Premier League
Table
CHELSEA picked up from where they left off last season by winning their first three games, and scoring 14 goals without reply.
Didier Drogba hit the first hat-trick of the Premier League season as the defending champions opened up their campaign with a 6-0 win over newly-promoted West Bromwich Albion.
Carlo Ancelotti's men then followed that with another 6-0 win, away at Wigan Athletic, before a comfortable 2-0 home win against Stoke City.
Already it is clear that the Blues' main challengers will be Manchester United and Arsenal, both on seven points, in second and third place.
Sir Alex Ferguson's men have had two 3-0 home wins against Newcastle United and West Ham United but dropped points away at Fulham after Brede Hangeland's late goal in a 2-2 draw.
The Gunners opened up with a 1-1 draw against Liverpool at Anfield before strolling to a 6-0 win over Blackpool thanks to Theo Walcott's hat trick. Arsene Wenger's men then earned a hard-fought 2-1 win at Blackburn Rovers.
But, outside of the top three, the Premier League has been largely devoid of top quality sides.
Managerless Aston Villa are fourth on six points after home wins over West Ham and Everton. But these victories sandwiched a 6-0 humbling at promoted Newcastle for whom Andy Carroll scored a hat trick.
Bolton Wanderers and Birmingham City are in fifth and sixth place on five points after they played out a dramatic 2-2 draw at the Reebok Stadium.
The Trotters conceded early then were reduced to ten men when goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen was sent off for an impudent slap on goalscorer Roger Johnson.
Birmingham made it 2-0 just after half time through Craig Gardner but Kevin Davies and Robbie Blake helped Owen Coyle's men to fight back for a deserved point despite their numerical disadvantage.
Wolves , in seventh, are a third team on five points after an opening day win against Stoke and two 1-1 draws away at Everton and at home against Chris Hughton's Newcastle who lead a group of six clubs with four points on goal difference.
Among those six clubs are Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur whose ideas of a title push already look like fading into the realms of fantasy.
The fourth- and fifth-placed teams met in an opening day 0-0 draw at White Hart Lane which Spurs dominated.
But, after beating Stoke and qualifying for the Champions League against Swiss side Young Boys, Harry Redknapp's men most recently suffered an awful 1-0 home loss to Wigan Athletic.
Meanwhile, City's expensively assembled squad - £126m and counting this summer alone - have failed to score in their opening two away fixtures. Their 0-0 draw with Spurs was followed by a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland, either side of a fine 3-0 home win over Liverpool.
The Reds, now under Roy Hodgson, had a tough draw of the fixtures but they failed to beat Arsenal after Pepe Reina's late mistake before being outclassed at City.
Despite the long-awaited Fernando Torres goal, even the 1-0 win over West Bromwich Albion was hardly an Anfield classic and another scrappy season looks like it is on the cards.
Indeed, Liverpool fans may have to console themselves that they should at least finish above their Merseyside rivals.
Everton have had another slow start to the season with just one point from three games after 1-0 away defeats to Blackburn Rovers and Aston Villa.
In fairness, David Moyes' men probably deserved more from the match against Villa - they had 18 corners and 67% possesion. But this Everton team seem to suffer from a lack of cutting edge up front and currently lie in the bottom three.
Stoke and West Ham are the two teams below the Toffees after both have had a pointless start to the season.
The Potters have lost to Wolves and Chelsea away, and Tottenham at home while West Ham's three defeats have come against Villa, Bolton and Manchester United. Next up for the Hammers - a home match against Chelsea.
Thanks to that win over Spurs, Wigan are outside of the bottom three despite a terrible start which featured that 6-0 loss to Chelsea and a 4-0 home loss to newly promoted Blackpool.
That win for the Seasiders on the opening day is part of a credible opening few games which has also seen Ian Holloway's men draw 2-2 with Fulham in their first home match.
West Brom are also off the mark with a 1-0 home win over Sunderland but, perhaps unsurprisingly, the Baggies lost their other two matches at Chelsea and Liverpool.
The Championship
Table
QUEENS PARK RANGERS scored twice in stoppage time against Derby County to salvage a point and stay top of the Championship.
Neil Warnock's men had won their opening three games but found the going much tougher against the Rams who took a 2-0 lead through Kris Commons and James Bailey.
It looked as if Rangers' early reign at the top was over as the match entered stoppage time.
But a goal in the 92nd minute by Patrick Agyemang and another in the 95th minute by Jamie Mackie completed an amazing comeback and kept QPR above Cardiff City on goal difference.
The Bluebirds landed an extraordinary coup by bringing Craig Bellamy to the Welsh capital on loan after he was frozen out of Manchester City's squad.
In his first game, Bellamy inspired a 4-0 rout of Doncaster Rovers in which Jay Bothroyd scored twice and Bothroyd was on target again as Cardiff won 2-0 at Portmouth to cap their strong start.
Ipswich Town are the third team on 10 points after their 2-0 win over troubled Bristol City.
The Portman Road club enjoyed a brilliant opening day of the season, coming from behind at half time to beat promotion favourites Middlesbrough 3-1 away.
Roy Keane's men then drew with Burnley 1-1 before wins over Crystal Palace and Bristol City have put Town in the sort of position which they never threatened last season.
Surprisingly, Millwall are the closest challengers to this top three of QPR, Cardiff and Ipswich but the Lions typify a fine effort so far from the promoted League One sides.
Millwall are out on their own in fourth place with nine points from four games, the highlight of which was the 4-0 thumping of Hull City who are still without a league away win since February 2009.
The Lions' only defeat so far came at fellow promoted team Leeds United who have recovered well from their opening day defeat to Derby County which was shown on the BBC.
Simon Grayson's men drew their second match at Nottingham Forest but they have won their last two in the league against Millwall and Watford to put themselves in the early top six mix.
Last season's League One champions Norwich City also have seven points despite an opening day defeat thanks to wins against Scunthorpe United and Swansea City, and - similarly - a draw at Forest.
But, while all of the promoted sides have so far enjoyed life in the Championship, only Burnley of the relegated sides have made a bright start, currently in fifth.
The Clarets always looked best prepared from a financial perspective for a push back to the Premier League but there were doubts over how easily Burnley could get a bad relegation out of their system.
Manager Brian Laws has done well to galvanise his team to two home wins over Forest and Leicester City. However, away form remains a concern after just a point was taken in the two matches against Ipswich and Swansea City.
Portsmouth have just a point in total and have traded a position at the bottom of the Premier League to prop up the Championship.
Pompey have scored just a single goal in their four league matches so far, in the 1-1 draw against Reading, while their other three games so far have all ended in defeat.
Leicester City also have just one point from a possible 12 and seem to have suffered a playoff semi final defeat hangover. The Foxes' only point so far has come in the 0-0 home draw with Middlesbrough and they currently lie second bottom.
Bristol City are third bottom and perhaps that position is not so much of a surprise after the early season turmoil at Ashton Gate.
Steve Coppell resigned after the Robins went down 3-0 to Millwall on the opening day then lost a 2-0 lead to Southend United in the League Cup.
City then conceded a last minute penalty as Doncaster sneaked a point before there was a thrilling 3-3 draw with Barnsley.
But the 2-0 defeat to Ipswich Town in their latest match leaves the red half of Bristol in danger of a season-long scrap, even with David James between the sticks.
Slow starters Forest are the only other Championship club without a win while Preston North End and Crystal Palace are also averaging less than a point a game.
Gordon Strachan's Middlesbrough and Sheffield United - who have replaced Kevin Blackwell with Gary Speed - are the other early season disappointments with just four points apiece.
League One
Table
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY and Peterborough United have made excellent starts in their bid for an immediate bounce back to the Championship.
Wednesday are top League One after a 5-0 thumping of Hartlepool United made it three wins and a draw out of four games for the Owls.
Meanwhile, Peterborough, who suffered a rather dispiriting demotion during the last campaign, have scored goals for fun as they look to make it back into the second tier.
Posh have already recorded two 3-0 wins and also beat Huddersfield 4-2 at home. But, despite those comfortable victories, their goal difference remains at +4 as Posh's only defeat in six league and cup games this season was a horrific 5-1 reverse at newly-promoted Bournemouth.
While Wednesday and Peterborough's appearances at the top come as little surprise, the fact that Carlisle United and Oldham Athletic are still unbeaten after four games has raised some eyebrows.
Certainly, with two wins and two draws, the Cumbrians and the Latics are both already enjoying this campaign more than their last two seasons of midtable mediocrity at best.
But probably the most unlikely of the early contenders is the aforementioned Bournemouth. The Cherries are in fifth place on seven points with a healthy +6 goal difference which owes much to that battering of Posh.
Eddie Howe's Bournemouth are joined on seven points by Huddersfield, Brighton & Hove Albion, and Charlton Athletic who opened with two wins but have taken just a point in the two games since.
The other big favourites Southampton are also somewhat off the pace in 14th place with just four points so far.
But, in fairness, the St Mary's club have a game in hand after postponing a match following the death of owner (and financial saviour) Markus Liebherr.
And, this weekend, the Saints finally looked to have hit top form with a 4-0 win over Bristol Rovers as Ricky Lambert returned to score against his old club.
In the same week as Liebherr died, Exeter City also lost a wonderful club servant as, tragically, striker Adam Stansfield died of cancer aged just 31.
The Grecians postponed their game against Dagenham & Redbridge but have struggled in their other encounters, taking just two points from three matches so far to end the first month of the season in fourth-bottom place.
Tranmere Rovers, Dagenham and Brentford are the three clubs below them with Rovers seemingly have failed to heed last season's struggle against relegation.
Dagenham are still adapting to the step up from League Two but managed their first point and goals against Tranmere while Brentford's only point in four games so far has come against Swindon Town.
Swindon were playoff contenders last season but suffered a slow start then - and the County Ground regulars have had to deal with the same situation in this campaign with just two points from four matches so far.
Meanwhile, Rochdale have begun their first season outside the basement division in 37 years in solid enough fashion with five points from their first four matches to sit currently 12th.
League Two
Table
TORQUAY UNITED maintained the only 100 percent record in the Football League as their 2-1 away win at Port Vale made it 12 points out of 12.
The Gulls won their first three games against Northampton Town, Lincoln City and Bradford City without conceding a goal, and went 2-0 up in the first 20 minutes against Vale.
It was 2-1 by half time but United withstood the Vale comeback to stay top, just above unbeaten Shrewsbury Town who moved second with a 4-0 away thrashing of Stockport County.
Like the Shrews, third-placed Rotherham United also have 10 points. The Millers look set for another promotion push especially if they can keep hold of hot shot Adam Le Fondre who hit four in their extraordinary 6-4 win over Cheltenham Town.
Chesterfield are unbeaten on eight points in fourth place after two home wins and two away draws.
Port Vale are in fifth on seven points - that defeat to Torquay was their first in the league this season - and, despite shipping six at Rotherham, Cheltenham are in a much improved sixth-place so far this season.
Accrington Stanley are unbeaten in seventh with a win and three 0-0 draws from their first four games. Indeed, Stanley are yet to concede in the league this season and they pushed Newcastle all the way in a 3-2 loss in the League Cup second round.
Wycombe Wanderers and Aldershot Town are also unbeaten with six points from four games in a division that has featured too many stalemates so far this season.
Oxford United, returning to the Football League, are another team to have had three 0-0 draws already - and, with their other match ending in defeat, the Us have just three points from their first four games.
Last season's Blue Square Premier champions Stevenage have done marginally better. The Boro have taken five points so far, recording their first (and, so far, only) ever league win against struggling Stockport County.
Troubled Stockport were rock-bottom last season as they were relegated from League One and matters are little better in this lower division.
The Hatters have just two points so far and they are only spared bottom place this time by Barnet who look set for another season of battling against the odds.
The Bees also have just two points and suffered the ignominy of a 7-0 defeat away to mid-table Crewe Alexandra.
Barnet and Stockport are joined at the bottom on two points by Macclesfield Town and, surprisingly, Morecambe who were in the playoff last season.
Former Premier League side Bradford City is another club who will have expected to be higher even at this stage.
The Bantams have taken just three points from four games, although it should be noted that Peter Taylor's men have already played away against the current top two.
Saturday 28 August 2010
Thursday 12 August 2010
The Premier League 2010/2011 - The Guide
ARSENAL
The Gunners - Emirates Stadium, Ashburton Road, Islington, London, N5 1BU. Capacity 60,361
Last season: 3rd, FA Cup 4th round, League Cup Quarter finals, Champions League Quarter finals
Last major trophy: FA Cup 2005
Manager: Arsene Wenger (since October 1996)
Players In: Marouane Chamakh, Laurent Koscielny, Kyle Ebecillo, Phil Roberts
Players Out: Eduardo, Luke Ayling, Sol Campbell, Fran Merida, Philippe Senderos, Alie Sesay, Sam Byles, James Dunn, Kerrera Gilbert, William Gallas, Rhema Obed, Mikael Silvestre
Out on loan: Kyle Bartley, Pedro Botelho, Francis Coquelin, Sanchez Watt, Luke Freeman
Pre-season form: The Gunners began their pre-season with a 4-0 win at Barnet before further comfortable wins on their annual tour of Austria against Sturm Graz (3-0) and Neusiedl 1919 (4-0). Wenger's men then won the Emirates Cup at home after a 1-1 draw over AC Milan and a 3-2 win over Celtic before completing their summer programme with an extraordinary 6-5 win in Poland against Legia Warsaw.
Prediction: 4th
Arsenal enter the season aiming to end a trophy drought which has extended to five seasons after another blank in the last campaign. But, despite their last trophy being the FA Cup in 2005, manager Arsene Wenger remains committed to the club and it would seem that he is not about to give up his principles in pursuit of silverware. Youthful exuberence remains the order of the day but, at the highest level, Arsenal remain too reliant on the fitness of Robin van Persie and Andrei Arshavin up front and too easy to play against at the back as demonstrated last season when Wigan recovered from 2-0 down to win 3-2. On a more positive note, Cesc Fabregas pulled the strings in midfield wonderfully but a question hangs over his commitment after further overtures from Barcelona this summer.
ASTON VILLA
The Villains - Villa Park, Trinity Road, Birmingham, B6 6HE. Capacity 42,789
Last season: 6th, FA Cup Semi finals, League Cup Runners-up, Europa League Playoff round
Last major trophy: League Cup 1996
Manager: Kevin MacDonald (caretaker since August 2010)
Players In: None
Players Out: Nicky Shorey, David Bevan, Jack Dyer, Stephen O'Halloran, Marlon Harewood, Wilfred Bouma, Andy Marshall
Pre-season form: Villa had a mixed pre-season as early wins at Peterborough United (3-2) and Walsall (2-1) sandwiched a 2-1 loss in Ireland to Bohemians. Villa then took part in the Guadiana Trophy in Portugal, beating Feyenoord 3-1 but losing heavily to Benfica (1-4). Pre-season was completed with a 0-0 draw in a home match against Valencia.
Prediction: 9th
Aston Villa's season took a massive hit just days before the start as Martin O'Neill announced his shock resignation after four years in charge. O'Neill has rarely seemed comfortable with his position at Villa Park and has signed constant rolling one-year contracts but his departure still stunned the claret-and-blue half of the second city. It completed a miserable summer for Villa fans who face a horrible feeling of deja vu as Manchester City pursue their best midfielder. Last season, Gareth Barry made the move to Eastlands and James Milner looks certain to follow. The arrival of Stephen Ireland as part of the deal would soften the blow but he would be the only incoming transfer of a troubled summer. Perhaps American owner Randy Lerner's reluctance to throw any more money O'Neill's way was the reason for the Ulsterman's departure. But O'Neill has little grounds for complaint having wasted a ridiculous amount on the likes of Nicky Shorey and Steve Sidwell. Whatever the case is, the timing of O'Neill's decision has put Villa on the back foot at the start of the season. Fortunately for them, there is still enough quality in the squad to ensure a respectable placing.
BIRMINGHAM CITY
The Blues - St Andrew's, St Andrew's Road, Birmingham, B9 4NH. Capacity 30,079
Last season: 9th, FA Cup Quarter finals, League Cup 3rd round
Last major trophy: League Cup 1963
Manager: Alex McLeish (since November 2007)
Players In: Ben Foster, Nikola Zigic, Enric Valles
Players Out: Christian Benitez, Lee Carsley, Gary McSheffrey, Franck Queudrue, Artur Krysiak, Gregory Vignal, Jared Wilson, Jacob Rowe, Shaun Timmins
Out on loan: Jake Jervis, Robin Shroot, Colin Doyle
Pre-season form: Clearly as a result of Hong Kong businessman Carsten Yeung's ownership, Birmingham began their preparations by touring China. The tour went well with consecutive wins over a Hong Kong XI (3-2), Beijing Guoan (1-0) and Liaoning Whowin (2-0). Back in England, Birmingham beat Derby County 2-1 and MK Dons 3-2 before a 1-0 loss to Real Mallorca in their only home match.
Prediction: 12th
The longest unbeaten run in the Premier League last season did not belong to Chelsea or Manchester United, or even Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur or Manchester City. No, last season's most consecutive Premier League matches without defeat was achieved by Birmingham City who hauled themselves away from the bottom into contention for the Europa League by winning seven matches and drawing five either side of Christmas with Lee Bowyer, in particular, enjoying a purple patch. The Blues lost just twice at home in the league all the way through 2009-10 although, painfully, one of those defeats was early in the season to Aston Villa who went on to achieve a 'double' at Villa Park. Manager Alex McLeish deserves much credit for making Birmingham so difficult to beat - indeed, every single one of Birmingham's 13 Premier League wins last season were by a single goal. These are exciting times at St Andrew's but, as the Blues playing within such tight margins, the fates suggest that it will be difficult for them to maintain a top-half position.
BLACKBURN ROVERS
Rovers - Ewood Park, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 4JF. Capacity 31,154
Last season: 10th, FA Cup 3rd round, League Cup Semi finals
Last major trophy: League Cup 2002
Manager: Sam Allardyce (since December 2008)
Players In: Hugo Fernandez, Mame Biram Diouf
Players Out: Michael Hall, Andrew Howarth, Marcus Marshall, Steven Reid, Jordan Bowen, Josh Swann
Pre-season form: Rovers had the busiest friendly programme of all the Premier League teams, playing no fewer than nine matches - and so it is perhaps no surprise that not all of them were a success. A 0-0 draw with Austrians Sturm Graz was followed by a 2-0 win over non-league Fleetwood Town before poor defeats without scoring at Preston North End (0-3) and Huddersfield Town (0-1). Rovers' struggles continued on their tour of Australia as they were beaten 2-1 in consecutive matches by Rangers and AEK Athens in the Sydney Festival of Football. Rovers restored pride with a 2-1 win over the hosts before a trip to Scotland garnered a 1-1 draw against Hearts and a 2-1 win over Celtic.
Prediction: 8th
In his first full season in charge, Sam Allardyce restored Blackburn Rovers' reputation as a solid mid-table team with a 10th-place finish. This was seen as a respectable recovery, coming a year after flirting with relegation during the seven-month dalliance with Paul Ince. Indeed, Rovers fans had a highly enjoyable season - they did the double over relegated local rivals Burnley, reached the semi final of the League Cup and remained unbeaten at home against the 'Big Four'. Allardyce was also restoring his own reputation after a torturous eight-month spell at Newcastle, and the aim must now be the push on into the top half - though just sorting out the away form would be a start. Rovers won just once outside Lancashire last season (at West Ham) with two of their three away wins coming at Bolton Wanderers and Burnley.
BLACKPOOL
The Seasiders - Bloomfield Road, Seasiders Way, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY1 6JJ. Capacity 17,625
Last season: 6th (promoted from Championship via playoffs), FA Cup 3rd round, League Cup 3rd round
Last major trophy: FA Cup 1953
Manager: Ian Holloway (since May 2009)
Players In: Dekel Keinan, Craig Cathcart, Elliot Grandin, Ludovic Sylvestre, Marlon Harewood, Malaury Martin
Players Out: Al Bangura, Hameur Bouazza, Ben Burgess, Daniel Nardiello, Joe Martin, Danny Mitchley, Stephen McPhee
Pre-season form: Much like everything else that seems to have happened this summer, the Seasiders' friendly form began well on a tour of the South West before petering out. A 2-0 win over Tiverton Town was followed by further victories over Accrington Stanley (2-1) and Havant & Waterlooville (3-2) as Blackpool lifted the Joma South West Challenge cup. However, results then took a turn for the worst with three consecutive defeats - away at Crewe Alexandra (0-1), Bristol City (also 0-1) and at home against Hibernian (1-2).
