CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND PREVIEW

The Championship returns after the international break this weekend.

FRIDAY FIREWORKS: AYORKSHIRE DERBY
side in seventh place and who have won three and drawn one of their last four league outings. Wednesday boss Dave Jones has brought in three new names since mid-September – former Bluebird Jay Bothroyd on loan from Queen’s Park Rangers, defender Martin Taylor from Watford and midfielder Ross Barkley from Everton. Bothroyd has played in the last six league games, has yet to score, and has been substituted in five of them. Jones will be placing plenty of faith in his former match-winner as the pressure on the former City boss intensifies. Leeds United face a Sheffield Wednesday: Currently in the bottom three after a run of seven games without victory (one draw, six defeats),

FOXES KEEP ON WINNING who are just three points off the relegation zone. Since the start of September, Leicester have won six of their seven League games and are currently on a run of five consecutive victories. In contrast, Birmingham have lost three of their last four, and are looking to avoid a third consecutive defeat.Birmingham City are just one point behind ourselves after ten matches, and this Saturday are away to lowly Leicester City: Second-placed

TERRIERS AND WOLVES With five wins in the last six, Wolves could go into second place if they win, and they will have winger Jermaine Pennant on loan from Stoke City making his debut. Meanwhile Huddersfield, back at this level for the first time in eleven years and with four wins in their last six, expect their highest attendance of the season so far, though they will be without winger Adam Hammill for the game against his parent club.Wolverhampton Wanderers. host third-placed Huddersfield Town: Two of the top six meet this weekend when sixth-placed

SOUTH LONDON DERBY at Selhurst Park and are unbeaten in seven matches (six wins, one draw) as they go for their fifth consecutive victory. Glenn Murray is top scorer with seven, while the talented Wilfried Zaha has scored four in the last two matches. Former Bluebird Danny Gabbidon, signed in mid-September having been released by Q.P.R. at the end of last season, has yet to be included in the eighteen. As for Millwall in twentieth spot and three points of the bottom three, they have picked up in recent games with two draws and a win in their last three games.Millwall: Crystal Palace are at last fulfilling the potential that they have shown over recent seasons and are currently fourth, just three points off the top of the pile. They face lowly

SEAGULLS v. BORO: Brighton & Hove Albion
this Saturday, ‘Boro without a win in their last three matches. Surely it will be only for so long that the Teesside Club tolerate Middlesbrough's crippling inconsistency? Middlesbroughare well in the hunt, being in fifth place and three points off the top two. They have lost only once in their last nine games and have conceded only five goals in that spell. They are at home to mid-table

LANCASHIRE LADS who are in sixteenth position. Ian Holloway’s side were going well to mid-September but have since lost three of their last four. Kevin Phillips, now 39 years old, has been in and out of the starting line-up, usually coming on from the bench, and has scored just one goal this term to date. It’s one win in five for Burnley whose manager Eddie Howe left the Club on October 12 to return to his former club AFC Bournemouth, citing personal family reasons for his departure. Goals don’t seem to be a problem for Burnley though with Charlie Austin having scored 14 League and Cup goals to date, including 10 in his last six outings!Burnley visit managerless Blackpool: Eighth-placed

RAMS v. ROVERS this Saturday, Derby unbeaten in their last three games and without top scorer Jamie Ward for the past two matches through injury.Derby County with Steve Kean having resigned on September 28. His assistant Eric Black is in temporary charge. Rovers signed Huddersfield’s Jordan Rhodes for £8 million at the end of August – he’s scored three goals, but none in his last four matches (two draws, two defeats). Rovers go to mid-table Blackburn Rovers: Another Lancashire club without a manager are ninth-placed

HULL v. IPSWICH at KC Stadium. That 1-0 win at Wednesday in their last match was the first time that Hull had not conceded a goal since late-August. Ipswich have not won in eight matches (three draws, five defeats) and Paul Jewell brought in three loan signings the day before they played us on October 6 – midfielder Bilel Mohsni (Southend), forward DJ Campbell (Q.P.R.) and midfielder Richie Wellens (Leicester). Latest arrival is former Bolton midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker who is expected to face Hull as he begins to rebuild a career that has so often flattered to deceive.Ipswich Town are only one point off the top six and will look to build on their recent win at Sheffield Wednesday when they face bottom-but-one Hull City: Mid-table

HORNETS v. POSH: Watford, Vydra being suspended after his dismissal against Middlesbrough in their last match. He is one of ten players signed on loan from Italian club Udinese by manager Gianfranco Zola. Watford have won only one of their five home League matches so far and face a Peterborough side who had lost their opening seven League games and then won two consecutive away matches to break their duck. But they reverted to typ in their last game when they lost 1-0 at home to Nottingham Forest last time out.Peterborough United, in fourteenth place, will be without forward Mates Vydra for their home game against bottom club

ADDICKS v. TYKES . The South London side have been disappointing at home this season, having won just one of their five League games and having scored just four goals. Barnsley are three points off the relegation zone with just one win in their last games, that being the emphatic 5-0 victory at Birmingham City on September 22.Barnsley will be at home to Charlton Athletic: In the lower half of the table,

BOLTON v. BRISTOL CITY Bolton have gained just one win in their last five, Kevin Davies is top scorer with four goals, and they currently have full-back Steve Warnock on loan from Aston Villa. Bristol City, after an encouraging start, have now won just once in their last seven, and Sam Baldock, signed for £1.1 million from West Ham United in mid-August, has not scored in his last four games after netting four in his first four matches for his new club.  this weekend, are in eighteenth place while City are one position above them, both on 11 points.Bristol City who dismissed Owen Coyle on October 9. Wanderers, who are at home to Bolton Wanderers: The third of the three Lancashire clubs without a manager are

Cardiff City PlayerListen to live and uninterrupted commentary of Nottingham Forest v City from 2.45pm this Saturday on