Graphic showing the Championship's six least improved teams in  of points tallies, which are Hull -21, Cardiff -18, Norwich -16, Preston -13, West Brom -11 and Plymouth -5
Image source, Getty Images

You might want to look away now, Hull City fans.

The Tigers went backwards more than any other side compared to the previous season under Liam Rosenior, dropping from seventh place and three points outside the play-offs to only escaping relegation on goal difference on the final day.

Cardiff went from mid-table in 2023-24 to rock bottom and will drop down to League One for the first time in 22 years. It is pretty clear to see why as the Bluebirds picked up 18 fewer points compared to the previous season.

Norwich tumbled to 13th place after finishing in the play-offs a year before - an underperformance which ultimately cost Johannes Hoff Thorup his job as head coach.

Preston were 10 points off the play-off places in 2023-24 but picked up 13 fewer points under Paul Heckingbottom in what was their worst season since they were relegated from the Championship in 2010-11.

The Lilywhites' downturn was largely due to a major dip in form in the latter stages of the campaign, picking up only one win from their final 15 games (D7 L7) to avoid the drop by just one point.

West Bromwich Albion endured a disappointing season - for a club which always harbours ambitions of plying its trade in the top flight - with an 11-point drop off.

Albion's final points tally of 64 was their worst in the Championship since 1999-2000.

Plymouth may have only been five points worse off than they were in 2023-24 but having survived on the final day that season, there were to be no such heroics this time around and their two-year stint in the second tier is over.

And the rest...

Graphic showing the Championship's six middle teams in  of points tallies, which are Sheffield Wednesday +5, Swansea +4, Watford +1, QPR 0, Middlesbrough -5, Stoke City -5Image source, Getty Images

*All data based only on teams who were in the Championship in 2023-24 and 2024-25

  • Leicester midfielder Dyke to QPRpublished at 13:44 3 June

    Kaleb Dyke in actionImage source, Getty Images

    Leicester City midfielder Kaleb Dyke will move to QPR at the start of July.

    The 18-year-old will up fully with the Rs after a successful trial month.

    Dyke will centre-back Timothy Akindileni, who completed his move from Aberdeen on Monday, in the development squad.

    "For me, the right club is the one with the pathway, the pathway into the first team," he told the QPR website, external.

    "And then it's the facilities and the overall feeling of the club.

    "The feeling for me here was very positive from the start – the pathway's amazing, you can see players going into the first team, so it was a no-brainer."

  • QPR sign defender Akindileni from Aberdeenpublished at 14:30 2 June

    Timothy AkindileniImage source, Rex Features

    QPR have signed centre-back Timothy Akindileni from Aberdeen.

    The 17-year-old will up with the Hoops' development squad ahead of next season.

    Akindileni impressed in the youth set-up but did not play a game for the senior side for the Dons.

    "I'm over the moon. There was interest from other clubs but QPR just stood out for me because the development here for young players is extraordinary," he told the club's website, external.

    "You can see it through all the young players coming up to the first team, and that's what really persuaded me to come here."

  • QPR remain 'in discussions' with Dunnepublished at 11:44 28 May

    Jimmy DunneImage source, Rex Features

    Queens Park Rangers say they are "in discussions" with Jimmy Dunne over a new contract.

    The 27-year-old scored five goals in 49 appearances for the Hoops last season and was voted the club's player of the season by ers and his teammates.

    He was rewarded for his fine form when he made his Republic of Ireland debut against Bulgaria in March.

    Dunne was linked with a move to Sheffield United in January but ultimately stayed at Loftus Road and completed the season, with the Rs finishing 15th in the table.

    He is now out of contract, and the club say they remain in discussions with the defender, as well as Morgan Fox and midfielders Jack Colback and Lucas Andersen., external

    QPR announced on Tuesday that left-back Kenneth Paal was leaving the club after making 130 appearances in three years in west London.

    Conor Clark, Samuel Manufor, Harry Murphy and Casey Shann will also depart from the development squad.

    Who will be in charge of the first team next season is currently unclear, after head coach Marti Cifuentes was placed on gardening leave after losing 5-0 against Burnley in their last home match of the season.

  • QPR activate Cook contract extensionpublished at 18:35 12 May

    Steve Cook playing for QPRImage source, Getty Images

    QPR captain Steve Cook will remain at Loftus Road next season after the club activated an extension in his contract.

