EFL Extra! It’s early days in the Championship, but…

0:00Hi, I'm Katie Prescott from the Times Tech Podcast, which is currently sponsored by IBM. IBM has worked with Wimbledon for more than 30 years, helping the championships use data and AI to create more engaging digital experiences for fans. That includes tools like Match Chat, which can answer questions during play, and Likelihood to Win, which uses live match data to offer near real-time predictions. It's a practical example of AI in action, helping fans follow the tournament more closely while showing how organisations can turn data into useful insight. To learn more about how IBM helps create smarter business, visit ibm.com.

0:42Hannah Prevett here from the Business Podcast. Join me for a special episode with PwC UK's Marco Amitrano and WPP's Michael Froelich, recorded at the Greater Together Conference in Los Angeles, California. We'll discuss how partnerships between the US and the UK can drive economic growth and shape the future of transatlantic collaboration. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

1:11Hello and welcome to the Game Football Podcast from The Times. This is our EFL Extra Show. Every two weeks you've got me, Tom Clark and the former Football League defender Gregor Robertson discussing the latest action from the Championship League 1 and League 2. We've got two games in in the Championship and four games for many of the teams in League 1 and 2 and there's already loads to talk about. Gregor, we're back. We're well and truly back now, aren't we? Always right in the world. Always right in the world. Loads of madness in the Football League already. Let's dive straight into the championship and a reminder, if ever it were needed, that we shouldn't make predictions.

1:47I know you hate them, but we shouldn't make predictions. Definitely, definitely not about the championship because sitting pretty at the top of the championship, we've got Stoke, Middlesbrough and West Brom. Stoke, one of the teams we said might struggle this season and Middlesbrough and West Brom, two teams we said we weren't convinced about their managerial choices. We might as well sack it off now. yeah I mean look you just it's a mugs game predicting at the best of times but with Stoke City it's just like I don't know you're setting yourself up for a fall because for so many years now like five or six years it's been surely this is the year that Stoke turn it around they've there've been seasons where they've made you know some brilliant signings they've hired our up-and-coming manager and it's just all gone peat on this year Mark Robbins again a manager who's got a huge a brilliant reputation, had a sort of effy start last season, did some decent business in the summer but it wasn't enough to get you super excited about how they go this season but those early signs have been brilliant I mean, the kind of the youth, the energy, the attacking sort of intent two wins, three goals in each and Divine Mubama looks like he could well be a star this season, someone who West Ham fans will know a lot about he's a big prospect at West Ham and played in one or two European games got moved to Manchester City you know the sort of wisdom of that will will come to you know know about more in the future but he's been loaned out to Stoke and you know it's often you know it's often very hard for players of of his age you know young players who played a lot of academy football to make an impact immediately in the championship but he's done that definitely I mean you know his physicality he scored a great header on the opening day he's he's had some other chances that have been really like could have had more than than his two goals he's looked brilliant and then the other is as Millian Manhoff who's you know he's two goals and two assists yeah really sort of last season he saw on his day he could be a real handful like a real game changer but he didn't he kind of flattered to deceive a bit he wasn't consistent enough you just wonder whether he's going to be unleashed a little bit by Mark Robbins and if he can sustain this sort of form he is a game changer he's such a low centre of gravity really small diminutive winger change of direction on a sixpence that kind of player he's really really hard as a fullback he would be a nightmare and yeah he's been brilliant and also Sorba Thomas you have to say he's got a brilliant start three assists and a goal so yeah they'd like good balance to the team another one's Lewis Baker like he's had a million loans away from Chelsea yeah like so many a consistent loan player he's been everywhere yeah I mean you know he's I think he's like 30 you know he's getting he's getting on now and he he only left Chelsea in in 2022 you know he's one of those players who was like part of the Chelsea you know the kind of group of players they just farmed out year after year to all many lots of teams in the championship sorry to yeah sorry well no sorry to interrupt just on that exact those exact figures he is 30 and yeah he had eight different loan spells away from chelsea before eventually moving to stoke and then even had a loan spell at black blackburn from from stoke and it's actually he's actually racked up over 100 appearances for stoke which is amazing yeah yeah i mean it's just another player that coincides you know on paper is a really good sign and he had these loans at leeds and like a few big championship clubs before that um on paper a good sign in but it just kind of coincides with the sort of downward spiral that Stoke City have been on.

