Championship 19/20 Review: Leeds romp to the title, WBA stumble over the line

The regular season in the Championship is now in the record books, leaving just the outcome of the play-offs still to be determined.

Leeds United deservedly romped to the title, winning 28 of their 46 games to finish ten points ahead of second-placed West Bromwich Albion.

Brentford, Fulham, Cardiff City and Swansea City will contest the play-offs, with the winners of the final joining the top two in the Premier League next season.

Read on as we take a closer look at some of the key talking points from the 2019/20 campaign and assess which teams may challenge for promotion next time around.

Leeds march back to the Premier League

Leeds were worthy winners of the Championship, ending their agonising 16-year wait to return to the top flight in fine style.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side were relentless on the run-in and deservedly secured top spot with two games to spare.

Bielsa has totally transformed Leeds’ fortunes, implementing an innovative style of football that the rest of the division has found difficult to live with.

If Leeds invest wisely in their squad this summer, it would be no surprise to see them make their mark in the Premier League next term.

Baggies stumble over the line

West Brom survived a late season wobble to finish the campaign as runners-up and join Leeds in securing promotion to the top flight.

The Baggies picked up just three points from their final four matches, but neither Brentford or Fulham could capitalise.

The club’s decision to appoint Slaven Bilic as manager paid dividends and he can ultimately reflect on a job well done at the Hawthorns.

His team’s ability to score recover after conceding the first goal was testament to his motivational powers and played a key part in them securing promotion.

Swansea sneak in on crazy final day

A remarkable combination of results on the final day allowed Swansea to snatch the final play-off spot from Nottingham Forest.

The Swans triumphed 4-1 at Reading to move into sixth position on goals scored above Forest who lost by the same score at home to Stoke City.

The Welsh club will head into the post-season shoot-out in a buoyant mood and will rightly fancy their chances of defeating Brentford in their semi-final.

The winners of that tie will face either Fulham or Cardiff in the final for a place alongside Leeds and West Brom in the Premier League.

Relegated trio hit by off-field issues

Hull City, Charlton Athletic and Wigan Athletic have been relegated to the Championship, although Wigan’s demotion is subject to an appeal.

All three clubs have been impacted by off-field issues this term, with Wigan’s situation certainly the most controversial.

The Latics suffered a 12-point deduction for going into administration, but the circumstances surrounding that issue are shrouded in controversy.

Administrator Gerald Krasner has confirmed that the club will fight against what it perceives to be injustice in a case that doesn’t reflect particularly well on the EFL.

Canaries unlikely to be a value bet

Norwich City will be amongst the favourites to make an immediate return to the Premier League next season, but it would be dangerous to assume they will mount a serious challenge.

Relegated teams often struggle to get to grips with life back in the second tier and the Canaries could easily continue that trend.

The three teams who lose out in the play-offs should all be in the mix again, providing they don’t suffer a hangover from the disappointment of missing out this time around.

Forest, Blackburn Rovers and Millwall are also capable of forcing their way into the reckoning, having finished on the fringes of this season’s play-off battle.

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