Championship: Thrills expected

PREDICTED TABLE
1 Birmingham
2 Reading
3 Sheffield United
4 Crystal Palace
5 Derby
6 Queens Park Rangers
7 Wolves
8 Watford
9 Ipswich
10 Cardiff
11 Charlton
12 Burnley
13 Nottingham Forest
14 Bristol City
15 Swansea
16 Norwich
17 Plymouth
18 Coventry
19 Sheffield Wednesday
20 Preston
21 Doncaster
22 Southampton
23 Barnsley
24 Blackpool

Related links

Teams

• Barnsley
• Birmingham City
• More TeamsBlackpoolBristol CityBurnleyCardiff CityCharlton AthleticCoventry CityCrystal PalaceDerby CountyDoncasterIpswich TownNorwich CityNottingham ForestPlymouth ArgylePreston North EndQueens Park RangersReadingSheffield UnitedSheffield WednesdaySwansea CityWatfordWolverhampton Wanderers

Also see

• Championship fixtures
• Championship table
• Championship stats

In recent years the Championship has earned a reputation as the most competitive division in English football, and rightly so.

Void of the financial gulfs which dictate the realistic aspirations of teams in the Premier League before a ball has even been kicked, the second tier operates at the opposite end of the spectrum.

Virtually anyone can beat anyone, helping to provide an entertaining platform on which the majority of the division can harbour hopes of mounting a promotion bid, while being equally wary of getting dragged into the relegation dogfight at the bottom.

This year promises to once again throw up the usual dosage of thrills and spills which help to make the Championship so unpredictable, yet so entertaining, with a whole host of sides dreaming of booking their place among England's elite come May.

As is always the case at this level there will be an intriguing mix of fallen giants and ambitious upstarts ready to do battle come the big kick-off on Saturday.

The three sides who slipped through the Premier League trapdoor last season - Reading, Birmingham and Derby - will all be hoping to bounce back at the first time of asking, while those that have risen from League One - Swansea, Nottingham Forest and Doncaster - are not there to make up the numbers.

Alex McLeish's Birmingham begin the campaign as title favourites, with summer signing Kevin Phillips - fresh from firing West Brom to the promised land last term - expected to use his considerable goal threat to good use.

Busy

Of the other two unfortunates who find themselves back in the second tier it is Derby who have had the busier summer, overhauling a squad which failed so dramatically when given the opportunity to perform on the biggest stage.

Reading, meanwhile, have quietly got on with business, accepting that departures were inevitable, they have retained a squad with enough quality and Championship know-how to ensure that they should be among the front-runners.

In a break from the norm, a side which flirted with relegation for a large chunk of last season - Queens Park Rangers - are widely tipped to experience life at the opposite end of the table this time around.

Bankrolled by Formula One magnates Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore, the Rs will be hoping their owners' deep pockets bring the good times back to Loftus Road.

The past and present in Neil Warnock's colourful career should also have plenty to celebrate in 2009/09.

Crystal Palace - the present - came up short in the play-offs last term and will be eyeing the top six once again, while Sheffield United - the past - showed towards the end of last season that they will be no pushovers.

With the pretenders to the crown out of the way, trying to predict how the rest may perform would have the combined powers of Mystic Meg and Nostradamus scratching their head in bemusement.

Wolves, but for a one-season fling in the top flight back in 2003/04, continue to embody the nearly-men mantle, while Ipswich also have plenty of prior experience regarding near misses.

Struggled

Watford and Charlton have enjoyed recent dalliances with the likes of Manchester United and co. but struggled to get to grips with life back in the real world last season and must improve dramatically if they are to avoid becoming second tier fixtures.

Cardiff's FA Cup final appearance could be just what was needed to inspire them to greater glories, while Burnley and Plymouth will have aspirations of being in the top six shake-up.

Bristol City exceeded all expectations in 2007/08 and may find it difficult to replicate those heroics this time around, but their success should give hope to Forest, Swansea and Doncaster who will all be hoping that the momentum of promotion fires them towards the summit.

