Archive April 17, 2025

As the Championship season heads into the last four games, the battle to avoid relegation looks set to go down to the final day.

How has it come to this?

Argyle only avoided relegation back to League One in their first season back at this level thanks to a final-day win last May.

It was something of a surprise then when they turned to England and Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney in the summer, given his struggles in this division with Birmingham City.

Things started terribly with a 4-0 thrashing at Sheffield Wednesday on the opening day but a dramatic 3-2 win over promotion-chasing Sunderland on 14 September got them up and running.

They struggled badly away from Home Park though, including a 5-0 loss at fellow strugglers Cardiff and a 6-1 demolition at Norwich, and Rooney left by mutual consent on 31 December with the Pilgrims bottom.

Former Cercle Brugge boss Miron Muslic arrived in January and oversaw their first win in 16 league games with a 2-1 victory over West Brom.

A famous FA Cup success over Premier League leaders Liverpool boosted hopes and morale further but a run of five matches without victory left things looking bleak.

However, Saturday’s 2-1 comeback at home to promotion-chasing Sheffield United was a third win in six and they are once again in contention.

What’s left?

Friday, 18 April – Middlesbrough (Away)

Monday, 21 April – Coventry City (Home)

Saturday, 26 April – Preston (A)

Saturday, 3 May – Leeds United (H)

Every time Plymouth appear to be dead and buried, they go and do something to keep Pilgrims fans believing they might just claw their way out of the relegation mire.

There is no doubt Argyle’s run-in is challenging, but if they have taught us anything in the past few weeks, it’s that they seem to have a knack of doing well in the tough games and losing the easier-looking ones.

So maybe, just maybe, they can get out of trouble.

Argyle managed to stay up on the last day of last season – you feel that if they do survive this time around, it may well be on the final day again.

How has it come to this?

After putting up a creditable fight in the Premier League last season, few Hatters fans would have thought this season would have seen them battling relegation once again.

Things didn’t start well though when they were beaten 4-1 at home by fellow relegated side Burnley on the opening weekend and they have not been above 15th all season.

Boss Rob Edwards was given time to turn things around having led them to the top flight for the first time in over 30 years in 2023 but he eventually left in January after a run of four successive losses.

Matt Bloomfield came in from Wycombe and although they have lost just six of his 16 games in charge they have not been out of the relegation zone since 18 January.

They slipped to a damaging 1-0 home reverse by mid-table Blackburn on Saturday and Friday’s trip to fellow strugglers Derby now looks pivotal before three games against play-off chasers.

The stats are not in their favour, with Opta giving them a near 90% chance of becoming the first team since Sunderland in 2017 to suffer successive relegations from the Premier League to League One.

What’s left?

Friday, 18 April – Derby County (A)

Monday, 21 April – Bristol City (H)

Saturday, 26 April – Coventry (H)

Saturday, 3 May – West Bromwich Albion (A)

There may be four games to go but, in truth, the inquest is already under way for many Luton fans.

With the remaining home games being against play-off chasing Bristol City and Coventry, there is not a lot of optimism around.

Supporters are already questioning why there wasn’t more recruitment last summer and whether the club kept faith with Edwards for too long.

Luton stayed in the Championship on the last day in 2020. To do so again would be a greater escape.

How has it come to this?

It’s been a season of struggle in South Wales after a dismal start.

Erol Bulut was sacked on 22 September after the Bluebirds picked up just one point and scored one goal in their opening six league games for their worst opening to a campaign in 94 years.

Coach Omer Riza took over as caretaker before being given the job until the end of the season in December.

A 7-0 thumping at leaders Leeds in early February aside, they have been competitive in most games – their 18 defeats is the same number as Blackburn, who are 10th.

However, they’ve won a joint division low of nine games all season and Saturday’s late 1-0 home defeat by fellow strugglers Stoke will have stung.

What’s left?

Friday, 18 April – Sheffield United (A)

Monday, 21 April – Oxford United (H)

Saturday, 26 April – West Brom (H)

Saturday, 3 May – Norwich City (A)

Opta Analyst chances of being relegated: 68.88%

It’s been 22 years since Cardiff City last played in the third tier but, after two narrow escapes in the previous three seasons, there’s a growing sense around the club that this might be one crisis too far.

Their fate is now out of their own hands and the odds are stacked against the Bluebirds.

Riza has been under pressure for months but, with time running out, club owner Vincent Tan is thought to be reluctant to make a second managerial change of the season.

Even if Riza does leave, though, many believe Cardiff’s most significant issues lie with Tan and the board, who have been the subject of angry fan protests.