5:27So, you know, it was always the case that if Stoke kind of can turn it around a bit, there are players there who are really talented players who have been on their books for a long time. He scored a brilliant goal on the opening day, like absolute world day, and he rattled the bar in the win against Wednesday as well, I think. So he loves a shot from outside the box. So he just sort of added to the fun, the sense of fun that's sort of been exuded by Stoke so far this season. It's early days, but... it's very early days. You couldn't blame them to be getting excited as well because it's been a torture.

6:01Stoke fans have had a difficult time. Also, we dropped a lot of cliches in the opening podcast talking about the Premier League, but for headline writers, if Stoke have got two players called Divine and Millie, then quite frankly, they can rock away at the top of the championship all season as far as I'm concerned. Also, one that passed me by, I didn't realise before the season started that Aaron Cresswell had gone to Stoke as well. I saw him speaking about a feel-good factor at the club, which is not necessarily something you'd have associated with Stoke City over the last couple of years. So they've also got that blend of experience as well with players like him.

6:32You know, he played at the Premier League at the top level for West Ham for a very long time. He's a very interesting sign. Yeah, Ben Wilmot's been around for a while. You know, Baker has experience too. The other one that went under the radar from here a little bit was Jamie Donnelly as well. He obviously was an absolute sensation at Leighton Orient last season. He's not been playing from the start, but he's someone who you would expect over the course of the season to make an impact too so yeah like just quietly assembled a squad that looks very well balanced actually for Stoke and a lot to be excited about after the start because you know 6-1 on aggregate as well over the two games they're looking sharper at the front and pretty solid at the back they are in the not getting carried away stakes the 95th and 97th minute in that opening day against Derby it was 1-1 going into extra into added time we should say that as well and then the other win is against Sheffield Wednesday which given the current state of Sheffield Wednesday is is not all all to be around the bush about so we probably should suggest that Saturday's game against Southampton away at Southampton followed a week later by hosting West Brom will probably be in two weeks time we could be talking about a different thing altogether or we could be getting carried away about Stoke City again.

7:48So it is early days. I mentioned West Brom there. As I said in the intro to the show, proving once again that me and Gregor know absolutely nothing about what we're talking about. Well, Gregor does a little bit. I definitely don't. Two wins from two for Ryan Mason, a manager that we were slightly sceptical about. A big 3-2 win against Wrexham, the mighty Wrexham, the much-loved Wrexham in the Championship at the weekend. Gregor, an impressive start for Ryan Mason. Very impressive, yeah. Isaac Price has had a big part to play in that he's got three goals in two games someone who came through at Everton I think the signing from Standard Leige in January I think it was in January and he's yeah he looked really really dangerous from the kind of number 10 making good run, really well timed runs into the box big striker up front as well Hegebo Norwegian striker that they signed in the summer he's kind of had a bit of physicality a bit of a focal point and then you've always got Tom Fellows sort of talents out wide and Grant as well on the other side so like again I would say West Brom probably even to a great extent in Stoke you know they've got some really talented players you've still got Alex Mowat and Malumby in midfield Nat Phillips was a good signing sort of solid centre half in the summer Callum Stiles someone who I think has been you know proven himself to be a really good player at the level the real question mark was over Ryan Mason really you know how he would adapt to the league how you know whether he would see his influence over the team and I think it's fair to say that you have they've been very solid like I think they have been very solid the opening day win was a pretty tight affair and the game against Wrexham as well was Wrexham have been on the receiving end two very narrow margin defeats.

9:49Jed Wallace kind of coming off and making an impact as well. So yeah, you just, I'm not entirely sure that they'll be sustaining a challenge at the very top end of the table, but I think it's a very positive start for Ryan Mason. And West Brom definitely have a squad capable of challenging for the playoffs. So I think that's, you know, I think most West Brom fans would kind of concede that that's the truth. Yeah, but I mean, even having being in the playoff conversation is a marked improvement from where I certainly thought they would be at the start of the season. I mean, Isaac Price as well.