Norwich have enjoyed a busy summer in the transfer market, but need their new recruits to gel quickly if they are to avoid a repeat of last season's woeful start.

Southampton only survived on the final day last term and have done little over the summer to suggest a reversal in fortunes is around the corner.

Coventry, Preston and Sheffield Wednesday all flirted with disaster during the last campaign and could find themselves firmly embroiled in a basement battle once again.

And Blackpool and Barnsley supporters should brace themselves for a campaign which may bring more disappointment than delirium.

TEAM-BY-TEAM GUIDE

Barnsley

Manager: Simon Davey

Position last season: 18th

In: Luke Steele (West Brom, free), Iain Hume (Leicester, £1.2m), Roberto Colace (Newell's Old Boys, undisclosed), Mounir El Haimour (NE Xamar, undisclosed), Darren Moore (Derby, free)

Out: Paul Reid (Colchester, free)

Key man: Brian Howard

Chances: Last season's impressive run to the semi-finals of the FA Cup masked a poor league campaign, and the Tykes could struggle once again.

Birmingham

Manager: Alex McLeish

Position last season: 19th (Premier League)

In: Lee Carsley (Everton, free), Kevin Phillips (West Brom, free), Marcus Bent (Charlton, £1m)), Kemy Agustien (AZ Alkmaar, loan)

Out: Adam Lezgdins (Crewe, free), Fabrice Muamba (Bolton, £5m), Daniel de Ridder (Wigan, free), Olivier Kapo (Wigan, £2.5m)

Key man: Kevin Phillips

Chances: The additions of Phillips and Bent to an already impressive squad should see the Blues pushing for an immediate return to the top flight.

Blackpool

Manager: Simon Grayson

Position last season: 19th

In: Matt Gilks (Norwich, undisclosed), Joe Martin (Tottenham, undisclosed), Alex Babtiste (Mansfield, undisclosed), Steve Kabba (Watford, loan), Jermaine Wright (free), Adam Hammill (Liverpool, free), David Vaughan (Real Sociedad, £200k), Marlon Broomes (Stoke, free)

Out: Marcus Bean (Brentford, free), Keigan Parker (Huddersfield, free), Michael Jackson (Shrewsbury, free), Wes Hoolahan (Norwich, undisclosed), Kaspars Gorkss (QPR, £250k + Daniel Nardiello and Zesh Rehman)

Key man: Daniel Nardiello

Chances: The Seasiders did well to steer clear of the dropzone last season, but will find the going tough once again this time around.

Bristol City

Manager: Gary Johnson

Position last season: 4th

In: Gavin Williams (Ipswich, undisclosed), Nicky Maynard (Crewe, £2.25m)

Out: Alex Russell (Cheltenham, free), Nick Carle (Crystal Palace, undisclosed), Darren Byfield (Doncaster, free)

Key man: Nicky Maynard

Chances: The Robins came within a whisker of reaching the Premier League last term but will be hard pushed to repeat that achievement in the 2008/09 campaign.

Burnley

Manager: Owen Coyle

Position last season: 13th

In: Martin Paterson (Scunthorpe, £1m), Kevin McDonald (Dundee, £500k), Christian Kalvenes (Dundee United, free), Diego Penny (Coronel Bolognesi, undisclosed), Remco van der Schaaf (Vitesse, free), Chris Eagles (Manchester United, £1.25m)

Out: John Spicer (Doncaster, free), Kyle Lafferty (Rangers, £3m), James O'Connor (Sheffield Wednesday, free), Jon Harley (Watford, free)

Key man: Chris Eagles

Chances: Luring Eagles to Turf Moor should help the creativity of the side, ensuring that a play-off push is not out of the question.