Prediction: 20th
The gulf between the Premier League and the Championship means it is customary to predict that the playoff winners face immediate relegation but Blackpool's preparations for the new season will have done little to defy the critics. Since their big day out at Wembley and that 3-2 win over Cardiff, the Seasiders have struggled to attract many players to Bloomfield Road. Chairman Karl Oyston even offered to leave the club if it was thought their wage structure was too harsh. By contrast, manager Ian Holloway released a statement confirming that he was staying despite the transfer problems, and he has been rewarded with a flurry of recent activity including the arrival of Marlon Harewood up front. But, while the likes of Hull City, Wigan Athletic and Bradford City all stayed up in their first season against the odds, the men in tangerine are an even weaker squad. 'Pool fans will have to brace themselves for a real tough nine months ahead - simply avoiding embarrassment with some decent home form is the first aim.
BOLTON WANDERERS
The Trotters - Reebok Stadium, Burnden Way, Lostock, Bolton, BL6 6JW. Capacity 28,101 Last season: 14th, FA Cup 5th round, League Cup 4th round
Last major trophy: FA Cup 1958
Manager: Owen Coyle (since January 2010)
Players In: Marco Alonso, Robbie Blake, Ivan Klasnic, Martin Petrov
Players Out: Zoltan Harsanyi, Nicky Hunt, Ricardo Vaz Te
Out on loan: Ali Al-Habsi
Pre-season form: Bolton Wanderers warmed up for the season with a successful trip to North America, recording wins over Charlotte Eagles (3-0) and Charlestone Battery (2-0) before a 1-1 draw against FC Toronto which the Trotters won on penalties. Bolton struggled to match those results back home with a 1-1 draw at Rochdale, a 3-0 loss to Oldham Athletic and a 0-0 stalemate at Falkirk. But Coyle's men ended the summer on a positive note with two 2-0 wins - away at St Johnstone and at home against Osasuna.
Prediction: 14th
Owen Coyle could declare last season's mission as successful after he kept Bolton Wanderers up having taken over them when they were in the bottom three. The next phase of the plan is always rather more difficult and, oddly, it almost feels as if the Trotters are having to re-establish themselves in the elite despite them celebrating a 10th consecutive seasons of top-flight football. That is their longest run since the mid-1960s, and it means Bolton have the unwelcome record for being the club with the most seasons in the top flight without a single league championship. Back to the present and the signing of Martin Petrov is a clever piece of business. Indeed, Coyle's men should endure a less stressful season but it seems unlikely that the Trotters will race up the league with what is ostensibly much the same squad as last year.
CHELSEA
The Blues - Stamford Bridge, Fulham Road, London, SW6 1HS. Capacity 42,449
Last season: Champions, FA Cup Winners, League Cup Quarter finals, Champions League Last 16
Last major trophy: Premier League 2009-10 and FA Cup 2010
Manager: Carlo Ancelotti (since June 2009)
Players In: Ramires, Yossi Benayoun, Matej Delac, Tomas Kalac
Players Out: Miroslav Stoch, Scott Sinclair, Deco, Michael Ballack, Juliano Belletti, Joe Cole, Jeffrey Ntuka, Seth Nana Ofori-Twumasi, Liam Bridcutt
Out on loan: Tomas Kalac, Ryan Bertrand, Rhys Taylor, Ben Gordon, Danny Philliskirk
Pre-season form: Chelsea beat Crystal Palace 3-0 in their first pre-season match but that win at Selhurst Park proved to be the last of a troubled summer on the field for the Blues. A 3-1 loss to Ajax Amsterdam in the Netherlands was followed sharply by two more defeats, both 2-1, in Germany against Eintracht Frankfurt and Hamburg. A 3-1 lost to Manchester United in the Community Shield at Wembley prompted Carlo Ancelotti to admit his team were not yet at their peak.
Prediction: 2nd
Rarely has a league title win been as emphatic as Chelsea's 2009-10 season. The Blues were simply imperious at Stamford Bridge, scoring seven goals three times and then beating Wigan Athletic 8-0 on the final day to seal a fourth league championship. Vitally, Carlo Ancelotti's men also did the double over Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool and yet, despite all the wins and the much greater goal power, Chelsea just could not shake United from their tail. That is more a credit to Sir Alex Ferguson's men than a criticism of Chelsea but, with United currently level-pegging with Liverpool on 18 championship wins, they will no doubt take advantage of any slip-ups at Stamford Bridge in what is set to be another fascinating title chase.
EVERTON
The Toffees - Goodison Park, Goodison Road, Liverpool, L4 4EL. Capacity 40,157
Last season: 8th, FA Cup 4th round, League Cup 4th round, Europa League Last 32
Last major trophy: FA Cup 1995
Manager: David Moyes (since March 2002)
Players In: Magaye Gueye, Joao Silva, Jermaine Beckford, Jan Mucha
Players Out: Lukas Jutkiewicz, John Ruddy, Dan Gosling, Anton Peterlin, Carlo Nash
Pre-season form: Everton travelled Down Under for a three match series in Australia, all of which were won. The Toffees beat Sydney FC 1-0, Melbourne Heart 2-0 and Brisbane Roar 2-1 to complete a successful tour. The goals flowed even more back in England with comfortable wins at Preston North End (3-0) and Norwich City (4-2) before a 2-0 home win over their Chilean namesakes Everton de Vina. The Premier League Everton completed their pre-season programme with a 2-0 loss against Steve McClaren's Wolfsburg in Germany.
Prediction: 6th
Everton hit the form of a Champions League contender in the second half of last season but the Toffees had come unstuck with so many injuries in the first part of the campaign that the damage had already been done. In the end, David Moyes' men fell just short of a Europa League spot but the lack of extra midweek matches will surely aid a season-long pursuit of the top clubs in the current campaign. With the return to full fitness of midfielders Mikel Arteta, Tim Cahill and Russian Diniyar Bilayetdinov, Everton have no excuses for a poor start this time and there should be no shortage of support for the strikers. But a reliance on the fitness of Louis Saha up front remains a concern and perhaps explains the gamble on Jermaine Beckford. And, while there are few concerns with the defence and midfield, goals from the strikers will be the difference between Everton mounting a genuine assault on the top four or spending a frustrating season just outside of it.
FULHAM
The Cottagers - Craven Cottage, Stevenage Road, London, SW6 6HH. Capacity 25,700
Last season: 12th, FA Cup Quarter finals, League Cup 3rd round, Europa League Runners-up
Last major trophy: None
Manager: Mark Hughes (since July 2010)
Players In: Jonathan Greening, Philippe Senderos
Players Out: Chris Smalling, Chris Buchtmann, Wayne Brown, Erik Nevland, Elliot Omozusi, Stefan Payne, Luca Moscatiello, Gyan Osei King, Michael Uwesu, Andranik Teymourian
Pre-season form: Fulham started and finished their pre-seasons with two big wins - hammering Brentford 5-0 away and Werder Bremen 5-1 at home. In between, there was a 1-1 draw with Bournemouth before a tour of Sweden also ended in two draws - against Halmstads (2-2) and Malmo (0-0). Fulham were also the guests for the testimonial match of Portsmouth's Linvoy Primus which Pompey won 1-0.
Prediction: 11th
New manager Mark Hughes has set Fulham the target of a top-half finish in his first season. In many ways, the Cottagers were victims of their own success in losing Roy Hodgson who guided them to eighth place in 2008-09 and the Europa Cup Final last season. Perhaps seeking one last try in the big time, Hodgson left for Liverpool, and Fulham were in a state of flux. The search for a new manager did not start well when first choice Martin Jol opted to stay at Ajax but within a week Hughes was appointed. Defender Chris Smalling has moved to Manchester United for £10m but there were few changes to a squad which should find Hughes' aim within its reach especially if Bobby Zamora retains his confidence in front of goal.
LIVERPOOL
The Reds - Anfield, Anfield Road, Liverpool, L4 0TH. Capacity 45,276
Last season: 7th, FA Cup 3rd round, League Cup 4th round, Champions League Group stage, Europa League Semi finals
Last major trophy: FA Cup 2006
Manager: Roy Hodgson (since July 2010)
Players In: Christian Poulsen, Danny Wilson, Jonjo Shelvey, Joe Cole, Milan Jovanovic
Players Out: Yossi Benayoun, Albert Riera, Mikel San Jose, James Ellison, David Martin, Ray Putterill, Robbie Threlfall, Francisco Manuel Duran, Christopher Oldfield
Out on loan: Philipp Degen
Pre-season form: Liverpool saved their best form for the matches which counted, winning 2-0 home and away in the Champions League qualifier against Slovenians Rabotnicki Skopje for a 4-0 aggregate win. In their non-competitive games, the Reds were unimposing to say the least, failing to score in a 0-0 draw with Grasshopper Zurich and in the 1-0 defeats to German sides Kaiserslautern and Borussia Moenchengladbach.
Prediction: 5th
The signs of another revolution hang in the air at Anfield after Roy Hodgson displaced Rafa Benitez in a dramatic summer on Merseyside. But, while most revolutions begin with a raft sweeping changes, Hodgson has had to rely on the status quo being maintained before making any impression. The decisions of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres to stay have at least given Hodgson a base from which to work. Joe Cole is also a canny signing from Chelsea on a free transfer but the Reds still have far too much dead wood in their squad and they remain as reliant as ever on the fitness of Gerrard and Torres. Off the field concerns about the club's ownership continue to cast a shadow upon matters on it. Only when this is resolved will Hodgson be able to prove his worth though he will surely improve on last season's record which included 19 defeats in all competitions, 11 in the league.
MANCHESTER CITY
The Blues - City of Manchester Stadium, SportCity, Manchester, M11 3FF. Capacity 47,405 Last season: 5th, FA Cup 5th round, League Cup Semi finals
Last major trophy: League Cup 1976
Manager: Roberto Mancini (since December 2009)
Players In: Yaya Toure, David Silva, Aleksandar Kolarov, Jerome Boateng, Alex Henshall, Albert Rusnak
Players Out: Javier Garrido, Valeri Bojinov, Robert Mak, Paul Marshall, Filip Mentel, Andrew Mitchell, Martin Petrov, Jack Redshaw, Tobias Johansen, Karl Moore, Benjani Mwaruwari, Sylvinho
Out on loan: Nedum Onuoha, Ryan McGivern, Gunnar Nielsen, David Ball, Kieran Trippier, Andrew Tutte, Adam Clayton
Pre-season form: City were one of several teams to choose to go to North America in the off-season but, in terms of results, the tour could hardly be put down as a success. After an early 3-0 win over Portland Timbers, City then lost both their matches in the New York Football Challenge to Sporting Lisbon (0-2) and the hosts New York Red Bulls (1-2). There followed a 1-1 draw with Mexican side Club America before a 3-0 loss to European champions Internazionale. Things were little better in Germany where City fell to a 3-1 defeat to Borussia Dortmund before a relieving 2-0 home win over Valencia.
Prediction: 3rd
Throwing enough money at something in a free-market will usually pay dividends eventually - or at least Manchester City hope this will be the case having splurged almost another £80m already this summer. That amount does not even include the reported £30m which will be spent on bringing bit-part England player James Milner to Eastlands. The Milner signing, assuming it goes ahead, is a clear example of the unfathomable approach to the transfer market by City. Instead of chasing yet another attacking midfielder, Roberto Mancini could do with signing some defensive cover as this was easily City's weakest area last season with 45 league goals conceded. Of course, Yaya Toure's £28m transfer from Barcelona will offer some protection in front of the defence but the backline itself still needs some work. However, it is not as if City have not got the money to sort this out and, as long as they do, Mancini's men should improve on last season's galling, Champions League-missing 5th place.
MANCHESTER UNITED
The Red Devils - Old Trafford, Sir Matt Busby Way, Manchester, M16 0RA. Capacity 75,797
Last season: 2nd, FA Cup 3rd round, League Cup Winners, Champions League Quarter finals
Last major trophy: League Cup 2010
Manager: Sir Alex Ferguson (since November 1986)
Players In: Chris Smalling, Bebe, Javier Hernandez, Marnick Vermijl
Players Out: Ben Foster, Craig Cathcart, Zoran Tosic, David Gray, Tom Heaton, Ron-Robert Zieler, Fabian Brandy, Sam Hewson, Scott Moffatt
Out on loan: Mame Biram Diouf, Daniel Drinkwater, Matthew James, James Chester, Josh King, Cameron Stewart
Pre-season form: United were another of the clubs to head to North America but the Red Devils had a generally more successful time on the pitch than their City neighbours. A 3-1 win over Celtic in Toronto was followed by a 1-0 win against Philadelphia Union. There was room for a shock 2-1 defeat against Kansas City Wizards but United responded by beating a MLS All-Stars team 5-2. Another defeat, this time 3-2, came against Mexicans Guadalaraja in a match played as part of the Javier Hernandez deal before Sir Alex Ferguson's men returned to British shores to open up the Aviva Stadium at Landsdowne Road in Dublin with a 7-1 thrashing of a League of Ireland team. Finally, United collected the 2010-11 season's first piece of domestic silverware with a comfortable 3-1 win over Chelsea in the Community Shield at Wembley.
Prediction: Champions
When Sir Alex Ferguson took over Manchester United almost 24 years ago, the club had not won the league championship for 18 years. Indeed, in that time, the Red Devils had even made a brief visit to the old Second Division and they stood on a total of seven championships. Their total was dwarfed by Liverpool's achievement of 18 titles. And, although it took Ferguson six years to win his first crown, his stated aim has always been to overhaul the Reds' record. Now, having built and re-built a series of teams, the Red Devils and the Reds are level on 18-a-piece, just as they were at the start of last season when Chelsea proved too strong. But, this season, the signing of Javier Hernandez has added more fizz to the attack while the likes of Nani and Anderson are another year older and wiser. With Liverpool still in transition, United seem unlikely to pass up the chance to take a 19-18 lead sooner rather than later.
NEWCASTLE UNITED
The Magpies - St James Park, Barrack Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4ST. Capacity 52,387
Last season: 1st (promoted from the Championship), FA Cup 4th round, League Cup 3rd round
Last major trophy: UEFA (Fairs) Cup 1969
Manager: Chris Hughton (since June 2009)
Players In: James Perch, Sol Campbell, Dan Gosling
Players Out: Jonny Godsmark, Max Johnson, Michael McCrudden, Nicky Butt, Frank Danquah, Darren Lough, Wesley Ngo-Baheng, Callum Morris, Fabrice Pancrate
Pre-season form: Newcastle's patchy summer form began well enough with a 3-0 win at Carlisle United but that win in Cumbria was followed by a 2-1 defeat Norwich City on the following weekend. Two draws then followed - the first was an entertaining 2-2 at home to PSV on the first anniversary of the death of Sir Bobby Robson. The second match was a 0-0 stalemate in Spain against Deportivo La Coruna, although Newcastle beat their hosts 5-3 on penalties to take home the Teresa Herrara Cup, a trophy which makes up for its lack of importance with its actual size. A 2-1 defeat in Glasgow in Rangers left Newcastle with a record of won one, drawn two, lost two in their five games.
Prediction: 16th
Newcastle United are back after a one-season absence but Chris Hughton's men look unlikely to take the top-flight by storm with this worryingly thin squad. Despite a runaway Championship title success, United are lightweight up front and there is a huge burden on new No9 striker Andy Carroll to provide a consistent source goals to ensure survival as no one else looks capable. A slow central midfield and an error-prone defence also point to this being a long season at St James Park but there are reasons to be cheerful. Hughton seems to have engendered the best team spirit in years as Newcastle recovered from a humiliating 6-1 pre-season loss at Leyton Orient last season to remain unbeaten at home and win the league with six games to spare. Wingers Wayne Routledge and Jonas Gutierrez will give the Magpies chances on the break, while Newcastle's traditional problem position of centre-back might just be solved by a Sol Campbell-Fabricio Coloccini partnership. Indeed, that pairing could be the difference between survival and another painful relegation - the United defence will have to grind out some narrow results for Newcastle to have any chance.
STOKE CITY
The Potters - Britannia Stadium, Stanley Matthews Way, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 4EG. Capacity 27,740
Last season: 11th, FA Cup Quarter finals, League Cup 4th round
Last major trophy: League Cup 1972
Manager: Tony Pulis (since June 2006)
Players In: Kenwyne Jones, Florent Cuvelier, Carlo Nash
Players Out: Andy Griffin, Rod McDonald, Steve Simonsen, Nathaniel Wedderburn, Amdy Faye
Out on loan: Diego Arismendi, Ibrahima Sonko, Louis Moult
Pre-season form: Stoke City began the summer with a 1-0 loss to Turkish team Bursaspor, played while they were at their training camp in Austria. A return to England resulted in some success with a 2-1 win over Nantwich Town and a 0-0 draw with Notts County as the Potters fielded two separate teams on the same day. A 6-0 win over Newcastle Town was followed by a 1-0 defeat against Derby County but Stoke did rather better against another Championship team, Burnley, winning 2-1. A busy schedule was completed with a 2-1 win over Bristol Rovers and a 0-0 draw at Wrexham.
Prediction: 10th
Stoke City never looked in danger of falling foul to so-called second season syndrome as they easily secured a third successive season of top-flight football. Indeed, the Potters spent much of the back end of last season threatening a first top-half finish since 1980-81 and that now has to be a genuine aim of a team good enough to avoid the relegation scrap. The pairing of Robert Huth and Ryan Shawcross at the back remains Stoke's main strength and they are effective enough to nullify City's distinct lack of goals. Stoke only scored 34 times in 38 league matches last season with just 10 on the road, the lowest of any team in the Premier League last season. But, thanks to the defence, the Potters still managed four away wins and there were also three 0-0s and four 1-1s in seven draws on the road. James Beattie may have now left for Rangers but a few goals from Ricardo Fuller and new signing Kenwyne Jones would go a long way to ensure a seemingly continuous improvement from Stoke.
SUNDERLAND
The Black Cats - Stadium of Light, Sunderland, SR5 1SU. Capacity 48,707
Last season: 13th, FA Cup 4th round, League Cup 4th round
Last major trophy: FA Cup 1973
Manager: Steve Bruce (since June 2009)
Players In: Marcos Angeleri, Simon Mignolet, Titus Bramble, John Mensah, Cristian Riveros, Ahmed Al-Muhammadi, Nedum Onuoha
Players Out: Kenwyne Jones, Lorik Cana, Daryl Murphy, Marton Fulop, Conor Hourihane, Jamie Chandler, Roy O'Donovan
Out on loan: Oumare Tounkara, Jean Yves M'voto, Nyron Nosworthy, Michael Liddle
Pre-season form: Sunderland started off their summer with a 1-0 win at Darlington before a trip to Portugal brought mixed results. First, they drew 1-1 with League One team Brighton & Hove Albion before a 4-2 beating of Hull City as Fraizer Campbell hit all four Sunderland goals. The Black Cats were brought back down to earth by a 2-0 loss to Benfica. Then, to complete an inconsisent set of results, a 2-1 win against Leicester City was followed by a 3-1 defeat in Germany to Hoffenheim.
Prediction: 13th
Sunderland's record signing Darren Bent was worth his weight in goals after he scored 24 times in the league in his first season at the Stadium of Light. Without the £10m man, the Black Cats would have struggled badly - indeed they still managed to go almost four months without a league win between November and March. But a good start to the season and a decent end ensured Sunderland would finish in lower mid-table and they recorded more than 40 points for only the third time in nine Premier League seasons. Bent scored exactly half of the club's league goals last term but, with Danny Welbeck now signed from Manchester United, this is far from the Wearsiders' most pressing problem. The defence remains suspect and it is hard to see how the unnerving presence of Titus Bramble will greatly improve it. Meanwhile, Craig Gordon broke his arm in pre-season training and Martin Fulop has signed for Ipswich leaving Bruce scrambling for an experienced goalkeeper. All in all, it could be another frustrating season for the Black Cats' fans.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Spurs - White Hart Lane, Bill Nicholson Way, 748 High Road, Tottenham, London, N17 0AP. Capacity 36,230
Last season: 4th, FA Cup Semi finals, League Cup Quarter finals
Last major trophy: League Cup 2008
Manager: Harry Redknapp (since October 2008)
Players In: Sandro Raniere
Players Out: Adel Taarabt, Lee Butcher, Sam Cox, Dorian Dervite, Jimmy Walker
Out on loan: John Bostock, David Button, Oscar Jansson
Pre-season form: Harry Redknapp bemoaned a pre-season schedule which saw Spurs play in Bournemouth, the United States, Portugal and at home twice. Spurs beat Bournemouth 4-0 before jetting off to the USA where they drew 0-0 with San Jose Earthquakes. In the New York Football Challenge which followed, Spurs did rather better than Manchester City in their two matches, beating the hosts New York Red Bulls 2-1 and drawing 2-2 with Sporting Lisbon. Redknapp's men were brought crashing back to earth with a 4-1 home defeat against Villarreal before there were two wins, away against Benfica (1-0) and at home to Fiorentina (3-2).
