Championship, League One and League Two football are back – here are SunSport’s predictions for the new seasons
IT'S been a long wait, but the football is finally back.
Teams have been strengthening left, right and centre, but who's gunning for glory and who's dropping down in despair? SunSport's Tom Barclay makes his predictions:
Championship
1. Newcastle
TACTICS are Rafa Benitez’s forte so having no Championship experience is irrelevant.
He’ll relish plotting ways to win at Rotherham and Barnsley, and I expect Toon to replicate their 2010 triumph.
2. Derby
NIGEL PEARSON is the X-Factor the Rams have lacked.
He can give one of the division’s strongest squads the belief to get over the line - which is where they have failed for the last three years.
3. Norwich
THIS team was built to do well in the Championship and if they can add Ross McCormack - the best player in the division last year - they will push the top two all the way.
CARLOS CARVALHAL’S men were last season’s surprise package but they won’t be this year, particularly with the added firepower of Steven Fletcher from Sunderland.
5. Brighton
SO unlucky not to go up last season with a massive points total of 88 - and that was with the shotshy Sam Baldock up top.
Glenn Murray is a savvy buy.
6. Aston Villa
ROBERTO DI MATTEO has an awful lot of work to do to turn this behemoth around.
But snaring Tommy Elphick for some much-needed leadership, organisation and league know-how could be key.
7. Leeds
ONCE again, it all depends on how itchy Massimo Cellino’s trigger-finger gets.
But Garry Monk is a step-up on Steve Evans and Rob Green provides quality between the sticks.
8. Wolves
NEW Chinese owners Fosun are hugely ambitious and not afraid to splash the cash.
It will be heady days at Molineux but big-money foreign buys will take time to adapt to the rough ‘n tumble of the Championship before they’re ready to challenge.
9. Ipswich
MICK McCARTHY is now the longest-serving Championship boss and for good reason.
His incredible work on a shoe-string budget is often overlooked and I expect another campaign of over-achievement.
10. Cardiff
PAUL TROLLOPE will hope Iceland hero Aron Gunnarsson has returned from the Euros feeling ten feet taller and ready to inspire his club team-mates.
Altogether now: Clap… (long pause) clap… (long pause)... clap.
11. QPR
THE big-earners have been moved on and the new breed is taking shape under Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.
I can’t believe more sides were not in for Jake Bidwell at the bargain price of £1.4million.
12. Birmingham
GARY ROWETT is the real deal.
So long as he is at the helm, Blues will continue to over-achieve - but fans will worry that this particular good thing will come to an end sometime soon.
13. Bristol City
IT’LL be Lee-sy does it for the Robins this year.
Lee Johnson is one of the country’s bright young managers, while the permanent capture of Lee Tomlin is a stunning coup.
14. Brentford
DEAN SMITH started to put together some good form at the back end of the season.
I’m going for midtable but canny buys Romaine Sawyers and Dan Bentley could have them higher.
15. Reading
THE Royals have gambled on newbie boss Jaap Stam.
He was a legendary player for Man Utd but as we know, great players do not necessarily a great manager make.
16. Wigan
WILL GRIGG has been on fire in League One for the past three seasons - now it is finally time to see if he can carry his red-hot form into the second tier.
17. Preston
WHEN making predictions, the first thing to analyse is the manager.
At this level, Simon Grayson has got it, plain and simple. And that’s why North End will be fine.
18. Huddersfield
KLOPPELGANGER David Wagner has had his honeymoon period at the Terriers.
Now we’ll find out if the Gegenpressing nut - and Jurgen Klopp’s best pal - is the real deal.
19. Barnsley
PAUL HECKINGBOTTOM will be praying John Stones completes his £50m move to Man City - as the Tykes are due a 15 per cent cut. Sam Winnall will be a threat.
20. Fulham
MOUSSA DEMBELE has already gone to Celtic and Ross McCormack looks set to leave too.
That will be 38 goals lost from the team. Is Slavisa Jokanovic regretting taking the job?
JORGE MENDES’ pal Pedro Pereira may be in as the new Director of Football, but few players have joined and Philippe Montanier doesn’t know the league.
Britt Assombalonga needs to be as good as he was before his long-term injury.
22. Blackburn
LAST season they flogged their best two strikers, this summer they look to be losing their two best centre-backs with skipper Grant Hanley gone and Shane Duffy seemingly on his way.
Sorry Coyle, you’re g-Owen down.
23. Burton
ALBION’S rise from non-league is a modern-day fairytale.
But they simply do not have the resources to compete at this level. It will be fun while it lasts though!
24. Rotherham
NEIL WARNOCK worked miracles to keep the Millers up but he’s gone now.