10:24I've got a friend of mine who's a West Brom fan and he said all season before the start of the season and everything else that that is just, he is going to do something really special. Sent me a video of his son Milo jumping up and down doing the boing boing dance after they'd beaten Wrexham. So if they can keep him fit and firing, then all things are good for West Brom. Middlesbrough, the other team with the perfect record at the start of the season. Two wins from two, currently sitting second between Stoke and West Brom after wins against Millwall and Swansea. Rob Edwards, another manager coming in in the summer.

10:56Another one that we were a little bit sceptical about, as much as I'm being very dismissive of our predictions. We weren't completely writing them off, but we were a little bit sceptical about this move. But it's a good start for him. Yeah, very good start. I mean, the first, the win against Swansea, you know, there was again a very fine margin victory. But, and I think even in the first half against Millwall at the weekend, Middlesbrough weren't great. Made a couple of changes at half time and absolutely ran right in the second half. And actually, Middlesbrough have made a really, really exciting signing in the last couple of days as well.

11:3318-year-old midfielder Sferi Naipan who Manchester City just signed from Rosenberg for 12 and a half million last month. And, you know, Middlesbrough, kind of in terms of the way that they have tended to play football over the years, have usually been able to, I've been one of the kind of clubs in the championship who've successfully sort of been able to project themselves to the Premier League clubs as a good home for some of the most talented young players. And as we've seen over so many seasons, one or two signings like that, you know, borrowed from the Premier League, real elite level young players can absolutely have a transformational impact on their season so I'd be really excited to see more of him but yeah I think Middlesbrough's start has been brilliant Hayden Hackney is still there he's been pulling the strings another sign in Kante midfielder called Kante always someone to get excited by has looked pretty impressive more advanced midfield role so far yeah I think it's been a really positive start and you're right the kind of mood music wasn't entirely positive around Middlesbrough they hadn't made many signings until the last week or so and I'm still not entirely sure they've got like the firepower up front I'm not entirely convinced by Conway as kind of the striker at number 9 he was very good at Bristol City but I'm not sure when they had the money to spend he was the man to hang their hat on to score enough goals to fire them into the Premier League I remain to be convinced about that and then you've got people like Morgan Whitaker who didn't really make the impact he would have liked last season but we know he's good enough at the level to succeed so that's a big season for him as well there's quite a few sort of unknown quantities about Middlesbrough this season but hugely positive start for them yeah absolutely and I should say as well we're talking about the three clubs at the top of the table with the usual cliches and caveats that there's a long way to go and let's not get carried away but it's also been unbeaten four point starts for Bristol City Coventry Birmingham Preston Southampton Hull and Charlton Gregor any of those teams that you'd like to pick out or mention I mean I think we've got to see Birmingham really Birmingham dominated hey I told you I told you they're going to finish second mate I told you that's what I said that's the only prediction I'm not getting wrong I mean the opening day game although you know we could speak about I'm sure we'll speak about them if it continues but the three relegate teams haven't exactly you know acclimatised yet but Birmingham dominated Ipswich on the opening day obviously very unlucky to concede a late penalty in that game beat Sheffield United in the Cup in midweek and then late winner well late equaliser by Jay Stansfield and winner by Lyndon Dykes at the weekend so you know that shows that the kind of spirit as well but there have been a lot of positives I think so far in terms of like Damari Gray was someone who we were talking about you know is he going to be you know fully motivated is he going to be the same player that left you know as the one who left certainly not when he was younger left Birmingham for the Premier League but who left for Saudi Arabia and he's been pretty lively Kyogo has looked really sharp and classy and And players who we knew were too good for League One are kind of demonstrating that they look at home in the Championship like Iwata and Paik Sung-ho in midfield.

15:14So there's quite a lot of... Basically, exactly what I said. Exactly what I said in the preview show. Come on, come on. Okay, I'll give you a bit of credit, but it is two games, so let's not go overboard. In terms of some of those teams that you were talking about coming down, there's a team that obviously didn't quite go up last season that we should probably talk about because currently sitting bottom of the table, Sheffield United and Ruben Sellers after a dreadful start to the season, opening the season with a 4-1 home defeat against Bristol City. And then as you say, losing in the cup against Birmingham before losing away against Swansea.