All is not lost quite yet but, having played with fire for a number of years now, Cardiff’s luck might be about to finally run out.

How has it come to this?

Three wins from their first five league games marked a very solid start after promotion back to the Championship last season.

Paul Warne’s men looked set fair for a season of mid-table consolidation after a 2-1 home win over West Brom on Boxing Day left them on 27 points from their opening 23 games of the season.

The wheels then totally fell off.

A run of seven successive league losses cost Warne his job and saw them tumble down into the bottom three.

Former midfielder John Eustace was recruited from Blackburn but saw his new side hammered 4-0 at QPR in his first game on 14 February.

They dropped to the bottom of the table with a 1-0 defeat at Middlesbrough on 1 March but from nowhere then won their subsequent four matches to climb up to 20th.

Things would have looked a lot better but for Portsmouth’s injury-time leveller on Saturday but their fate is in their own hands and their final four games includes meetings with three relegation rivals.

What’s left?

Friday, 18 April – Luton (H)

Monday, 21 April – West Brom (A)

Saturday, 26 April – Hull City (A)

Saturday, 3 May – Stoke City (H)

As they get ready for a season-defining Easter weekend, there is no bigger game than Luton this Friday for the Rams, with many comparing it to the importance of last season’s promotion-shaping win at home against Bolton Wanderers in League One.

Derby have shown a resurgence since the arrival of Eustace, losing just one of their past seven games, but three points is what they’ll need on Friday lunchtime to put some daylight between themselves and the Hatters.

This Derby team under Eustace has developed a steely structure that has been able to keep the club heading in the right direction, but the job is far from done despite their brilliant work to turn this around.

How has it come to this?

Despite only just missing out on a play-off place last season, owner Acun Ilicali decided to sack boss Liam Rosenior last May and brought in Tim Walter as his successor.

It would be an understatement to say it didn’t work out.

Walter’s tactics didn’t work and nor, unsurprisingly, did an offer to meet up with disgruntled fans.

The German was sacked on 27 November, one day after a 2-0 defeat by Sheffield Wednesday and less than 24 hours after Ilicali had said he would give the German more time regardless of their result against the Owls.

Ruben Selles arrived from financially-troubled Reading and helped them end a 13-match wait for a league win with a 2-1 home success over Swansea on 21 December.

The Tigers have been a real Jekyll and Hyde outfit all season. They have won a division low four times in front of their own supporters all season, while only seven teams have taken more points away from home.

What’s left?

Friday, 18 April – Swansea (A)

Monday, 21 April – Preston (H)

Saturday, 26 April – Derby (H)

Saturday, 3 May – Portsmouth (A)

Consistently inconsistent is the best way to describe a side who haven’t won back-to-back games since October under then-head coach Tim Walter, so attempting to predict how Hull City will finish is like trying to plait fog.

Depending on what time of day you ask Tigers fans, I sense there’s a cautious optimism that they will be OK and will just… emphasis on just… survive – if not from their own doing but what others may not do.

However, they shouldn’t be leaving anything to chance, although I don’t believe anybody inside the inner sanctum of the club will be doing that.

How has it come to this?

Promoted back to the Championship after 12 years away as League One winners last season, it took Pompey some time to get going this campaign… well, quite some time in fact.

They claimed their first win at the 10th time of asking with a 2-1 victory at Queens Park Rangers.

That success in London has been one of just two away wins to date, the second worst road record in the league.

Despite their travails Pompey are the only team in the bottom eight of the Championship not to have changed manager this season.

John Mousinho has seen his men claim 10 wins at Fratton Park and, four points clear with four games left to play, one more might well be enough to secure a second season of Championship football.

What’s left?

Friday, 18 April – Norwich (A)

Monday, 21 April – Watford (H)

Saturday, 26 April – Sheffield Wednesday (A)

Saturday, 3 May – Hull City (H)

If Portsmouth do stay up, it will be almost entirely down to their results at Fratton Park.

Back in November when Pompey were rooted to the bottom of the table, they would have bitten your arm off to be in this position.

A few struggles and some unfortunate results have led to a couple of jitters but the Blues should have enough to see the job through.

The sole objective all season has been staying up – 21st or higher marks a good first season back in the second tier.

How has it come to this?

The only team in the Championship to have changed manager twice this season, this has been a lacklustre campaign for the Potters.

Steven Schumacher was sacked in September after just nine months in charge and replaced by former Huddersfield and Norwich assistant Narcis Pelach.

