Championship Guide
As the big kick-off approaches, Sky Sports gives you the lowdown on each and every club in the Sky Bet Championship.
Monday 5 August 2013 11:53, UK
Sky Sports' club-by-club guide to the Sky Bet Championship as we prepare for the big kick-off.
All eyes will be on Harry Redknapp's Queens Park Rangers when the Sky Bet Championship season kicks off. Relegated Rangers have been installed as title favourites and undoubtedly have the talent in their squad to bounce straight back. However, unless that talent is matched by the appetite for the battle ahead then the west Londoners could just as easily follow Wolves out of the division in the other direction. Whether they race clear at the top, struggle at the bottom or flounder somewhere in between, there will rarely be a dull moment at Loftus Road. The other two relegated clubs, Wigan and Reading - models of stability by comparison - appear in better shape to challenge for promotion. The Latics, now managed by Owen Coyle who took Burnley up in 2009, have surely pulled off a masterstroke by landing Norwich marksman Grant Holt. Reading still have much of the squad which secured promotion a year ago and also have a proven course and distance performer in charge in the shape of Nigel Adkins, who led Southampton up the same season. Of last season's challengers, play-off finalists Watford have signed up many of last season's controversial loanees on permanent deals and could go well again. But Brighton, who finished fourth, have imploded since their semi-final defeat by rivals Crystal Palace, acrimoniously parting with Gus Poyet in favour of little-known Spaniard Oscar Garcia, and Leicester have yet to substantially add to a squad which just scraped into the top six. Instead Bolton look primed for a genuine promotion tilt under Dougie Freedman. The Scot left Palace flying high in fourth in October and then dragged Wanderers from 20th to seventh and, with a shrewd addition or two, they will be major contenders. Billy Davies has cash to spend to lift Nottingham Forest into the top six, Ipswich and newly-promoted Bournemouth are lively outsiders and Middlesbrough will surely improve on last season's mid-table meandering. Elsewhere Blackburn are likely to continue to under-achieve and amuse the neutrals in equal measure, Birmingham's fans also have little cause for optimism and Brian McDermott will have his work cut out to repeat his Reading heroics with Leeds. Down at the bottom the Championship looks a league too far for Yeovil while Doncaster's yo-yo is pointing downwards again following their latest promotion. Barnsley, Huddersfield and Sheffield Wednesday face another long season and they may be joined in the relegation mix by Charlton despite a flattering ninth-placed finish last term. But Millwall, entering their fourth consecutive Championship season but now without long-serving boss Kenny Jackett, the man who took them up and kept them there, could turn out to be the biggest casualties.