15:47This is something that you did trail in the preview show. You suggested that if it wasn't a good start, the mood might turn pretty quickly. Are we at that stage already? I mean, we don't want to get carried away. It's only two games, et cetera, et cetera. but he's not got a lot of time I don't think Ruben Sellers has he? Not got a lot of time to keep the fans sort of on side I would agree with that I mean it didn't help either that after the opening day he kind of did a bit of a Phil Brown impersonation and got the players on the pitch after the final whistle to give them a team talk not good for the optics.

16:25It's just how unbladesy they look now if that makes sense like you know Sheffield United have always had the crikey I'm reaching for cliches here but the steel they have under they certainly have under Chris Wilder and that's like what they're known for the industry and their defensive resolve and that's like you know there's always been a desire for the team to sort of represent the city a bit and that's that's what they've looked like for a number of years and seasons even like clearly that was different in the Premier League but that's that's what they've always been in the championship recently and they've lost a lot of players who have been a big part of that Ahmed Hodzic, his departure's big so you look at the back four Burrows was really good last season but he's quite young and fairly inexperienced at the level, Jack Robinson might be leaving, Tyler Binden coming on loan from Nottingham Forest I think he's a step down in your level still got Cooper in goal but he's not had a great start to the season, even midfield Saidi Peck's been brilliant but usually a long summon experience or summon a bit more physicality like Vinnie Souza and that's not really there now you still look at the front three and Barry and Campbell and O 'Hare and that's like they should be a potent force going forward but it's more a kind of it's just not had the sort of defensive resolve, defensive organisation, sort of the sort of unity that Chris Weiler's team always had.

18:07It seems that it's been decimated a bit by what's gone on over the summer. And it's a very difficult task now for Ruben Sellers. If Ruben Sellers can turn around that bad start, a massive game for Sheffield United on Saturday at home against Millwall. Some of the other clubs down the bottom of the table yet to pick up a point. Sheffield Wednesday, of course, already mentioned there, Derby County, Blackburn, Oxford and Wrexham. Wrexham, the upwardly mobile Wrexham struggling having made the championship. Gregor, I'm devastated to see it. I'm really heartbroken. Crestfallen for the lads. Sound it.

18:39Yeah, listen, Wrexham fans, I'm obviously joking. I'm playing up to this now, but someone's got to give a bit of balance. But before we talk about Wrexham on the pitch, just very quickly, news that they are closing in on another high-profile signing of Manchester City defender Callum Doyle for a fee around£8 million. £21-year-old, has played for England on the 21s as well as a number of other clubs. Wrexham, of course, breaking their transfer record to sign Nathan Broadhead for around£10 million last week. As much as they've not made a great start on the pitch, Gregor, these signings show that they want to be at the other end of the table.

19:12Absolutely, yeah. I mean, Doyle would be a brilliant signing. Left-footed, really classy defender with an enormous amount of experience for someone who's 21. and success. He was promoted from League One with Sunderland on loan when he must have been 18. Made the playoffs with Coventry the next season. Won the championship with Leicester the following season. Last season at Norwich, again he got 40 games under his belt. Wasn't quite as successful. But yeah, that would be a great signing. And you're right, the fees are incredible. the broadhead fee as well is remarkable for someone who's 27 who's really kind of struggled to stay fit consistently, he's a really talented player, like there's no question in that but they need to keep him fit and you'd want a bit more certainty I think for a fee that could rise to 10 million quid but yeah I mean Lewis O 'Brien's already made a decent impact same with Windass Kiefer Moore like these are these are pretty established championship players just just around them and the same sort of questions about about how they're going to approach the season it's going to be by the looks of it it's going to be the same sort of football that Phil Parkinson has played in that's been so successful so far the question mark as we said at the start of the season is how that translates to the championship and we should say again they've they were almost beat Southampton they did you know it was a bit of a smash and grab and it was it was a pretty tight one I guess against West Brom you know a substitute came on made a big difference in Jed Wallace so they they haven't done badly the results haven't haven't probably reflected the performances but that style I did say in that preview show I can see the heartwarming farewell statement now on Twitter we thank Phil for everything he's done for the club forever a Wrexham legend but out you go by November, Phil.