Prediction: 7th
After years and years of trying, Tottenham Hotspur finally reached the promised land of the top four. The 2009-10 season was Spurs' first appearance in the top four since 1989-90 and, provided they overcome Young Boys Berne in the qualifier, they will contest the European Cup for the first time since 1961-62. These are exciting times to be a Tottenham fan and Harry Redknapp has developed a stylish side capable of tearing apart opponents at will. Spurs even seemed to have overcome a mental block after beating Arsenal and Chelsea for the first time in years in consecutive matches at the back end of the season. Then, they went on to beat Manchester City in what was effectively a playoff for fourth place. But City have splashed the cash again this summer and Liverpool will surely not play as badly again. With so many matches for an admittedly impressive squad, Spurs may find that staying in the top four was even harder than getting there in the first place.
WEST BROMWICH ALBION
The Baggies - The Hawthorns, West Bromwich, B71 4LF. Capacity 26,484
Last season: 2nd (promoted from the Championship), FA Cup 5th round, League Cup 3rd round
Last major trophy: FA Cup 1968
Manager: Roberto di Matteo (since June 2009)
Players In: Nicky Shorey, Boaz Myhill, Gabriel Tamas, Pablo Ibanez, Stephen Reid
Players Out: Jonathan Greening, Joss Labadie, Filipe Texeira, Robert Koren, Andwele Slory
Out on loan: Luke Daniels, Marcus Haber, Borja Valero
Pre-season form: There was no clear pattern from West Brom's pre-season results with three wins, two draws and two defeats from seven matches. The Baggies kicked off with two wins, 3-0 at Kidderminster Harriers and 2-1 in Holland against VVV Venlo. Then, two 1-0 defeats to Crewe Alexandra and Doncaster Rovers sandwiched a win by the same score over Bristol Rovers. Finally, there were two 1-1 draws - away at Coventry City and at home against Osasuna.
Prediction: 18th
West Bromwich Albion boinged back into the Premier League with a fourth promotion in nine years. The Baggies are the very definition of a yo-yo club and, without further investment in the quality of the squad, that trend looks set to continue. At least manager Roberto di Matteo retained the services of the impressive Graham Dorrans after interest from West Ham United. But di Matteo has not seemed to realise that it is usually a lack of goals from the strikers which lets down the Baggies again and again as none of the summer signings looks to have rectified this. West Brom were regarded as playing too prettily to survive in their last attempt under Tony Mowbray. However, di Matteo has instilled an uncompromising attitude in his players which allowed them to see off the challenge of Nottingham Forest for the second automatic spot last season. But, ultimately, a failure to find more goals will mean the Baggies are fighting yet another losing battle for top flight survival.
WEST HAM UNITED
The Hammers - Boleyn Ground, Green Street, Upton Park, London, E13 9AZ. Capacity 35,303 Last season: 17th, FA Cup 3rd round, League Cup 3rd round
Last major trophy: FA Cup 1980
Manager: Avram Grant (since June 2010)
Players In: Pablo Barrera, Winston Reid, Frederic Piquionne, Thomas Hitzlsperger, Tal Ben Haim
Players Out: Bondz N'Gala, Josh Payne, Guillermo Franco, Ilan Out on loan: Matt Fry
Pre-season form: West Ham went through their summer matches unbeaten, starting with a 2-1 win over Peterborough United. This was followed by a tour of Germany which featured a 2-0 win over Borussia Moenchengladbach and a 1-0 win over Greek side Panathinaikos. Back in England, the wins kept coming with successes against MK Dons (2-0) and Ipswich Town (1-0) before a 1-1 draw with Southend United. The Hammers finished their summer programme with another draw, 0-0 at home against Deportivo La Coruna - though, like Newcastle, they also beat the Spaniards 5-3 in a penalty shoot-out.
Prediction: 15th
Gianfranco Zola inevitably paid the price for West Ham United's woeful 2009-10 season in which they stayed up only because of the sheer awfulness of the bottom three. The Hammers earned just 35 points during the last campaign which was played out against the backdrop of an estimated £90m of debt. The money problems remain but former Chelsea and Portsmouth boss Avram Grant seems a more able candidate to deal with the situation. Indeed, after his troubleshooting at Pompey, this should seem to him like a walk in the park. Over the summer, Grant has brought Frederic Piquionne with him from Fratton Park but the striker's inconsistency is bound to annoy the Boleyn Ground regulars. Instead, Grant - who perhaps deserves a little luck after last season - will hope Carlton Cole retains his fitness this year.
WIGAN ATHLETIC
The Latics - DW Stadium, Loire Drive, Robin Park, Wigan, WN5 0UH. Capacity 25,133
Last season: 16th, FA Cup 4th round, League Cup 2nd round
Last major trophy: None
Manager: Roberto Martinez (since June 2009)
Players In: Mauro Boselli, Ronnie Stam, James McArthur, Antolin Alcaraz, Ali Al-Habsi
Players Out: Titus Bramble, Tomasz Cywka, Tomasz Kupisz, Mario Melchiot, Rachid Bouaouzan, Olivier Kapo, Richard Kingson, Nicolas Meace, Paul Scharner
Out on loan: Antonio Amaya, Jason Koumas, Jonathan Routledge
Pre-season form: Wigan began their preparations in Sweden with a 3-2 win over Ostersunds FK before returning to Lancashire for a 1-1 draw at Oldham Athletic. This was followed by further trips to Slovenia, where Wigan beat hosts Rudar Velenje 4-1, and Turkey where a 0-0 draw with Genclerbirligi was played out. The Latics' only home match of pre-season finished 3-1 to Real Zaragoza but then Martinez's men won their final friendly of the summer at Dundee United by the same score.
Prediction: 19th
Wigan Athletic begin a remarkable sixth consecutive Premier League campaign but there are real fears that run will end with relegation next May. A worrying 79 goals ended in the Wigan Athletic net last season, including 17 in two visits to London as the Latics lost 9-1 to Tottenham Hotspur and 8-0 to Chelsea. A repeat of that performance will give Roberto Martinez's men no chance to survive as the bottom three are unlikely to be as weak this time around. The loss of Titus Bramble to Sunderland hardly helps the situation at the back although the Latics are still capable of pulling off extraordinary results with the likes of Hugo Rodellega up front. But Charles N'Zogbia looks set to be next out of the door and he is an attacking talent which Martinez can ill-afford to lose if he is to cover up the horribly leaky defence.
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS
Wolves - Molineux, Waterloo Road, Wolverhampton, WV1 4QR. Capacity 29,195
Last season: 15th, FA Cup 4th round, League Cup 3rd round
Last major trophy: League Cup 1980
Manager: Mick McCarthy (since July 2006)
Players In: Stephen Fletcher, Stephen Hunt, Steven Mouyokolo, Jelle van Damme, Adlene Guedioura, Geoffrey Mujangi Bia
Players Out: Andrew Surman, Chris Iwelumo, Jason Shackell, Kyle Bennett, Daniel Jones, George Friend, Mark Little
Out on loan: Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, Sam Vokes
Pre-season form: Wolves began their summer preparations with three successive wins - 3-0 against Bohemians in Ireland, 4-0 at Walsall and 2-1 in Belgium against RSC Charleroi. After returning from the trip, McCarthy's men fell out of form, losing two consecutive games to Championship clubs - Reading (1-2) and Leeds United (1-3). A 2-0 away win against Hearts was indeed heartening, as was a 2-1 win over Real Zaragoza at the only summer match at Molineux.
Prediction: 17th
Manager Mick McCarthy opted for a pragmatic approach to survival last season - and it worked. This season, Wolverhampton Wanderers will contest consecutive campaigns of top flight football for the first time since 1981-82. McCarthy fell foul of the Premier League rules when he sent a supposedly weakened team to Old Trafford in December. Wolves lost 3-0 to Manchester United and, rather ridiculously, were fined as the Premier League set a dangerous precedent of interfering with team selection. The decision riled McCarthy but he could feel vindicated after Wolves then beat Burnley in the next match to set up a second half of the season in which the Old Gold comfortably reached safety. However, Wolves still only managed a point per game and they scored just 32 goals all season in the league. McCarthy hopes the £6.5m signing of Steven Fletcher from Burnley will ease Kevin Doyle's workload but another goal drought could lead to a tougher dogfight this term.
The Gunners - Emirates Stadium, Ashburton Road, Islington, London, N5 1BU. Capacity 60,361
Last season: 3rd, FA Cup 4th round, League Cup Quarter finals, Champions League Quarter finals
Last major trophy: FA Cup 2005
Manager: Arsene Wenger (since October 1996)
Players In: Marouane Chamakh, Laurent Koscielny, Kyle Ebecillo, Phil Roberts
Players Out: Eduardo, Luke Ayling, Sol Campbell, Fran Merida, Philippe Senderos, Alie Sesay, Sam Byles, James Dunn, Kerrera Gilbert, William Gallas, Rhema Obed, Mikael Silvestre
Out on loan: Kyle Bartley, Pedro Botelho, Francis Coquelin, Sanchez Watt, Luke Freeman
Pre-season form: The Gunners began their pre-season with a 4-0 win at Barnet before further comfortable wins on their annual tour of Austria against Sturm Graz (3-0) and Neusiedl 1919 (4-0). Wenger's men then won the Emirates Cup at home after a 1-1 draw over AC Milan and a 3-2 win over Celtic before completing their summer programme with an extraordinary 6-5 win in Poland against Legia Warsaw.
Prediction: 4th
Arsenal enter the season aiming to end a trophy drought which has extended to five seasons after another blank in the last campaign. But, despite their last trophy being the FA Cup in 2005, manager Arsene Wenger remains committed to the club and it would seem that he is not about to give up his principles in pursuit of silverware. Youthful exuberence remains the order of the day but, at the highest level, Arsenal remain too reliant on the fitness of Robin van Persie and Andrei Arshavin up front and too easy to play against at the back as demonstrated last season when Wigan recovered from 2-0 down to win 3-2. On a more positive note, Cesc Fabregas pulled the strings in midfield wonderfully but a question hangs over his commitment after further overtures from Barcelona this summer.
ASTON VILLA
The Villains - Villa Park, Trinity Road, Birmingham, B6 6HE. Capacity 42,789
Last season: 6th, FA Cup Semi finals, League Cup Runners-up, Europa League Playoff round
Last major trophy: League Cup 1996
Manager: Kevin MacDonald (caretaker since August 2010)
Players In: None
Players Out: Nicky Shorey, David Bevan, Jack Dyer, Stephen O'Halloran, Marlon Harewood, Wilfred Bouma, Andy Marshall
Pre-season form: Villa had a mixed pre-season as early wins at Peterborough United (3-2) and Walsall (2-1) sandwiched a 2-1 loss in Ireland to Bohemians. Villa then took part in the Guadiana Trophy in Portugal, beating Feyenoord 3-1 but losing heavily to Benfica (1-4). Pre-season was completed with a 0-0 draw in a home match against Valencia.
Prediction: 9th
Aston Villa's season took a massive hit just days before the start as Martin O'Neill announced his shock resignation after four years in charge. O'Neill has rarely seemed comfortable with his position at Villa Park and has signed constant rolling one-year contracts but his departure still stunned the claret-and-blue half of the second city. It completed a miserable summer for Villa fans who face a horrible feeling of deja vu as Manchester City pursue their best midfielder. Last season, Gareth Barry made the move to Eastlands and James Milner looks certain to follow. The arrival of Stephen Ireland as part of the deal would soften the blow but he would be the only incoming transfer of a troubled summer. Perhaps American owner Randy Lerner's reluctance to throw any more money O'Neill's way was the reason for the Ulsterman's departure. But O'Neill has little grounds for complaint having wasted a ridiculous amount on the likes of Nicky Shorey and Steve Sidwell. Whatever the case is, the timing of O'Neill's decision has put Villa on the back foot at the start of the season. Fortunately for them, there is still enough quality in the squad to ensure a respectable placing.
BIRMINGHAM CITY
The Blues - St Andrew's, St Andrew's Road, Birmingham, B9 4NH. Capacity 30,079
Last season: 9th, FA Cup Quarter finals, League Cup 3rd round
Last major trophy: League Cup 1963
Manager: Alex McLeish (since November 2007)
Players In: Ben Foster, Nikola Zigic, Enric Valles
Players Out: Christian Benitez, Lee Carsley, Gary McSheffrey, Franck Queudrue, Artur Krysiak, Gregory Vignal, Jared Wilson, Jacob Rowe, Shaun Timmins
Out on loan: Jake Jervis, Robin Shroot, Colin Doyle
Pre-season form: Clearly as a result of Hong Kong businessman Carsten Yeung's ownership, Birmingham began their preparations by touring China. The tour went well with consecutive wins over a Hong Kong XI (3-2), Beijing Guoan (1-0) and Liaoning Whowin (2-0). Back in England, Birmingham beat Derby County 2-1 and MK Dons 3-2 before a 1-0 loss to Real Mallorca in their only home match.
Prediction: 12th
The longest unbeaten run in the Premier League last season did not belong to Chelsea or Manchester United, or even Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur or Manchester City. No, last season's most consecutive Premier League matches without defeat was achieved by Birmingham City who hauled themselves away from the bottom into contention for the Europa League by winning seven matches and drawing five either side of Christmas with Lee Bowyer, in particular, enjoying a purple patch. The Blues lost just twice at home in the league all the way through 2009-10 although, painfully, one of those defeats was early in the season to Aston Villa who went on to achieve a 'double' at Villa Park. Manager Alex McLeish deserves much credit for making Birmingham so difficult to beat - indeed, every single one of Birmingham's 13 Premier League wins last season were by a single goal. These are exciting times at St Andrew's but, as the Blues playing within such tight margins, the fates suggest that it will be difficult for them to maintain a top-half position.
BLACKBURN ROVERS
Rovers - Ewood Park, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 4JF. Capacity 31,154
Last season: 10th, FA Cup 3rd round, League Cup Semi finals
Last major trophy: League Cup 2002
Manager: Sam Allardyce (since December 2008)
Players In: Hugo Fernandez, Mame Biram Diouf
Players Out: Michael Hall, Andrew Howarth, Marcus Marshall, Steven Reid, Jordan Bowen, Josh Swann
Pre-season form: Rovers had the busiest friendly programme of all the Premier League teams, playing no fewer than nine matches - and so it is perhaps no surprise that not all of them were a success. A 0-0 draw with Austrians Sturm Graz was followed by a 2-0 win over non-league Fleetwood Town before poor defeats without scoring at Preston North End (0-3) and Huddersfield Town (0-1). Rovers' struggles continued on their tour of Australia as they were beaten 2-1 in consecutive matches by Rangers and AEK Athens in the Sydney Festival of Football. Rovers restored pride with a 2-1 win over the hosts before a trip to Scotland garnered a 1-1 draw against Hearts and a 2-1 win over Celtic.
Prediction: 8th
In his first full season in charge, Sam Allardyce restored Blackburn Rovers' reputation as a solid mid-table team with a 10th-place finish. This was seen as a respectable recovery, coming a year after flirting with relegation during the seven-month dalliance with Paul Ince. Indeed, Rovers fans had a highly enjoyable season - they did the double over relegated local rivals Burnley, reached the semi final of the League Cup and remained unbeaten at home against the 'Big Four'. Allardyce was also restoring his own reputation after a torturous eight-month spell at Newcastle, and the aim must now be the push on into the top half - though just sorting out the away form would be a start. Rovers won just once outside Lancashire last season (at West Ham) with two of their three away wins coming at Bolton Wanderers and Burnley.
BLACKPOOL
The Seasiders - Bloomfield Road, Seasiders Way, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY1 6JJ. Capacity 17,625
Last season: 6th (promoted from Championship via playoffs), FA Cup 3rd round, League Cup 3rd round
Last major trophy: FA Cup 1953
Manager: Ian Holloway (since May 2009)
Players In: Dekel Keinan, Craig Cathcart, Elliot Grandin, Ludovic Sylvestre, Marlon Harewood, Malaury Martin
Players Out: Al Bangura, Hameur Bouazza, Ben Burgess, Daniel Nardiello, Joe Martin, Danny Mitchley, Stephen McPhee
Pre-season form: Much like everything else that seems to have happened this summer, the Seasiders' friendly form began well on a tour of the South West before petering out. A 2-0 win over Tiverton Town was followed by further victories over Accrington Stanley (2-1) and Havant & Waterlooville (3-2) as Blackpool lifted the Joma South West Challenge cup. However, results then took a turn for the worst with three consecutive defeats - away at Crewe Alexandra (0-1), Bristol City (also 0-1) and at home against Hibernian (1-2).
Prediction: 20th
The gulf between the Premier League and the Championship means it is customary to predict that the playoff winners face immediate relegation but Blackpool's preparations for the new season will have done little to defy the critics. Since their big day out at Wembley and that 3-2 win over Cardiff, the Seasiders have struggled to attract many players to Bloomfield Road. Chairman Karl Oyston even offered to leave the club if it was thought their wage structure was too harsh. By contrast, manager Ian Holloway released a statement confirming that he was staying despite the transfer problems, and he has been rewarded with a flurry of recent activity including the arrival of Marlon Harewood up front. But, while the likes of Hull City, Wigan Athletic and Bradford City all stayed up in their first season against the odds, the men in tangerine are an even weaker squad. 'Pool fans will have to brace themselves for a real tough nine months ahead - simply avoiding embarrassment with some decent home form is the first aim.
BOLTON WANDERERS
The Trotters - Reebok Stadium, Burnden Way, Lostock, Bolton, BL6 6JW. Capacity 28,101 Last season: 14th, FA Cup 5th round, League Cup 4th round
Last major trophy: FA Cup 1958
Manager: Owen Coyle (since January 2010)
Players In: Marco Alonso, Robbie Blake, Ivan Klasnic, Martin Petrov
Players Out: Zoltan Harsanyi, Nicky Hunt, Ricardo Vaz Te
Out on loan: Ali Al-Habsi
Pre-season form: Bolton Wanderers warmed up for the season with a successful trip to North America, recording wins over Charlotte Eagles (3-0) and Charlestone Battery (2-0) before a 1-1 draw against FC Toronto which the Trotters won on penalties. Bolton struggled to match those results back home with a 1-1 draw at Rochdale, a 3-0 loss to Oldham Athletic and a 0-0 stalemate at Falkirk. But Coyle's men ended the summer on a positive note with two 2-0 wins - away at St Johnstone and at home against Osasuna.
Prediction: 14th
Owen Coyle could declare last season's mission as successful after he kept Bolton Wanderers up having taken over them when they were in the bottom three. The next phase of the plan is always rather more difficult and, oddly, it almost feels as if the Trotters are having to re-establish themselves in the elite despite them celebrating a 10th consecutive seasons of top-flight football. That is their longest run since the mid-1960s, and it means Bolton have the unwelcome record for being the club with the most seasons in the top flight without a single league championship. Back to the present and the signing of Martin Petrov is a clever piece of business. Indeed, Coyle's men should endure a less stressful season but it seems unlikely that the Trotters will race up the league with what is ostensibly much the same squad as last year.
CHELSEA
The Blues - Stamford Bridge, Fulham Road, London, SW6 1HS. Capacity 42,449
Last season: Champions, FA Cup Winners, League Cup Quarter finals, Champions League Last 16
Last major trophy: Premier League 2009-10 and FA Cup 2010
Manager: Carlo Ancelotti (since June 2009)
Players In: Ramires, Yossi Benayoun, Matej Delac, Tomas Kalac
Players Out: Miroslav Stoch, Scott Sinclair, Deco, Michael Ballack, Juliano Belletti, Joe Cole, Jeffrey Ntuka, Seth Nana Ofori-Twumasi, Liam Bridcutt
Out on loan: Tomas Kalac, Ryan Bertrand, Rhys Taylor, Ben Gordon, Danny Philliskirk
Pre-season form: Chelsea beat Crystal Palace 3-0 in their first pre-season match but that win at Selhurst Park proved to be the last of a troubled summer on the field for the Blues. A 3-1 loss to Ajax Amsterdam in the Netherlands was followed sharply by two more defeats, both 2-1, in Germany against Eintracht Frankfurt and Hamburg. A 3-1 lost to Manchester United in the Community Shield at Wembley prompted Carlo Ancelotti to admit his team were not yet at their peak.
