Championship Preview (A-D)

Check out how your club will fare this season via our exhaustive guide to the Championship.

Barnsley

Manager: Mark Robins. Helped to paper over the cracks which had started to appear during Simon Davey's tenure at Oakwell and was able to see the club to safety during his first season in charge. He will be expected to continue moving the Tykes in the right direction this term.
Key man: Liam Dickinson. Goals have proven to be a problem for Barnsley over recent seasons and they will be looking to new recruit Dickinson to add some much-needed firepower. Still only 24, he could prove to be a shrewd piece of business by Robins. Position last season: 18th Players in: Jason Shackell (undisclosed, Wolverhampton Wanderers), Goran Lovre (free, FC Groningen), Liam Dickinson (undisclosed, Brighton), Diego Arismendi (loan, Stoke City), Jim O'Brien (undisclosed, Motherwell), Jay McEveley (free, Derby County), Jeronimo Morales (free, Estudiantes) Players out: Darren Moore (free, Burton Albion), O'Neil Thompson (loan, Hereford United), Daniel Bogdanovic (free, Sheffield United), Michael Coulson (free, Grimsby Town), Simon Heslop (free, Oxford United), Jon Macken (released), Anderson de Silva (released), Rob Kozluk (free, Sheffield United) Our view:: Could be the year they succumb to the drop. Prediction: 23rd Sky Bet odds: 40/1

Bristol City

Manager: Steve Coppell. Brings bags of experience with him to the Ashton Gate hot-seat and has helped to raise expectations around the club. Gary Johnson did a sound job in cementing the Robins as a second tier outfit and Coppell must now be looking to help them take the next step.
Key man: Nicky Maynard. Promotion pushes are usually built around a free-scoring frontman and Maynard has the ability to play that role. Ended the 2009/10 campaign in blistering form and will be hoping to carry that into the new season. Position last season: 10th Players in: Kalifa Cisse (undisclosed, Reading), Albert Adomah (tribunal, Barnet) Players out: Steve Collis (loan, Torquay United), Jamie McCombe (undisclosed, Huddersfield Town), Brian Wilson (released), Frankie Artus (free, Cheltenham Town), Paul Hartley (free, Aberdeen) Our view:: The play-offs could fall agonisingly out of reach. Prediction: 9th Sky Bet odds: 14/1

Burnley

Manager: Brian Laws. Has not enjoyed the best of times since replacing Owen Coyle as the boss at Turf Moor, with relegation out of the Premier League compounding his misery. He must hit the ground running if he is to get disgruntled supporters onside and avoid the axe.
Key man: Graham Alexander. The Clarets will once again be looking to their ageless midfield lynchpin to lead by example in their efforts to bounce back into the big time at the first time of asking. Alexander may be fast approaching 40 but he remains an integral cog in the Burnley machine. Position last season: 18th (relegated from the Premier League) Players in: Chris Iwelumo (undisclosed, Wolverhampton Wanderers), Dean Marney (undisclosed, Hull City), Ross Wallace (undisclosed, Preston North End), Lee Grant (undisclosed, Sheffield Wednesday) Players out: Steven Fletcher (undisclosed, Wolverhampton Wanderers), Robbie Blake (free, Bolton Wanderers), Joey Gudjonsson (free, Huddersfield Town), Christian Kalvenes, Fernando Guerrero, Steven Caldwell, Stephen Jordan, Nicky Weaver, Adam Kay, Ben Hoskin, Jonathan Lund, Liam Newman, Oliver Devenney, Jake McEneaney, Danny MacDonald (all released), Remco van der Schaaf (loan, Brondy) Our view:: Expected to be there or thereabouts. Prediction: 3rd Sky Bet odds: 10/1

Cardiff City

Manager: Dave Jones. Stuck with the club through thick and thin last season and never allowed his focus to waver from the task in hand. Tasted play-off final heartache at Wembley as the Bluebirds came agonisingly close to securing promotion into the Premier League.
Key man: Michael Chopra. Among the Championship's most consistent goal-getters, Chopra's value to Cardiff should not be underestimated. He has struck up a deadly double act with Jay Bothroyd and will have his sights set on breaking the 20-goal mark again in 2010/11 Position last season: 4th Players in: Tom Heaton (free, Manchester United), Danny Drinkwater (loan, Manchester United) Players out: Josh Magennis (free, Aberdeen), Joe Ledley (free, Celtic), Peter Enckelman, Tony Capaldi, Warren Feeney, Josh Magennis, Aaron Morris (all released), Mark Kennedy (free, Ipswich Town) Our view:: Play-off pain beckons again. Prediction: 6th Sky Bet odds: 12/1