21:18Thanks very much for coming. Five points from a possible 20. I, for one, hope not because he... I'm not saying I hope it. I'm not saying I hope it. We've got to be realists here. They want to be in the Premier League. Yeah. For all the cynicism and all the sort of narrative that is shoved down your throat, as you're kind of alluding to, Phil Parkinson has done an incredible job. Amazing. The one question mark I would actually raise so far is the logic in playing Danny Ward in goal. that was a sign in they do seem to be leaning quite heavily into the sort of Welsh you know Welsh Wales sign in sort of you know the roots but they had a perfectly good goalkeeper there already and I'm not entirely sure we'll continue to see Danny Warden goal so yeah interesting to see they've got Sheffield Wednesday coming up and you know that for everyone although Sheffield Wednesday have been very spirited so far in the start of the season despite everything that's going on that is like a game that everyone's going to look at and think it's somewhere you should be getting three points yeah a massive game coming up loads and loads of massive games we're going to leave it there if you are a fan of a championship club and want to mention a player that you've spotted or want to ask Greg a question in the next shows get in touch with me tom.clark at thetimes.co.uk we've mentioned Sheffield Wednesday a couple of times there make sure you keep your eyes peeled on the Times website for a big read from Paul Hurst.

22:46He spent the week looking into the Sheffield Wednesday situation, talking to loads of contact. It's going to be a brilliant read. So make sure you check it out if you're a Wednesday fan or if you're a fan of any club for that matter. It's a huge, huge issue in the Championship. We're going to take a quick break, but when we come back, we'll be looking at League One and League Two. We'll see you in a sec.

23:07Hi, I'm Katie Prescott from the Times Tech Podcast, which is currently sponsored by IBM. IBM has worked with Wimbledon for more than 30 years. helping the championships use data and AI to create more engaging digital experiences for fans. That includes tools like Match Chat, which can answer questions during play, and Likelihood to Win, which uses live match data to offer near real-time predictions. It's a practical example of AI in action, helping fans follow the tournament more closely while showing how organizations can turn data into useful insight. To learn more about how IBM helps create smarter business, visit ibm.com.

23:49Hannah Previtt here from the Business Podcast. Join me for a special episode with PwC UK's Marco Amitrano and WPP's Michael Froelich, recorded at the Greater Together Conference in Los Angeles, California. We'll discuss how partnerships between the US and the UK can drive economic growth and shape the future of transatlantic collaboration. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

24:40the right format. Then watch the data tell you it worked. You're not buying impressions, you're buying influence. Learn more by visiting acast.com slash advertise.

24:54Welcome back to the Game Football Podcast from The Times. This is our EFL Extra Show. Every two weeks you've got me, Tom Clark, and the former Football League defender, Gregor Robertson, looking at the best and worst of the championship, League One and League Two. And it's in to League one that we go now Gregor I've already made reference to the idea that you can predict nothing in the football league and I'm pretty sure I read loads and loads of previews loads of them I listened to our show back I don't think anyone in the history of football this summer had Stevenage top of the league one table with four wins from four no I don't think anyone saw that coming no I mean you might have said oh you know they're the good defense to build on but um I I think beyond that, no, you're right.

25:38This is highly unexpected and most welcome for Stevenage. Good on him. And Revell, Alex Revell as well. You've got to remember this is in his second spell. He's only 42. He got the job just before COVID last time, after Graham Wesley's second coming. I think it was second coming. Only lasted a year. Then he became the academy coach. A few months later, he joined the club to become academy coach. and then when Steve Evans left you know these are two big figures in the history he followed them followed Evans and got the job permanently kind of almost by default and by certainly a surprise and last season like finishing 14th was a fairly good result and as I say they had one of the best defences in the league I think they kept 17 clean sheets but they couldn't score and so much of this is going to be on Jamie Reid you know He scored five goals this season already.

