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QPR, Reading and Wigan tipped to win promotion from Championship

Image: Redknapp: can steer QPR back to the Premier League, says Birtles

QPR are the best-placed Championship side to secure promotion to the Premier League because they have Harry Redknapp at the helm.

Tough
Doncaster, Bournemouth and Yeovil are also new to the Championship, having won promotion from League One, however, Birtles suspects all three will be facing tough campaigns in the second tier. He is tipping the Cherries to fair best, but pointed to the close finish to the 2012/13 season, where a number of teams were facing the drop on the final day of the season, as evidence of how competitive the division is. "There are so many good teams in the Championship and we saw last season that 50 points weren't enough to guarantee you safety and it went right to the wire," said Birtles. "We've seen teams before who have skated through from League One, through the Championship and into the Premier League but you have to say that would be very difficult [for these sides]. "Out of the three you'd have to say Bournemouth, under Eddie Howe, have got the best chance, because of the transformation when he went back and how he lifted the players. "Yeovil did a fantastic job last season when nobody expected them to do it, while Doncaster play some fantastic football, but it's going to be difficult for those promoted teams."

League One & Two

Birtles also offered his thoughts on who would prevail in League One and League Two... League One: "Sheffield United have been set up nicely by Danny Wilson to progress. It didn't quite work for Danny but everything is in place to be successful and they will be one of the teams up there fighting on a consistent basis. Notts County were right on the edge of the play offs last season, can they push on? While at Peterborough Darren Ferguson has done a great job there; he knows how to get promoted and he knows the division inside out. They were unlucky to get relegated last season and Ferguson will have learnt from that and have them primed and ready to get back into the Championship. And then there's Wolves. Everyone is going to ask about them and whether they can bounce back. Well, it's not always guaranteed but they have the quality there, they have the fans to get behind them. Can they get used to life in League One? The manager Kenny Jackett has to motivate them to think they can get straight back." League Two: "Scunthorpe will be right up there. Having been promoted from this division before they know all about it, which is so important. Southend will be strong again after showing real consistency last year and they will be hard to beat, while Northampton will also be hoping to push on after a great 2012/13 season. Then, looking at the promoted sides, Mansfield, coming up from non-league will be confident of making a little bit of movement and it will be nice to see Newport in there again after all these years."

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