Coventry City

Manager: Aidy Boothroyd. Among the most highly-rated young managers in the game, Boothroyd will be looking to sprinkle his magic dust over the Sky Blues. Knows what it takes to get out of this division having led unfancied Watford to promotion in 2006.
Key man: Aron Gunnarsson. An all-action presence in the middle of the park, Gunnarsson will be hoping to make Coventry tick. At just 21 years of age he has already shown that he is more than capable of mixing with the best the Championship has to offer. Position last season: 19th Players in: Gary McSheffrey (free, Birmingham City), Stephen O'Halloran (free, Aston Villa), Roy O'Donovan (free, Sunderland), Richard Keogh (free, Carlisle United), Lee Carsley (unattached), Lukas Jutkiewicz (undisclosed, Everton), Clive Platt (nominal, Colchester United) Players out: Elliott Ward (free, Norwich City), Clinton Morrison (free, Sheffield Wednesday), Marcus Hall (released) Our view:: Still lacking that spark. Prediction: 18th Sky Bet odds: 33/1

Crystal Palace

Manager: George Burley. Back in club management following a difficult spell as Scotland boss. He will want to make an immediate impression upon his return to English football, and can boast considerable experience of life in the Championship from his time with Derby, Ipswich and Southampton.
Key man: Darren Ambrose. Any player who can provide 20 goals from midfield is worth his weight in gold, and Ambrose is just that. It looked for a long time as if he would be on the move this summer, but Eagles supporters will be delighted to still have him on board. Position last season: 21st Players in: David Wright (free, Ipswich Town), Adam Barrett (unattached), Andy Dorman (unattached), Lewis Price (unattached) Players out: Nick Carle (free, Sydney FC), Johannes Ertl (free, Sheffield United), Jack Randall (undisclosed, Aldershot), Shaun Derry (free, Queens Park Rangers), Clint Hill (free, Queens Park Rangers), Danny Butterfield (free, Southampton), James Conley, Matthew Wright, Hakeem Adelakun, Michael Abnett (all released) Our view:: Season of stability following financial upheaval. Prediction: 14th Sky Bet odds: 50/1

Derby County

Manager: Nigel Clough. Failed to have the desired impact on results during his first full season in charge but is still finding his feet at this level. Has some way to go to emulate the achievements of his father - the late, great Brian Clough.
Key man: Kris Commons. Injuries have prevented Commons from showcasing his true ability over recent years, but there is no question he remains a quality performer. Possessing a deadly left foot, he will be charged with generating the creative spark for the Rams this season. Position last season: 14th Players in: James Bailey (undisclosed, Crewe Alexandra), John Brayford (undisclosed, Crewe Alexandra), Tomasz Cywka (free, Wigan Athletic), Dave Martin (undisclosed, Millwall) Gareth Roberts (free, Doncaster Rovers), Players out: Paul Connolly (free, Leeds United), Lee Croft (loan, Huddersfield Town), Jay McEveley (free, Barnsley), Lee Hendrie (released), Lewis Price (free, Crystal Palace), Gary Teale (free, Sheffield Wednesday) Our view:: Another disappointing step backwards. Prediction: 17th Sky Bet odds: 25/1

Doncaster Rovers

Manager: Sean O'Driscoll. Has performed minor miracles during his time at Doncaster and has helped to cement Rovers' standing as a second tier outfit. Highly regarded within the game, many believe O'Driscoll is capable of managing at a higher level.
Key man: Billy Sharp. Doncaster have been crying out for a proven goalscorer over recent years and they might just have found what they are looking for in Sharp. He may not have enjoyed the best of times over the past few seasons, but he has undoubted ability and knows where the back of the net is. Position last season: 12th Players in: George Friend (free, Wolverhampton Wanderers), Billy Sharp (£1.15m, Sheffield United), Simon Gillett (unattached), Josh Payne (free, West Ham United) Players out: Lewis Guy (free, Milton Keynes Dons), Paul Heffernan (free, Sheffield Wednesday), Gareth Roberts (free, Derby County), Sean McDaid (free, Carlisle United), Ben Smith (free, Shrewsbury Town), Charles Fisher (released), John Spicer (released) Our view:: Another solid season. Prediction: 13th Sky Bet odds: 40/1