26:36I think the season before last, he got 18. And he only got eight last season. And so he is the talisman. He's got two late goals last night against Port Vale. Port Vale will be, by the way, absolutely few. I watched the highlights of this game. So many chances to kill it off at 1-0 at home against Stevenage. And Jamie Reid scoring in the 88th and then the 91st minute. His goal in the 91st minute, by the way, is lovely. what a lovely touch turn and finish in the bottom corner not the kind of goal you're expecting in the 91st minute you're thinking scramble, tap in, deflected shot it's a really good finish yeah and they both kind of came from Charlie Good long throws the first one long throw that was flicked on and he was somehow left unmarked at the back post smashed in on the volley like a striker with a real confidence the way he struck that and then the second one it started with a long throw but it kind of came back and Good swung it and again it was deflected and he's at a really tight angle as well and we kind of cushioned it and turned in two touches and he shot a cross goal, great finish yeah so he's clearly in sort of high levels of confidence at the moment and it's simplistic but he has been a sort of bit of a talismanic figure for them in recent seasons and I don't really see the alternatives in terms of where they're going to get goals from So, you know, they have a solid defence.

28:03Good and Peregiani at the back, solid. Dan Butler is like a really good player at the level as well. And Wilden, like I think I can see them having a solid defence again. If Reid's in the goals, then, you know, they can look up. No reason why they can't sneak a playoff place. They're always up for grabs in League One. They've got a big game against Huddersfield at the weekend. Huddersfield, of course, has spent a lot of money this summer and have started pretty well with nine points from four games, currently sitting in fifth. Let's talk about Cardiff City. We've already talked about the idea of me looking pretty stupid with my predictions.

28:36Cardiff making me look a bit daft for saying they won't be able to immediately bounce back after relegation last season in second with 10 points. Gregor, a good solid start for them. Yeah, very good. I mean, we spoke about Cardiff in the preview pod about, you know, they still, in fact, have only signed one player. They signed Nathan Trott, a goalkeeper, spent five years at West Ham. last season he was at Copenhagen he's their only signing since relegation and the youthful sort of bent of their team is extraordinary, the opening day the starting 11's average age was 22, 10 of the matchday squad were academy graduates and you've also got two brothers in there Ruben and Joel Colwell Ruben Colwell in particular is a star and the big, the kind of the more familiar faces the big the you know the big earners shall we say maybe Chris Willock Callum Chambers who's actually been named captain Callum Robinson they're all playing sort of bit part roles Willock came on and you could even see from the highlights package made a big impact in the game in the win against Wimbledon in midweek but none of them are really I've really started I think Chambers started the first game of the season but their kind of roles have been restricted to impact from the bench so far so you know that's that says a lot about Brian Barry Murphy and you know he was signed in part probably for this reason he he came from Manchester City where he was the elite development squad head coach before that he was at Rochdale where there was a big emphasis on youth as well he's a youth development his is a youth development background and clearly they are turning their focus to youth and Cardiff have a pretty fruitful academy so yeah they're dominating games like 67 % of the ball on Tuesday night 76 % in the 3-0 win against Rotherham at the weekend so it's certainly been a very positive start from like a really young team you would you would have some concerns about them they've sort of been able to maintain this level over the course of a season without some more experience.