Prediction: 2nd
Rarely has a league title win been as emphatic as Chelsea's 2009-10 season. The Blues were simply imperious at Stamford Bridge, scoring seven goals three times and then beating Wigan Athletic 8-0 on the final day to seal a fourth league championship. Vitally, Carlo Ancelotti's men also did the double over Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool and yet, despite all the wins and the much greater goal power, Chelsea just could not shake United from their tail. That is more a credit to Sir Alex Ferguson's men than a criticism of Chelsea but, with United currently level-pegging with Liverpool on 18 championship wins, they will no doubt take advantage of any slip-ups at Stamford Bridge in what is set to be another fascinating title chase.
EVERTON
The Toffees - Goodison Park, Goodison Road, Liverpool, L4 4EL. Capacity 40,157
Last season: 8th, FA Cup 4th round, League Cup 4th round, Europa League Last 32
Last major trophy: FA Cup 1995
Manager: David Moyes (since March 2002)
Players In: Magaye Gueye, Joao Silva, Jermaine Beckford, Jan Mucha
Players Out: Lukas Jutkiewicz, John Ruddy, Dan Gosling, Anton Peterlin, Carlo Nash
Pre-season form: Everton travelled Down Under for a three match series in Australia, all of which were won. The Toffees beat Sydney FC 1-0, Melbourne Heart 2-0 and Brisbane Roar 2-1 to complete a successful tour. The goals flowed even more back in England with comfortable wins at Preston North End (3-0) and Norwich City (4-2) before a 2-0 home win over their Chilean namesakes Everton de Vina. The Premier League Everton completed their pre-season programme with a 2-0 loss against Steve McClaren's Wolfsburg in Germany.
Prediction: 6th
Everton hit the form of a Champions League contender in the second half of last season but the Toffees had come unstuck with so many injuries in the first part of the campaign that the damage had already been done. In the end, David Moyes' men fell just short of a Europa League spot but the lack of extra midweek matches will surely aid a season-long pursuit of the top clubs in the current campaign. With the return to full fitness of midfielders Mikel Arteta, Tim Cahill and Russian Diniyar Bilayetdinov, Everton have no excuses for a poor start this time and there should be no shortage of support for the strikers. But a reliance on the fitness of Louis Saha up front remains a concern and perhaps explains the gamble on Jermaine Beckford. And, while there are few concerns with the defence and midfield, goals from the strikers will be the difference between Everton mounting a genuine assault on the top four or spending a frustrating season just outside of it.
FULHAM
The Cottagers - Craven Cottage, Stevenage Road, London, SW6 6HH. Capacity 25,700
Last season: 12th, FA Cup Quarter finals, League Cup 3rd round, Europa League Runners-up
Last major trophy: None
Manager: Mark Hughes (since July 2010)
Players In: Jonathan Greening, Philippe Senderos
Players Out: Chris Smalling, Chris Buchtmann, Wayne Brown, Erik Nevland, Elliot Omozusi, Stefan Payne, Luca Moscatiello, Gyan Osei King, Michael Uwesu, Andranik Teymourian
Pre-season form: Fulham started and finished their pre-seasons with two big wins - hammering Brentford 5-0 away and Werder Bremen 5-1 at home. In between, there was a 1-1 draw with Bournemouth before a tour of Sweden also ended in two draws - against Halmstads (2-2) and Malmo (0-0). Fulham were also the guests for the testimonial match of Portsmouth's Linvoy Primus which Pompey won 1-0.
Prediction: 11th
New manager Mark Hughes has set Fulham the target of a top-half finish in his first season. In many ways, the Cottagers were victims of their own success in losing Roy Hodgson who guided them to eighth place in 2008-09 and the Europa Cup Final last season. Perhaps seeking one last try in the big time, Hodgson left for Liverpool, and Fulham were in a state of flux. The search for a new manager did not start well when first choice Martin Jol opted to stay at Ajax but within a week Hughes was appointed. Defender Chris Smalling has moved to Manchester United for £10m but there were few changes to a squad which should find Hughes' aim within its reach especially if Bobby Zamora retains his confidence in front of goal.
LIVERPOOL
The Reds - Anfield, Anfield Road, Liverpool, L4 0TH. Capacity 45,276
Last season: 7th, FA Cup 3rd round, League Cup 4th round, Champions League Group stage, Europa League Semi finals
Last major trophy: FA Cup 2006
Manager: Roy Hodgson (since July 2010)
Players In: Christian Poulsen, Danny Wilson, Jonjo Shelvey, Joe Cole, Milan Jovanovic
Players Out: Yossi Benayoun, Albert Riera, Mikel San Jose, James Ellison, David Martin, Ray Putterill, Robbie Threlfall, Francisco Manuel Duran, Christopher Oldfield
Out on loan: Philipp Degen
Pre-season form: Liverpool saved their best form for the matches which counted, winning 2-0 home and away in the Champions League qualifier against Slovenians Rabotnicki Skopje for a 4-0 aggregate win. In their non-competitive games, the Reds were unimposing to say the least, failing to score in a 0-0 draw with Grasshopper Zurich and in the 1-0 defeats to German sides Kaiserslautern and Borussia Moenchengladbach.
Prediction: 5th
The signs of another revolution hang in the air at Anfield after Roy Hodgson displaced Rafa Benitez in a dramatic summer on Merseyside. But, while most revolutions begin with a raft sweeping changes, Hodgson has had to rely on the status quo being maintained before making any impression. The decisions of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres to stay have at least given Hodgson a base from which to work. Joe Cole is also a canny signing from Chelsea on a free transfer but the Reds still have far too much dead wood in their squad and they remain as reliant as ever on the fitness of Gerrard and Torres. Off the field concerns about the club's ownership continue to cast a shadow upon matters on it. Only when this is resolved will Hodgson be able to prove his worth though he will surely improve on last season's record which included 19 defeats in all competitions, 11 in the league.
MANCHESTER CITY
The Blues - City of Manchester Stadium, SportCity, Manchester, M11 3FF. Capacity 47,405 Last season: 5th, FA Cup 5th round, League Cup Semi finals
Last major trophy: League Cup 1976
Manager: Roberto Mancini (since December 2009)
Players In: Yaya Toure, David Silva, Aleksandar Kolarov, Jerome Boateng, Alex Henshall, Albert Rusnak
Players Out: Javier Garrido, Valeri Bojinov, Robert Mak, Paul Marshall, Filip Mentel, Andrew Mitchell, Martin Petrov, Jack Redshaw, Tobias Johansen, Karl Moore, Benjani Mwaruwari, Sylvinho
Out on loan: Nedum Onuoha, Ryan McGivern, Gunnar Nielsen, David Ball, Kieran Trippier, Andrew Tutte, Adam Clayton
Pre-season form: City were one of several teams to choose to go to North America in the off-season but, in terms of results, the tour could hardly be put down as a success. After an early 3-0 win over Portland Timbers, City then lost both their matches in the New York Football Challenge to Sporting Lisbon (0-2) and the hosts New York Red Bulls (1-2). There followed a 1-1 draw with Mexican side Club America before a 3-0 loss to European champions Internazionale. Things were little better in Germany where City fell to a 3-1 defeat to Borussia Dortmund before a relieving 2-0 home win over Valencia.
Prediction: 3rd
Throwing enough money at something in a free-market will usually pay dividends eventually - or at least Manchester City hope this will be the case having splurged almost another £80m already this summer. That amount does not even include the reported £30m which will be spent on bringing bit-part England player James Milner to Eastlands. The Milner signing, assuming it goes ahead, is a clear example of the unfathomable approach to the transfer market by City. Instead of chasing yet another attacking midfielder, Roberto Mancini could do with signing some defensive cover as this was easily City's weakest area last season with 45 league goals conceded. Of course, Yaya Toure's £28m transfer from Barcelona will offer some protection in front of the defence but the backline itself still needs some work. However, it is not as if City have not got the money to sort this out and, as long as they do, Mancini's men should improve on last season's galling, Champions League-missing 5th place.
MANCHESTER UNITED
The Red Devils - Old Trafford, Sir Matt Busby Way, Manchester, M16 0RA. Capacity 75,797
Last season: 2nd, FA Cup 3rd round, League Cup Winners, Champions League Quarter finals
Last major trophy: League Cup 2010
Manager: Sir Alex Ferguson (since November 1986)
Players In: Chris Smalling, Bebe, Javier Hernandez, Marnick Vermijl
Players Out: Ben Foster, Craig Cathcart, Zoran Tosic, David Gray, Tom Heaton, Ron-Robert Zieler, Fabian Brandy, Sam Hewson, Scott Moffatt
Out on loan: Mame Biram Diouf, Daniel Drinkwater, Matthew James, James Chester, Josh King, Cameron Stewart
Pre-season form: United were another of the clubs to head to North America but the Red Devils had a generally more successful time on the pitch than their City neighbours. A 3-1 win over Celtic in Toronto was followed by a 1-0 win against Philadelphia Union. There was room for a shock 2-1 defeat against Kansas City Wizards but United responded by beating a MLS All-Stars team 5-2. Another defeat, this time 3-2, came against Mexicans Guadalaraja in a match played as part of the Javier Hernandez deal before Sir Alex Ferguson's men returned to British shores to open up the Aviva Stadium at Landsdowne Road in Dublin with a 7-1 thrashing of a League of Ireland team. Finally, United collected the 2010-11 season's first piece of domestic silverware with a comfortable 3-1 win over Chelsea in the Community Shield at Wembley.
Prediction: Champions
When Sir Alex Ferguson took over Manchester United almost 24 years ago, the club had not won the league championship for 18 years. Indeed, in that time, the Red Devils had even made a brief visit to the old Second Division and they stood on a total of seven championships. Their total was dwarfed by Liverpool's achievement of 18 titles. And, although it took Ferguson six years to win his first crown, his stated aim has always been to overhaul the Reds' record. Now, having built and re-built a series of teams, the Red Devils and the Reds are level on 18-a-piece, just as they were at the start of last season when Chelsea proved too strong. But, this season, the signing of Javier Hernandez has added more fizz to the attack while the likes of Nani and Anderson are another year older and wiser. With Liverpool still in transition, United seem unlikely to pass up the chance to take a 19-18 lead sooner rather than later.
NEWCASTLE UNITED
The Magpies - St James Park, Barrack Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4ST. Capacity 52,387
Last season: 1st (promoted from the Championship), FA Cup 4th round, League Cup 3rd round
Last major trophy: UEFA (Fairs) Cup 1969
Manager: Chris Hughton (since June 2009)
Players In: James Perch, Sol Campbell, Dan Gosling
Players Out: Jonny Godsmark, Max Johnson, Michael McCrudden, Nicky Butt, Frank Danquah, Darren Lough, Wesley Ngo-Baheng, Callum Morris, Fabrice Pancrate
Pre-season form: Newcastle's patchy summer form began well enough with a 3-0 win at Carlisle United but that win in Cumbria was followed by a 2-1 defeat Norwich City on the following weekend. Two draws then followed - the first was an entertaining 2-2 at home to PSV on the first anniversary of the death of Sir Bobby Robson. The second match was a 0-0 stalemate in Spain against Deportivo La Coruna, although Newcastle beat their hosts 5-3 on penalties to take home the Teresa Herrara Cup, a trophy which makes up for its lack of importance with its actual size. A 2-1 defeat in Glasgow in Rangers left Newcastle with a record of won one, drawn two, lost two in their five games.
Prediction: 16th
Newcastle United are back after a one-season absence but Chris Hughton's men look unlikely to take the top-flight by storm with this worryingly thin squad. Despite a runaway Championship title success, United are lightweight up front and there is a huge burden on new No9 striker Andy Carroll to provide a consistent source goals to ensure survival as no one else looks capable. A slow central midfield and an error-prone defence also point to this being a long season at St James Park but there are reasons to be cheerful. Hughton seems to have engendered the best team spirit in years as Newcastle recovered from a humiliating 6-1 pre-season loss at Leyton Orient last season to remain unbeaten at home and win the league with six games to spare. Wingers Wayne Routledge and Jonas Gutierrez will give the Magpies chances on the break, while Newcastle's traditional problem position of centre-back might just be solved by a Sol Campbell-Fabricio Coloccini partnership. Indeed, that pairing could be the difference between survival and another painful relegation - the United defence will have to grind out some narrow results for Newcastle to have any chance.
STOKE CITY
The Potters - Britannia Stadium, Stanley Matthews Way, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 4EG. Capacity 27,740
Last season: 11th, FA Cup Quarter finals, League Cup 4th round
Last major trophy: League Cup 1972
Manager: Tony Pulis (since June 2006)
Players In: Kenwyne Jones, Florent Cuvelier, Carlo Nash
Players Out: Andy Griffin, Rod McDonald, Steve Simonsen, Nathaniel Wedderburn, Amdy Faye
Out on loan: Diego Arismendi, Ibrahima Sonko, Louis Moult
Pre-season form: Stoke City began the summer with a 1-0 loss to Turkish team Bursaspor, played while they were at their training camp in Austria. A return to England resulted in some success with a 2-1 win over Nantwich Town and a 0-0 draw with Notts County as the Potters fielded two separate teams on the same day. A 6-0 win over Newcastle Town was followed by a 1-0 defeat against Derby County but Stoke did rather better against another Championship team, Burnley, winning 2-1. A busy schedule was completed with a 2-1 win over Bristol Rovers and a 0-0 draw at Wrexham.
Prediction: 10th
Stoke City never looked in danger of falling foul to so-called second season syndrome as they easily secured a third successive season of top-flight football. Indeed, the Potters spent much of the back end of last season threatening a first top-half finish since 1980-81 and that now has to be a genuine aim of a team good enough to avoid the relegation scrap. The pairing of Robert Huth and Ryan Shawcross at the back remains Stoke's main strength and they are effective enough to nullify City's distinct lack of goals. Stoke only scored 34 times in 38 league matches last season with just 10 on the road, the lowest of any team in the Premier League last season. But, thanks to the defence, the Potters still managed four away wins and there were also three 0-0s and four 1-1s in seven draws on the road. James Beattie may have now left for Rangers but a few goals from Ricardo Fuller and new signing Kenwyne Jones would go a long way to ensure a seemingly continuous improvement from Stoke.
SUNDERLAND
The Black Cats - Stadium of Light, Sunderland, SR5 1SU. Capacity 48,707
Last season: 13th, FA Cup 4th round, League Cup 4th round
Last major trophy: FA Cup 1973
Manager: Steve Bruce (since June 2009)
Players In: Marcos Angeleri, Simon Mignolet, Titus Bramble, John Mensah, Cristian Riveros, Ahmed Al-Muhammadi, Nedum Onuoha
Players Out: Kenwyne Jones, Lorik Cana, Daryl Murphy, Marton Fulop, Conor Hourihane, Jamie Chandler, Roy O'Donovan
Out on loan: Oumare Tounkara, Jean Yves M'voto, Nyron Nosworthy, Michael Liddle
Pre-season form: Sunderland started off their summer with a 1-0 win at Darlington before a trip to Portugal brought mixed results. First, they drew 1-1 with League One team Brighton & Hove Albion before a 4-2 beating of Hull City as Fraizer Campbell hit all four Sunderland goals. The Black Cats were brought back down to earth by a 2-0 loss to Benfica. Then, to complete an inconsisent set of results, a 2-1 win against Leicester City was followed by a 3-1 defeat in Germany to Hoffenheim.
Prediction: 13th
Sunderland's record signing Darren Bent was worth his weight in goals after he scored 24 times in the league in his first season at the Stadium of Light. Without the £10m man, the Black Cats would have struggled badly - indeed they still managed to go almost four months without a league win between November and March. But a good start to the season and a decent end ensured Sunderland would finish in lower mid-table and they recorded more than 40 points for only the third time in nine Premier League seasons. Bent scored exactly half of the club's league goals last term but, with Danny Welbeck now signed from Manchester United, this is far from the Wearsiders' most pressing problem. The defence remains suspect and it is hard to see how the unnerving presence of Titus Bramble will greatly improve it. Meanwhile, Craig Gordon broke his arm in pre-season training and Martin Fulop has signed for Ipswich leaving Bruce scrambling for an experienced goalkeeper. All in all, it could be another frustrating season for the Black Cats' fans.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Spurs - White Hart Lane, Bill Nicholson Way, 748 High Road, Tottenham, London, N17 0AP. Capacity 36,230
Last season: 4th, FA Cup Semi finals, League Cup Quarter finals
Last major trophy: League Cup 2008
Manager: Harry Redknapp (since October 2008)
Players In: Sandro Raniere
Players Out: Adel Taarabt, Lee Butcher, Sam Cox, Dorian Dervite, Jimmy Walker
Out on loan: John Bostock, David Button, Oscar Jansson
Pre-season form: Harry Redknapp bemoaned a pre-season schedule which saw Spurs play in Bournemouth, the United States, Portugal and at home twice. Spurs beat Bournemouth 4-0 before jetting off to the USA where they drew 0-0 with San Jose Earthquakes. In the New York Football Challenge which followed, Spurs did rather better than Manchester City in their two matches, beating the hosts New York Red Bulls 2-1 and drawing 2-2 with Sporting Lisbon. Redknapp's men were brought crashing back to earth with a 4-1 home defeat against Villarreal before there were two wins, away against Benfica (1-0) and at home to Fiorentina (3-2).
Prediction: 7th
After years and years of trying, Tottenham Hotspur finally reached the promised land of the top four. The 2009-10 season was Spurs' first appearance in the top four since 1989-90 and, provided they overcome Young Boys Berne in the qualifier, they will contest the European Cup for the first time since 1961-62. These are exciting times to be a Tottenham fan and Harry Redknapp has developed a stylish side capable of tearing apart opponents at will. Spurs even seemed to have overcome a mental block after beating Arsenal and Chelsea for the first time in years in consecutive matches at the back end of the season. Then, they went on to beat Manchester City in what was effectively a playoff for fourth place. But City have splashed the cash again this summer and Liverpool will surely not play as badly again. With so many matches for an admittedly impressive squad, Spurs may find that staying in the top four was even harder than getting there in the first place.
WEST BROMWICH ALBION
The Baggies - The Hawthorns, West Bromwich, B71 4LF. Capacity 26,484
Last season: 2nd (promoted from the Championship), FA Cup 5th round, League Cup 3rd round
Last major trophy: FA Cup 1968
Manager: Roberto di Matteo (since June 2009)
Players In: Nicky Shorey, Boaz Myhill, Gabriel Tamas, Pablo Ibanez, Stephen Reid
Players Out: Jonathan Greening, Joss Labadie, Filipe Texeira, Robert Koren, Andwele Slory
Out on loan: Luke Daniels, Marcus Haber, Borja Valero
Pre-season form: There was no clear pattern from West Brom's pre-season results with three wins, two draws and two defeats from seven matches. The Baggies kicked off with two wins, 3-0 at Kidderminster Harriers and 2-1 in Holland against VVV Venlo. Then, two 1-0 defeats to Crewe Alexandra and Doncaster Rovers sandwiched a win by the same score over Bristol Rovers. Finally, there were two 1-1 draws - away at Coventry City and at home against Osasuna.
Prediction: 18th
West Bromwich Albion boinged back into the Premier League with a fourth promotion in nine years. The Baggies are the very definition of a yo-yo club and, without further investment in the quality of the squad, that trend looks set to continue. At least manager Roberto di Matteo retained the services of the impressive Graham Dorrans after interest from West Ham United. But di Matteo has not seemed to realise that it is usually a lack of goals from the strikers which lets down the Baggies again and again as none of the summer signings looks to have rectified this. West Brom were regarded as playing too prettily to survive in their last attempt under Tony Mowbray. However, di Matteo has instilled an uncompromising attitude in his players which allowed them to see off the challenge of Nottingham Forest for the second automatic spot last season. But, ultimately, a failure to find more goals will mean the Baggies are fighting yet another losing battle for top flight survival.
