EFL Extra: Who are the ‘dangerous lurkers’ ?

0:04Hello, and welcome to the game football podcast from the time, this is our EFL Extra show every two weeks with me, Tom Clark, and the former football league legend, Gregor Robertson, looking at the highs and lows of the championship League 1 and League 2. Gregor, it's been two whole weeks since we've been doing this show. There's loads and loads to discuss, so let's get stuck straight in with the usual caveat. We often end up recording this show on a Tuesday before a load of matches. So what are we going to be made to look stupid about this week? I wonder. Loads. Loads. Loads and loads. That is the rules of this show, trying to do a podcast about the Football League every two weeks.

0:44Even when we do it every week, it comes up with surprises all the time. Would we say that Ipswich 3, Coventry 0 was a bit of a surprise at the weekend, though? Definitely the standout fixture for me going into the weekend, and quite a startling result given Coventry's superiority at the top of the championship table. Watching the highlights to this game, Ipswich fully deserving the win, in my opinion. Christian Walton making some good saves in the Ipswich goal, Coventry having some chances but Ipswich look the better team in this one for me, I don't know about you Yeah I mean it was kind of after they rode out Coventry's strong start, Kesley Hayden had a great chance, as you say Christian Walton made some great saves in particular one from Josh Eccles and then there was also the sort of incident on a bit of kind of controversy George Hurst probably should have been sent off after booting the ball away when the whistle had been blown and he was already on a yellow card and Josh Eccles had already been booked earlier in the half for doing the same thing so there was a bit of upset amongst Coventry fans and on the bench about that and then obviously Hurst scored the second in the second half so but like Lampard wasn't using any of that as an excuse like it's their second defeat in 19 games it's been an extraordinary run and like Epswich have probably the deepest squad one of the strongest squads and definitely the deepest in the division and when they're on song they should be giving them a good run for their money I suppose like there's a few things we've always spoken about Coventry's depth as a potential sort of issue and Thomas Asante obviously scored 10 goals this season he's going to miss the next six weeks with a hamstring injury he would have been going away with Scana probably for the AFCON anyway but that's a big loss they've been without Sakamoto he had a concussion had he right missed a few games with a thigh strain just if over this period their injuries start to bite you might see a little bit of an issue but they could have gone ahead in this game quite easily and the game before that they beat Charlton 3-1 they reached 50 goals for the season in 18 games which is the fastest any second tier side has done since 1958-59 so yeah like yeah they're still very much on track and still as you say still seven points clear at the top from Williamsburg in second still 12 points clear of Ipswich in fourth you know it's still it's still boding very very well for Frank Lampard of course but as you do quite rightly point out injuries in a very busy period you know they only need to lose a couple more and it all gets a little bit tighter again they will be looking to bounce back against Preston tonight on Tuesday when we're recording this game just quickly on Ipswich I've got to say firstly I'm not booting the ball away Hurst I'm not sure he's had a kind of shot after he knows he's offside given offside when he probably wasn't I mean I know I go a bit more old school when we record this show than when we do the Premier League stuff but I'd have been a bit disappointed to see him sent off for that Hurst to be fair Lampard actually said like I don't like that that kind of rule I don't like to see that I was punished for that there was a lot of Coventry players crowd in round asking for you I'm like come on lads come on it's just the fact that it happened it's just the fact that it happened to Eccles earlier in half so yeah it wasn't it wasn't major he wasn't using that as a big issue but for Ipswich yeah look they're just still so inconsistent they haven't won more than two games in a row all season and they're up to four now like so yeah you know they've got they've got Stoke on Tuesday night so by the time many people listen here they might have won their third game in a row for the first time in the season Stoke have lost four of the last five really bit of a nose dive but before the win against Coventry they won at Hull they lost to Oxford drew at Blackburn it's been really up and down and McKenna's made lots of changes to the team this season I think some fans are questioning whether he's been making too many but when you've got like you look at the players in reserve Sammy Smoddick and Jack Clark who came on Chubbock Akpom on the bench Ivan Azon on one from Como came on and scored third Jens Kajust who played well in the Premier League last season came from Napoli I think it was Ashley Young, Jacob Greaves who they bought for the Premier League, Casey McAteer they got in the summer, Wes Burns is still injured like it's a ridiculous line up particularly in attacking areas so I don't know whether it's he's still trying to land upon the right formula or you know whether he's just recognising the sort of the challenges that the Championship presents and trying to sort of even out the playing time a bit but they need more consistency if they want to challenge to get in the top two.

