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Friday, May 02, 2008

Gareth Ainsworth on Tight Nature of This Season's Championship

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BBC - QPR midfielder and coaching assistant Gareth Ainsworth gives his thoughts on this season's Championship.

This season's Championship has been the tightest division I have ever played in.
When we secured safety a couple of weeks ago I think we were the only team that could not go up or down.
The fact that several teams face the possibility of relegation with 52 or 53 points is incredible.
Then there is the possibility of a team making the play-offs with a total in the sixties, which again is something nobody would have thought at the start of the season.
I think that this year organisation has played in a very big part in how well teams have done, perhaps more so than tactics and trying to play good football.
I'm glad that West Brom are up there because they are a pure football team but then again I'm glad that the likes of Stoke, Hull and Watford are up there with their organisation, determination and desire.
In my opinion the Baggies have the best chance of surviving in the Premier League because you do need to play more football in the top flight.
I think West Brom and Stoke will go up automatically but it is difficult to say who will be champions.
We could have a big say at QPR as we play West Brom on Sunday and it will be a totally different game to the 5-1 defeat we suffered at the Hawthorns.
I think the fixture between Stoke and Leicester sums up the Championship.
It is between two clubs at totally different ends of the table but you cannot say for sure what will happen.
Having said that, in my opinion I don't think Stoke will lose and so gather at least the point they need to secure promotion.
Leicester, Coventry and Southampton are teams that you would have expected to see in or around the play-offs.
That they have struggled is testament to how difficult it is in the Championship.
I have played in all three Football League divisions plus the Blue Square Premier, and the Championship is undoubtedly the hardest.
Trying to win promotion from it is a really hard struggle.
Gareth Ainsworth was talking to Paul Fletcher. BBC

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