WEST HAM UNITED
The Hammers - Boleyn Ground, Green Street, Upton Park, London, E13 9AZ. Capacity 35,303 Last season: 17th, FA Cup 3rd round, League Cup 3rd round
Last major trophy: FA Cup 1980
Manager: Avram Grant (since June 2010)
Players In: Pablo Barrera, Winston Reid, Frederic Piquionne, Thomas Hitzlsperger, Tal Ben Haim
Players Out: Bondz N'Gala, Josh Payne, Guillermo Franco, Ilan Out on loan: Matt Fry
Pre-season form: West Ham went through their summer matches unbeaten, starting with a 2-1 win over Peterborough United. This was followed by a tour of Germany which featured a 2-0 win over Borussia Moenchengladbach and a 1-0 win over Greek side Panathinaikos. Back in England, the wins kept coming with successes against MK Dons (2-0) and Ipswich Town (1-0) before a 1-1 draw with Southend United. The Hammers finished their summer programme with another draw, 0-0 at home against Deportivo La Coruna - though, like Newcastle, they also beat the Spaniards 5-3 in a penalty shoot-out.
Prediction: 15th
Gianfranco Zola inevitably paid the price for West Ham United's woeful 2009-10 season in which they stayed up only because of the sheer awfulness of the bottom three. The Hammers earned just 35 points during the last campaign which was played out against the backdrop of an estimated £90m of debt. The money problems remain but former Chelsea and Portsmouth boss Avram Grant seems a more able candidate to deal with the situation. Indeed, after his troubleshooting at Pompey, this should seem to him like a walk in the park. Over the summer, Grant has brought Frederic Piquionne with him from Fratton Park but the striker's inconsistency is bound to annoy the Boleyn Ground regulars. Instead, Grant - who perhaps deserves a little luck after last season - will hope Carlton Cole retains his fitness this year.
WIGAN ATHLETIC
The Latics - DW Stadium, Loire Drive, Robin Park, Wigan, WN5 0UH. Capacity 25,133
Last season: 16th, FA Cup 4th round, League Cup 2nd round
Last major trophy: None
Manager: Roberto Martinez (since June 2009)
Players In: Mauro Boselli, Ronnie Stam, James McArthur, Antolin Alcaraz, Ali Al-Habsi
Players Out: Titus Bramble, Tomasz Cywka, Tomasz Kupisz, Mario Melchiot, Rachid Bouaouzan, Olivier Kapo, Richard Kingson, Nicolas Meace, Paul Scharner
Out on loan: Antonio Amaya, Jason Koumas, Jonathan Routledge
Pre-season form: Wigan began their preparations in Sweden with a 3-2 win over Ostersunds FK before returning to Lancashire for a 1-1 draw at Oldham Athletic. This was followed by further trips to Slovenia, where Wigan beat hosts Rudar Velenje 4-1, and Turkey where a 0-0 draw with Genclerbirligi was played out. The Latics' only home match of pre-season finished 3-1 to Real Zaragoza but then Martinez's men won their final friendly of the summer at Dundee United by the same score.
Prediction: 19th
Wigan Athletic begin a remarkable sixth consecutive Premier League campaign but there are real fears that run will end with relegation next May. A worrying 79 goals ended in the Wigan Athletic net last season, including 17 in two visits to London as the Latics lost 9-1 to Tottenham Hotspur and 8-0 to Chelsea. A repeat of that performance will give Roberto Martinez's men no chance to survive as the bottom three are unlikely to be as weak this time around. The loss of Titus Bramble to Sunderland hardly helps the situation at the back although the Latics are still capable of pulling off extraordinary results with the likes of Hugo Rodellega up front. But Charles N'Zogbia looks set to be next out of the door and he is an attacking talent which Martinez can ill-afford to lose if he is to cover up the horribly leaky defence.
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS
Wolves - Molineux, Waterloo Road, Wolverhampton, WV1 4QR. Capacity 29,195
Last season: 15th, FA Cup 4th round, League Cup 3rd round
Last major trophy: League Cup 1980
Manager: Mick McCarthy (since July 2006)
Players In: Stephen Fletcher, Stephen Hunt, Steven Mouyokolo, Jelle van Damme, Adlene Guedioura, Geoffrey Mujangi Bia
Players Out: Andrew Surman, Chris Iwelumo, Jason Shackell, Kyle Bennett, Daniel Jones, George Friend, Mark Little
Out on loan: Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, Sam Vokes
Pre-season form: Wolves began their summer preparations with three successive wins - 3-0 against Bohemians in Ireland, 4-0 at Walsall and 2-1 in Belgium against RSC Charleroi. After returning from the trip, McCarthy's men fell out of form, losing two consecutive games to Championship clubs - Reading (1-2) and Leeds United (1-3). A 2-0 away win against Hearts was indeed heartening, as was a 2-1 win over Real Zaragoza at the only summer match at Molineux.
Prediction: 17th
Manager Mick McCarthy opted for a pragmatic approach to survival last season - and it worked. This season, Wolverhampton Wanderers will contest consecutive campaigns of top flight football for the first time since 1981-82. McCarthy fell foul of the Premier League rules when he sent a supposedly weakened team to Old Trafford in December. Wolves lost 3-0 to Manchester United and, rather ridiculously, were fined as the Premier League set a dangerous precedent of interfering with team selection. The decision riled McCarthy but he could feel vindicated after Wolves then beat Burnley in the next match to set up a second half of the season in which the Old Gold comfortably reached safety. However, Wolves still only managed a point per game and they scored just 32 goals all season in the league. McCarthy hopes the £6.5m signing of Steven Fletcher from Burnley will ease Kevin Doyle's workload but another goal drought could lead to a tougher dogfight this term.
Tuesday 3 August 2010
The Championship 2010/2011 - The Guide
BARNSLEY
The Tykes - Oakwell, Grove Street, Barnsley, S71 1ET. Capacity 23,009
Last season: 18th, FA Cup 3rd round, League Cup 4th round
Most recent top flight season: 1997-98
Manager: Mark Robins (since September 2009)
Players In: Liam Dickinson, Goran Lovre, Jason Shackell, Jeronimo Morales Neumann, Jay McEveley, Jim O'Brien, Diego Arismendi
Players Out: Daniel Bogdanovic, Michael Coulsen, Julian Grey, Simon Heslop, Rob Kozluk, Darren Moore, O'Neil Thompson, Anderson De Silva, Mounir El Haimour, Jon Macken
Pre-season form: Barnsley beat three fellow Yorkshire sides by a two-goal margin, disposing of York City away 2-0, Huddersfield Town at home 3-1 and Sheffield Wednesday at home 2-0. A final trip away from Oakwell was just as successful with a 2-0 win over Chesterfield.
Prediction: 16th
Barnsley began last season as one of the favourites for relegation and looked set to confirm the critics' predictions by making a poor start under Simon Davey. But the arrival of Mark Robins transformed the Tykes and, despite a poor finish to the season, their final position of 18th belied how comfortable their survival was. A similar achievement in the coming campaign should be well within Barnsley's grasp.
BRISTOL CITY
The Robins - Ashton Gate, Ashton Road, Bristol, BS3 2EJ. Capacity 21,497
Last season: 10th, FA Cup 3rd round, League Cup 2nd round
Most recent top flight season: 1979-80
Manager: Steve Coppell (since May 2010)
Players In: Kalifa Cisse, Damion Stewart, Albert Adomah, David James, Nicky Hunt
Players Out: Bradley Orr, John McCombe, Frankie Artus, Adriano Basso, Paul Hartley, Lee Trundle, Brian Wilson, Steve Collis, Ashley Kington, Tristan Plummer
Pre-season form: The Robins are one of the teams hoping that pre season results count for little after four losses from eight matches. The tour of Sweden got off to an encouraging start with a 1-1 draw against IFK Goteborg but it was followed by a 4-0 loss to Helsingborgs IF. City then dealt out a drubbing of their own, beating local side Vallens IF 11-1 but it was downhill back in England with consecutive defeats to Torquay United (1-2), Aldershot (0-3) and Exeter City (1-3). City seemed to have gained some form by the end of the summer with a 3-1 win at Yeovil Town and a 2-0 home win over Premier League new-boys Blackpool.
Prediction: 8th
It will take more than the arrival of a 40-year-old England goalkeeper to transform Bristol City from mid-table also rans to automatic promotion candidates. But the signing of David James demonstrates the great esteem with which Steve Coppell is held in the game. After achieving at a similar level with Reading, Coppell is nothing if not a solid appointment and the Robins can expect to feature in the chase for the playoff places once again.
BURNLEY
The Clarets - Turf Moor, Harry Potts Way, Burnley, Lancashire, BB10 4BX. Capacity 22,546
Last season: 19th (relegated from Premier League), FA Cup 4th round, League Cup 3rd round
Most recent top flight season: 2009-10
Manager: Brian Laws (since January 2010)
Players In: Lee Grant, Dean Marney, Chris Iwelumo, Ross Wallace
Players Out: Steven Fletcher, Robbie Blake, Christian Kalvenes, Jake McEneaney, Joey Gudjonsson, Remco van der Schaaf, Stephen Caldwell, Ben Hoskin, Stephen Jordan, Adam Kay, Jonathan Lund, Nicky Weaver
Pre-season form: After an early 3-0 win at Bury, Burnley banged in the goals for fun on their pre season tour of Singapore. The Clarets had consecutive 5-0 wins over Gombak United and Home United and a 1-0 win over a Singapore XI completed a successful trip before they returned to England for a 2-1 win at Oldham Athletic and a 2-1 defeat at home to Stoke City.
Prediction: 12th
The appointment of Brian Laws at Burnley after the departure of Owen Coyle midway through last season pretty much signified that the Clarets had prepared for an immediate return to the Championship. However, what the Burnley board seemed to have overlooked, was that Laws even struggled badly last season at this level with Sheffield Wednesday who were eventually relegated. Wednesday may have been limited in what they could spend but there are similar restrictions at Turf Moor. Burnley's campaign will rely on the remaining members of last season's squad getting the relegation out of their system with some early results.
CARDIFF CITY
The Bluebirds - Ninian Park, Sloper Road, Cardiff, CF11 8SX. Capacity 26,828
Last season: 4th (lost playoff final to Blackpool), FA Cup 5th round, League Cup 3rd round
Most recent top flight season: 1961-62
Manager: Dave Jones (since May 2005)
Players In: Tom Heaton, Daniel Drinkwater
Players Out: Mark Kennedy, Darren Dennehy, Warren Feeney, Joe Ledley, Josh Magennis, Aaron Morris, Tony Capaldi, Peter Enckelman, Ricardo Scimica
Pre-season form: Cardiff's 2-0 win at Bath City in their opening friendly remains their only win in this pre season after successive losses away at Portuguese side Portimonense (0-3), Notts County (1-2) and at home against Deportivo La Coruna (0-1). But then the Bluebirds did not impress at this stage last term either, and still reached the playoff final.
Prediction: 3rd
Usually knocking on the door of promotion, Cardiff City have never gone closer to a first appearance in the top flight in nearly 50 years than last season. Defeat to Blackpool in the playoff final was a bitter pill to swallow but there are enough goals from the front pairing of Michael Chopra and Peter Whittingham to ensure they are there or thereabouts again. However, the Bluebirds could do with more goals from other areas to make the ultimate step, and a transfer embargo has stopped Dave Jones from being able to strengthen his squad sufficiently.
COVENTRY CITY
The Sky Blues - Ricoh Arena, Phoenix Way, Foleshill, Coventry, CV6 6GE. Capacity 32,609
Last season: 19th, FA Cup 3rd round, League Cup 1st round
Most recent top flight season: 2000-01
Manager: Aidy Boothroyd (since May 2010)
Players In: Lukas Jutkiewicz, Richard Keogh, Clive Platt, Lee Carsley, Gary McSheffrey, Roy O'Donovan, Stephen O'Halloran
Players Out: Ashley Cain, Marcus Hall, Dimitrios Konstantopoulos, Clinton Morrison, Adam Walker, Elliott Ward, Stephen Wright, Curtis Wynter
Pre-season form: The Sky Blues have had mixed results in pre season although defence has impressed, conceding just once in seven games. But three away wins - against Austrians VF Gaflenz (2-0), Northampton Town (1-0) and Walsall (2-0) - were interspersed with three 0-0 draws against Nuneaton, Hinckley United and Shrewsbury Town. The final match of pre season was a decent 1-1 home draw against West Bromwich Albion.
Prediction: 17th
Coventry City begin their 10th successive season in the Championship this year and none of their previous nine attempts has come close to a return to the top flight. Chris Coleman was the latest manager to pay the price with his job after another two seasons of stagnation. The signing of Lee Carsley and re-signing of Gary McSheffrey has added some experience to the squad but there is a lack of quality overall for new manager Aidy Boothroyd to work with.
CRYSTAL PALACE
The Eagles - Selhurst Park, London, SE25 6PU. Capacity 26,309
Last season: 21st, FA Cup 5th round, League Cup 2nd round
Most recent top flight season: 2004-05
Manager: George Burley (since June 2010)
Players In: Adam Barrett, Andy Dorman, Lewis Price, Velice Shumulikoski, David Wright
Players Out: Danny Butterfield, Nick Carle, Shaun Derry, Johannes Ertl, Clint Hill, Jack Randall, Michael Abnett, Hakeem Adelakun, James Comley, Darryl Flahavan, Stern John, Matt Lawrence, Matthew Wright
Pre-season form: Palace were only able to register one win from their six friendly matches - at home against Exeter City (2-0). The summer began with two losses - 2-0 to Crawley away and 1-0 to Chelsea at home - followed by a 3-3 draw against Dorchester. After the Exeter win, preparations were completed with two draws - 0-0 at Bromley and 1-1 at Brentford.
Prediction: 15th
Survival on the pitch in the final match of last season against Sheffield Wednesday was swiftly followed by the survival off it as Crystal Palace exited administration and, for the first time in months, the Eagles could look to the future. The retention of Darren Ambrose could be a masterstroke but, after all of the worries of 2009-10, most Palace fans would probably settle for a transitional campaign under former Scotland manager George Burley.
DERBY COUNTY
The Rams - Pride Park Stadium, Pride Park, Derby, DE24 8XL. Capacity 33,597
Last season: 14th, FA Cup 5th round, League Cup 1st round
Most recent top flight season: 2007-08
Manager: Nigel Clough (since January 2009)
Players In: James Bailey, John Brayford, David Martin, Tomasz Cywka, Paul Connolly, Gareth Roberts
Players Out: Jason Beardsley, Mark Dudley, Jay McEveley, Henrik Ojamaa, Lewis Price, Gary Teale, Lee Croft, Graham Kelly, Alex Forde, Lee Hendrie, Jermaine Johnson
Pre-season form: Derby provided their fans with plenty of entertainment over the summer with a 3-3 draw at Bournemouth and a 5-4 win in the opening game at Chesterfield's new stadium. By then, the Rams had already beaten Burton Albion 1-0 and drawn 1-1 at Southend United. Finally, Derby faced two top-flight clubs at home - beating Stoke City 1-0 but losing 2-1 to Birmingham City.
Prediction: 11th
Nigel Clough begins his second full season as Derby County manager hoping it will be better than his first in which the club barely made any progress. Memories of the Rams' humiliating relegation from the Premier League in 2007-08, when they finished with a record-low 15 points, still seem to haunt Pride Park. The excitement of a playoff push would probably ease the pain but Clough's problem is that there remain much stronger clubs in the division than Derby.
DONCASTER ROVERS
Donny - Keepmoat Stadium, Stadium Way, Lakeside, Doncaster, DN4 5JW. Capacity 15,231
Last season: 12th, FA Cup 4th round, League Cup 2nd round
Most recent top flight season: N/A
Manager: Sean O'Driscoll (since September 2006)
Players In: Billy Sharp, George Friend, Simon Gillett, Josh Payne
Players Out: Lewis Guy, Paul Heffernan, Sean McDaid, Gareth Roberts, John Spicer, Ben Smith, Charles Fisher
Pre-season form: Doncaster had a decent pre season in terms of results, getting stronger with each game. An early 2-0 win over Askern Villa was followed by a 0-0 draw with Quorn FC. Rovers then hammered Barnstaple Town 10-1 to qualify for the South West Challenge Cup final which they lost 5-0 to Havant & Waterlooville. But defensive worries have since been allayed by successive 1-0 home wins over West Bromwich Albion and Sheffield Wednesday.
Prediction: 19th
Such have been the strides made by Doncaster Rovers that it is easy to forget they were in the Conference as recently as 2003. The signing of Billy Sharp from Sheffield United this summer has given Rovers a great chance of surviving in the Championship for a third successive season if he can repeat his form from the last campaign. Sharp's 15 goals on loan helped Donny finish (just) in the top half - indeed, their 12th place last season was the club's best league finish since 1954. But manager Sean O'Driscoll has also instilled a great team ethic and laudable playing style which should be enough to keep them safe from relegation.
HULL CITY
The Tigers - Kingston Communications Stadium, Walton Street, Hull, HU3 6HU. Capacity 25,404
Last season: 18th (relegated from Premier League), FA Cup 3rd round, League Cup 3rd round
Most recent top flight season: 2009-10
Manager: Nigel Pearson (since June 2010)
Players In: James Harper, Nolberto Solano
Players Out: Stephen Hunt, Stephen Mouyokolo, Boaz Myhill, Dean Marney, George Boateng, Kamel Ghilas, Geovanni, Bernard Mendy, Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink
Pre-season form: Hull began preparations for life back in the Championship with three successive away wins against local sides Winterton Rangers (2-1), North Ferriby United (6-0) and Blue Square Premier team York City (1-0). The Tigers were then outplayed a 4-2 loss at Sunderland before recovering to record a 2-1 win over Dundee United at home.
Prediction: 13th
Hull City's Premier League demise was a predictable occurence. Having only just survived despite a brilliant start in 2008-09, last season was never going to be as kind for the Tigers. Relegation has brought all kinds of fresh concerns that previous chairman Paul Duffen had overstretched the club in trying to stay up and the two Pearsons - chairman Adam and new manager Nigel - face a tough challenge to get Hull back on the right path. Nigel Pearson may have been recruited on the strength of his performance with Leicester last season after the Foxes reached the playoffs but he will have done brilliantly to repeat the feat with the Tigers this season.
IPSWICH TOWN
The Blues - Portman Road, Ipswich, IP1 2DA. Capacity 30,311
Last season: 15th, FA Cup 4th round, League Cup 2nd round
Most recent top flight season: 2001-02
Manager: Roy Keane (since April 2009)
Players In: Mark Kennedy, Conor Hourihane
Players Out: Alex Bruce, Liam Trotter, Ed Upson, David Wright, Kevin Lisbie, Pim Balkenstein, Richard Wright, Devann Yao
Pre-season form: Town began pre-season in style with a 9-1 win over Newmarket and a 6-0 success over Histon. These early successes were followed by a 1-0 defeat in Eindhoven against PSV, the first match between the teams since the death of Sir Bobby Robson. But Ipswich bounced back to take the Suffolk County Cup with a 2-0 win over Leiston, then beat Bury 1-0 away. Two final matches at home against Premier League opposition proved too much as Town were beaten 1-0 by both West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur.
Prediction: 9th
Roy Keane's Ipswich Town were tipped last season for a tilt at the top end of the division after the Irish manager's previous success at this level with Sunderland. But, as it happened, Town were the last team in the Championship to win a game and that awful start destroyed any prospects for the rest of the campaign. This time, there has been none of the same fanfare around Portman Road and that could work in Keane's favour. A playoff push is not out of the question but the squad lacks depth, particularly up front, for any more than that.
LEEDS UNITED
The Whites - Elland Road, Leeds, LS11 0ES. Capacity 39,460
Last season: 2nd (promoted from League One), FA Cup 4th round, League Cup 3rd round
Most recent top flight season: 2003-04
Manager: Simon Grayson (since December 2008)
Players In: Alex Bruce, Neil Collins, Federico Bessone, Paul Connolly, Federico Luna, Billy Paynter, Lloyd Sam, Kasper Schmeichel
Players Out: Jermaine Beckford, Paul Dickov, Enoch Showunmi, Tom Elliott, Casper Ankergren, Rui Marques, Andrew Milne
Pre-season form: United have had an up-and-down pre-season in terms of results, starting their tour of Slovakia with a 1-0 loss against MFK Ruzomberok but finishing it with a win by the same score against MFK Kosice. Similarly, back on these shores, Leeds fell to a 4-0 defeat to Bury before recovering to beat Hartlepool United 5-0. But the summer was completed with some level of consistency after two 3-1 wins - away at SK Brann in Norway and at home against Premier League Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Prediction: 10th
Leeds United finally escaped the third tier after three torturous seasons with some of the worst pain reserved for the final few months. It looked as though Leeds were going to blow it altogether but having long conceded the League One championship to Norwich City, Simon Grayson's men did well to hold their nerve and see off a whole host of other challengers. The squad can only benefit mentally from that success and United should make a decent stab of it on their return to the Championship.