5:35I think they'll be, you know, they'll maintain the challenge for the playoffs, but they should be even higher. Yeah. I mean, you talk about a lot of those players there and just watching this game and watching them stream forward and playing balls in behind Coventry's defence for Hurst to run on to, which is obviously where the controversial moment came from, but also where a goal came from. Yeah. Jack Clark coming off the bench, making a run, suddenly look dazzling, quick feet. And I was struck by this stat that I saw over the weekend, that no team has created more big chances than Ipswich this season with 56, but also no team has missed more big chances than Ipswich this season with 39.

6:09And it just made me slightly think back to last season when we were talking about Leeds United, about how a lot of the metrics, you know, for suggesting for creating chances, scoring goals, ultimately how you win football games, then really near the top. And at this stage in the season, early December, a win like this might be the catalyst to kind of, as you say Kieran McKenna trying to align on his best team but all this talent all those stats suggest that he just when it clicks and if it clicks they'll be hard to stop I think Undoubtedly yeah there's a reason everyone made them as the favourites in the summer you even look at Egele who cost I think it was a championship record fee of 17.5 million from Nordjusland in the summer he scored his first couple of goals in the last two games I think he's only 19 he's going to take some time to acclimatise great finish at the weekend that whip left foot when he hits the ground Jude and Philogene has kind of done it in flashes I don't know they have extraordinary quality so yeah I think you're right you could even say the same about Southampton who I know we're going to come on to talk about they've got great strength and they look like they're starting to click Like even, you know, we're going to talk about Sheffield United too.

7:28Like who knows? Who knows? They've got the quality. It's just about the team kind of gelling and a bit of confidence too. Yeah. Well, if you're an Ipswich South fan listening to this after a home defeat against Stoke, we can only apologise under half myself and Gregor Rookson. The jinx often does happen when we record this show in midweek. You mentioned a couple of teams there, Gregor. Let's talk about Sheffield United and Stoke. another big game at the weekend and another result that perhaps a month or so ago we would not have expected Sheffield United 4 Stoke 0 at Bramall Lane firstly just a quick word for for the continuing joy I am getting from some of the mad away kits in the championship this season we saw Coventry with their kind of highlighter pen pinky orange kit at Ipswich and Stoke I don't know if you've seen this listeners they've got a truly bonkersly brilliant purple like 80s jazzy number it's really crackers and i'm really really here for it i really applaud all the kit uh manufacturers in the championship and for championship the interseason who've just had a bit of fun with it this summer bring it back but anyway that was probably the best thing you could say about stoke at the weekend gregor a 4-0 defeat let's start with them because they they were talking about the top of the table they've been near the top of the table we'd said well can they keep it going Mark Robbins doing really well bit of a surprise this game there was some poor defending in this game I thought and not particularly very kind of what you'd expect from a Mark Robbins team or a Stoke team I know we trot out all the kind of cliches all the time but there was some poor defending in this game and quite damaging to lose 4-0 at this stage of the season Yeah a lot of kind of as you say uncharacteristic looking stuff you know the McGuinness header from a corner totally unmarked Sariki had a great game to be fair right back but he kind of strolled into the penalty area marked there was a lot of moments in the second half too where players were allowed to get a shot off and just in far too much space and have far too much time and space yeah they've had a difficult time recently they lost obviously they lost to Coventry then Leicester win against Charlton is the only win in the last five games defeat against Hull and Sheffield United some decent some strong teams in there you have to say but it has been a bit of a nosedive and you know Mark Robbins knows that they're going to have to arrest it, they've dropped to 6th now and it doesn't take much to fall even further so yeah I mean I don't know I think you've got to give Sheff United credit too because they've been on a remarkable run, you think about 5 weeks ago they were 21st 3 points from safety I think it was 11 defeats in their first 14 games and now they've won four in a row, scored 13 goals, three clean sheets.

