However the permutations work out in the relegation struggle at the bottom end of the sky bet championship, true football supporters will agree this is a sad day for football. At 2 pm on Sunday, we will have lost a great club with an incredible heritage to League 1.
Championship 3-way relegation struggle
As it stands, Blackburn Rovers and Nottingham Forest are in the most danger of the drop. If Blackburn goes one better than Nottingham Forest, then they will seal their survival. If both Blackburn and Forest win, it’s all dependant on Rovers making sure they achieve a 2 goal swing over Nottingham Forest.
Due to Nottingham Forest having a better goal difference than Rovers, a draw for both of them will mean joy for Nottingham but utter despair for Blackburn.
The other team that is hanging over the precipice of relegation from the Sky Bet Championship is Birmingham City. A win spells safety, especially if either of the two other teams wins. Birmingham City has a worse goal difference than Blackburn Rovers and Nottingham Forest. They have conceded seven more goals. Thus, if Birmingham City draw and both of the other teams win, City will be starting next year in League 1 along with Wigan Athletic and Rotherham United.
The fact is though; it shouldn’t have come to this. But, what’s happening to these clubs isn’t out of the ordinary.
This fall from grace is happening every year to clubs that have a greater heritage, larger following, and bigger fan base.
Fans of Luton Town, Cambridge United, Coventry City, AFC Wimbledon, Bolton Wanderers, Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday, Newcastle United, Leeds United, Aston Villa and much more will share stories of decline.
Birmingham City
In February 2011 Birmingham City beat Arsenal to win the Carling Cup. As they were celebrating, how many fans genuinely thought that six years later they’d be hanging onto their Championship League status. None of them, I can assure you.
Yet, over the past six years with everything that has happened nothing should surprise them.
Probably, the biggest surprise was the sacking of their manager Gary Rowlett last December when they were sitting just below a play-off place. Now, they sit perilously above the drop to League 1.
Blackburn Rovers
At the end of the 1994/95 season when Blackburn Rovers were crowned Premier League Champions, everyone felt a warm feeling in their hearts. This was a fairy-tale story. A local based businessman who loved his club ploughed his fortune into the club with signings of Alan Shearer, Chris Sutton, and Tim Sherwood. Jack Walker was a happy man and he had brought a smile to the City of Blackburn and the majority of neutrals as well.
Since then, Blackburn Rovers has experienced their fair share of ups and downs.
The ups namely winning the League Cup, and qualifying for the UEFA Cup and hosting great teams at Ewood Park. The obvious negative was when they were relegated from the Premier League in the 2011/12 season.
When you look at what has happened to this club since relegation, your heart goes out to the fans. You hope that despite what happens this weekend, they’ll bounce straight back.
Nottingham Forest
It does seem incredible that next year Nottingham Forest could be playing their football in League 1. When we think of Nottingham Forest, we at once think of Brian Clough. We remember how he brought this club to the pinnacle heights of glory in 1978/79 when they beat Malmo to win the European Cup.
Incredibly, they bettered that day by retaining the European Cup the following year after defeating Hamburg.
Football fans from all over the country will remember Nottingham Forest being in and around the top part of the table at the end of the year: memories of them competing in quarters and semi-final matches of domestic cups and even battling it out in the UEFA cup.
Nottingham Forest fans will know this isn’t the first time their beloved club have tasted life in League 1. Unbelievably it may happen for the second time this weekend.
Whoever gets relegated this weekend from between Birmingham City, Blackburn Rovers, or Nottingham Forest it will be a shock, and felt by supporters of all clubs!
