Avoiding the Drop

Now that most of the levels of English football are somewhere between an quarter and a third of the way into their seasons I thought it might be nice to take a look at the team’s that were spotlighted in our feature, They’ve Fallen and They Can’t Get Up! So, here’s a quick look at the teams that have gone up, further down, or are just treading water. I shall present the teams in alphabetical order so as not to display any bias for or against a club.

Bradford City A.F.C. (13th place, Coca-Cola League Two)

If I had to put my money on an outcome for the Bantams in the 2009-2010 season it would be a nice, safe, mid-table finish. They have a 4-5-4 record in 13 matches and playing “.500 ball” for the rest of the season is probably the best that can be expected of them. That being said, if they can improve just a little, they could get into the promotion race- they are only three points out of the last “playoff promotion” spot at present. Moving up to League One isn’t the EPL, but it would be a start.

Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. (19th place, Coca-Cola League One)

The Seagulls could use some help at the moment- they are currently only two points above the relegation zone in a league that will drop four teams down to League Two in the spring. Even more worrying, they’ve only managed two wins (and zero draws) in six home matches. There is still plenty of time to at least move up to the middle of the table, but the chances of gaining one of the promotion places- playoff and automatic- are slipping away quickly.

Charlton Athletic F.C. (2nd place, Coca-Cola League One)

The Addicks are off to a fine start and have to be considered co-favorites (with Leeds United) for promotion to the Championship at the end of the season. They currently own one of the two automatic playoff spots, are undefeated in seven home matches, and have only lost once overall in thirteen matches. Should they be promoted, their new “Championship” side will bear little resemblance to this very young (five teenagers in the senior side) and very inexperienced side (only three capped players).

Leeds United A.F.C. (1st place, Coca-Cola League One)

The Whites just may finally be on the way back up- first place in the league, undefeated, and with a game in hand as well. It’s probably too early to fire up the “EPL Here We Come!” bandwagon, but there are a lot of teams currently in the Championship who should be keeping an eye on developments at Elland Road. United have managed to keep a big senior squad on the books (35 players!) and it’s one with a good deal of international and top level club experience.

Luton Town F.C. (5th place, Blue Square Premier/National Conference)

Of all the clubs we covered, the Hatters were the one which fell the hardest- all the way out of the Football League and into “Conference” football. A third of the way into their first season outside of the League in nine decades, Luton Town currently occupy the last of the four “playoff promotion” spots in the Blue Square table. Should they win their game in hand, they could move up to second place and be only six points out of the Conferences’ one automatic promotion spot.

Millwall F.C. (9th place, Coca-Cola League One)

I’m going to jump up on my soap box for this one. Millwall are in the middle of the table at the moment, within a point of the last of the “playoff promotion” spots, and have put together a decent side on the pitch. However, their supporters just can’t seem to stay out of trouble (as recently as August!) and, in my opinion, this is always going to be a drag on the club’s efforts and ambitions. Maybe they’ll prove me wrong, but I think they’ll be an upper League One/lower Championship side forever.

Notts County F.C. (5th place, Coca-Cola League Two)

For all the noise they’ve been making in the press (Sven-Goran Eriksson, Sol Campbell, Roberto Mancini, etc.) one would hope that the Magpies are making gains on the pitch as well- and they are. They are fifth “playoff promotion” spot in the Coca-Cola League Two table and within striking distance of the league’s three automatic promotion slots. A few smart signings when the January transfer window opens and they might find themselves in League One next year.

Northampton Town F.C. (17th place, Coca-Cola League Two)

Were it not for the abysmal start to the Coca-Cola League Two season of Darlington F.C. (5 points from 13 matches), the Cobblers might be in danger of joining Luton Town on the “outside” of League football. At present, their season could go either way: they are five points above the relegation zone, but only six points short of gaining one of the league’s four “playoff promotion” spots. Judging by the numbers so far, improving their away form will be the key to improving their position in the table.

Oldham Athletic F.C. (12th place, Coca-Cola League One)

If you’d like to get an idea of Latics progress thus far in the season, or an idea of their prospects for the rest of it, I invite you to scroll back up to the Bradford City update. Oldham are one spot better in the table than Bradford, but have the exact same record, 4-5-4, and obviously, number of points, 17. They are still within striking distance of a promotion spot, but three of the teams ahead of them have at least one game in hand over them, so moving up isn’t going to be easy.

Oxford United F.C. (1st, place, Blue Square Premier/National Conference)

The U’s look to be on the brink of returning to League football for the 2010-2011 after four years in the National Conference. They are in first place, already opening up a lead over Stevenage and Kettering, and have only lost once (on the road). I think in the current climate returning to the top tier of English football is probably a pipe dream, but there’s no reason why the club can’t rise up to the middle of League One and stay there for quite a spell.

Southampton F.C. (23rd place, Coca-Cola League One)

Sadly for the Saints, there is nothing but bad news to report from the south of England. The club is in second to last place and already five points adrift of safety from relegation. How many of St. Mary’s Stadium’s 32,689 seats do you think they’ll fill if they spend next season hosting the likes of Accrington Stanley and Hereford United? Both clubs play in home venues which hold around 5,500 supporters- only have of which are seated! Kind of puts Southampton’s decline in perspective, doesn’t it?

Swindon Town F.C. (7th place, Coca-Cola League One)

The Robins may be on their way back to the Championship. They are out of the “playoff promotion” places at the moment, but only on goal differential, and they’ve done this while displaying only mediocre (or worse) form at home: 2-4-1. Any improvement in that regard and they could move up the table quickly. That being said, given the economic necessities of English football at the moment the top of League One or bottom of the Championship is probably where they belong- not in the EPL.

So, there we are. We’ll check up on these teams at the halfway point of the various seasons and maybe point our accusing fingers at a few teams who are in danger of being added to the list of clubs that have fallen and can’t get up.