Yep, we picked a shit year to do well. During the Championship years (last 11) the average total required for automatic promotion has been 84. It's going to be a bit higher this year.In The Premier League Era, excluding the 94/95 season when only 2 went up, the highest points totals for finishing 3rd have been:
Sunderland - 1997/1998 - 90
Portsmouth - 1992/1993 - 88
Ipswich - 1999/2000 - 87
Bolton - 2000/2001 - 87
Ipswich - 1998-1999 - 86
Wolves - 2001/2002 - 86
Norwich - 2014/2015 - 86
Derby - 2013/2014 - 85
West Ham - 2011/2012 - 86
Ipswich - 2004/2005 - 85
Derby - 2006/2007 - 84
Watford - 2005/2006 - 81
Sheffield United - 2002/2003 - 80
Sheffield United - 2008/2009 - 80
Swansea City - 2010/2011 - 80 (Cardiff finished 4th on 80 points also)
Swings-and-roundabouts though as Hull City went up 2nd on 79 points in the 2012/2013 season, for example.