Three months and three wins from 19 games later and the Catalonian was also gone.

Mark Robins came in as his replacement in January and the experienced head has steadied the ship.

Saturday’s late 1-0 win at fellow strugglers Cardiff was huge and, unbeaten in four, they are now well placed to avoid slipping into the third tier for the first time since 2002.

What’s left?

Friday, 18 April – Sheffield Wednesday (H)

Monday, 21 April – Leeds United (A)

Friday, 25 April – Sheffield United (H)

Saturday, 3 May – Derby (A)

Since Robins joined at the turn of the year, improvement has come steadily in increments and coincided with the return to fitness of a number of key players.

The past eight games have yielded 12 points, better performances and just two defeats at Coventry and Millwall that probably could have gone another way.

The Potters will be confident they can get a positive result at home to Sheffield Wednesday where a win would take them up to 50 points and almost certainly guarantee a place in the second tier for next season.

Even a draw would leave the teams below them with an awful lot to do to overhaul them.

How has it come to this?

Promoted back to this level for the first time this century thanks to a play-off final win over Bolton, the U’s made a good start with three wins in their first five league games.

They then won just one of their following 16 games as reality bit but it was still something of a surprise when boss, and Yellows fan, Des Buckingham was sacked in December.

Experienced Championship campaigner Gary Rowett came in as his replacement and initially oversaw a brilliant turnaround in fortunes.

A run of five wins and four draws from his first nine league games had United looking set to cruise to a mid-table finish.

A damaging run of nine without victory (the first two games of which were the final two of the initial unbeaten run) had dragged them right back into trouble but 1-0 wins at home to Watford and Sheffield United, and at Sheffield Wednesday means they are now six points clear of trouble and should be fine.

What’s left?

Friday, 18 April – Leeds (H)

Monday, 21 April – Cardiff (A)

Saturday, 26 April – Sunderland (H)

Saturday, 3 May – Swansea City (A)

Some Oxford fans may privately be annoyed that I’ve even been asked to write this (there’s no mention of Preston or QPR who have only a point or two more than United), but you would struggle to find one who would admit it.

The U’s success – and staying up would be a big achievement – has been built on taking nothing for granted. It was key when they picked up valuable wins in the early weeks of the season and remains true at the end.

Rowett has done exactly what he was recruited to do.

His side are on the brink of confirming survival and even allowing themselves a moment of satisfaction before the inevitable “second-season syndrome” worries kick in.

It would be a nice problem to have.

The Miami Heat eliminated the Chicago Bulls to progress in the NBA play-in tournament – beating the six-time Championship winners 109-90.

Tyler Herro scored 38 points as the Heat set up a game against the Atlanta Hawks, with the winner earning the right to take on top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the Eastern Conference play-offs.

The Heat’s victory came after three regular season defeats by the Bulls.

“Chicago humbled us this year,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said.

“They have a unique style of play, the way they play with that pace, and they score.

“They had two games where we felt like we were in control of the game both times in the fourth quarter and they came storming back and had some impressive scoring quarters. Our guys really respected how much they could score.”

In the Western Conference, the Dallas Mavericks beat the Sacramento Kings 120-106 to set-up a play-in tie against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Klay Thompson scored 23 points – 16 of which came in the second quarter alone – to advance against the Grizzlies.

The play-in tournament features the teams who finished in seventh to 10th in both Conferences.

They face off to determine who fills the final two spots in their Conference play-offs.

Under the play-in format, seventh play eighth – with the winners going straight into the play-offs. The loser gets a second chance against the winners of an eliminator between ninth and 10th.

The Grizzlies, who finished eighth in the Western Conference, go into the ‘second chance’ game against the Mavericks having lost their first play-in tie, to the seventh-placed Golden State Warriors, in controversial circumstances.

The Warriors secured their play-off spot following a late flurry against the Grizzlies.

However, the NBA has since acknowledged officiating errors in the final moments of the match.

With the Warriors leading 117-116, the NBA’s Last Two Minute Report said the Grizzlies should have been awarded the ball with 7.6 seconds left after Stephen Curry got the last contact on an out-of-bounds play.

The Miami Heat eliminated the Chicago Bulls to progress in the NBA play-in tournament – beating the six-time Championship winners 109-90.

Tyler Herro scored 38 points as the Heat set up a game against the Atlanta Hawks, with the winner earning the right to take on top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the Eastern Conference play-offs.

The Heat’s victory came after three regular season defeats by the Bulls.

“Chicago humbled us this year,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said.

“They have a unique style of play, the way they play with that pace, and they score.

