📈 EFL Review: Birmingham go for broke; sensational Szmodics; Robins roost | OneFootball

The Football League served up its usual helping of brilliant goals and astonishing late drama this weekend.

Here are our highlights.

Championship

Moment of the weekend

If you’re going to leave a club after 15 months in a job, then a thoroughly convincing win over one of your local rivals is probably the best way to do it.

Friday night saw Birmingham City beat West Brom 3-1 with the Blues coming from a goal down to ease past their midlands rivals.

The victory took Birmingham up to sixth in the Championship and reaffirmed everyone’s belief that they are a serious contender for the play-offs this season.

And then coach John Eustace was sacked.

A statement on the club’s website read: “A new first-team manager will be announced in the coming days who will be responsible for creating an identity and clear ‘no fear’ playing style that all Birmingham City teams will adopt and embrace.”

All indications are that Wayne Rooney will become the new boss at St Andrews – that’s the same Wayne Rooney who struggled at Derby in his last job in English football.

It’s hard to shake the feeling that Birmingham, with their new, Tom Brady-backed investment, are just going for the biggest name possible in a bid to boost their profile.

Will the decision work out? Saturday’s game at Middlesbrough could provide the answer.

Notable mentions: Boro hit Sunderland for four in Tees–Wear derby; Blackburn hammer QPR; Leicester and Ipswich pull away.

Player of the weekend

Sammie Szmodics is in the form of his life.

The Blackburn midfielder is the very epitome of a late bloomer, having come up through the ranks at Colchester and then struggled at Bristol City in his early 20s.

But the 28-year-old has found a home at Ewood Park and started this season like a runaway train.

Szmodics scored his 11th of the campaign on Saturday as Rovers beat QPR 4-0 and with Aaron Connolly out injured, he has earned a recall to the Ireland squad.

The attacking midfielder was last named by Stephen Kenny in 2021 but failed to get on the pitch for their games against Andorra and Hungary.

This October international break could be the culmination of years of work for the Blackburn ace.

Notable mentions: Joel Piroe (Leeds); Isiah Jones (Middlesbrough); Joshua Key (Swansea)

League One

Moment of the weekend

The moment of the weekend? Undoubtedly. The moment of the season so far? Almost certainly.

It took until the 12th game of the season but finally at the weekend, Cheltenham scored a goal.

The Robins had lost all but one of their 11 games going into this weekend’s clash with Derby, with their only point of the campaign coming in a goalless draw with Portsmouth back in August.

Wade Elliott had been sacked as manager in September with Darrell Clarke coming in at the end of the month.

And after an auspicious start, Clarke finally got his men firing in front of goal as Rob Street’s 39th-minute effort ensured they drew 1-1 with Derby.

Notable mentions: Carlisle shock Bolton to get second win of the season; Nine-man Oxford beat Bristol Rovers; Reading’s woes continue with Leyton Orient defeat.

Player of the weekend

League One’s player of the weekend really couldn’t be anyone else.

Carlisle have been on the slide of late, failing to win seven on the bounce since the first matchday of September.

Hopes weren’t especially high then when the Cumbrian side went to play-off chasing Bolton on Saturday.

But midfielder Jordan Gibson single-handedly won the game for United with a superb hat-trick.

Notable mentions: Colby Bishop (Portsmouth); Chey Dunkley (Shrewsbury); Freddie Potts (Wycombe)

League Two

Moment of the weekend

History suggests that suffering play-off heartbreak the previous campaign can go one of two ways.

Either you sink like a stone after going so close to your objective or use it as a catalyst for better things the next term.

Stockport are doing the latter.

County lost to Carlisle on penalties at Wembley in May but have come back stronger this time around and are currently second in League Two.

Their win over Doncaster this past weekend was Stockport’s sixth on the bounce and all the signs are that Dave Challinor’s side are only getting stronger.

Notable mentions: Wrexham claim first win in three; Salford beat near neighbours Crewe in six-goal thriller.

Player of the weekend

Sutton United have been, along with Forest Green, the worst side in League Two this season.

Just one win from 12 before this weekend, but Matt Gray’s side enjoyed a rare moment of joy on Saturday as they beat fellow strugglers Walsall 4-0.

The hero of the afternoon was Harry Smith, who netted his third and fourth of the season to take United off the foot of the table.

Notable mentions: Matt Smith (Salford); George Thomson (Harrogate); JJ McKiernan (Morecambe)