With League One and League Two clubs involved in the FA Cup this weekend, the Championship has a free run of the EFL. So far England's second tier has served up its usual helping of drama and chaos in equal measure while sacking season seems to be in full swing. Struggling Derby County open proceedings on Friday against Bolton Wanderers and we have picked out five things you may want to keep an eye out for on Saturday.
Tom Wagner and his Knighthead Capital Management hardly made an auspicious start as owners of Birmingham City. Sacking boss John Eustace when they were sixth in the Championship and appointing Wayne Rooney took many by surprise and, with the former Manchester United and England striker winning only two of his 15 league games in charge before being replaced by Gary Rowett, relegation became a near certainty. A rebuild under Chris Davies saw Blues pay a League One record fee to sign Jay Stansfield, with his 19 goals helping to fire them to a record-breaking promotion.
Last season brought consolidation and a 10th-place finish with the hope for a promotion tilt this time around and the early signs are promising. A run of five wins from their past six games has propelled Davies' side up to third, and a chance to possibly go top by beating Swansea on Saturday ( ). "The league table is temporary at the moment and when I came in two-and-a-half years ago we'd just been relegated, so we've come a long way and we feel like we deserve to be where we are," said Davies after Tuesday's 3-0 win over Millwall.
Swansea's visit not only provides a good test for Birmingham's credentials but also of the Welshmen's powers of recovery. A 4-0 thrashing of Blackburn last weekend was sandwiched in between a 5-0 walloping by QPR and Tuesday's 3-1 reverse at Portsmouth which has seen Vitor Matos' side fall out of the automatic promotion places. This then feels like a first real test for both teams to prove their worth.
A week is a long time in football, just ask West Ham United fans. From the boos and jeers following a home defeat by West Brom last Saturday came the sacking of boss Nuno Espirito Santo, the appointment of Scott Parker and a crazy 3-3 draw at Cardiff City - such is the life of a Hammers supporter. Parker is back at the club he served for four years as a player, bringing with him a reputation as a man who knows how to get teams out of the Championship.
The 46-year-old has already won promotion with Fulham, Bournemouth and Burnley. "I've been in this division three times and I've got out of this division three times. This is a tough division, there is absolutely no denying it," Parker said.
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