Alan Stubbs has taken over and has nowhere near the same experience so trouble looms.
League One
1. Millwall
NEIL HARRIS impressed in his first proper season and restored the Lions’ pride.
Now they need to kick on with Lee Gregory - a Stocksbridge team-mate of Jamie Vardy - leading the charge.
2. Charlton
ROLAND DUCHATELET is still there, much to Charlton fans’ disappointment.
But Russell Slade, Nicky Ajose and Ricky Holmes are three reasons why the Addicks should make a swift return.
3. Bolton
NEW season, fresh start.
Phil Parkinson should herald an exciting era at the Macron with all his experience at this level while Zach Clough should star in this league.
4. Sheff Utd
CHRIS WILDER worked miracles at Northampton - now he must use that magic to sort out his beloved Blades who have mastered the art of falling below expectations in recent years.
5. Scunthorpe
THE Iron showed their mettle at the back end of last season - winning their last six games, only to finish outside the play-offs on goal difference.
Organised Graham Alexander can go better this year.
6. MK Dons
KARL ROBINSON was armed with the smallest budget in the Championship last year and unsurprisingly came up short.
But he has the energy and know-how to have them challenging this year.
7. Gillingham
SHOCK capture Paul Konchesky was obviously convinced by the Gills ambition.
Justin Edinburgh is definitely a manager to watch out for - but he was dealt a cruel blow by the horror injury to new signing Lee Martin in pre-season.
8. Bradford
IT is all change after years of stability and relative success under Phil Parkinson at Valley Parade.
But the new German owners have opted for some sort of continuity by appointing club hero Stuart McCall as Parky’s replacement.
9. Coventry
TONY MOWBRAY has work to do with 20 league goals lost as a result of Adam Armstrong’s loan ending.
But teenager Jodi Jones is one to watch.
10. Peterborough
BOSS Grant McCann has been handed huge responsibility by owner Darragh McAnthony given his lack of managerial experience.
I hope McAnthony continues to interact with fans on Twitter as he has as it brings real insight into what it is like to run a club.
11. Rochdale
KEITH HILL, the man who gave John Stones his professional debut, continues to work wonders on a shoe-string.
The 47-year-old plays the game the right way and is a good character for the future of English football.
12. Oxford
MANY are tipping Michael Appleton’s men to be this year’s surprise package.
No doubt they play exciting football but the loss of Kemar Roofe - as well as kid Callum O’Dowda - could hurt.
13. Walsall
JON WHITNEY knows where the bodies are buried at the Saddlers.
The former grave-digger has gone from physio to assistant to now boss during his long stint at the Birmingham outfit and has work to do this year after Tom Bradshaw’s sale to Barnsley.
14. Chesterfield
CHED EVANS will dominate headlines, while the club courted controversy in pre-season with a fraudulent fan raffle.
Danny Wilson has the nous to keep them above water though.
15. Bristol Rovers
OWNER Wael Al-Qadi proved he means business by convincing hotshot Matt Taylor to sign a new deal.
Now the question is: Will the striker tear up League One as he did the two divisions below?
16. Southend
PHIL BROWN has lost star keeper Dan Bentley to Brentford and knows the club are punching above their weight in this league.
I expect a bigger team will snare the ex-Hull chief at some point this season.
17. Fleetwood
STEVEN PRESSLEY walked out after interference from above.
His replacement Uwe Rosler has some experience in dealing with nosy boardrooms after his time with Massimo Cellino.
18. Port Vale
JOSE MOURINHO’S pal Bruno Ribeiro has taken the reins at the Vale and has brought a host of foreign players with him who have no League One experience.
The definition of a gamble.
19. Swindon
LUKE WILLIAMS suffered a baptism of fire as boss last season but owner Lee Power thinks the world of him.
Losing 24-goal Nicky Ajose is a real blow.
20. AFC Wimbledon
WHAT a story the Wombles’ rise has been.
The reality is Neal Ardley’s side came from nowhere to seal promotion through the play-offs last season and it will be tough this year.
21. Northampton
CHRIS WILDER somehow led the Cobblers to promotion despite everything coming apart at the seams last year.
The club are much more secure now but the great man is gone, as is key player Ricky Holmes.
22. Shrewsbury
MICKY MELLON is another boss to look out for who has done sterling work so far.
I fear he may move on this year having taken the Shrews as far as he can.
23. Bury
GOALS are everything in this business and Shakers fans have been rocked by the loss of 19-goal Leon Clarke to Sheffield United.
It will be an upward battle from the off.
24. Oldham
THEY should have moved heaven and earth to snare Steve Evans while they could.