10:21People are talking about, even though they're in 18th place, people are saying, oh, look, they're only eight points outside the top six. That's the madness of the championship. Eight points off Stoke, who they beat, of course. Exactly, yeah. So Chris Wilder was quick to dampen down any talk of that, but it does look like he's got them acknowledging and accepting and realising that they are as good as most teams in the division and they need to go and show it and a few sign-ins, Rita Weld, Bamford, who I think they're going to try and keep hold of in January and tie down a longer contract. They've been important players for them and others have stepped up like Calum O 'Hare have been brilliant in recent weeks.

11:06I wouldn't be surprised. On the players, sorry, you mentioned Femi Sariki there, 22 years old great great cross for one of the goals and a brilliant goal himself I think it was his first for the club kind of two-churched round some defenders and kind of it's almost like a side footed toe punt into the top corner it was a really brilliant goal and a fantastic celebration do you think Wilder's kind of got a right balance now between the likes of Banford and experienced players that he's signed and some of the talent that they had there in the first place because they made as you said a lot of changes in the summer they then made a lot of like panic Deadline day signings A lot of experienced names coming in Do they feel like he's maybe Had a couple of weeks And he got the balance right They're still looking If you look Again you look Beyond the starting 11 there They've still got like Daith Chong Danny Ings Ben Mee's injured Ben Godfrey's injured Ogbenny's injured Tom Davies is injured They're like Almost all former Premier League players Like Oh they are blasters coming back He's on a bench Callum Lear didn't start Tom Cannon they've got a very strong squad it was just all kind of as you say it was a bit panicked in the summer and there was a lot of terrible mismanagement and sort of you know some bonkers decision making going on at that football club and Wilder's come in and he's kind of taking some time to settle things basically and as I say just instill a bit of confidence in the players and make them realise again that this is very much still a squad that should be challenging at the top end of the division.

12:39So, yeah, like, Bamford's been a real boon. I mean, he kind of thought his career was going to fizzle out. He'd been a lot of injuries, you know, released by Leeds in the summer. Fans were a bit kind of questioning that. And then when they signed Dominic Calvallou in the summer, kind of wondering if signing another sort of injury-prone striker was much of an upgrade. So Bamford had a point to prove and it's been a really good union for them. and it was the same with Tyrese Campbell this time last year he's someone who had a terrible injury record and Wilder does this he's done this throughout his career he sees people who have a point to prove and he'll overlook things that other clubs won't and he'll take a bit of a punt and often they pay off and that's been the case for both of those players Certainly looked to be positive signs for Sheffield United they've got another home game against Norwich tonight on Tuesday so I'm expecting a big win for Norwich apologies again in advance.

13:36I just want to get him in, Gregor. We do it so often. We record these shows, listeners, and then we put them out and then the next day we're texting each other going, for Christ's sake, have you seen that score? God, we look like idiots now. Anyway, that is what the Football League can do to you. Quickly on to team in third, Gregor. Millwall, three wins on the spin, finishing that little run this weekend with a 1-0 away win at Bristol City. A little bit of a smash and grab, should we say, this one. Bristol City very unfortunate Not to get a late equaliser Ruled out for offside when I mean, unless it was not offside But still, I will still keep Fighting the good fight for no VAR in the football league Despite Gerhard Struber's Very understandable upset at the end of this game Don't know if you saw any of the handbags At the end of this game after the match No hands shaking for me Alex Neil brushing him off Then it all kicked off Did you ever refuse to shake anyone's hand When you were playing the game?

