Who's Coming Down........
shame about division
By J Bateman
March 16 2003
We look at the contenders for the drop out of the Prem and how they will look on procedings next season , if the dreaded drop comes true.
Who's Coming Down ???????
The end of the season is nearly upon us - and we here at AFOG are looking up at the Premiership to see who will be gracing the annoying league they call Division One.
Part one of this two parter will look at the plight of those facing relegation from the top flight and how they will cope with life in this division.
To start with here's my predictions on the seven teams that are getting very worried about slipping out ,
Sunderland - Doomed
West Brom - Doomed : )
Those two for me are gone so it's one of five for me but i can't give you a straight answer who will join The Black Cats and The Baggies -
West Ham - Picked up of late and in with a squeak of getting out
Bolton - Same as above - won yesterday and are dragging teams above them closer
Blues - With all the money they have spent , they need to survive but are still to close to start breathing
Leeds - The surprise of the bunch , with all the turmoil surrounding Elland Road , relegation is not an option but could happen
Villa - Really like Leeds should never be mentioned but are , might get sucked in because they are playing terrible of late.
Really can't see the later three going down but you never know , my guess it will be (for all the fight over the last few weeks and the statistic of a club being bottom at Xmas never surviving) i'm going for the not so happy Hammers for the last relegation spot.
If the worse happens.......
We are looking on all the below teams and i will give a short write up on the players that might leave due to relegation , and the state of the grounds of the clubs mentioned for all concerned next season like Preston , Walsall , Burnley etc etc .
Sunderland
Stadium Of Light - 48,000 capacity
If the likes of Kevin Phillips , Jason Mcateer and Kevin Kilbane all stay , the Black Cats will be clearly favourites for a straight return to the Prem , but if the likes of those three leave and added with them Gavin Mcann they might suffer what Ipswich did this term and struggle there way through the league.
West Brom
The Hawthorns - 28,003 capacity
Gary Megson has brought players that will want to stay if relegated and maybe has does this wisely - two players i could possibly see leaving are Jason Koumas (even though he only signed a year ago) and in form keeper Russell Hoult , i'll hate to say this but maybe Albion's season next term will mirror Leicester's and they will be up there from the word go , but as a Wolves fan my head says let them struggle see how they like it.
West Ham
Upton Park - 35,647 capacity
West ham if relegated will not like Division One one bit - and i fear a mass exodus from the club , the likes off Joe Cole , Michael Carrick , Freddie Kanoute , Paulo Di Canio and even Trevor Sinclair will possibly leave the sinking ship , but with the money generated from those sales and a bit of healthy tinkering the Hammers might be along with Sunderland favourites for the return journey.
Bolton
Reebok Stadium - 28,000 capacity
Bolton if they did drop into Div one will have vast experience in getting back up - the so called ' yo-yo ' team know the ins and outs of division one and will be classed as favourites as well , players that are likely to leave include , Ivan Campo (will not like div one at all) Jussi Jasskelainen, Ricardo Gardner , Jay Jay Okocha and Youri Djorkaeff but unlike other teams like Ipswich and Derby they have players that can dig deep and make then a force next term if they are relegated.
Birmingham
St Andrews - 30,200 capacity
I fear for the Blues if they go down - they have spent big too quick and coming straight back down will hit them hard , yes they have good players like Savage , Clemence , Duggarry ( who will be the first to pack his bags) and Clinton Morrisson but i can see them players not adapting to life back in this annoying league , maybe though correcting myself they will to start be shell shocked but will have enough class to get up the top half of the table , the Blues getting back up if they go down will depend on how they start the season off.
Leeds
Elland Road - 40,204 capacity
This club could go the way of Sheff Wednesday if there not careful , they need to stay up not only to apease the natives but to stop getting bankrupt , stars like Viduka , Kewell , Robinson , Mills etc etc will leave and not get replaced , if Leeds go down and it's a big if from my view - if the kids can't make an impact because after selling those stars there will be no money for replacements they could do a Sheff Wednesday and struggle in Div One.
Villa
Villa Park - 42,719 capacity
Villa could be another team to struggle in Division One and they could mirror Derby , players that could leave are Gareth Barry , Daruis Vassell , and some other top stars and like Leeds no replacements will be added , Graham Taylor will possibly walk away sooner rather then later and leave Villa searching for a new boss , Villa are playing there youth in most games already and could further see J Llyod Samuel leave and Stefan Oakes could be snapped up , the future could look bleak if Villa go down .
Part two coming soon - We will review the teams that are looking on promotion from Division Two and only one team at the moment looks likely for that WIGAN ATHLETIC.