LEICESTER CITY
The Foxes - Walkers Stadium, Filbert Way, Leicester, LE2 7FL. Capacity 32,500
Last season: 5th (lost playoff semi final to Cardiff), FA Cup 4th round, League Cup 2nd round
Most recent top flight season: 2003-04
Manager: Paulo Sousa (since July 2010)
Players In: Leon Crncic, Tom Kennedy, Alie Sesay, Miguel Vitor
Players Out: James Wesolowski, Astrit Ajdarevic, Wayne Brown, Alex Cisak, Billy Kee, Nolberto Solano, Harry Worley, Yann Kermorgant, Robbie Burns, Carl Pentney, Levi Porter, Stephen Clemence, Chris Powell
Pre-season form: City suffered a 4-1 defeat in their opening friendly match against Polish side Jagiellonia Bialystok but the Foxes won 5-2 against Slovenia's NK Aluminij. Back in Britain, Leicester won at Rotherham United (2-1) and drew with Oxford United (1-1) before their best performance of the summer in a 5-1 win at Peterborough United. Leicester lost their only home friendly of the summer, 2-1 to Sunderland.
Prediction: 14th
Leicester City did not just lose a huge chance of successive promotions in the cruel lottery of a penalty shootout in the playoff semi finals against Cardiff City in May. Leicester have also lost manager Nigel Pearson to Hull City and the element of surprise which made them so successful last season. Although Pearson's replacement Paulo Sousa was also at the right end of the table with Swansea, a lack of goals cost the Swans dear and another fifth-place finish for the Foxes seems unlikely.
MIDDLESBROUGH
Boro - Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough, TS3 6RS. Capacity 34,988
Last season: 11th, FA Cup 3rd round, League Cup 2nd round
Most recent top flight season: 2008-09
Manager: Gordon Strachan (since October 2009)
Players In: Kevin Thomson, Stephen McManus, Nicky Bailey, Tarmo Kink, Andy Halliday, Kris Boyd
Players Out: John Johnson, James Cronesberry, Chris Killen, Emanuel Pogatetz, Jeremie Aliadiere, Chris Riggott
Pre-season form: Boro were unbeaten in their four pre-season matches with a draw and a win in Ireland - against Athlone Town (1-1) and Bray Wanderers (3-0) - and a win and a draw in Germany, against Sachsen Leipzig (2-0) and Union Berlin (2-2) where Boro recovered from being 2-0 down early on.
Prediction: 2nd
Middlesbrough pretty much perfected the manual on how not to bounce back from relegation in the last campaign. A decent start under Gareth Southgate suggested an immediate return to the Premier League was possible but a few poor results and falling attendance at the Riverside forced the hand of Steve Gibson, the Boro chairman. The problem with the decision to get rid of Southgate at that point was that Boro lost all their momentum and new manager Gordon Strachan struggled even more. However, early struggles are not an unusual occurence with Strachan and his reigns tend to improve with time. The summer signing of Kris Boyd should ensure Boro's challenge is more than a fleeting attempt.
MILLWALL
The Lions - The New Den, Zampa Road, London, SE16 3LN . Capacity 20,146
Last season: 3rd (promoted from League One via playoffs), FA Cup 3rd round, League Cup 2nd round
Most recent top flight season: 1989-1990
Manager: Kenny Jackett (since November 2007)
Players In: Shaun Batt, James Henry, Steve Mildenhall, Tamika Mkandawire, Liam Trotter, Kevin Lisbie
Players Out: David Martin, Adam Bolder, Jason Price, John Sullivan, Ali Fuseini
Pre-season form: The Lions stayed local for their pre-season matches with mixed results. A 1-1 draw at Crawley was followed by a 1-0 win over AFC Wimbledon but then came a 2-1 defeat to Stevenage Borough. Millwall got back to winning ways with a 2-0 win at Dartford before falling to a 3-2 home defeat against Hearts.
Prediction: 21st
Millwall recovered from Wembley heartache in 2008-09 to return to the stadium for a second successive playoff final in which they beat Swindon Town. It was no more than Kenny Jackett's men deserved after a fine season in which they lost just once at home to finish third behind Norwich City and Leeds United. But, of all the three promoted teams, the Lions have least resources and little experience. A narrow survival should be the aim first and foremost.
NORWICH CITY
The Canaries - Carrow Road, Norwich, NR1 1JE . Capacity 26,018
Last season: 1st (promoted from League One), FA Cup 2nd round, League Cup 2nd round
Most recent top flight season: 2004-05
Manager: Paul Lambert (since August 2009)
Players In: Andrew Surman, Simeon Jackson, Andrew Crofts, David Fox, John Ruddy, Stevie Smith, Elliott Ward
Players Out: Michael Spillane, David Stephens, Rhoys Wiggins, Gary Doherty, Danny Kelly, Damon Lathrope, Phil Roberts, Cody McDonald, Tom Adeyemi, Jamie Cureton, Paul McVeigh, Darel Russell
Pre-season form: The Canaries began pre season with a 3-0 win over local side Dereham before three matches out of four without a goal - 0-0 draws with Stevenage Borough and Lincoln City and a 1-0 defeat against Dagenham & Redbridge. In between those matches, however, Norwich enjoyed a fine 2-1 home win against out-of-sorts Newcastle before being well beaten by Everton (4-2), also at Carrow Road.
Prediction: 7th
Norwich City were utterly humiliated on the first day of last season - they lost 7-1 at home to Colchester United in their first game in the third tier in 39 years. The Canaries' response was emphatic: the Colchester manager Paul Lambert was headhunted and he then transferred his free-flowing philosophy to Carrow Road as City overhauled Leeds at the top to win the league comfortably. That free-flowing style will now be on show in the Championship and it should serve the Canaries well.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
The Reds - City Ground, Nottingham, NG2 5FJ. Capacity 30,602
Last season: 3rd (lost playoff semi final to Blackpool), FA Cup 3rd round, League Cup 3rd round
Most recent top flight season: 1998-99
Manager: Billy Davies (since January 2009)
Players In: Radoslav Majewski
Players Out: James Perch, Mark Byrne, Joe Garner, Jean Biansumba, Tony Diagne, Danny Elliott, Jordan Fairclough, Tim Hopkinson, Sean McCashin, Shane Redmond, Carl Sibson, Matthew Sykes, George Thomson, Max Wright
Pre-season form: Forest go into the season on the back of four successive pre season defeats after reverses at Tranmere Rovers (0-2), Peterborough United (0-1), at home against Olympique Lyonnais (1-3) and away at Swindon Town (2-3). The summer had started in encouraging fashion with successive 2-1 away wins over Mansfield Town and Portugal's SC Olhanense.
Prediction: 1st
No team pushed in vain for automatic promotion harder than Nottingham Forest last season but Forest have an infamously inauspicious record in the playoffs and so it continued in May against Blackpool. But, despite the bitter disappointment, manager Billy Davies gave all Forest fans the news that they wanted hear soon afterwards and he committed himself to the club. Davies himself was Forest's signing of the summer and his drive and the lack of threat from the relegated Premier League clubs add up to give Forest a real chance of leading from the front this season, instead of playing catch-up.
PORTSMOUTH
Pompey - Fratton Park, Frogmore Road, Portsmouth, PO4 8RA. Capacity 20,224
Last season: 20th (relegated from Premier League), FA Cup Runners-up, League Cup Quarter Finals
Most recent top flight season: 2009-10
Manager: Steve Cotterill (since June 2010)
Players In: Ibrahima Sonko
Players Out: Florent Cuvelier, Papa Bouba Diop, Nadir Belhadj, David James, Lenny Sowah, Luke Wilkinson, Jamie Ashdown, Tal Ben Haim, Angelos Bassinas, Steve Finnan, Omar Koroma
Pre-season form: After a 2-1 win at local side Havant & Waterlooville, Pompey escaped their summer troubles by fleeing to North America. The tour was not an unbridled success, though, with one win, one draw and two defeats from their four matches. Pompey began with a 2-1 loss to Club America before a win by the same score over Ventura Fusion. The match against FC Edmonton ended in a 1-1 draw before the tour finished on a low note as Pompey had two players sent off in a 4-0 loss against DC United. Back in England, Pompey fared rather better with a 1-0 away win at Bournemouth and a 1-0 win over Premier League Fulham at Fratton Park in Linvoy Primus' testimonial match.
Prediction: 20th
Portsmouth received an 11th hour reprieve after the courts ruled this week that the taxman was not entitled to any more money than what will be received under the Company Voluntary Arrangment (CVA). If HMRC had won, Pompey would have most likely been liquidated and some rejigging of the fixtures would have been required by the Football League. Despite the reprieve, off-field revelations about the size of Pompey's debt will continue to overshadow and disrupt the playing side. Players will still need to be sold and costs kept to a minimum - there is no doubt Pompey remain up against it.
PRESTON NORTH END
The Lilywhites - Deepdale, Sir Tom Finney Way, Preston, PR1 6RU. Capacity 23,408
Last season: 17th, FA Cup 4th round, League Cup 3rd round
Most recent top flight season: 1960-61
Manager: Darren Ferguson (since January 2010)
Players In: Craig Morgan, Andreas Arestidou, Wayne Brown, David Gray, Paul Hayes, Matthew James
Players Out: Neil Collins, Ross Wallace, Liam Chilvers, Michael Hart, Chris Sedgwick, Veliche Shumulikoski, Neil Mellor, Eddie Nolan, Youl Mawene
Pre-season form: Preston warmed up for the new season with two comfortable wins over local sides Bamber Bridge (6-1) and Chorley (3-1) before successive home matches against Premier League opposition. The first of these games went outstandingly well as Preston beat Blackburn 3-0 but, in the second match, Everton turned the Lilywhites over by the same score. Preston then drew 1-1 away at manager Darren Ferguson's old club Wrexham before a final pre-season match, away at Oldham Athletic, ended in a 1-0 defeat.
Prediction: 22nd
In the five seasons between 2004-05 and 2008-09, Preston reached the playoffs three times and just missed out on one other occasion. But, last season, matters changed for the worse at Deepdale and, after a reasonable start, Preston really struggled. Darren Ferguson has been brought in as manager to halt the decline and he also has something to prove after struggling early on last season with Peterborough United. Ferguson junior may regret not waiting for a better offer, however.
QUEENS PARK RANGERS
Rangers - Loftus Road, South Africa Road, London, W12 7PA. Capacity 19,100
Last season: 13th, FA Cup 3rd round, League Cup 3rd round
Most recent top flight season: 1995-96
Manager: Neil Warnock (since March 2010)
Players In: Paddy Kenny, Bradley Orr, James Mackie, Leon Clarke, Shaun Derry, Clint Hill
Players Out: Damion Stewart, Angelo Balanta, Ed Harris, Danny Davenport, Gavin Mahon, Nigel Quashie
Pre-season form: Rangers began pre-season with a goal glut on their tour of the south west, beating Tavistock 8-0, Bodmin Town 7-0 and Torquay United 3-1. Their results in Italy were not bad either with a 4-1 win over Equipe Romagna and a 2-1 success over Ravenna Calcio. Rangers then played out a 1-1 home draw with Plymouth Argyle in their final pre season match.
Prediction: 6th
A decent Championship-level squad and an experienced manager at any other club would go a long way to ensuring a top six finish. But, for quite some time now, it has not been that simple at Queens Park Rangers. In March 2010, Neil Warnock became the club's fifth permanent manager in 22 months and he is now tasked with getting a talented group of players to perform to potential. However, the cocksure Yorkshireman is never one to shirk a challenge and he probably represents QPR's best bet.
READING
The Royals - Madejski Stadium, Bennett Road, Reading, RG2 0FL. Capacity 24,224
Last season: 9th, FA Cup Quarter Finals, League Cup 2nd round
Most recent top flight season: 2007-08
Manager: Brian McDermott (since December 2009)
Players In: Andy Griffin, Marcus Williams
Players Out: Kalifa Cisse, James Henry, Oliver Bozanic, Marek Matejovsky, Andy White, Mikkel Andersen, Mitchell Bryant, Liam Rosenior, Radoslav Vasilev
Pre-season form: Reading have had an encouraging pre season with six wins from seven matches. An early 1-0 win over Farnborough was followed by two wins on their tour of the former Yugoslavia, 3-1 against a Red Star Belgrade B team and 2-0 over NK Inter Zapresic of Croatia. The Royals' final match of the tour was their only summer defeat as they were beaten 2-1 by Slovenia's NK Celje. Back on these shores, Reading enjoyed three successive wins - away at Wycombe Wanderers (2-1), at home against Wolverhampton Wanderers (also 2-1) and away at Southampton (4-2).
Prediction: 4th
Reading will surely have a less schizophrenic season this year as compared to 2009-10 when a wretched start was offset by promotion-winning form at the end. After Brendan Rodgers' struggle to replace the Steve Coppell-shaped void, Brian McDermott showed that the talent was always there and, as long as they avoid another nightmare start, there should be a stronger challenge from Reading this time.
SCUNTHORPE UNITED
The Iron - Glanford Park, Doncaster Road, Scunthorpe, DN15 8TD. Capacity 9,088
Last season: 20th, FA Cup 4th round, League Cup 4th round
Most recent top flight season: N/A
Manager: Nigel Adkins (since November 2006)
Players In: Bobby Grant, Michael Collins, Jim McNulty, Eddie Nolan, Chris Dagnall
Players Out: Gary Hooper, Richard Dean, Paul Hayes, Grant McCann, Matt Sparrow, Marcus Williams, Peter Winn, Ian Morris, Josh Lillis, Ben May, Kenny Milne, Jake Picton
Pre-season form: The Iron lost just once after playing several matches against local rivals this summer, starting with a 5-1 away win at Brigg Town and a 1-0 home win over Sheffield Wednesday. Scunthorpe then lost 1-0 away at York City before bouncing back to record a 2-0 home win over Huddersfield Town. A final pre season match, also at home, against Grimsby finished 1-1 before the Iron won 4-3 on penalties to win the Linconshire County Cup for a fourth successive year.
Prediction: 24th
Scunthorpe United defied the critics last season by having survival wrapped up before the last day but the Iron could be well short of the required standard this time. Not only have the Iron lost Gary Hooper to Celtic but they have also lost Hooper's foil, Paul Hayes, meaning Hooper's replacement Chris Dagnall from Rochdale may struggle to make the same impact. Add in a leaky defence and it is not looking good for Nigel Adkins' men.
SHEFFIELD UNITED
The Blades - Bramall Lane, Sheffield, S2 4SU. Capacity 32,702
Last season: 8th, FA Cup 4th round, League Cup 1st round
Most recent top flight season: 2006-07
Manager: Kevin Blackwell (since February 2008)
Players In: Daniel Bogdanovic, Leon Britton, Johannes Ertl, Rob Kozluk, Steve Simonsen, Nyron Noseworthy, Simon Walton
Players Out: Billy Sharp, Paddy Kenny, Justin Haber, Jordan Stewart, Liban Abdi, James Harper, Ian Bennett, Henri Camara, Glen Little, Gary Naysmith, Kyel Reid, Sam Wedgbury, Jonathan Fortune, Derek Geary, Jordan Robertson
Pre-season form: The Blades recorded five wins without conceding a goal in this season's preparatory matches. United started the summer by winning the Malta Cup after defeating two local sides Vittoriosa Stars 1-0 and Hibernians 2-0 over 45 minutes. This was followed by a 2-0 away with at Rotherham United, a 1-0 win at Notts County and a tight 1-0 home win over touring Argentinian outfit Estudiantes.
Prediction: 5th
Having been the best of the teams not to get promoted in 2008-09, poor away form meant Sheffield United failed to raise much of a challenge in the last campaign. Another unremarkable season simply will not do but, with the relegated Premier League teams seen as less of a threat this time, the Blades under Kevin Blackwell look well-placed to be one of the candidates to challenge.
SWANSEA CITY
The Swans - Liberty Stadium, Morfa, Swansea, SA1 2FA. Capacity 20,532
Last season: 7th, FA Cup 3rd round, League Cup 2nd round
Most recent top flight season: 1982-83
Manager: Brendan Rogers (since July 2010)
Players In: Scott Donnelly, Neil Taylor
Players Out: Federico Bessone, Leon Britton, Kieran Howard, Federico Luna, Marcus Painter, Daniel Sheehan, Guillem Bauza, James Burgin
Pre-season form: Swansea have had a busy summer against Welsh, English and Dutch opposition, recording seven wins from nine matches. An early 2-1 win over Port Talbot Town was followed by defeat at Hereford United (0-2). But the Swans then recorded six successive wins against Neath FC (2-0), Yeovil Town (1-0), Llanelli (5-1), Cheltenham Town at home (1-0), VV Haaglandia (4-1) and finally Voetbal Club Sparta (9-1). The last two of those wins came on a tour of the Netherlands but it was not a 100 percent successful trip as the Swans lost their final match 1-0 to ADO Den Haag.
Prediction: 18th
For the second season in a row, Swansea City start with a new manager: for Roberto Martinez to Wigan in 2009, read Paulo Sousa to Leicester in 2010. Now former Watford and Reading man Brendan Rodgers is in charge at the Liberty Stadium and it is hard to see how the Swans can continue finishing in the top half with such little continuity, not to mention a lack of goals.
WATFORD
The Hornets - Vicarage Road, Watford, WD18 0ER. Capacity 19,920
Last season: 16th, FA Cup 3rd round, League Cup 2nd round
Most recent top flight season: 2006-07
Manager: Malky Mackay (since June 2009)
Players In: Tom Aldred, Rene Gilmartin
Players Out: Jon Harley, Will Hoskins, Richard Lee, Jordan Parkes, Lewis Young, Jure Travner, Mat Sadler, Rob Kiernon, Jay DeMerit, Billy Gibson, Jonathan North
Pre-season form: Watford faced several local sides this summer to prepare for the season, beating Borehamwood 5-0 and St Albans City 2-0 before less positive results at Barnet (0-1) and Northampton Town (3-3). The Hornets finished their summer on a high note after a 2-0 win at Stevenage Borough and a 1-0 home win against Charlton Athletic.
Prediction: 23rd
Watford will rely once again on a wily manager in Malky Mackay and a youthful squad to keep Championship football at Vicarage Road. Home form was pretty good last season and it may need to be even better again as such an inexperienced squad look unlikely to pick up many points on the road. Indeed, the Hornets over-reliance on a young squad of players could come back to haunt them in the final reckoning.
The Tykes - Oakwell, Grove Street, Barnsley, S71 1ET. Capacity 23,009
Last season: 18th, FA Cup 3rd round, League Cup 4th round
Most recent top flight season: 1997-98
Manager: Mark Robins (since September 2009)
Players In: Liam Dickinson, Goran Lovre, Jason Shackell, Jeronimo Morales Neumann, Jay McEveley, Jim O'Brien, Diego Arismendi
Players Out: Daniel Bogdanovic, Michael Coulsen, Julian Grey, Simon Heslop, Rob Kozluk, Darren Moore, O'Neil Thompson, Anderson De Silva, Mounir El Haimour, Jon Macken
Pre-season form: Barnsley beat three fellow Yorkshire sides by a two-goal margin, disposing of York City away 2-0, Huddersfield Town at home 3-1 and Sheffield Wednesday at home 2-0. A final trip away from Oakwell was just as successful with a 2-0 win over Chesterfield.
Prediction: 16th
Barnsley began last season as one of the favourites for relegation and looked set to confirm the critics' predictions by making a poor start under Simon Davey. But the arrival of Mark Robins transformed the Tykes and, despite a poor finish to the season, their final position of 18th belied how comfortable their survival was. A similar achievement in the coming campaign should be well within Barnsley's grasp.