Cardiff

Manager: Dave Jones

Position last season: 12th

In: Darren Dennehy (Everton, free), Ross McCormack (Motherwell, free), Mark Kennedy (Crystal Palace, free), Jay Bothroyd (Wolves, £300k)

Out: Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal, £5m), David Forde (Millwall, free), Warren Feeney (Dundee United, loan), Robbie Fowler (released)

Key man: Joe Ledley

Chances: An FA Cup final appearance has raised expectations at Ninian Park and anything less than a top six challenge would be deemed a failure.

Charlton

Manager: Alan Pardew

Position last season: 11th

In: Stuart Fleetwood (Forest Green, tribunal)

Out: Patrick McCarthy (Crystal Palace, undisclosed), Darren Randolph (Hereford, loan), Chris Iwelumo (Wolves, £400k), Marcus Bent (Birmingham, £1m), Madjid Bougherra (Rangers, £2.5m), Osei Sankofa (Southend, free)

Key man: Luke Varney

Chances: A distinct lack of transfer activity does not bode well for a side who slumped into mid-table last season, but they still possess the firepower to mount a promotion bid.

Coventry

Manager: Chris Coleman

Position last season: 21st

In: Guillaume Beuzelin (Hibernian, free), Aron Gunnarsson (AZ Alkmaar, undisclosed), Keiren Westwood (Carlisle, £750k), Freddy Eastwood (Wolves, £1.2m)

Out: Liam Davis (Northampton, free)

Key man: Freddy Eastwood

Chances: The Sky Blues only survived by the narrowest of margins last season, but have invested wisely in Eastwood and Westwood and should be okay this year.

Crystal Palace

Manager: Neil Warnock

Position last season: 5th

In: Patrick McCarthy (Charlton, undisclosed), Johannes Ertl (Austria Vienna, undisclosed), Darryl Flahavan (Southend, free), Jos Van Nieuwstadt (free), Jose Fonte (Benfica, undisclosed), Simon Thomas (Boreham Wood, undisclosed), Nick Carle (Bristol City, undisclosed)

Out: Jeff Hughes (Bristol Rovers, undisclosed), Lewis Spencer (Wycombe, free), Mark Kennedy (Cardiff, free), John Bostock (Tottenham, initial £700k, rising to £1.25m), Tony Craig (Millwall, undisclosed)

Key man: Nick Carle

Chances: Warnock has worked his own brand of magic at Selhurst Park and should have the Eagles soaring into the play-offs once again next term.

Derby

Manager: Paul Jewell

Position last season: 20th (Premier League)

In: Kris Commons (Nottingham Forest, free), Steve Davies (Tranmere, tribunal), Nathan Ellington (Watford, loan), Paul Connolly (Plymouth, free), Ruben Zadkovich (free), Paul Green (Doncaster, free), Jordan Stewart (Watford, free), Martin Albrechtsen (West Brom, free), Liam Dickinson (Stockport, £750k), Przemyslaw Kazmierczak (FC Porto, loan), Rob Hulse (Sheffield United, £1.75m)

Out: Robert Earnshaw (Nottingham Forest, £2.65m) Kenny Miller (Rangers, £2m), Michael Johnson (Notts County, free), Lee Holmes (Southampton, free), David Jones (Wolves, £1m), Darren Moore (Barnsley, free), Jason Beardsley (Notts County, loan), Craig Fagan (Hull, £750k)

Key man: Kris Commons

Chances: Barring a relegation hangover the Rams should expect to be pushing for promotion, although with so many new arrivals it may take time for Jewell to mould his side together.

Doncaster

Manager: Sean O'Driscoll

Position last season: 3rd (League One)

In: John Spicer (Burnley, free), Darren Byfield (Bristol City, free), Tomi Ameobi (Leeds, undisclosed), Matthew Mills (Manchester City, £300k), Jos van Niewstadt (Excelsior, undisclosed), James Chambers (Leicester, free)

Out: Paul Green (Derby, free), Stephen Roberts (Walsall, free), Mark McCammon (Gillingham, free)

Key man: James Coppinger

Chances: Rovers should have enough to ensure that their stay in the Championship extends past one season, but mid-table obscurity beckons.

