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Championship Analysis – Leeds begin life after Simon Grayson with a win at Bristol City
Leeds enjoyed a 3-0 victory at Bristol City on Saturday to start a new era on the front foot following the sacking of Simon Grayson during midweek. Youth team manager Neil Redfearn took charge of the win at a freezing Ashton Gate during a weekend in which nine of the 12 scheduled Championship fixtures were fulfilled despite heavy snow sweeping over the UK.
The decision to sack Grayson was, on paper at least, puzzling considering his achievements during his four years in charge, which included promotion from League One in 2009/2010 and a seventh-placed finish in the Championship last season. Admittedly the coach suffered a 4-1 home defeat to Birmingham in his last match in charge on Tuesday, but he left the club still easily within reach of the play-offs, and that margin closed to just two points after the result on Saturday.
At the time of writing no successor has been announced, though it is believed Neil Warnock, who, funnily enough, also suffered what was an arguably premature sacking at QPR recently, could be in the frame, not least because his roots lie in West Yorkshire. Time will tell whether Grayson’s dismissal was a shrewd move or not, but considering Leeds had to endure three seasons in League One after slipping through the Championship trapdoor last time around, a period of relative stability should have been the immediate priority back at this level, and Grayson was fulfilling that despite having to sell the likes of Jermaine Beckford.
West Ham recovered impressively from their startling thrashing by Ipswich on Tuesday, edging out Millwall in a tense London derby at Upton Park despite playing 81 minutes with ten men. The Hammers increased their lead over stuttering Southampton to four points after the Saints were held by Birmingham. Cardiff missed the chance to overtake the Saints after slipping up at home to Blackpool, who climbed above Birmingham and to within two points of the Bluebirds as a result. Middlesbrough remain without a win since Boxing Day but sneaked back into the play-off picture with a goalless draw at home to Crystal Palace, aided by matches involving Hull and Reading falling foul of the weather. Nevertheless, only three points separate Birmingham and Boro from Burnley in 11th place as the race for the top six hots up.
In contrast, the bottom end was virtually stagnant, with no changes at all in the bottom six positions. Coventry missed the opportunity to leapfrog Doncaster and Nottingham Forest and go within four points of safety after letting a 2-1 lead to Ipswich be overturned in injury time. Back to back wins against teams at either end of the table have eased the pressure on Paul Jewell considerably. Doncaster weren’t in action due to a frozen pitch at the Keepmoat Stadium, and Forest were also without a game on Sunday when the cold snap hit the East Midlands clash with Derby at Pride Park. It was a sad weekend for the club, whose owner Nigel Doughty was found dead at his home in Lincolnshire on Saturday.
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