Stuart Ripley’s goalkeeper son Connor, on loan from Middlesbrough, should feature heavily in the highlights packages this season.
League Two
1. Portsmouth
IN Pompey’s precarious past, Paul Cook could well have lost his job for failing to win promotion last year.
The current sensible fan owners should get their rewards this season with a title.
2. Doncaster
TWO relegations in three seasons means the wheels have come off at Donny.
It is last chance saloon for Sir Alex’s son Darren Ferguson to show he has what it takes to be a manager - and show it he shall.
3. Luton
THE Hatters have a strong squad at this level with ex-Chelsea kid Cameron McGeehan a special talent.
Nathan Jones learned his trade under Chris Hughton at Brighton and can excel this year.
4. Plymouth
BAD-BOY David Goodwillie, who flopped at Blackburn earlier in his career, has joined.
Boss Derek Adams, whose dad George worked with Alex Ferguson at Aberdeen, will hope to succeed where others have failed and get the striker firing.
5. Leyton Orient
CHAIRMAN Francesco Becchetti’s tenure has been a disaster so far.
But the Italian has brought in some decent talent this summer so Andy Hessenthaler has plenty to work with.
6. Cambridge
ADAM McGURK was a disappointment at Pompey last year but still it is a big coup for Shaun Derry to land the attacker this summer.
7. Colchester
THE faith in youth that chairman Robbie Cowling places is admirable.
Now is the time for some of those kids to start repaying it by helping Col U fight back after relegation.
8. Blackpool
IT has been out of the frying pan and into the fire for ex-Blackburn boss Gary Bowyer.
But the 45-year-old was underrated for his Ewood Park job and can stop the Seaside slide this year.
9. Accrington
LAST season was the year of the miracle-workers with Claudio Ranieri at Leicester and Chris Wilder at Northampton.
John Coleman was not far off with his Stanley play-off shock - but doing the trick again will be tough.
10. Wycombe
THE Chairboys will be in Beast Mode this season following the free signing of Adebayo Akinfenwa, who signed off at AFC Wimbledon in triumphant style last season.
11. Exeter
DAPPER Paul Tisdale has slowly been turning Exeter into a side that have both style and substance during his decade at the club.
Expect to doff your flat cap to more steady progress this year.
12. Carlisle
HEAD of recruitment Lee Dykes is a man in demand, with Premier League champions Leicester and Cardiff sniffing around him.
Keith Curle will want to show the scout why it’s worth sticking around.
13. Yeovil
IT is a miracle Darren Way is still alive let alone managing Town following a horrific car accident in 2008.
The 36-year-old rescued the club from a third consecutive relegation last year and can build on that success this term.
14. Notts County
OWNER Ray Trew paid compensation to bring in manager John Sheridan which is rare at this level.
Why? Because Sheridan knows what he’s doing at this level and can sort the County mess out.
15. Crewe
THE Alex knew they were punching above their weight in League One and have taken no drastic action as a result of relegation, with Steve Davis homing in on five years in the hotseat.
16. Hartlepool
CRAIG HIGNETT had a decent start to life as a boss last year and was even linked to old club Middlesbrough during the Aitor Karanka walk-out saga.
Has to be wary of second season syndrome.
17. Grimsby
HARD to see a promoted side doing a Bristol Rovers this year but forward Omar Bogle could be an outside bet for the golden boot.
18. Stevenage
THE Teddy Sheringham experiment flopped last year and Boro turned to unknown rookie Darren Sarll as a replacement, under Glenn Roeder’s tutelage.
It paid off with safety but will it work again?
19. Mansfield
MITCH ROSE - brother of England and Tottenham star Danny - will be hoping for another steady season under Adam Murray but it could be close.
20. Cheltenham
GARY JOHNSON responded to the sack at Yeovil in humble style - by taking the Robins out of the Conference and into League Two.
Now the dad of Bristol City boss Lee must use his 30 years of managerial experience to keep them there.
21. Barnet
MARTIN ALLEN is up against it at the Bees this year - but then when has he not been?
Mad Dog is in his FOURTH spell as Barnet boss and can be the difference to keep them in the league.
22. Morecambe
JIM BENTLEY once said he did not have enough budget to “buy a cup of tea” let alone players.
That could change if a takeover of the club goes through this year.
23. Crawley
TOWN have a new owner, a new manager and a whole new squad.
No fewer than SIXTEEN players have been signed, meaning ex-Chelsea reserves coach Dermot Drummy needs more gel than Brylcream to get them playing as a team.
24. Newport
JUSTIN EDINBURGH worked wonders to get them into the Football League.
The extent of the challenge has been laid bare since he left and with the club’s ownership uncertain, they have to be favourites for the drop.