14:31Probably, yeah Did you? A few little petulant little petulant strop I wouldn't have had you Yeah probably Probably yeah Yeah Yeah it's an emotional game time you know I think there was like a little push as well on Neil that did kind of start to kick off Yeah I think it was Josh Knight who kind of came the one of the City players who came in and gave Alex Neil a shove which I mean I'd like to think I'd never shove anyone but I definitely wouldn't shove Alex Neil I don't think he looks like the kind of man that you wouldn't shove but Millwall I mean he's doing an amazing job isn't he regardless of what you say about this match those three wins on the spin 34 points 2 points off Borough in second it's a fantastic job it feels like a perfect union between manager and club this one I agree yeah it's been and I think it's their best start in the second tier since 2001 2002 like it's really really good and again to sum up the bonkers state of the championship before these three games they went forward without a win and the game before this they beat Southampton who are obviously absolutely flying with a 97th minute strike from Tristan Kramer and that was a bonkers game Caleb Taylor scored an absolute world both on unusual unlikely sources of goals Caleb Taylor's a defender screamer from outside the box, Tristan Kramer as a right back, ghosted him at the back post to score a 97th minute winner they've had loads of injuries but they've got a real kind of unity and they're on trend they've got they're dogged defensively they've got seven clean sheets this season which is the most joint most in the league only Coventry throw more crosses into the box in Millwall they're quite direct and very hard to play against and Alex Neal has done a great job there's been a lot going on behind the scenes at Millwall too they've evolved they've tried to change up the recruitment model and sign younger players make them a bit more dynamic and like you know same players who could go on to bigger and better things as well and then players like Femi Aziz are just kind of getting better and better he's scored his sixth goal of the season in that one against Saints from a great strike from outside the box yeah they're going really really well brilliant absolutely see if I can keep that going you've mentioned them a couple of times so let's bring them in let's talk about Southampton in 11th place and also wanted to just mention Wrexham just behind them in 12th both on 27 points as are Watford and Leicester behind them.

16:58In this kind of group of dangerous lurkers, I think we can call them, in the championship table, we've got Stoke in six on 30 points and then Bristol City on 29. And you can go all the way down to West Brom in 16th on 25 points, just four points separating all those teams, that bunch in the middle, that just show that if you can put a bit of a run together, you can prove that you've got playoff or promotion potential. But on Saints, it's been a fantastic, fantastic period for Tonda Eckhart in terms of his role as manager since Will still left the club other than that defeat as you say against Millwall they've been on an amazing run and backed it up with another big win at home against Birmingham who were above them in the table in eight Yeah, I mean it's been an extraordinary turnaround five wins in six now I think at Millwall obviously the only team who've managed to beat them in that run Birmingham are like on the up as well so this is a huge result and like I don't know they seem to be playing with a real freedom like since the start of November Finesas and Adam Armstrong have both been involved in eight goals and like six goals for Finesas five for Armstrong like Armstrong has repeatedly been a like great marksman in the championship and if you get him firing you're going to have a good chance and Finesas you know we spoke about this before Finesas was one of several signings in the summer for a lot of money who is also like a no brainer at the championship level so you know Eckhart is really interesting like in terms of his background and mainly working in he was an analyst working in academy football mainly you know he's young and he's done something that's just kind of freed up a very kind of strong squad and you know there's nothing to say that they won't they won't keep rising up the table.

18:58Amazing turnaround though. Amazing turnaround. Yeah, and just quickly on that squad, we talked about it kind of with Ipswich and I'm calling this kind of hack in the middle of the table kind of dangerous lurkers. Southampton, they've got the squad to be up in the top six, haven't they? Yeah, like Azaz, Tom Fellows was a brilliant signing as well. As I said, Armstrong, if like when he's in among the goals, which he is now, Manning the left back got a great delivery he's got several assists in recent weeks like yeah they've undoubtedly got the squad it was just something that was not the right fit with Will still I don't know he just seemed to rub up some players their own way perhaps he was a bit bullish in terms of his kind of I don't know his appraisal of the squad and his attitude sometimes in post-match interviews but that's in the past now it's just like you know it's just kind of been a release for them clearly and absolutely they've got the quality to start climbing the table but we're sitting out of a few teams now you know we were speaking a few weeks ago about Birmingham probably a month or two ago about Birmingham struggling same with Wrexham and like they're on the up so it's very very hard to pick or there's going to be a lot of disappointed teams this season shall we say the teams that mess out.

20:21Definitely. All very tight and tense, a bit of a game to forget the James Beadle in the Birmingham goal. I would suggest, again, that game against Southampton. But let's talk about Wrexham very quickly and their goalkeeper, Arthur Oconquo, who had a brilliant game against Preston, only getting a draw in this one thanks to the late Preston equaliser. But Wrexham have been on a great run themselves. I think unbeaten in six or seven. Phil Parkinson's side showing the kind of steely determination, Gregor, that's got them up the football league so far. and I've said it on the show plenty of times, made lots of mocking suggestions about Wrexham's success, but they're proving they're well worth their place in the Championship in 12th at the minute and again, still part of that dangerous lurking group who could challenge for the top six.