Ipswich

Manager: Jim Magilton

Position last season: 8th

In: Pim Balkestein (Heerenveen, undisclosed), Gareth McAuley (Leicester, undisclosed), Kevin Lisbie (Colchester, undisclosed, Richard Wright (West Ham, undisclosed)

Out: Gavin Williams (Bristol City, undisclosed), Gary Roberts (Huddersfield, undisclosed)

Key man: Jonathan Walters

Chances: The Tractor Boys fell agonisingly short in the race for the play-offs last season and should be in the mix once again.

Norwich

Manager: Glenn Roeder

Position last season: 17th

In: Sammy Clingan (Nottingham Forest, free), Wes Hoolahan (Blackpool, undisclosed), Ryan Bertrand (Chelsea, loan), Dejan Stefanovic (Fulham, undisclosed), Elliot Omozusi (Fulham, loan), Arturo Lupoli (Fiorentina, loan), David Bell (Luton, undisclosed), Stuart Nelson (Leyton Orient, free)

Out: Matt Gilks (Blackpool, undisclosed), Andrew Cave-Brown (Leyton Orient, free)

Key man: Arturo Lupoli

Chances: The Canaries will be keen to avoid being dragged into another relegation scrap and have brought in reinforcements to help sharpen an attacking unit which looked decidedly blunt last term.

Nottingham Forest

Manager: Colin Calderwood

Position last season: 2nd (League One)

In: Robert Earnshaw (Derby, £2.65m), Guy Moussi (Angers, undisclosed), Andy Cole (Sunderland, free), Joe Garner (Carlisle, £1.14m), Paul Anderson (Liverpool, loan), Mickael Darnet (Cannes, undisclosed)

Out: Kris Commons (Derby, free), Matt Lockwood (Colchester, £100k), Alan Power (Hartlepool, free), Sammy Clingan (Norwich, free), Grant Holt (Shrewsbury, £170k), Junior Agogo (Zamalek, free)

Key man: Robert Earnshaw

Chances: Promotion has lifted the mood in the camp, but a season of mid-table stability would be welcomed on Trentside.

Plymouth

Manager: Paul Sturrock

Position last season: 10th

In: Jason Puncheon (Barnet, £250k), Karl Duguid (Colchester, undisclosed), Yala Bolsaie (Floriana, undisclosed), Graham Stack (Reading, free)

Out: Paul Connolly (Derby, free), Paul Wotton (Southampton, free), Najim Abdou (Millwall, free), Peter Halmosi (Hull, £2m)

Key man: Jason Puncheon

Chances: The Pilgrims have a relatively small squad and could be pushed to the limit this season. They have failed to find a suitable replacement for Sylvan Ebanks Blake and may find themselves drawn into the battle at the bottom.

Preston

Manager: Alan Irvine

Position last season: 15th

In: Barry Nicholson (Aberdeen, free), Ross Wallace (Sunderland, loan)

Out: None

Key man: Simon Whaley

Chances: North End are unlikely to reproduce the form which made them a play-off fixture a few years back, but should avoid falling through the Championship trapdoor.

Queens Park Rangers

Manager: Iain Dowie

Position last season: 14th

In: Radek Cerny (Tottenham, free), Peter Ramage (Newcastle, free), Emmanuel Ledesma (Genoa, loan), Kaspars Gorkss (Blackpool, £250k + Daniel Nardiello & Zesh Rehman on loan,), Dani Parejo (Real Madrid, loan), Samuel Di Carmine (Fiorentina, loan)

Out: Stefan Bailey (Grays, free), Jake Cole (Oxford, loan), Daniel Nardiello (Blackpool, part of Gorkss deal,), Zesh Rehman (Blackpool, loan as part of Gorkss deal)

Key man: Dani Parejo

Chances: Dubbed 'the Chelsea of the Championship' as a result of their substantial financial backing, Rangers will be hoping to join their London rivals in the top flight.