“They had two games where we felt like we were in control of the game both times in the fourth quarter and they came storming back and had some impressive scoring quarters. Our guys really respected how much they could score.”

In the Western Conference, the Dallas Mavericks beat the Sacramento Kings 120-106 to set-up a play-in tie against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Klay Thompson scored 23 points – 16 of which came in the second quarter alone – to advance against the Grizzlies.

The play-in tournament features the teams who finished in seventh to 10th in both Conferences.

They face off to determine who fills the final two spots in their Conference play-offs.

Under the play-in format, seventh play eighth – with the winners going straight into the play-offs. The loser gets a second chance against the winners of an eliminator between ninth and 10th.

The Grizzlies, who finished eighth in the Western Conference, go into the ‘second chance’ game against the Mavericks having lost their first play-in tie, to the seventh-placed Golden State Warriors, in controversial circumstances.

The Warriors secured their play-off spot following a late flurry against the Grizzlies.

However, the NBA has since acknowledged officiating errors in the final moments of the match.

With the Warriors leading 117-116, the NBA’s Last Two Minute Report said the Grizzlies should have been awarded the ball with 7.6 seconds left after Stephen Curry got the last contact on an out-of-bounds play.

When Women’s Super League managers are sacked, the clock is ticking to find another job as soon as possible.

With families to look after and few opportunities for full-time jobs in the game, it’s not the easiest thing to do.

“If a Premier League manager loses their job, they are comfortable financially – but we are not,” former Liverpool boss Matt Beard told BBC Sport.

Beard, 47, was sacked at the end of February after four years in his second spell with the club.

He says he needs to get something lined up “by the summer at the latest” in order to provide for his wife and two children, aged 14 and 12.

“I need a plan A and a plan B. I want to stay in football but if I can’t find anything – there are not that many professional teams in England in the women’s game – then I need to look at maybe going back into estate agency work or something like that,” added Beard.

“It would probably be a last resort for me. But at the end of the day I have a family I need to support. I need to look at all options.”

Beard believes losing his job is “part and parcel” of being a football manager and he was supported by the League Managers’ Association (LMA) when he left Liverpool.

But his family moved up to north-west England from London, where the children started new schools, and he is conscious of disrupting things as he contemplates his next steps.

“I want to stay in the game and continue managing. I have my pro licence and degree in business management,” said Beard.

“I think people see me as a fixer who can build something but I know I’m much more than that when I look back at my time as a football manager.

Beard left Liverpool on strong terms having guided the club to back-to-back WSL titles in 2013 and 2014 during his first spell, before winning the Women’s Championship in 2022 on his return.

He says getting sacked with a year and a half left on his contract was “difficult” but he only has respect for the club and the support they gave him.

“It was going to happen at some point in my career,” said Beard.

“You have to take emotions out of the conversation. I have no qualms with the decision but I still think we would have finished in the top five this season.

“It’s frustrating losing your job. Was I owed time? I don’t know. I have nothing but pride when I look at the journey.

Time away has allowed Beard to reflect on the state of the game and what it was like competing financially with WSL leaders Chelsea.

He says other clubs must find ways to invest and grow simultaneously – but not at the expense of losing their connection with the fanbase.

“I think you’ve seen the game grow so much in such a short space of time. I’m always concerned that we run before we walk,” added Beard.

“I have always been an advocate for the bond we have with the fans. That’s what makes our game unique and I don’t want to see that go.

“I also look at Chelsea and the money they have spent… who can compete with that? They spent more on two players than we did on our entire squad. It’s crazy.

When Women’s Super League managers are sacked, the clock is ticking to find another job as soon as possible.

With families to look after and few opportunities for full-time jobs in the game, it’s not the easiest thing to do.

“If a Premier League manager loses their job, they are comfortable financially – but we are not,” former Liverpool boss Matt Beard told BBC Sport.

Beard, 47, was sacked at the end of February after four years in his second spell with the club.

He says he needs to get something lined up “by the summer at the latest” in order to provide for his wife and two children, aged 14 and 12.

“I need a plan A and a plan B. I want to stay in football but if I can’t find anything – there are not that many professional teams in England in the women’s game – then I need to look at maybe going back into estate agency work or something like that,” added Beard.

“It would probably be a last resort for me. But at the end of the day I have a family I need to support. I need to look at all options.”

Beard believes losing his job is “part and parcel” of being a football manager and he was supported by the League Managers’ Association (LMA) when he left Liverpool.

But his family moved up to north-west England from London, where the children started new schools, and he is conscious of disrupting things as he contemplates his next steps.