30:54You know, some of these players won't have played a full season of senior football before, so that would be one concern. But Cardiff, particularly at home, going to be a real, real test for any team in the league. Yeah, an excellent start for Cardiff. They have got the game away against Luton on Saturday. Luton, who have also started pretty well, nine points from four games currently sitting in six but Gregor you wanted to talk about the team in fourth Bradford City ten points from four games a terrific start for them yeah absolutely they've been beating some some good teams they beat they beat Stockport on Tuesday night 2-1 away they beat Luton at home before that opening day was a 2-1 against Wickham these are some highly fancied teams in the division in between that they drew 2-0-0 with Northampton away but it's been a very positive start for them and he signed an interesting sign in just this week in Nick Powell who you know some Manchester United fans will be well aware of he started off at Crewe spent time at Stoke his is a career that like you know threatened to to burn very very brightly indeed and has never really never really taken off properly a bit like Lewis Baker you know you look at his career sheet he's got all the England youth appearances played played for england youth at every level got the kind of big premier league move and then a few loans wigan leicester hull then a decent decent long spell at wigan nearly you know 100 games for them 100 games for stoke and then at stockport as you say and also one of those players that i feel like has been around forever and he's still only 31 yeah you actually you joined manchester united the summer that i joined crew which was you know probably left for and so you've still a bit of a sort of presence there the guys were talking about him and his talent and it was you know they all said he was extraordinary and the goal some people might remember the goal he scored in the playoff final I forget who it was against they were promoted from league 2 to league 1 when I joined and he just he got the ball on the half turn at Wembley not even a half turn it was like with his back to goal chopped to the side and just rifled this kind of half volley pile driver into the top corner and walked away like he'd done nothing and it was just like wow you know Alex Ferguson talked him up he played games for Man United so yeah yeah you know it's fascinating these it's sad a little bit you know you don't want to feel sad for someone who's still had a really successful career when you pan out and look at things but from what you know it looked like it could have been to what it's become is you know there might be some regret about that who knows but he's an interesting signing and like another string to a bow that already looks pretty strong at Bradford some experience there we spoke about this in the preview, Max Power Sarsevich even Humphreys up front Iwuturi who they signed from Stockport we've been very pleased with that one other night and I've said it consistently on this podcast the AFL podcast, I think Graham Alexander is a really good manager his football is not always the most fashionable um you know he's he's open about that he he wants to win and he'll do whatever it takes he looks at the squad at his disposal and and does whatever he feels is the best you know it's the best the best thing to to win football matches and and there's every every sign from the Bradford start to the start to the season that they're going to do quite a lot of that this season yeah promising signs for Bradford early on in the season Barnsley fans we should just say as well You're currently sitting in third, also with 10 points, a terrific start to the season for Barnsley.

34:43Gregor, just very quickly on my team, Lincoln City, sitting in seventh at the minute. Nine points from four games, a very solid start. And Reading fans, I've got to apologise. I said in the preview show that I was tipping you to head towards the playoffs, not because I wanted to do the inverse jinx, and then it went and happened, and we beat you on the opening day. So I'm really sorry. It wasn't deliberate. It wasn't tactical. It wasn't calculated. but Gregor it is interesting that Lincoln have beaten Reading and they've beaten Plymouth two teams who would not have expected or want to be anywhere near the places they are currently 22nd and 23rd both without a win Reading have only played three games but Plymouth losing four games on the spin under Tom Cleverley this is not the start that he would have wanted to this season pretty dreadful absolutely I mean we should look at the teams again they've played Barnsley Bolton Lincoln's the one easy game in that and Leighton Orient who they lost to in midweek but no I mean Plymouth as you say relegated team should be fancied to be challenging at the other end of the table new manager Tom Cleverley would have hoped to get off to a better start I think they did a lot of promising things at Watford last season and it's been a disaster there was quite a big overhaul in the sort of playing staff and And it feels like they're going to take a bit more time to kind of acclimatise to a new manager, new surroundings.

36:11But no, it's not been positive at all for them. I would just say as well, on behalf of Plymouth fans, they had a very contentious late penalty call denied when they were trying to get a comeback for 3-3 against Lincoln as well. So I'm sure before we lose all Plymouth fans for the rest of the season, I do need to put that in to be impartial. They will hope to turn it around. It is very interesting to me thinking about Tom Cleverley, some of the comments he made before the game talking about playing Lincoln on, play quite direct, which Lincoln do quite a lot of the time. But you talked about Graham Alexander there and Bradford and wanting to win and finding any way to win.

36:46You've got these young coaches whose playing career was hugely prestigious, coming from Manchester United and things, managing in the championship. I don't want to be that old guy who says, oh, it's a bit tougher down here, son. But it isn't always that everyone plays the same way. And maybe you do need to work out the grit and grind first if you're going to get out of League One. That's my view the whole time. Yes, they're playing it out from the back and all those cliches are starting to become a cross football at every level, but you do still need the grit and the grind. And I mean, they conceded very early against Lincoln.

