6th May 2011 | Football
Championship Finale: Confusion Reigns
QPR are up. But they might not be. The FA have a real mess on their hands and the bookies are adjusting their markets.
The end of the regular Championship season has a tarnished feel to it this weekend with uncertainty remaining over QPR’s promotion to the Premier League. The Londoners must now wait even longer to find out if they face a points deduction over the case of Argentine midfielder Alejandro Faurlin. Neil Warnock’s side are still unsure if they will be found guilty of any of seven charges concerning the player’s ownership and the terms of the deal.
On the pitch, this issue clouds matters that would otherwise be largely resolved going into the final day. Norwich have clinched automatic promotion and the play-off participants look to have been settled barring some extraordinary final day results. Nott’m Forest head to Crystal Palace with a three point and six goal cushion over Leeds in seventh. Simon Grayson’s side will have to win by several goals at Loftus Road while hoping for a miracle at Selhurst Park.
Leeds’ slender hopes are harmed even further by the unresolved QPR situation. With speculation abounding that the ‘champions’ could receive a ten point penalty, the hosts need to play for a result themselves on Saturday. A win for Warnock’s side and draw or defeat for Cardiff at Burnely would mean that the Hoops could still go up automatically, even with a ten point punishment. With so much uncertainty around, Coral have opened a book offering QPR as 7/4 favourites to win the play-offs!
Thankfully, one end of the Championship table is easy to comprehend. Sheffield United, Preston and Scunthorpe have all been relegated already.
Odds correct at time of publishing: 17:05 6th May, 2011 but subject to change
