time.

Come again? You've spent £25m+ this season, who else in the division has spent anywhere near that amount?

And you lost £10m last season, just within FFP rules. A budget running a £10m loss is hardly sustainable at this level, no matter how rich your owner. Not exactly sure how you're going to work around FFP either after your transfer binge, hire the same accountant as Leicester?

We don't play 'good' football, our defenders defend first, attack 2nd, we have 2 deep lying midfielders to make 6 defensive minded players. Leadbitter can play a bit but Clayton is a natural destroyer (who can also play a little too). We don't concede many but often lose when we concede first. Karanka sets up like Mourinho (and possibly fuck ups like him too) but tries to win. The pressure is high and its telling in what he says/how he acts. Still this is his first job and he is nearly there. We were a mess and now we win. I like it, it's effective. 'Good' football got us in a right mess with Mowbray.

If Brighton were to get an automatic place I'd suggest its because they beat us on the last day of the season to put us in the playoffs. I think we'll sneak it tho......I hope.....please.

http://www.transferleague.co.uk/championship-teams-last-five-seasons/transfer-league-tables/championship-last-five-season

No date on this...

25 million this season. After many seasons of substantially less. FFP rules also relaxed this season that I'm sure our chairman and accountants took into consideration. We're essentially debt free now. There's some numbers from our accounts somewhere on a Derby forum, but we're not going to miss payments or forget to pay our playing staff any time soon...

The transfer fee for Bradley Johnson (and possibly Butterfield) was covered, in part, by a substantial insurance payout after injuries on the first day of the season to Hughes and Bryson. We were kind of put in a difficult situation when two of our best midfielders were taken out for the majority of the season. Unfortunately, Clement didn't have much faith in our impressive youth team and thought he should splash the cash. Johnson started well, was awful for the last few months and then had a good game or two before getting injured himself.

To be honest, Burnley and Norwich are some of the few clubs who have gone up without breaching FFP, it's pretty worthless.

Leicester got around it with a dodgy sponsorship deal, Watford got round it by shuffling players on load deals between clubs, QPR have taken them to court, Bournemouth got hit with a £10m fine but obviously won't pay it whilst QPR don't pay theirs ...

According to this we are the biggest spenders this season :( Probably could've saved some cash instead of wasting it on Weimann, Blackman and Camara who don't even get on the pitch and only just manage to warm the bench some weeks. 14/15 season we spent less than £3m. 13/14 season £1.25m. 12/13 season £2.8m... fucking hell Clement made some shit transfers.

Derby: £25.5m
http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jumplist/transfers/verein/22

Boro: £23.85m
http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jumplist/transfers/verein/641

Burnley: £19.28m
http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/burnley-fc/transfers/verein/1132/saison_id/2015

Brighton: £10m
http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jumplist/transfers/verein/1237

Hull: £7m
http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jumplist/transfers/verein/3008

Sheff Wed: £10m
http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jumplist/transfers/verein/1035

Think my statement was skewed due to the transfer fees of Andre Gray and Jordan Rhodes

I think the last 3 games of the season should be played on consecutive days just to get it over with.

I don't know about Rhodes but the Gray figure of £9m includes Burnley getting promoted and staying in the Premier League for a season, it was about £6m up front. Just after we signed him Luton released details of what they'd get with the sell-on fee so you could work out the actual fee. I suspect some of the figures on there could be a bit of a guess.

Just to reiterate, that's not a good look. Did 'arry mastermind the 'atton garden heist?

#mrginger

Good championship chat guys. I'm fully up to speed on the play offs.

Mr Twitch or Mr Triffic...