Championship Preview

It only seems like yesterday that Scott Sinclair brought the curtain down on last years Championship campaign and fired Swansea City into the Premier League for the first time in the Swans' history. Now, two months on, all systems are ready to go once more as a brand new Football League season is upon us.


Huddersfield University Sports Journalism student Andrew Webb previews the coming season and gives us his thoughts on what he believes could happen in the coming weeks and months.



THE CHAMPIONSHIP


Promotion - A lot of pundits are tipping Leicester City for automatic promotion this season and I would find it hard to disagree with them. The Foxes have added some exceptionally talented players to what was already a good squad that just missed out on the play-offs last season, and as long as Sven can keep a big squad with some big ego's happy, I can't really see anyone else winning the title.

Sven's Foxes are red hot title favourites.

As for the other automatic promotion spot I think it is between West Ham United and Ipswich Town. Sam Allardyce has bought well since his arrival at Upton Park, but it may take the Hammers a few games to acclimatise to their new surroundings. As for Ipswich, then they have a good manager in Paul Jewell who impressed me without pulling up too many trees during the second half of last season and they have added a proven goal scorer in Michael Chopra to their team during the summer, so I would go for them.

VERDICT: Leicester City & Ipswich Town.



Play-offs - As already mentioned, I expect West Ham to be in the promotion hunt come the end of the season, and I think they may be joined in the play-offs by Nottingham Forest. Billy Davies did a superb job in his time at the City Ground and despite a tumultuous spell as England boss, they have got a good replacement in Steve McLaren, a man who knows his football inside out.

McLaren might want to leave the brolly at home this season.

It wouldn't surprise me if Southampton also featured in the promotion race in some shape or form. Nigel Adkins' side deserved to win promotion last season and players like Ricky Lambert, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Guly do Prado will relish the opportunity of playing Championship football.

That leaves just one play-off spot and a whole host of teams will consider themselves to be in with a shout. Reading were well beaten in last years play-off final, but have so far managed to retain the services of Shane Long, which could be key for them. Blackpool arrive back in the Championship as an attractive propositon and the arrival of Barry Ferguson shows that they are ambitious to return to the Premier League. Likewise, Birmingham City may also be strong despite their off-field issues involving Carson Yeung, but my tip for the final play-off place would be Hull City.

VERDICT: West Ham United, Nottingham Forest, Southampton & Hull City.



Relegation - I really fear for both Barnsley & Peterborough United this season. The South Yorkshire club are used to starting the season as the bookies favourites for relegation, but with a reduced budget, a new manager in Keith Hill and having lost the services of Jason Shackell to Derby County during the summer, it could be a long campaign for the Oakwell faithful. Peterborough struggled defensively in League One last season and it is really hard to see that changing. The loss of Craig Mackail-Smith is also a body blow too, and one which will significantly reduce their goal threat.

Barnsley are used to being the bookies relegation favourites.

As to who could fill the other relegation place, then I believe it is between a number of teams with both Watford and Doncaster Rovers looking vulnerable. The Hornets have lost key personnel during the summer and rookie manager Sean Dyche has a tough job on his hands at Vicarage Road this season. Donny likewise have a tough task. They accumulated fewer points than any other team in the second half of last season, and despite adding some good quality players, they haven't really imrproved their dodgy defence and that is something what may be their undoing.

Many people believe that Crystal Palace or Coventry City could get caught up in relegation danger this year, but I would have to disagree. Both Dougie Freedman and Andy Thorn did respectable jobs last season, and with a full summer of hard work behind them, I really believe both managers will get the best out of their players and have a good season this time around.

A couple of teams who I think may struggle, which may seem surprising to some people, are Burnley and Millwall. Burnley have a good young manager in Eddie Howe, but a squad which isn't particularly big in numbers or strong in experience, and I just wonder whether the Clarets have enough big characters around the place to lift the gloom if they have a bad run of results. As for Millwall, the loss of Steve Morison is a huge one and even though Darius Henderson has joined the club, I really have a bad feeling that they could be caught up in problems.

Eddie Howe's Burnley side may be in for a difficult season.

VERDICT: Barnsley, Peterborough United & Burnley.

Don't forget to check back tomorrow for my previews for the League One and League Two seasons? Can Huddersfield Town end their play-off heartache at last? Will Crawley Town rule supreme? How much of an impression will the Crazy Gang make on their return to the Football League? Find out tomorrow.