BRISTOL CITY
The Robins - Ashton Gate, Ashton Road, Bristol, BS3 2EJ. Capacity 21,497
Last season: 10th, FA Cup 3rd round, League Cup 2nd round
Most recent top flight season: 1979-80
Manager: Steve Coppell (since May 2010)
Players In: Kalifa Cisse, Damion Stewart, Albert Adomah, David James, Nicky Hunt
Players Out: Bradley Orr, John McCombe, Frankie Artus, Adriano Basso, Paul Hartley, Lee Trundle, Brian Wilson, Steve Collis, Ashley Kington, Tristan Plummer
Pre-season form: The Robins are one of the teams hoping that pre season results count for little after four losses from eight matches. The tour of Sweden got off to an encouraging start with a 1-1 draw against IFK Goteborg but it was followed by a 4-0 loss to Helsingborgs IF. City then dealt out a drubbing of their own, beating local side Vallens IF 11-1 but it was downhill back in England with consecutive defeats to Torquay United (1-2), Aldershot (0-3) and Exeter City (1-3). City seemed to have gained some form by the end of the summer with a 3-1 win at Yeovil Town and a 2-0 home win over Premier League new-boys Blackpool.
Prediction: 8th
It will take more than the arrival of a 40-year-old England goalkeeper to transform Bristol City from mid-table also rans to automatic promotion candidates. But the signing of David James demonstrates the great esteem with which Steve Coppell is held in the game. After achieving at a similar level with Reading, Coppell is nothing if not a solid appointment and the Robins can expect to feature in the chase for the playoff places once again.
BURNLEY
The Clarets - Turf Moor, Harry Potts Way, Burnley, Lancashire, BB10 4BX. Capacity 22,546
Last season: 19th (relegated from Premier League), FA Cup 4th round, League Cup 3rd round
Most recent top flight season: 2009-10
Manager: Brian Laws (since January 2010)
Players In: Lee Grant, Dean Marney, Chris Iwelumo, Ross Wallace
Players Out: Steven Fletcher, Robbie Blake, Christian Kalvenes, Jake McEneaney, Joey Gudjonsson, Remco van der Schaaf, Stephen Caldwell, Ben Hoskin, Stephen Jordan, Adam Kay, Jonathan Lund, Nicky Weaver
Pre-season form: After an early 3-0 win at Bury, Burnley banged in the goals for fun on their pre season tour of Singapore. The Clarets had consecutive 5-0 wins over Gombak United and Home United and a 1-0 win over a Singapore XI completed a successful trip before they returned to England for a 2-1 win at Oldham Athletic and a 2-1 defeat at home to Stoke City.
Prediction: 12th
The appointment of Brian Laws at Burnley after the departure of Owen Coyle midway through last season pretty much signified that the Clarets had prepared for an immediate return to the Championship. However, what the Burnley board seemed to have overlooked, was that Laws even struggled badly last season at this level with Sheffield Wednesday who were eventually relegated. Wednesday may have been limited in what they could spend but there are similar restrictions at Turf Moor. Burnley's campaign will rely on the remaining members of last season's squad getting the relegation out of their system with some early results.
CARDIFF CITY
The Bluebirds - Ninian Park, Sloper Road, Cardiff, CF11 8SX. Capacity 26,828
Last season: 4th (lost playoff final to Blackpool), FA Cup 5th round, League Cup 3rd round
Most recent top flight season: 1961-62
Manager: Dave Jones (since May 2005)
Players In: Tom Heaton, Daniel Drinkwater
Players Out: Mark Kennedy, Darren Dennehy, Warren Feeney, Joe Ledley, Josh Magennis, Aaron Morris, Tony Capaldi, Peter Enckelman, Ricardo Scimica
Pre-season form: Cardiff's 2-0 win at Bath City in their opening friendly remains their only win in this pre season after successive losses away at Portuguese side Portimonense (0-3), Notts County (1-2) and at home against Deportivo La Coruna (0-1). But then the Bluebirds did not impress at this stage last term either, and still reached the playoff final.
Prediction: 3rd
Usually knocking on the door of promotion, Cardiff City have never gone closer to a first appearance in the top flight in nearly 50 years than last season. Defeat to Blackpool in the playoff final was a bitter pill to swallow but there are enough goals from the front pairing of Michael Chopra and Peter Whittingham to ensure they are there or thereabouts again. However, the Bluebirds could do with more goals from other areas to make the ultimate step, and a transfer embargo has stopped Dave Jones from being able to strengthen his squad sufficiently.
COVENTRY CITY
The Sky Blues - Ricoh Arena, Phoenix Way, Foleshill, Coventry, CV6 6GE. Capacity 32,609
Last season: 19th, FA Cup 3rd round, League Cup 1st round
Most recent top flight season: 2000-01
Manager: Aidy Boothroyd (since May 2010)
Players In: Lukas Jutkiewicz, Richard Keogh, Clive Platt, Lee Carsley, Gary McSheffrey, Roy O'Donovan, Stephen O'Halloran
Players Out: Ashley Cain, Marcus Hall, Dimitrios Konstantopoulos, Clinton Morrison, Adam Walker, Elliott Ward, Stephen Wright, Curtis Wynter
Pre-season form: The Sky Blues have had mixed results in pre season although defence has impressed, conceding just once in seven games. But three away wins - against Austrians VF Gaflenz (2-0), Northampton Town (1-0) and Walsall (2-0) - were interspersed with three 0-0 draws against Nuneaton, Hinckley United and Shrewsbury Town. The final match of pre season was a decent 1-1 home draw against West Bromwich Albion.
Prediction: 17th
Coventry City begin their 10th successive season in the Championship this year and none of their previous nine attempts has come close to a return to the top flight. Chris Coleman was the latest manager to pay the price with his job after another two seasons of stagnation. The signing of Lee Carsley and re-signing of Gary McSheffrey has added some experience to the squad but there is a lack of quality overall for new manager Aidy Boothroyd to work with.
CRYSTAL PALACE
The Eagles - Selhurst Park, London, SE25 6PU. Capacity 26,309
Last season: 21st, FA Cup 5th round, League Cup 2nd round
Most recent top flight season: 2004-05
Manager: George Burley (since June 2010)
Players In: Adam Barrett, Andy Dorman, Lewis Price, Velice Shumulikoski, David Wright
Players Out: Danny Butterfield, Nick Carle, Shaun Derry, Johannes Ertl, Clint Hill, Jack Randall, Michael Abnett, Hakeem Adelakun, James Comley, Darryl Flahavan, Stern John, Matt Lawrence, Matthew Wright
Pre-season form: Palace were only able to register one win from their six friendly matches - at home against Exeter City (2-0). The summer began with two losses - 2-0 to Crawley away and 1-0 to Chelsea at home - followed by a 3-3 draw against Dorchester. After the Exeter win, preparations were completed with two draws - 0-0 at Bromley and 1-1 at Brentford.
Prediction: 15th
Survival on the pitch in the final match of last season against Sheffield Wednesday was swiftly followed by the survival off it as Crystal Palace exited administration and, for the first time in months, the Eagles could look to the future. The retention of Darren Ambrose could be a masterstroke but, after all of the worries of 2009-10, most Palace fans would probably settle for a transitional campaign under former Scotland manager George Burley.
DERBY COUNTY
The Rams - Pride Park Stadium, Pride Park, Derby, DE24 8XL. Capacity 33,597
Last season: 14th, FA Cup 5th round, League Cup 1st round
Most recent top flight season: 2007-08
Manager: Nigel Clough (since January 2009)
Players In: James Bailey, John Brayford, David Martin, Tomasz Cywka, Paul Connolly, Gareth Roberts
Players Out: Jason Beardsley, Mark Dudley, Jay McEveley, Henrik Ojamaa, Lewis Price, Gary Teale, Lee Croft, Graham Kelly, Alex Forde, Lee Hendrie, Jermaine Johnson
Pre-season form: Derby provided their fans with plenty of entertainment over the summer with a 3-3 draw at Bournemouth and a 5-4 win in the opening game at Chesterfield's new stadium. By then, the Rams had already beaten Burton Albion 1-0 and drawn 1-1 at Southend United. Finally, Derby faced two top-flight clubs at home - beating Stoke City 1-0 but losing 2-1 to Birmingham City.
Prediction: 11th
Nigel Clough begins his second full season as Derby County manager hoping it will be better than his first in which the club barely made any progress. Memories of the Rams' humiliating relegation from the Premier League in 2007-08, when they finished with a record-low 15 points, still seem to haunt Pride Park. The excitement of a playoff push would probably ease the pain but Clough's problem is that there remain much stronger clubs in the division than Derby.
DONCASTER ROVERS
Donny - Keepmoat Stadium, Stadium Way, Lakeside, Doncaster, DN4 5JW. Capacity 15,231
Last season: 12th, FA Cup 4th round, League Cup 2nd round
Most recent top flight season: N/A
Manager: Sean O'Driscoll (since September 2006)
Players In: Billy Sharp, George Friend, Simon Gillett, Josh Payne
Players Out: Lewis Guy, Paul Heffernan, Sean McDaid, Gareth Roberts, John Spicer, Ben Smith, Charles Fisher
Pre-season form: Doncaster had a decent pre season in terms of results, getting stronger with each game. An early 2-0 win over Askern Villa was followed by a 0-0 draw with Quorn FC. Rovers then hammered Barnstaple Town 10-1 to qualify for the South West Challenge Cup final which they lost 5-0 to Havant & Waterlooville. But defensive worries have since been allayed by successive 1-0 home wins over West Bromwich Albion and Sheffield Wednesday.
Prediction: 19th
Such have been the strides made by Doncaster Rovers that it is easy to forget they were in the Conference as recently as 2003. The signing of Billy Sharp from Sheffield United this summer has given Rovers a great chance of surviving in the Championship for a third successive season if he can repeat his form from the last campaign. Sharp's 15 goals on loan helped Donny finish (just) in the top half - indeed, their 12th place last season was the club's best league finish since 1954. But manager Sean O'Driscoll has also instilled a great team ethic and laudable playing style which should be enough to keep them safe from relegation.
HULL CITY
The Tigers - Kingston Communications Stadium, Walton Street, Hull, HU3 6HU. Capacity 25,404
Last season: 18th (relegated from Premier League), FA Cup 3rd round, League Cup 3rd round
Most recent top flight season: 2009-10
Manager: Nigel Pearson (since June 2010)
Players In: James Harper, Nolberto Solano
Players Out: Stephen Hunt, Stephen Mouyokolo, Boaz Myhill, Dean Marney, George Boateng, Kamel Ghilas, Geovanni, Bernard Mendy, Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink
Pre-season form: Hull began preparations for life back in the Championship with three successive away wins against local sides Winterton Rangers (2-1), North Ferriby United (6-0) and Blue Square Premier team York City (1-0). The Tigers were then outplayed a 4-2 loss at Sunderland before recovering to record a 2-1 win over Dundee United at home.
Prediction: 13th
Hull City's Premier League demise was a predictable occurence. Having only just survived despite a brilliant start in 2008-09, last season was never going to be as kind for the Tigers. Relegation has brought all kinds of fresh concerns that previous chairman Paul Duffen had overstretched the club in trying to stay up and the two Pearsons - chairman Adam and new manager Nigel - face a tough challenge to get Hull back on the right path. Nigel Pearson may have been recruited on the strength of his performance with Leicester last season after the Foxes reached the playoffs but he will have done brilliantly to repeat the feat with the Tigers this season.
IPSWICH TOWN
The Blues - Portman Road, Ipswich, IP1 2DA. Capacity 30,311
Last season: 15th, FA Cup 4th round, League Cup 2nd round
Most recent top flight season: 2001-02
Manager: Roy Keane (since April 2009)
Players In: Mark Kennedy, Conor Hourihane
Players Out: Alex Bruce, Liam Trotter, Ed Upson, David Wright, Kevin Lisbie, Pim Balkenstein, Richard Wright, Devann Yao
Pre-season form: Town began pre-season in style with a 9-1 win over Newmarket and a 6-0 success over Histon. These early successes were followed by a 1-0 defeat in Eindhoven against PSV, the first match between the teams since the death of Sir Bobby Robson. But Ipswich bounced back to take the Suffolk County Cup with a 2-0 win over Leiston, then beat Bury 1-0 away. Two final matches at home against Premier League opposition proved too much as Town were beaten 1-0 by both West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur.
Prediction: 9th
Roy Keane's Ipswich Town were tipped last season for a tilt at the top end of the division after the Irish manager's previous success at this level with Sunderland. But, as it happened, Town were the last team in the Championship to win a game and that awful start destroyed any prospects for the rest of the campaign. This time, there has been none of the same fanfare around Portman Road and that could work in Keane's favour. A playoff push is not out of the question but the squad lacks depth, particularly up front, for any more than that.
LEEDS UNITED
The Whites - Elland Road, Leeds, LS11 0ES. Capacity 39,460
Last season: 2nd (promoted from League One), FA Cup 4th round, League Cup 3rd round
Most recent top flight season: 2003-04
Manager: Simon Grayson (since December 2008)
Players In: Alex Bruce, Neil Collins, Federico Bessone, Paul Connolly, Federico Luna, Billy Paynter, Lloyd Sam, Kasper Schmeichel
Players Out: Jermaine Beckford, Paul Dickov, Enoch Showunmi, Tom Elliott, Casper Ankergren, Rui Marques, Andrew Milne
Pre-season form: United have had an up-and-down pre-season in terms of results, starting their tour of Slovakia with a 1-0 loss against MFK Ruzomberok but finishing it with a win by the same score against MFK Kosice. Similarly, back on these shores, Leeds fell to a 4-0 defeat to Bury before recovering to beat Hartlepool United 5-0. But the summer was completed with some level of consistency after two 3-1 wins - away at SK Brann in Norway and at home against Premier League Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Prediction: 10th
Leeds United finally escaped the third tier after three torturous seasons with some of the worst pain reserved for the final few months. It looked as though Leeds were going to blow it altogether but having long conceded the League One championship to Norwich City, Simon Grayson's men did well to hold their nerve and see off a whole host of other challengers. The squad can only benefit mentally from that success and United should make a decent stab of it on their return to the Championship.
LEICESTER CITY
The Foxes - Walkers Stadium, Filbert Way, Leicester, LE2 7FL. Capacity 32,500
Last season: 5th (lost playoff semi final to Cardiff), FA Cup 4th round, League Cup 2nd round
Most recent top flight season: 2003-04
Manager: Paulo Sousa (since July 2010)
Players In: Leon Crncic, Tom Kennedy, Alie Sesay, Miguel Vitor
Players Out: James Wesolowski, Astrit Ajdarevic, Wayne Brown, Alex Cisak, Billy Kee, Nolberto Solano, Harry Worley, Yann Kermorgant, Robbie Burns, Carl Pentney, Levi Porter, Stephen Clemence, Chris Powell
Pre-season form: City suffered a 4-1 defeat in their opening friendly match against Polish side Jagiellonia Bialystok but the Foxes won 5-2 against Slovenia's NK Aluminij. Back in Britain, Leicester won at Rotherham United (2-1) and drew with Oxford United (1-1) before their best performance of the summer in a 5-1 win at Peterborough United. Leicester lost their only home friendly of the summer, 2-1 to Sunderland.
Prediction: 14th
Leicester City did not just lose a huge chance of successive promotions in the cruel lottery of a penalty shootout in the playoff semi finals against Cardiff City in May. Leicester have also lost manager Nigel Pearson to Hull City and the element of surprise which made them so successful last season. Although Pearson's replacement Paulo Sousa was also at the right end of the table with Swansea, a lack of goals cost the Swans dear and another fifth-place finish for the Foxes seems unlikely.
MIDDLESBROUGH
Boro - Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough, TS3 6RS. Capacity 34,988
Last season: 11th, FA Cup 3rd round, League Cup 2nd round
Most recent top flight season: 2008-09
Manager: Gordon Strachan (since October 2009)
Players In: Kevin Thomson, Stephen McManus, Nicky Bailey, Tarmo Kink, Andy Halliday, Kris Boyd
Players Out: John Johnson, James Cronesberry, Chris Killen, Emanuel Pogatetz, Jeremie Aliadiere, Chris Riggott
Pre-season form: Boro were unbeaten in their four pre-season matches with a draw and a win in Ireland - against Athlone Town (1-1) and Bray Wanderers (3-0) - and a win and a draw in Germany, against Sachsen Leipzig (2-0) and Union Berlin (2-2) where Boro recovered from being 2-0 down early on.
Prediction: 2nd
Middlesbrough pretty much perfected the manual on how not to bounce back from relegation in the last campaign. A decent start under Gareth Southgate suggested an immediate return to the Premier League was possible but a few poor results and falling attendance at the Riverside forced the hand of Steve Gibson, the Boro chairman. The problem with the decision to get rid of Southgate at that point was that Boro lost all their momentum and new manager Gordon Strachan struggled even more. However, early struggles are not an unusual occurence with Strachan and his reigns tend to improve with time. The summer signing of Kris Boyd should ensure Boro's challenge is more than a fleeting attempt.
MILLWALL
The Lions - The New Den, Zampa Road, London, SE16 3LN . Capacity 20,146
Last season: 3rd (promoted from League One via playoffs), FA Cup 3rd round, League Cup 2nd round
Most recent top flight season: 1989-1990
Manager: Kenny Jackett (since November 2007)
Players In: Shaun Batt, James Henry, Steve Mildenhall, Tamika Mkandawire, Liam Trotter, Kevin Lisbie
Players Out: David Martin, Adam Bolder, Jason Price, John Sullivan, Ali Fuseini
Pre-season form: The Lions stayed local for their pre-season matches with mixed results. A 1-1 draw at Crawley was followed by a 1-0 win over AFC Wimbledon but then came a 2-1 defeat to Stevenage Borough. Millwall got back to winning ways with a 2-0 win at Dartford before falling to a 3-2 home defeat against Hearts.
Prediction: 21st
Millwall recovered from Wembley heartache in 2008-09 to return to the stadium for a second successive playoff final in which they beat Swindon Town. It was no more than Kenny Jackett's men deserved after a fine season in which they lost just once at home to finish third behind Norwich City and Leeds United. But, of all the three promoted teams, the Lions have least resources and little experience. A narrow survival should be the aim first and foremost.
NORWICH CITY
The Canaries - Carrow Road, Norwich, NR1 1JE . Capacity 26,018
Last season: 1st (promoted from League One), FA Cup 2nd round, League Cup 2nd round
Most recent top flight season: 2004-05
Manager: Paul Lambert (since August 2009)
Players In: Andrew Surman, Simeon Jackson, Andrew Crofts, David Fox, John Ruddy, Stevie Smith, Elliott Ward
Players Out: Michael Spillane, David Stephens, Rhoys Wiggins, Gary Doherty, Danny Kelly, Damon Lathrope, Phil Roberts, Cody McDonald, Tom Adeyemi, Jamie Cureton, Paul McVeigh, Darel Russell
Pre-season form: The Canaries began pre season with a 3-0 win over local side Dereham before three matches out of four without a goal - 0-0 draws with Stevenage Borough and Lincoln City and a 1-0 defeat against Dagenham & Redbridge. In between those matches, however, Norwich enjoyed a fine 2-1 home win against out-of-sorts Newcastle before being well beaten by Everton (4-2), also at Carrow Road.
Prediction: 7th
Norwich City were utterly humiliated on the first day of last season - they lost 7-1 at home to Colchester United in their first game in the third tier in 39 years. The Canaries' response was emphatic: the Colchester manager Paul Lambert was headhunted and he then transferred his free-flowing philosophy to Carrow Road as City overhauled Leeds at the top to win the league comfortably. That free-flowing style will now be on show in the Championship and it should serve the Canaries well.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
The Reds - City Ground, Nottingham, NG2 5FJ. Capacity 30,602
Last season: 3rd (lost playoff semi final to Blackpool), FA Cup 3rd round, League Cup 3rd round
Most recent top flight season: 1998-99
Manager: Billy Davies (since January 2009)
Players In: Radoslav Majewski
Players Out: James Perch, Mark Byrne, Joe Garner, Jean Biansumba, Tony Diagne, Danny Elliott, Jordan Fairclough, Tim Hopkinson, Sean McCashin, Shane Redmond, Carl Sibson, Matthew Sykes, George Thomson, Max Wright
Pre-season form: Forest go into the season on the back of four successive pre season defeats after reverses at Tranmere Rovers (0-2), Peterborough United (0-1), at home against Olympique Lyonnais (1-3) and away at Swindon Town (2-3). The summer had started in encouraging fashion with successive 2-1 away wins over Mansfield Town and Portugal's SC Olhanense.
