Championship Fixtures 7th August 2010 Part 2

Hull City v Swansea City
Interesting fact on BBC Sport: the last time these two teams played, they were in League Two. They must have missed each other on the way up but they’ve met up on the way down again. Unless Swansea get promoted this season of course. I’m sure I can cope with them finishing second if Cardiff are first.
Hull are now without goalkeeper Boaz Myhill who has signed for West Bromwich Albion.
Swansea have about a million more Welsh players in their first team than Cardiff but maybe that’s because Cardiff’s Academy is so good, the bigger teams come and steal their players. Maybe.
Ashley Williams should be in defence for Swansea and David Cotterill is expected to start too after a solid pre-season. I can only assume John Toshack wasn’t watching, he’s left David out of the Wales squad. Vital Swansea says Jazz Richards is fighting it out with Albert Serran for a place in midfield (I know who I’d choose) and that Neil Taylor could start at left back which would be nice. Goalkeeper David Cornell will be in the squad but Joe Allen is out with a shoulder injury.

Middlesbrough v Ipswich Town
Middlesbrough are the bookies’ favourite for the Championship, possibly because they are the only team who have been relegated recently who a) haven’t gone back already, b) haven’t got big financial problems and c) aren’t Burnley. I’m not sure why buying half the Scotland national team makes you Premier League contenders but Scotland might be a much better than they looked when I saw them play. There’s no shame in being beaten 3-0 by Wales.
But let’s forget the jokes for a minute. Rhys Williams missed several of months of last season with a pelvis injury. He then missed out on the chance to play in the World Cup for Australia. Now it looks like he could be missing for several more months. I know he chose Australia but poor Rhys.
It looks like Danny Coyne has shaken off his knock and good thing too because Brad Jones is suspended. Come on Danny, you can keep your place even if Brad Jones doesn’t go to Liverpool.
Roy Keane has said Ipswich’s younger players including Troy Brown will be given chances to play this season. Maybe not in the first match though.