At the moment I would say Southampton. Solid is the word I would use to describe them best, they have rode Beattie's scoring run for most of the past few months.
Gotta go with the Saints as well. Strachan has them running their legs off in training and it seems to be working for them.
i agree on the saints, but god bless 'em i feel everton is actually a very dangerous side and citeh can play better
I've been to Serie A matches, been to see Real Madrid in Spain, and seen every premiership team. You know which team i think is the best i have ever seen in my life? The current Arsenal side.
Y'all need to show some more imagination. Portsmouth is the lowest ranked team mentioned here. What, there's not a Div. 2 team that really ought to be in the conference out there?
West Ham... They should be in the second division at best, and look at them...all the way up in the top flight
I was about to say the same thing - there are loads of teams that are ahead of the likes of Southampton and the Bitters in terms of "punching above their weight". For a start, factor in the financial state of the game - the likes of Bury should not even exist any more, let alone be in the Football League and pushing for a play-off place. And all that with a 35-year old novice Manager. Then there's the perennials like Crewe who, until last season (I know SD said not historically, but the point stands) were holding their own in Division One. They play good football, produce an endless stream of quality young players (as they continue to do now, in Division Two) and do all on a complete shoe-string budget, eked out of a fanbase catchement area that also contains Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Blackburn and Everton. How about Shrewsbury Town - there are half a dozen conference clubs that are as big or bigger than the Shrews and not only do they hold their own, but they manage Cup runs as well! Don't they Iaiaiaian? Then there's Kidderminster Harriers. Lots of money behind them, relatively speaking and a free run at the paying public as Hertfordshire's only League football club, but nonetheless. Not only have they consolidated on their promotion from the Conference but they are considered established members of Division Three. Same goes for Rushden & Diamonds, who are currently in the automatic promotion places for Division Two just three seasons (I think) after coming up from the Conference. Saints are nothing by comparison. The only Premier Leage club on the South Coast, brand new stadium that sells out every week, a squad of internationals - I mean, don't get me wrong, they do well in this Also Rans League era of football, but no Premiership team (guaranteed yearly income from membership: £30m) can be considered in this discussion.
This is a Premiership forum Matt/SuperDave. Perhaps it would be better to discuss this in the Other Divisions area. And also, whilst many like myself would like to discuss other divisions we don't get much coverage on these teams over here in the States and mainstream websites obviously concentrate on the Prem aswell.
Swansea? seriously though - Rotherham, Southampton, Wigan and maybe even Reading. I didnt expect them to be challenging for a playoff spot this year. And maybe York - seeing as (in terms of club health) they "weigh" about as much as Mr Burns soaking wet, but they are in the mix for the playoffs. I'd leave Charlton out of it since they have been a paradigm of good management since they went back to the Valley. At some point you have to say they are more than just a plucky little club. Same is true for Southampton I guess.
I'd say that the tag might still apply to Crewe this season. They'll probably go straight back up to the first. A feat that clubs much bigger have trouble with. Of course QPR fans would no nothing about that.