Like I said, I am still bitter Watford beat us in Playoffs last year

enjoy there year of fame.
I love the teams like Swindon/Derby going up, damm we won 4-0 away at Swindon for them to concede 100 goals for the season

Someone has to be cannon fodder.
But as you outlined the gap is so big now between the divisions virtually impossible for them to do anything apart from fight off relegation.
Reading being the recent exception, they totally dominated the championship and did well this year, deserved manager of the year imo.