21:04Yeah, I think they're unbeaten in nine now, Tom. Is it really? Gosh. Nine, yeah. There've been a lot of draws. There's no side in, I think, England's top four tiers has drawn more games than Wrexham, which I think is nine this season. but yeah undoubtedly they're proven very hard hard to beat Kiefer Moore scored 10 goals in all comps this season now he's been a good signing for them there's still a lot going on off the pitch Atletico Madrid's owners have taken a minority stake in the club that's after already selling another stake to one of the US's kind of largest serial investors the broken ground on the new cop stand and got 18 million government grand to help them for some reason but probably less said about that the better Phil Parkinson's record is like you know he brought 200 league games I think it was just end of the last month and I think he's got 119 victories in that it's like 60 % win rate and like I know I know that you know their resources and everything often until they got to the championship has completely dwarfed all their competitors but still to do it and to make this step up this is the step that everyone doubted the most and you know he's proven the doubters wrong and actually doing it his way too, they're still playing that kind of back three, they're still playing pretty direct, they're still really dogged and kind of in your face and still a lot of narrow margin games but they're coming out on the right end of a lot of them so yeah I think it'll still be a step too far for them to make the playoffs this year but I don't think it'll be long before they're challenging for that level No, no bad thing in a season in the mid-table in consolidation For Wrexham it makes the documentary all the better and more dramatic Sorry, couldn't help with this in your little dig in there Just to finish Gregor very quickly a big win for Vitor Matos he was a subject of last time we recorded the show the new Swansea manager looked slightly out of obscurity lost his first two games for picking up a big 2-0 win at home to Oxford a brilliant goal from Josh Simon in this game worldy important for him to get off hey absolute worldy absolute worldy yeah it's this left footed bias coming in here by the way I mean it always looks better doesn't it yeah just that kind of that body shape and like the way you're connected with it just sort of spinning into the top corner absolute beauty but important for Matos to get off and running home game after losing those first two they've been on a terrible run before that and still down the bottom of the table in 20th, just three points ahead of Portsmouth who are taking up the first relegation place, sorry, in 20 seconds but important for him to get off and run Yeah, and a huge game against Portsmouth on Tuesday, who've won 1-9 and are really in a bad on a bad run of form but yes, it was a big one and like Timon's volley was a worldie but it was also really interesting to hear that Swansea were the only championship team not to have scored a set piece in the league this season really until Stamina shedded in Tymon's free kick for his first goal for the club so like that you know we know how important set pieces are now in fact we never stop hearing about it and to not have scored one goal in the season is obviously a big blot on their copybook so if they could change that that would be a big lift for them and yeah it'd been an awful run like first one in seven games yeah and we've said Matos this was a really tough gig for him he's still kind of wrangling about trying to get his his own staff onto the onto the coaching staff I think there's some legal issues or something he's trying to get coaches from his former club and as you said defeats against Derby and West Brom there was a lot of kind of doom and gloom so a massive massive one but this is this game against Portsmouth on Tuesday night is huge as well a win in that one would make the lead table look a lot better definitely or the maybe we won't be reacting to that two weeks will go by and they'll have won four games they'll be up in the playoff places as well who knows what could happen better next time we record the show but as you say a massive game from Swansea and Portsmouth loads more still to discuss in lead one and two after a short break we'll be back in just a second

25:53welcome back to the game football podcast from the times this is our football league extra show with me tom clark and the football league legend gregor robertson let's get stuck in to league one gregor just to point readers in direction of a couple of stories that have been on the times website in the last week we saw an investigation into x is the city headline the model fan owned club now facing a desperate fight for survival once defined by a hugely successful academy and shrewd business approach the Devon outfit have descended into two supporter infighting and financial mismanagement certainly is difficult times it seems for Exeter but the big FA Cup draw against Manchester City Gregor has come at the perfect time got a visit to the Etihad in the third round which I'm sure will boost the finances a little but still worrying times for Exeter.