    The 34-year-old has made 69 appearances since ing the Rs from Nottingham Forest in 2023, scoring four goals.

    Cook was a key member of Marti Cifuentes' squad as the side finished 15th in the Championship this season, playing 31 times in the league.

    Cifuentes was placed on gardening leave after the Hoops' final home game of the season, a 5-0 defeat to Burnley.

    "I love playing for QPR – especially at Loftus Road with the atmosphere," Cook told the club's website, external.

    "It's been a rollercoaster, but I have loved every minute I've been at the club and I'm delighted to be able to stay here.

    "I think I've still got a lot to offer, on and off the pitch. I've grown as a person at the club, trying to help out around the place with a lot of the younger players as well."

    Cook made 388 appearances across 11 seasons with Bournemouth as the south coast club rose from League One to the Premier League.

  • Pick of the stats: Sunderland v Queen's Park Rangerspublished at 12:24 2 May

    Side-by-side of Sunderland and Queen's Park Rangers club badges

    Sunderland will aim to end their winless run against Queen's Park Rangers on Saturday (12:30 BST) before embarking on their play-off campaign.

    The Black Cats have not won any of their past five league games, losing the most recent four.

    It's a concerning run for a side who once led the league at the beginning of the season and now, having spent most it in fourth place, enter the knock-out rounds out of form.

    They will hope to find some to carry forward when they host QPR, who will be without boss Marti Cifuentes.

    • Sunderland are unbeaten across their last five league games against QPR (W2 D3), scoring exactly three goals in each of those victories.

    • QPR have won just one of their last 10 away league games against Sunderland (D6 L3), a 2-0 victory in February 2015, though the Londoners are unbeaten across their last five visits to the Stadium of Light (W1 D4).

    • Sunderland have won just one of their last seven final games of a league season when its come on home soil (D1 L5), a 3-0 victory over Wolves in 2018.

    • QPR lost just one of their last six games on the final day of a league campaign (W4 D1), winning their last 2-1 vs Coventry City in 2023-24.

    • Sunderland have won 21 of their 45 games in the Championship this season (D13 L11), their most victories in a second tier campaign since 2006-07 (27).

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  • 'Queens Park Rubbish' - reaction to Cifuentes newspublished at 16:30 30 April

    Your views
    Marti Cifuentes Image source, Getty Images

    We asked you what you thought of Marti Cifuentes' time at QPR and you have answered in your droves.

    The 42-year-old was placed on gardening leave on Tuesday.

    There has been lots of for the Spaniard from Hoops fans but it's not all positive.

    Have a read of some of the best responses here.

    Andrew: There have been moments when his tactics and the players on the park that day clicked and things looked great. Sadly not often enough and with limited spending power might be the time for a year or two of a Championship pragmatist in charge (sad to lose flair but nobody wants relegation do they?)

    Joel: I think that there is so much going on behind the scenes that it's hard to tell who's at fault. Through thick and thin, the fans have stood by him and he's given us so many good memories, none more so than the excellent run we went on from November to February. However, reports are flying in left, right and centre, some saying the club haven't done enough to help with his needs to help improve, some say he has spoken to other clubs before this season.

    All us QPR fans want is some stability and clarification for the club's future next season. With the window fast approaching, it's important to have a manager in that wants to be here and has time to build.

    Glenn: The owners and board are toxic. He's a decent manager working under difficult conditions. Keep Marti, QPR need to take a close look at what's really wrong.

    Will: Simply put, he did a great job keeping us from relegation with a terrible squad not suited to this league at all. The board have completely mishandled this situation and now stand to gain little to no compensation from the current situation. Another summer of eight or nine players coming in and taking the whole year to adapt to the league is on the cards here.

    David: Did an amazing job to avoid relegation last season and at times this season showed what he was capable of, despite very limited resources. Will be a shame to see him go. The board and owners shouldn't have allowed it to come to this. The club continues to be horrendously run and change at the top is needed.

    'Best manager we've had in a decade'

    Nicolas: I am shocked that Marti has been placed on gardening leave. He has been one the most popular ever manager with the fans, who acknowledge and understand that his time at the club has been hugely impacted by a horrendous and ongoing list of injuries. The fans were certainly not calling for a change, quite the opposite. The key question is "Why has he been placed on gardening leave with last game of the season coming up at the weekend ">