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Last Season – Twelfth
It’s been a relatively quiet summer at Deepdale. There have been no major comings or goings of note. So expect much of the same from Preston.
But what is much of the same? Early last season the Lilywhites were very average, around Christmas they were very poor and in early March they were very good. The word ‘inconsistent’ doesn’t do Craig Brown’s side justice, they were far more erratic than that.
The ex-Scotland boss, who will be boosted by the return of long-term injury victim Ricardo Fuller, will hope to turn his side into Play-Off chasers but in truth it will be much of the same.
Reading MAD Predict: Consistently average. Mid-table.
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Last Season – Fourth
The Royals, still reveling in last season’s success story, are ambitiously tipping themselves for automatic promotion. The signings of Shaun Goater and Scott Murray add weight to these lofty claims.
On the other hand, having lost the surprise package element to their play, Reading could do a ‘Millwall’ and fail to make a serious impression on the division. Alarmingly, the club have chosen to release a number of reserve players, so should injury set in results could be severely affected.
Reading should definitely make the Play-Offs again, and may challenge for the top two, but in all honesty automatic promotion is beyond the ambitious Royals.
Reading MAD Predict: Another strong season from Reading – and who knows – they may even conquer those dreaded Play-Offs.
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Last Season: Fifteenth
Ronnie Moore will hope to launch his side further up the league table this year after a valiant attempt last season. The unfashionable Millers, who were overwhelming favourites for the drop, proved the doubters so wrong that there was even talk of challenging for a Play-Off place at Millmoor. Bless them. Those dreams turned to dust as the club’s end of season run in went from bad to worse.
Now that Rotherham are established at this level it is unlikely that they will struggle to survive, unless injuries become a problem. If the Millers let Republic of Ireland forward Alan Lee go to one of his many suitors then things could get a little tricky for Ronnie Moore and Co.
Reading MAD Predict: Rotherham won’t struggle against relegation but will find it impossible to break into the top ten.
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Last Season: Third
Blades boss Neil Warnock has realised that it ain’t broke yet still decided to fix it this summer. The United bosss has performed a massive overhaul of his squad in a bid to make the promotion dream a reality.
The nearly men of last season, the Bayer Leverkusens if you like, hope to go that step further this year. To do so they must prove that last season was no flash in the pan and to do so will be difficult.
Few would have predicted two cup semi-finals and a Play-Off final place this time last season, but pinch yourself, it really did happen.
With nine arrivals and twelve departures United’s squad is very different to that of this time last season, but perhaps stronger. In Ashley Ward, Jack Lester and Chris Armstrong the Bramall Lane side look to have signed some quality players.
Reading MAD Predict: No repeat of last season’s heroics, but a Play-Off place nonetheless.
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Last Season – Twenty-First
Potters supporters are hoping for a better season this year after seeing their side only narrowly escape relegation at the back end of last season. Manager Tony Pulis, appointed in the autumn following Steve Cotterill’s departure, endured a difficult start to life at the Britannia Stadium but managed to turn things around in the new year.
Stoke have invested this summer and look stronger with Gifton Noel-Williams, John Eustace, Ed de Goey and ex-Royal Carl Asaba on board. That said, pundits continue to question whether the Potters are good enough to cut it in this division.
With seven summer departures the squad is smaller than last year, perhaps little cause for alarm as squad slimming has been a common trait throughout the division this summer.
Reading MAD Predict: They held on by the skin of their teeth last season, but will probably fail to do so again.
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Last Season – Twentieth (Premiership)
How bad are Sunderland? Awful. Reading MAD can’t help but feel that the Black Cats will have another season of misery ahead of them. To win just nineteen points in a Premiership season, an average of just half a point per game, is an incredible feat.
To excerbate the situation further, the Mackems aren’t as good as last year. Forced to sell all their best players due to their parlous financial state, this season’s objective will be survival from the administrators and from the Second Division.
However, Gary Breen and Jeff Whitley have been brought in as the re-building job begins. With scarcely any money available in the transfer pot, Mick McCarthy will have to spend the limited funds he has carefully. The expected £3 million sale of Kevin Phillips could give him a little extra to invest.
Reading MAD Predict: Two successive relegations would be an unwanted record, but one the Black Cats will have to battle hard to avoid.