37:20You need to make sure you're not guarding against that naivety, don't you? Yeah, look, there's certainly more variety in League One. Even, as you say, the Championship is even becoming a bit sort of homogenised in terms of the approach and the way that, you know, sort of the way football develops trickles down a bit faster to the championship, but it's, there is a lot more variety in League One and countless managers have sort of expressed that. And also you have to go to some really sort of difficult places that are a sort of big step down from being in the championship. You give me a Mansfield, Port Vale, like, you know, I could name a few that are Exeter, Doncaster these are places that you know they're not it's not the championship so yeah Tom Cleverley has got that to sort of contend with and he's still an inexperienced manager like Watford are a club that had a lot of talented players at their disposal a bit of chaos there but he did have a lot you know a decent set of tools to work with Plymouth has been as I say I'll say it again there's been a big churn in players in the summer and they tried to sort of get back back on track after losing away a little bit, sort of returning to sign-in players of a sort of younger age, younger demographic and with potential to develop.

38:42And it's not got off to a good start. It's not got off to a good start. But it is very early days, as we have to keep saying on these early season shows. Gregor, let's quickly look at League Two. And I kept joking in the pre-season preview shows about the fact that you were predicting good things for lots of your former clubs. Well, ladies and gentlemen, listeners, this is the Gregor Robertson League 2 season wrap-up show. You've got to hope the season finishes now. The top three, your former clubs, Crewe, Grimsby and Chesterfield. I mean, it's a terrific start for all of them. 12 points, 10 points and nine with Salford City also on nine currently in fourth.

39:20MK Dons are leading a section of clubs on eight, a team we expected to be near the top of the table. Gregor, any storylines you want to pick out where you just want to say congratulations to your three former clubs and make sure you still get the Christmas card? I would say crew would probably be the surprise. I think a lot of people were expecting or hoping for sort of a positive season for Grimsby this season after sort of the development under Dave Artel, sort of the new ownership, quite kind of savvy recruitment with sort of leaning on Tony Bloom's data firm. that's always a point of intrigue and one of those players Jays Kabia 25 year old striker signed from Truro City as a sort of example of that he's already scored a couple of goals at the start of a positive beginning to the season for Grimsby much travelled like Cove Ramblers Shelburne Livingston Falkirk Greenock Morton Queen of the South Cork City Clyde and then Truro he's 25 I'll say it again but they've spotted something and he's been really bright and for Crewe it's kind of Crewe always seem if they're successful it's going to be because they've got a core of players who are a good crop from their academy because despite all the sort of you know the stature of the academies in their patch of the country in the north west making it increasingly difficult for them to hold on to their best players he still they still managed to to bring some through every season and the third goal in the win in midweek against Fleetwood scored by Callum AGS 19 year old attacking midfield plays off the left Wales under 21 really really smart finish and then even the fourth by Rhys Hutchinson left back the same from Sligo Rovers in the summer he's got a really good start to his crew career excellent finish sort of buccaneer and run and drilled it into the far corner, it's his second goal already and the Mickey Dimitri is the guy who's been like who's like the big experienced player in amongst all the youth around him still a really important player for them and they've also got another from the academy Owen Lunt who is the nephew of Kenny Lunt who's obviously got a huge attachment to the club someone was there when I was there so yeah that's that's Cruz's story I think it's been a bit more of a surprise for them so far no one was really sure whether Lee Bells had that much of a future at the club after a disappointing season last season but it's been a brilliant start for them yeah a fantastic start for them and for Grimsby and Chesterfield and Salford as I say already We'll leave it there.

42:21Gregor Robertson, thank you very much for joining me. Thank you too for listening. Just a final word on League Two, a special mention for Cheltenham Town fans. Make sure you get down to the game against Barnet on Saturday. Cheltenham Town currently bottom of the Football League without a point and have conceded 10 goals from their opening four games. Let's hope they turn it around. Come on, Cheltenham fans, you can do it on Saturday. We'll leave it there. As I say, if you have views on any of your teams or you'd like us to mention something or think we've missed something or got something wrong, do get in touch with the tom.clark at thetimes.co.uk.

42:52We'll be back very soon with another EFL show. We'll see you then.

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