Prediction: 1st
No team pushed in vain for automatic promotion harder than Nottingham Forest last season but Forest have an infamously inauspicious record in the playoffs and so it continued in May against Blackpool. But, despite the bitter disappointment, manager Billy Davies gave all Forest fans the news that they wanted hear soon afterwards and he committed himself to the club. Davies himself was Forest's signing of the summer and his drive and the lack of threat from the relegated Premier League clubs add up to give Forest a real chance of leading from the front this season, instead of playing catch-up.
PORTSMOUTH
Pompey - Fratton Park, Frogmore Road, Portsmouth, PO4 8RA. Capacity 20,224
Last season: 20th (relegated from Premier League), FA Cup Runners-up, League Cup Quarter Finals
Most recent top flight season: 2009-10
Manager: Steve Cotterill (since June 2010)
Players In: Ibrahima Sonko
Players Out: Florent Cuvelier, Papa Bouba Diop, Nadir Belhadj, David James, Lenny Sowah, Luke Wilkinson, Jamie Ashdown, Tal Ben Haim, Angelos Bassinas, Steve Finnan, Omar Koroma
Pre-season form: After a 2-1 win at local side Havant & Waterlooville, Pompey escaped their summer troubles by fleeing to North America. The tour was not an unbridled success, though, with one win, one draw and two defeats from their four matches. Pompey began with a 2-1 loss to Club America before a win by the same score over Ventura Fusion. The match against FC Edmonton ended in a 1-1 draw before the tour finished on a low note as Pompey had two players sent off in a 4-0 loss against DC United. Back in England, Pompey fared rather better with a 1-0 away win at Bournemouth and a 1-0 win over Premier League Fulham at Fratton Park in Linvoy Primus' testimonial match.
Prediction: 20th
Portsmouth received an 11th hour reprieve after the courts ruled this week that the taxman was not entitled to any more money than what will be received under the Company Voluntary Arrangment (CVA). If HMRC had won, Pompey would have most likely been liquidated and some rejigging of the fixtures would have been required by the Football League. Despite the reprieve, off-field revelations about the size of Pompey's debt will continue to overshadow and disrupt the playing side. Players will still need to be sold and costs kept to a minimum - there is no doubt Pompey remain up against it.
PRESTON NORTH END
The Lilywhites - Deepdale, Sir Tom Finney Way, Preston, PR1 6RU. Capacity 23,408
Last season: 17th, FA Cup 4th round, League Cup 3rd round
Most recent top flight season: 1960-61
Manager: Darren Ferguson (since January 2010)
Players In: Craig Morgan, Andreas Arestidou, Wayne Brown, David Gray, Paul Hayes, Matthew James
Players Out: Neil Collins, Ross Wallace, Liam Chilvers, Michael Hart, Chris Sedgwick, Veliche Shumulikoski, Neil Mellor, Eddie Nolan, Youl Mawene
Pre-season form: Preston warmed up for the new season with two comfortable wins over local sides Bamber Bridge (6-1) and Chorley (3-1) before successive home matches against Premier League opposition. The first of these games went outstandingly well as Preston beat Blackburn 3-0 but, in the second match, Everton turned the Lilywhites over by the same score. Preston then drew 1-1 away at manager Darren Ferguson's old club Wrexham before a final pre-season match, away at Oldham Athletic, ended in a 1-0 defeat.
Prediction: 22nd
In the five seasons between 2004-05 and 2008-09, Preston reached the playoffs three times and just missed out on one other occasion. But, last season, matters changed for the worse at Deepdale and, after a reasonable start, Preston really struggled. Darren Ferguson has been brought in as manager to halt the decline and he also has something to prove after struggling early on last season with Peterborough United. Ferguson junior may regret not waiting for a better offer, however.
QUEENS PARK RANGERS
Rangers - Loftus Road, South Africa Road, London, W12 7PA. Capacity 19,100
Last season: 13th, FA Cup 3rd round, League Cup 3rd round
Most recent top flight season: 1995-96
Manager: Neil Warnock (since March 2010)
Players In: Paddy Kenny, Bradley Orr, James Mackie, Leon Clarke, Shaun Derry, Clint Hill
Players Out: Damion Stewart, Angelo Balanta, Ed Harris, Danny Davenport, Gavin Mahon, Nigel Quashie
Pre-season form: Rangers began pre-season with a goal glut on their tour of the south west, beating Tavistock 8-0, Bodmin Town 7-0 and Torquay United 3-1. Their results in Italy were not bad either with a 4-1 win over Equipe Romagna and a 2-1 success over Ravenna Calcio. Rangers then played out a 1-1 home draw with Plymouth Argyle in their final pre season match.
Prediction: 6th
A decent Championship-level squad and an experienced manager at any other club would go a long way to ensuring a top six finish. But, for quite some time now, it has not been that simple at Queens Park Rangers. In March 2010, Neil Warnock became the club's fifth permanent manager in 22 months and he is now tasked with getting a talented group of players to perform to potential. However, the cocksure Yorkshireman is never one to shirk a challenge and he probably represents QPR's best bet.
READING
The Royals - Madejski Stadium, Bennett Road, Reading, RG2 0FL. Capacity 24,224
Last season: 9th, FA Cup Quarter Finals, League Cup 2nd round
Most recent top flight season: 2007-08
Manager: Brian McDermott (since December 2009)
Players In: Andy Griffin, Marcus Williams
Players Out: Kalifa Cisse, James Henry, Oliver Bozanic, Marek Matejovsky, Andy White, Mikkel Andersen, Mitchell Bryant, Liam Rosenior, Radoslav Vasilev
Pre-season form: Reading have had an encouraging pre season with six wins from seven matches. An early 1-0 win over Farnborough was followed by two wins on their tour of the former Yugoslavia, 3-1 against a Red Star Belgrade B team and 2-0 over NK Inter Zapresic of Croatia. The Royals' final match of the tour was their only summer defeat as they were beaten 2-1 by Slovenia's NK Celje. Back on these shores, Reading enjoyed three successive wins - away at Wycombe Wanderers (2-1), at home against Wolverhampton Wanderers (also 2-1) and away at Southampton (4-2).
Prediction: 4th
Reading will surely have a less schizophrenic season this year as compared to 2009-10 when a wretched start was offset by promotion-winning form at the end. After Brendan Rodgers' struggle to replace the Steve Coppell-shaped void, Brian McDermott showed that the talent was always there and, as long as they avoid another nightmare start, there should be a stronger challenge from Reading this time.
SCUNTHORPE UNITED
The Iron - Glanford Park, Doncaster Road, Scunthorpe, DN15 8TD. Capacity 9,088
Last season: 20th, FA Cup 4th round, League Cup 4th round
Most recent top flight season: N/A
Manager: Nigel Adkins (since November 2006)
Players In: Bobby Grant, Michael Collins, Jim McNulty, Eddie Nolan, Chris Dagnall
Players Out: Gary Hooper, Richard Dean, Paul Hayes, Grant McCann, Matt Sparrow, Marcus Williams, Peter Winn, Ian Morris, Josh Lillis, Ben May, Kenny Milne, Jake Picton
Pre-season form: The Iron lost just once after playing several matches against local rivals this summer, starting with a 5-1 away win at Brigg Town and a 1-0 home win over Sheffield Wednesday. Scunthorpe then lost 1-0 away at York City before bouncing back to record a 2-0 home win over Huddersfield Town. A final pre season match, also at home, against Grimsby finished 1-1 before the Iron won 4-3 on penalties to win the Linconshire County Cup for a fourth successive year.
Prediction: 24th
Scunthorpe United defied the critics last season by having survival wrapped up before the last day but the Iron could be well short of the required standard this time. Not only have the Iron lost Gary Hooper to Celtic but they have also lost Hooper's foil, Paul Hayes, meaning Hooper's replacement Chris Dagnall from Rochdale may struggle to make the same impact. Add in a leaky defence and it is not looking good for Nigel Adkins' men.
SHEFFIELD UNITED
The Blades - Bramall Lane, Sheffield, S2 4SU. Capacity 32,702
Last season: 8th, FA Cup 4th round, League Cup 1st round
Most recent top flight season: 2006-07
Manager: Kevin Blackwell (since February 2008)
Players In: Daniel Bogdanovic, Leon Britton, Johannes Ertl, Rob Kozluk, Steve Simonsen, Nyron Noseworthy, Simon Walton
Players Out: Billy Sharp, Paddy Kenny, Justin Haber, Jordan Stewart, Liban Abdi, James Harper, Ian Bennett, Henri Camara, Glen Little, Gary Naysmith, Kyel Reid, Sam Wedgbury, Jonathan Fortune, Derek Geary, Jordan Robertson
Pre-season form: The Blades recorded five wins without conceding a goal in this season's preparatory matches. United started the summer by winning the Malta Cup after defeating two local sides Vittoriosa Stars 1-0 and Hibernians 2-0 over 45 minutes. This was followed by a 2-0 away with at Rotherham United, a 1-0 win at Notts County and a tight 1-0 home win over touring Argentinian outfit Estudiantes.
Prediction: 5th
Having been the best of the teams not to get promoted in 2008-09, poor away form meant Sheffield United failed to raise much of a challenge in the last campaign. Another unremarkable season simply will not do but, with the relegated Premier League teams seen as less of a threat this time, the Blades under Kevin Blackwell look well-placed to be one of the candidates to challenge.
SWANSEA CITY
The Swans - Liberty Stadium, Morfa, Swansea, SA1 2FA. Capacity 20,532
Last season: 7th, FA Cup 3rd round, League Cup 2nd round
Most recent top flight season: 1982-83
Manager: Brendan Rogers (since July 2010)
Players In: Scott Donnelly, Neil Taylor
Players Out: Federico Bessone, Leon Britton, Kieran Howard, Federico Luna, Marcus Painter, Daniel Sheehan, Guillem Bauza, James Burgin
Pre-season form: Swansea have had a busy summer against Welsh, English and Dutch opposition, recording seven wins from nine matches. An early 2-1 win over Port Talbot Town was followed by defeat at Hereford United (0-2). But the Swans then recorded six successive wins against Neath FC (2-0), Yeovil Town (1-0), Llanelli (5-1), Cheltenham Town at home (1-0), VV Haaglandia (4-1) and finally Voetbal Club Sparta (9-1). The last two of those wins came on a tour of the Netherlands but it was not a 100 percent successful trip as the Swans lost their final match 1-0 to ADO Den Haag.
Prediction: 18th
For the second season in a row, Swansea City start with a new manager: for Roberto Martinez to Wigan in 2009, read Paulo Sousa to Leicester in 2010. Now former Watford and Reading man Brendan Rodgers is in charge at the Liberty Stadium and it is hard to see how the Swans can continue finishing in the top half with such little continuity, not to mention a lack of goals.
WATFORD
The Hornets - Vicarage Road, Watford, WD18 0ER. Capacity 19,920
Last season: 16th, FA Cup 3rd round, League Cup 2nd round
Most recent top flight season: 2006-07
Manager: Malky Mackay (since June 2009)
Players In: Tom Aldred, Rene Gilmartin
Players Out: Jon Harley, Will Hoskins, Richard Lee, Jordan Parkes, Lewis Young, Jure Travner, Mat Sadler, Rob Kiernon, Jay DeMerit, Billy Gibson, Jonathan North
Pre-season form: Watford faced several local sides this summer to prepare for the season, beating Borehamwood 5-0 and St Albans City 2-0 before less positive results at Barnet (0-1) and Northampton Town (3-3). The Hornets finished their summer on a high note after a 2-0 win at Stevenage Borough and a 1-0 home win against Charlton Athletic.
Prediction: 23rd
Watford will rely once again on a wily manager in Malky Mackay and a youthful squad to keep Championship football at Vicarage Road. Home form was pretty good last season and it may need to be even better again as such an inexperienced squad look unlikely to pick up many points on the road. Indeed, the Hornets over-reliance on a young squad of players could come back to haunt them in the final reckoning.
Monday 2 August 2010
GB athletes on track for 2012 success
BRITISH athletes bagged a record haul of medals at the European Championships in Barcelona as the build-up towards the 2012 Olympics in London continued in impressive style.
Team GB won six golds, seven silvers and six bronze for a grand total of 19 medals, one more than the previous best effort in Split in 1990.
The haul meant Team GB was second only to Russia in terms of total medals won, although France pushed the British into third place in the finals medals table on account of having won two more golds.
Success came from the very start as Mo Farah and Chris Thompson took gold and silver respectively in the Men's 10,000m on the first day of competition.
Ethiopian-born Farah won a second gold in the Men's 5,000m and he was joined at the top of the podium by Phillips Idowu in the Men's long jump, Andy Turner in the Men's 110m hurdles, and Dai Greene in the Men's 400m hurdles.
Jessica Ennis also claimed top prize in the Women's heptathlon after winning three of the seven events to finish on a championship record 6823 points, 45 points clear of her nearest rival Nataliya Dobrynska of Ukraine.
Farah and Thompson in the Men's 10,000 was not the only 1-2 achieved by Britain as Rhys Williams took second place in the Men's 400m hurdles behind his fellow Welshman Greene.
Four of the other five silver medals came in the Men's 100m, 200m, 400m and 800m courtesy of Mark Lewis-Francis, Christian Malcolm, Michael Bingham and Michael Rimmer respectively.
Lewis-Francis and Malcolm were both just beaten in the 100m and 200m sprints by 20-year-old Frenchman Christophe Lemaitre who won his first senior gold medals.
The final British silver medal came courtesy of the Men's 4x400m relay team of Bingham, Conrad Williams, Rob Tobin and Martyn Rooney.
Rooney also won bronze in the 400m behind silver medallist Bingham, while the other British male bronze medallists were Martyn Bernard in the high jump and Chris Tomlinson in the long jump.
There were two individual female bronze medals - for Perri Shakes-Drayton in the 400m hurdles and Jenny Meadows in the 800m.
Shakes-Drayton was also part of the third-placed Women's 4x400m squad, whose other members were Nicola Sanders, Marilyn Okoro and Lee McConnell.
But, while both the men's and women's 4x400m relay teams won medals, neither of the 4x100m relay squads even reached the final in one of the few black marks against Team GB.
Handover errors were to blame for both squads prompting UK Athletics head coach Charles Van Commenee to label the women's team "a disgrace" and the men's team as "not much better".
Dutchman Van Commenee was also unhappy at the number of key athletes who missed the championships through injury.
Absentees included 400m runner Christine Ohuruogu, long jumper Greg Rutherford, javelin thrower Goldie Sayers, heptathlete Kelly Sotherton and long-distance runner Jo Pavey.
But, having easily beaten the target of 10-15 medals before the meeting, 2012 chief organiser Lord Sebastian Coe thinks Van Commenee will be satisfied by the progress.
Certainly, the results suggest that there will be some home success in two years' time in London.
Medals Table
5th Turkey, 6th Spain, 7th Ukraine, 8th Poland 9th Belarus, 10th Croatia, 11th Belgium, 12th Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Switzerland, Slovakia, 17th Italy, 18th Netherlands, Romania, 20th Portugal, 21st Bulgaria, Ireland, Sweden, 24th Hungary, 25th Azerbaijan, Czech Republic, Finland
Individual Team GB medallists
GOLD
Mo Farah Men's 10,000m
Phillips Idowu Men's triple jump
Andy Turner Men's 110m hurdles
Jessica Ennis Women's heptathlon
Mo Farah Men's 5,000m
Dai Greene Men's 400m hurdles
SILVER
Chris Thompson Men's 10,000m
Mark Lewis-Francis Men's 100m
Michael Bingham Men's 400m
Christian Malcolm Men's 200m
Rhys Williams Men's 400m hurdles
Michael Rimmer Men's 800m
Conrad Williams, Michael Bingham, Rob Tobin, Martyn Rooney Men's 4x400m relay
BRONZE
Martyn Bernard Men's high jump
Martyn Rooney Men's 400m
Perri Shakes-Drayton Women's 400m hurdles
Jenny Meadows Women's 800m
Nicola Sanders, Marilyn Okoro, Lee McConnell, Perri Shakes-Drayton Women's 4x400m relay
Chris Tomlinson Men's long jump
Team GB won six golds, seven silvers and six bronze for a grand total of 19 medals, one more than the previous best effort in Split in 1990.
The haul meant Team GB was second only to Russia in terms of total medals won, although France pushed the British into third place in the finals medals table on account of having won two more golds.
Success came from the very start as Mo Farah and Chris Thompson took gold and silver respectively in the Men's 10,000m on the first day of competition.
Ethiopian-born Farah won a second gold in the Men's 5,000m and he was joined at the top of the podium by Phillips Idowu in the Men's long jump, Andy Turner in the Men's 110m hurdles, and Dai Greene in the Men's 400m hurdles.
Jessica Ennis also claimed top prize in the Women's heptathlon after winning three of the seven events to finish on a championship record 6823 points, 45 points clear of her nearest rival Nataliya Dobrynska of Ukraine.
Farah and Thompson in the Men's 10,000 was not the only 1-2 achieved by Britain as Rhys Williams took second place in the Men's 400m hurdles behind his fellow Welshman Greene.
Four of the other five silver medals came in the Men's 100m, 200m, 400m and 800m courtesy of Mark Lewis-Francis, Christian Malcolm, Michael Bingham and Michael Rimmer respectively.
Lewis-Francis and Malcolm were both just beaten in the 100m and 200m sprints by 20-year-old Frenchman Christophe Lemaitre who won his first senior gold medals.
The final British silver medal came courtesy of the Men's 4x400m relay team of Bingham, Conrad Williams, Rob Tobin and Martyn Rooney.
Rooney also won bronze in the 400m behind silver medallist Bingham, while the other British male bronze medallists were Martyn Bernard in the high jump and Chris Tomlinson in the long jump.
There were two individual female bronze medals - for Perri Shakes-Drayton in the 400m hurdles and Jenny Meadows in the 800m.
Shakes-Drayton was also part of the third-placed Women's 4x400m squad, whose other members were Nicola Sanders, Marilyn Okoro and Lee McConnell.
But, while both the men's and women's 4x400m relay teams won medals, neither of the 4x100m relay squads even reached the final in one of the few black marks against Team GB.
Handover errors were to blame for both squads prompting UK Athletics head coach Charles Van Commenee to label the women's team "a disgrace" and the men's team as "not much better".
Dutchman Van Commenee was also unhappy at the number of key athletes who missed the championships through injury.
Absentees included 400m runner Christine Ohuruogu, long jumper Greg Rutherford, javelin thrower Goldie Sayers, heptathlete Kelly Sotherton and long-distance runner Jo Pavey.
But, having easily beaten the target of 10-15 medals before the meeting, 2012 chief organiser Lord Sebastian Coe thinks Van Commenee will be satisfied by the progress.
Certainly, the results suggest that there will be some home success in two years' time in London.
Medals Table
| GOLD | SILVER | BRONZE | TOTAL | |
| 1. Russia | 10 | 6 | 8 | 24 |
| 2. France | 8 | 6 | 4 | 18 |
| 3. Great Britain | 6 | 7 | 6 | 19 |
4. Germany | 4 | 6 | 6 | 16 |
5th Turkey, 6th Spain, 7th Ukraine, 8th Poland 9th Belarus, 10th Croatia, 11th Belgium, 12th Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Switzerland, Slovakia, 17th Italy, 18th Netherlands, Romania, 20th Portugal, 21st Bulgaria, Ireland, Sweden, 24th Hungary, 25th Azerbaijan, Czech Republic, Finland
Individual Team GB medallists
GOLD
Mo Farah Men's 10,000m
Phillips Idowu Men's triple jump
Andy Turner Men's 110m hurdles
Jessica Ennis Women's heptathlon
Mo Farah Men's 5,000m
Dai Greene Men's 400m hurdles
SILVER
Chris Thompson Men's 10,000m
Mark Lewis-Francis Men's 100m
Michael Bingham Men's 400m
Christian Malcolm Men's 200m
Rhys Williams Men's 400m hurdles
Michael Rimmer Men's 800m
Conrad Williams, Michael Bingham, Rob Tobin, Martyn Rooney Men's 4x400m relay
BRONZE
Martyn Bernard Men's high jump
Martyn Rooney Men's 400m
Perri Shakes-Drayton Women's 400m hurdles
Jenny Meadows Women's 800m
Nicola Sanders, Marilyn Okoro, Lee McConnell, Perri Shakes-Drayton Women's 4x400m relay
Chris Tomlinson Men's long jump
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