Reading

Manager: Steve Coppell

Position last season: 18th (Premier League)

In: Noel Hunt (Dundee United, undisclosed)

Out: Adam Bygrave (Weymouth, free), Ben Hamer (Brentford, loan), Glenn Little (Portsmouth, free), Dave Kitson (Stoke, £5.5m), Scott Davies (Aldershot, loan)

Key man: Leroy Lita

Chances: Having retained much of the squad which slipped out of the Premier League, Coppell will be expected to have the Royals challenging towards the top of the table.

Sheffield United

Manager: Kevin Blackwell

Position last season: 9th

In: Greg Halford (Sunderland, loan), Sun Jihai (Manchester City, free), Darius Henderson (Watford, £2m), Justin Haber (Haidari, free), David Cotterill (Wigan, undisclosed)

Out: Chris Lucketti (Huddersfield, free), Rob Hulse (Derby, £1.75m), Ben Starosta (Aldershot, loan), Luton Shelton (Valerenga, £1m)

Key man: James Beattie

Chances: The Blades staged a late resurgence last season to get within sniffing distance of the play-offs, but are widely tipped to be among the front-runners this time around.

Sheffield Wednesday

Manager: Brian Laws

Position last season: 16th

In: James O'Connor (Burnley, free)

Out: Burton O'Brien (Falkirk, free)

Key man: James O'Connor

Chances: The Owls need to be more ruthless in front of goal if they are to avoid another relegation dogfight, and they may struggle to find that cutting edge.

Southampton

Manager: Jan Poortvliet

Position last season: 20th

In: Chris Perry (Luton, free), Lee Holmes (Derby, free), Paul Wotton (Plymouth, free), Tommy Forecast (Tottenham, undisclosed), Morgan Schneiderlin (Strasbourg, £1.2m)

Out: Cedric Baseya (Lille, free)

Key man: Stern John

Chances: The Saints came dangerously close to the drop last season, and installing a foreign manager with no track record in England may prove to be a mistake.

Swansea

Manager: Roberto Martinez

Position last season: 1st (League One)

In: Ashley Williams (Stockport, £400k), Mark Gower (Southend, free), Federico Bessone (Espanyol, free), Albert Serran (Espanyol, £80k), Fabien Brandy (Manchester United, loan), Stefan Morrision (West Brom, free)

Out: Kevin Austin (Chesterfield, free), Kevin Amankwaah (Swindon, free), Darryl Duffy (Bristol Rovers, free), Darren Way (Yeovil, undisclosed)

Key man: Jason Scotland

Chances: The Swans should be able to slot seamlessly into life into the second tier, and could be an outside bet for a play-off spot.

Watford

Manager: Aidy Boothroyd

Position last season: 6th

In: Jon Harley (Burnley, free)

Out: Nathan Ellington (Derby, loan), Jordan Stewart (Derby, free), Toumani Diagoura (Hereford, free), Steve Kabba (Blackpool, loan), Darius Henderson (Sheffield United, £2m), Moses Ashikodi (Hereford, loan)

Key man: Tommy Smith

Chances: The Hornets hit the self-destruct button last season and Boothroyd must ensure that his troops do not lose faith heading into the new campaign.

Wolves

Manager: Mick McCarthy

Position last season: 7th

In: Sam Vokes (Bournemouth, undisclosed), Richard Stearman (Leicester, undisclosed), David Jones (Derby, £1m), Chris Iwelumo (Charlton, £400k)

Out: Freddy Eastwood (Coventry, £1.2m), Matt Bailey (Burton, loan), Seyi Olofinjana (Stoke City, £3m), Elliott Bennett (Bury, loan), Lee Collins (Port Vale, loan), Jay Bothroyd (Cardiff, £300k), Charles Mulgrew (Aberdeen, undisclosed)

Key man: Michael Kightly

Chances: McCarthy's men missed out on a top-six finish last season by virtue of goal difference, and could find themselves on the outside looking in once again come May.