We’re reaching that point in the season where the Championship is certainly heating up! With so much to play for at the top of the table, passions are high among the fans, players and managers alike.

The league leaders have changed 16 times so far this season, but Rafa Benitez’s Newcastle currently lead the pack by 3 points with 10 games left to play. Last night the Magpies were frustrated by a 0-0 draw with Reading, but they have a lot of Premier League quality in the side such as Jonjo Shelvey and the Championship top-scorer Dwight Gayle.

It would be hard to bet against Newcastle returning to the Premier League in August but anything can happen! Brighton and Huddersfield are both hot on their heels and showing signs that they could both have a good go at Premier league football.

Chris Hughton’s side just missed out on promotion last season, losing out to Boro on the final day of the season, and they were unbeaten until December this term. And despite dropping a few points recently they look in good shape heading into the final stretch. Huddersfield are also looking good, holding Man City to a 0-0 draw in the FA Cup recently before their replay defeat.

The Terriers were quite unlucky against Newcastle at the weekend, dominating possession but not producing enough in the final third and conceding a few scrappy goals. They’ve shown character bouncing back with a win against Villa last night though and you certainly can’t count them out!

At the other end of the table it looks like Rotherham are as good as down, but Wigan, Bristol City, Wolves, Burton, Blackburn and Nottingham Forest are all fighting for survival.

Wigan are two points from safety because they won a must-win against Birmingham last night. It’s important to win the coming games to create the momentum needed for the players to get that belief back. There is no better feeling than when everyone heads in the same direction with winning spirit.

The morale of the fans and the atmosphere in the DW stadium will change because the players really need the Tics fans to get behind them. That’s all I was banking on when I was in the same situation.

Anything can happen in this league, teams still have to play each other and the losses and wins can come against virtually any other side. It’s going to be an exciting couple of months in England’s 2nd tier!

#mmlove