26:44And then another story on the Times website from Matt Lawton, our sports news reporter of the year, publishing on Monday, revealed the inside story of the banned agent who was key to Cardiff's demand for over£100 million in compensation over the death of Emiliano Salah, the Welsh club, are suing Nantes in a French court, alleging that unlicensed agent Willie Mackay brokered the deal for the striker who sadly died in that plane crash all those years ago. Make sure you go and check out both of those stories. Now, Greg, I mentioned the FA Cup there with the draw for the third round, which meant that the games were largely taking place between League One and League Two clubs and some non-league clubs over the weekend.

27:25But talking about Cardiff, they did have a game over the weekend beating Huddersfield, currently top of League One. So I thought that'd be a good reason. And it's kind of the theme of the championship discussion as well. We're heading into this Christmas period, New Year period. Lots of games already played now. We've got a decent idea of who's doing well and who needs to improve. But with Cardiff top of that League One table, they're the kind of ipswitch of League One, weren't they, where we thought these guys should be near the top of the table. And so it's proved three wins on the spin, asserting their dominance at the top of the table.

27:56What are you looking at when you look at the League One table and thinking they might make a charge, they're not where they're supposed to be? Which teams are catching your eye either for positive or negative reasons? I think, I mean, Cardiff, I kind of agree with you about Cardiff, but Cardiff were still a bit of an unknown they basically relied upon their academy over the summer because they got to cut loose a lot of players and they've been in a downward spiral for a long time Brian Barry Murphy who'd been at Manchester City as their elite development squad manager for a long time brief spell at Leicester they're also a bit of an outlier and we've spoken about the tactical trends this season and they're the team that if you saw their first goal against Huddersfield it's basically a goal with prime Manchester City score.

28:41They build it out from the back through the midfield, through the thirds and out wide, overlap from the left back across the back post and there's Yusuf Salak heading in. It's like a cut back cross and there are so many moves like that. They dominate possession. It's just, they are a really young squad. They've got some really great young players though. I mean, I think I think that Baggin' left back is a real star you see him bombing down the left so many times and linking up with Willick Lawler and Fish the centre-halves have been stars as well yeah the Colwell brothers obviously we know a lot about and like just the fact that they've had to rely on so many of these players means that there's always a bit of doubt about how they can maintain it over the course of the season but they've had their blip and then they've come back and the way they play and their dominance at home as well just makes you think that they're going to be hard to knock off their perch so I think Cardiff will be right up there I think looking further down the league I think Bolton might make a bit of a run for it they're not a really good run Schumacher has been here and done it before I know they got tonked at the weekend in the FA Cup but they've been on a very very very good run and they always score like the Schumacher's teams always score a bucket full of goals and then the other one that's still a bit of an unknown he's been an up and down start is Jack Wilshere's Luton Towns obviously you have to call him that that's like they still have, we've said it from the start of the season there's a reason why they were one of the favourites they still have one of the best squads in the league getting players back from injuries being big for them and he's had some really good results interspersed with a few shock ones you know they got got by Barnsley recently I think 5-0 I still think there's a good chance that they could make a charge for the playoffs so like it's very hard it's very hard to call oh it's an impossible thing to call we're coming to this period as well where like so much can change so quickly yeah yeah Stockport have been on a bit of a bad run but like Dave Chalmers always finishes in the playoffs yeah I'm still convinced I'm still convinced Stockport will be up there I still could see Stockport taking that second place I also think it's interesting as we head towards and I know this doesn't apply as much to Premier League teams and talking about West Ham and Wolves needing to spend money and stuff but there is financial might at play in the Football League still and you look at teams like Stockport and Bolton and Luton with the parachute payments of course and you wonder whether in January they might be able to make some moves that you look at teams like Stevenage and Lincoln and Wimbledon, then they're not going to be able to make the similar kind of moves.

31:42So you wonder whether that might catapult them up further. Well, yeah, I mean, you can actually tie this back to the story with Exeter. I mean, there was a line in that kind of report where Exeter said that basically they've got themselves into this trouble. A large reason is because they upped their playing budget by about a million pounds in the last two years but everyone else in the league did it by three million or three and a half million and one of their I think their general manager was quoted as saying the highest playing budget in the league is 19 million Yeah, it's crazy The numbers that you're talking about there are three and three and a half million that's been up by that was a league one budget when I was playing in the league like it is the growth the kind of inflationary drag of like from the Premier League and the Championship it undoubtedly is playing a huge part on putting a lot of strain on these teams and Exeter obviously has a fan-owned club and Wimbledon and another who are in a similar situation they're talking about, they're looking for outside investment they realise in the sort of limitations of their model so yeah that's all because of the financial might of teams like Bolton, teams like Stockport Cardiff still relatively speaking despite the fact they've been a bit of a basket case.

