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.
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