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The Premier League Division Two

An excellent piece of in depth analysis by Wigan fan Richard Pike about the Championship: New financial realities

He points out that the Championship is increasingly becoming like a Premier League Division Two. One would be hard pressed to find a second tier league anywhere else in world football with so much prestige. He argues that a growing gap is emerging between the Championship and Leagues One and Two.

Ten year income projections suggest that by 2027 each Championship club will receive an average of £13m each season from solidarity payments from the Premier League and the television deal, an increase of £6m on the current figure. League One clubs will see their income from these sources go up by only £0.25m from £2m. League Two clubs will see only the same £0.25m increase from £1.5m to £1.75m.

He makes an interesting comparison between Sheffield United and Bolton Wanderers. Sheffield has a population of over half a million and is able to sustain two Championship clubs.

One general argument he makes is that city clubs have an advantage over town clubs with an increasing presence in the Championship. In the Premier League there are only four town clubs: Watford, Huddersfield, Burnley and Bournemouth. I wouldn't count Watford as I regard it as an outer London club, albeit one punching above its weight. He later admits that it is just a 20 minute train ride from London.

He also discusses Barnsley as an example of where good management, good scouting and good recruiting can make a difference. He doesn't discuss the fact that Barnsley have new owners who have ambitions to see them in the Premier League. Of course, many clubs have such an ambition: achieving it is another matter.

In the Championship, there are just seven town clubs out of 24, compared with twelve or half in 1999-2000. There is also an interesting contrast with the situation in Italy and Spain which he discusses.

The advantage enjoyed by city clubs with their large stadium capacities does not necessarily work in a huge city like London. A club like Brentford has to compete with historically larger neighbouring clubs such as Chelsea, Fulham and QPR.

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