33:01Bradford with the size of the club. Huddersfield, you know, got US investment. You look everywhere. Wickham, even though they're down in 12th. Yeah, they're owned by a billionaire. Leighton Orient just had a US investment and they're talking about building a big new stadium. So yeah, the financial might of the league, you're right, it will tell. And there are teams that can show that in January. Yeah, before we get to that January window. So loads and loads of games in League One, including tonight on Tuesday and some on Wednesday as well, where it could all change. Again, let's finish with a similar look at League Two.

33:36Gregor, I'm delighted to see, I'm also slightly worried, Walsall, top of the table, winter December, Walsall fans. Honestly, it was my favourite, but also worst story of last football season. Walsall's, you know, fall from grace at the top of the League Two table. I'm sure Walsall fans feel it even more than I do, but they're top at the minute, Gregor. Swindon behind MK Duns in third and then Notts County Bromley, Gillingham and Cambridge United completing the playoff places same question about League 2 that we had for League 1 which teams are you looking at and thinking hmm whether they're in the right place or whether they're not quite where they're supposed to be I'm getting more become more and more impressed by Swindon really I mean the whole thing with Swindon from the start is like how much buy-in the players were going to show towards Ian Holloway and I think there's been enough time now to suggest that they're all in and as I said they smashed Bolton, it was a strong Bolton team as well, 4-0 on the top of the weekend before that they took four points from Grimsby and Chesterfield I know I've slipped recently and fallen away a bit but they're two of the best teams in the league, two of the most attacking and sort of two of the biggest goal threats in the division but Swindon has scored 31 goals Aaron Drennan's he's banging in the goals he's got 10 I think I think they're going to be they're going to be right up there and then like you know there was the kind of huge disparity between MK Don's sort of expected goals and the number of goals they actually have scored they've scored 35 in the 35 in the league which is the most in the league whether that can can hold and actually talking about Chesterfield and Grimsby I do think that I still do think they are two of the best teams in the league and I think while they've had a big blip Grimsby in particular I think we'll see them start to rise up the table again so another one that's interesting is Colchester after a really difficult start and they've really come back and won three of the last four I know they're a team that you look at with particular fondness because of the two men in the dugout, the Cowleys Listen, don't be giving me jip about looking at them with fondness you've just picked out Chesterfield and Grimsby two of your former clubs Oh, they'll be up near the top of the table making sure you get your Christmas card from the Supporters Association this festive season.

35:58Listen, just because I have fond feelings for Danny Cowley doesn't blight my journalistic judgment. I just think Colchester got some good players. We should just say, Gregor, we mentioned Vito Matos. He was one of the incoming managers in the Football League the last time we recorded a show. Another one, a surprise name, was Christian Fuchs in Newport County. It has not been a good start for the former Leicester defender. defeat and a draw and a defeat in the FA Cup you said two weeks ago that it was a big job and so it's proven his quotes after the Cup game were pretty downbeat he was kind of saying he was surprised about how lethargic the team looked and all this and like when he came in he was very positive he thought I've seen enough and watched all the games this season have been unlucky in many of them but you know they've not been that unlucky he's got quite clearly the hardest job in the football league so good luck to you Christian yeah he's going to need all the luck but as we've discussed throughout this show the theme of this show has been it can all change very quickly so maybe the next time we do an EFL extra show Newport we'll be out of that relegation zone we will see Gregor Robinson thank you very much for joining me as always thank you two for listening if we've not covered one of your teams or mentioned a player that you've spotted that you'd like to give a shout out to do get in touch with me tom.clark at thetimes.co.uk and I'll make sure to mention it on the next show next time we do this EFL Extra show in a couple of weeks.

37:22But otherwise, we will be back on Thursday to talk about that Champions League thingy. We'll see you then.