“I want to stay in the game and continue managing. I have my pro licence and degree in business management,” said Beard.

“I think people see me as a fixer who can build something but I know I’m much more than that when I look back at my time as a football manager.

Beard left Liverpool on strong terms having guided the club to back-to-back WSL titles in 2013 and 2014 during his first spell, before winning the Women’s Championship in 2022 on his return.

He says getting sacked with a year and a half left on his contract was “difficult” but he only has respect for the club and the support they gave him.

“It was going to happen at some point in my career,” said Beard.

“You have to take emotions out of the conversation. I have no qualms with the decision but I still think we would have finished in the top five this season.

“It’s frustrating losing your job. Was I owed time? I don’t know. I have nothing but pride when I look at the journey.

Time away has allowed Beard to reflect on the state of the game and what it was like competing financially with WSL leaders Chelsea.

He says other clubs must find ways to invest and grow simultaneously – but not at the expense of losing their connection with the fanbase.

“I think you’ve seen the game grow so much in such a short space of time. I’m always concerned that we run before we walk,” added Beard.

“I have always been an advocate for the bond we have with the fans. That’s what makes our game unique and I don’t want to see that go.

“I also look at Chelsea and the money they have spent… who can compete with that? They spent more on two players than we did on our entire squad. It’s crazy.

A “prominent” Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) official has been found to have breached its ethics code after a claim that they “spent an inordinate amount of time with a volunteer of the opposite sex” at a social event related to CGF business.

In a decision published on the CGF’s website, the chair of an ethics commission panel states that the unnamed individual admitted allegations that they “failed to act with the highest standards of integrity”.

The official – referred to only as ‘AB’ – is also said to have accepted acting “in such a way as to give the appearance of impropriety [and] to have the potential to bring the Commonwealth Games into disrepute”.

The CGF revealed that in October 2024, a senior CGF figure received a report that ‘AB’ “may not have acted with the appropriate level of ethical conduct whilst performing a CGF related role”.

AB is described as “prominent in the Commonwealth Games Federation”.

An investigation was then conducted by an unnamed London-based lawyer, referred to in the published decision as ‘CD’, who acted as an ethics officer in the case, and charged the official in February.

Their report “included a summary and analysis of a first-person witness to the alleged unethical conduct”.

“The report documents that AB, while at a social event related to CGF business, spent an inordinate amount of time with a volunteer of the opposite sex,” the CGF added.

“The first-person witnesses were uncomfortable with AB’s behaviour…It is clear these witnesses had concerns about the potential to bring the CGF and/or CGF Officials into disrepute, to the extent that they took photographs of AB with the volunteer.”

The ethics commission chair noted that the official insisted “nothing inappropriate happened at the event”, and “states that they have agreed to the allegations and acceded to the proposed sanction to allow the Ethics Commission to hear the matter with a chair as a single person panel”.

However, the chair also concluded that “the evidence before me indicates that AB’s actions denigrated the perception of the integrity, of the potential for the appearance of impropriety, and the possibility of bringing the image of the Commonwealth Games into disrepute”.

In an intriguing twist, the panel chair also claimed that the official suggested to the lawyer that they “should mitigate the sanctions” and that the lawyer acted inappropriately by proposing modified sanctions after the charges were initially delivered, giving the official “opinions or advice that goes well beyond the Ethics Officer role of providing information”.

“I have further determined that CD has, in effect, conducted what would be characterised as plea bargaining with AB, after AB had received the Notice of Charge” said the chair. “I find this to be highly inappropriate.

“CD should not have made any modifications to the charges or the sanctions, as that is in the sole purview of the Ethic Commission at a hearing, and only after a hearing is requested by the covered person.”

The chair also revealed that they rejected a suggestion by the reprimanded official to not publicly disclose the outcome of the case, stating that “not disclosing the decision could create a reputational risk for the CGF and possibly subject it to allegations of cover up.”

However, the chair said that they have chosen not to reveal the individual’s identity because based on the investigation, “no harm was done to any person, there does not appear to be any risk of harm towards any person or persons”.

They also noted that “AB is not the subject of a provisional or sanctioned suspension or expulsion where their identity must be provided in order to ensure compliance; and that the sanctions proposed by CD and accepted by AB are on the less severe end of sanctions spectrum”.

It is also noted that the decision “shall be posted on the Commonwealth Games Website under the relevant section concerning the Ethics Commission, and shall not be posted on the ‘News’ feed. The decision will be posted for a period of 28 days only”.