There are no F.A. Premier League (F.A.P.L.) matches this weekend, it being the Winter break and so no Premier London derbies (PLDs) to preview. That gives us a chance to look at what is happening in the E.F.L. (English Football League) Sky Bet Championship, where there are 5 London clubs. In West London we have Brentford, Fulham, and Queen’s Park Rangers(QPR), and in South London Charlton Athletic and Millwall football clubs.
Their performances against one another so far this season in their own Championship London derbies mini-league is shown in this table:
Team Played Won Drawn Lost G. Diff. Points Pts./game
Brentford 6 4 0 2 +4 12 2.0
Fulham 5 2 2 1 +4 8 1.6
Q.P.R. 5 2 0 3 -3 6 1.2
Millwall 5 2 0 3 -4 6 1.2
Charlton 5 1 2 2 -1 5 1.0
Brentford, who have played the most Championship London derbies so far, head the table with 4 wins, 12 points and 2.0 points per game. Fulham are second in this mini-league on the points per game so far basis.
In the E.F.L. Championship “big-league” all the clubs have played 30 of their 46 matches. Charlton are struggling there at 19th with 33 points (1.1/game). Q.P.R. are not much better placed at 16th with 38 points at 1.26/game. Millwall are a safe 9th (45 points at 1.5/game) only 2 wins off the play-off places. For Brentford (5th on 52 points at 1.66/game) and Fulham (3rdon 52 points at 1.73/game) their Championship London derbies mini-league positions are reversed in the “big-league”. Will it be Fulham bouncing straight back into the F.A.P.L. and PLDs after last season’s relegation, or will Brentford return to the top flight after more than 70 years away as they leave Griffin Park, their home for 115 years, for a new ground. What a fairy tale ending and beginning that would be! The next 16, or 17 or 18 if in the play-offs, matches will be very interesting.
Until next time, enjoy your football, Andrew at PLDs.