Championship: Sheffield Wednesday more vulnerable than Blackpool

Stuart Gray's long-term Sheffield Wednesday viability is uncertain

Michael Lintorn's advice for the Championship relegation market is to back Sheffield Wednesday and lay Blackpool...

Ever since Blackpool's eight-man squad became a popular talking point in mid-July, the former Premier League side have been odds-on Championship relegation favourites, dipping as low as 1.55.

However, their playing staff more than doubled since, with divisive chairman Karl Oyston's continual calls for calm vindicated somewhat by both the volume and quality of the signings made since the final week of July, causing them to drift to a still-highly-layable 1.865/6 for the drop.

One-time England squad member Joe Lewis has arrived in goal, Gary MacKenzie remains in defence - their weakest area - Costa Rican World Cup quarter-finalist Jose Cubero is an exciting midfield addition and Championship-tested duo Ishmael Miller and Nathan Delfouneso have joined up front.

The most encouraging recruit though was manager Jose Riga, who at one stage appeared uncertain to last the duration of his first pre-season due to his reported frustration at slow transfer progress, but resisted any urge to do a runner.

Riga instantly adapted to the Championship on his appointment at Charlton in March, overseeing seven wins and three draws in 16 games to steer them to safety by four places and seven points.

The Belgian was required to rapidly blend old and new at The Valley too after new owner Roland Duchatelet sanctioned numerous mid-season purchases, so squad-building is seemingly a strength.

Blackpool also have previous both for being wrongly written off in August and leaving it late to buy players, with eight signing between the opening day and the start of the January window last term.

In advising punters to lay Blackpool to go down, it is only fair to propose an alternative and that choice is Sheffield Wednesday at a surprisingly bulky price of 5.24/1.

First you have the long-term argument: two of their last eight Championship campaigns have ended in demotion and eight of their last ten have seen them finish 16th or lower, so you can be confident that they will struggle.

Then there is the manager: Stuart Gray was exceptional as caretaker when succeeding Dave Jones following a dismal start to 2013/14, but form did dip to the extent that they won one and lost five of their final eight matches.

The sole experience that the 54-year-old draws on is an unsuccessful 2001 cameo at Southampton and two-and-a-half years in Leagues One and Two with Northampton five years ago, while it may hurt him to lose chief backer Milan Mandaric if Azerbaijani businessman Hafiz Mammadov's takeover goes ahead.

It hasn't been a particularly productive transfer window either, with the takeover delay fingered by some as a hindrance, made worse by this week's sale of Michail Antonio to Nottingham Forest.

Recommended Bets:
Lay Blackpool to be relegated @ 1.910/11
Back Sheffield Wednesday to be relegated @ 5.24/1