Team-by-Team Championship Predictions 2022/23

[StevieDay1983]

It's that time of the year again when I give you my 1-24 predictions for the 2022/23 Championship season over the coming week or so. I will start with the team I think will finish at the bottom of the league this season and cover every team right up to the team I feel will take the league title. Last season's edition of this generated some very interesting chat so I'm looking forward to see what you all have to say this time around. 

[StevieDay1983]

Rotherham

OK, so the first team up are the side that finished 2nd in League One last season with an impressive 90 points. Paul Warne undoubtedly did a fantastic job of getting his team back into the second tier of English football via automatic promotion. The 25 goals scored by striker Michael Smith across all competitions was a big reason for that but the undoubted main quality in this Millers side is their defensive stability.

The Yorkshire club only conceded 33 goals in 46 league games last season. Viktor Johansson was a safe pair of hands in goal and the back-line including the likes of Michael Ihiekwe, Wes Harding, Richard Wood, and Rarmani Edmonds-Green ensured that clean sheets were earned regularly last season in the league. It also helped that Warne knew his team had a scoring threat from midfield with Daniel Barlaser and Ben Wiles scoring 9 and 10 goals respectively across all competitions. Another striker in Freddie Ladapo also scored 15 goals in all competitions.

You would argue that the combination of a resolute back-line, creative midfield, and potent scoring attack was a decent formula for Championship football. Unfortunately, Rotherham have had to deal with a number of those key players departing. The duo of Ihiekwe and Smith have left the club for League One local rivals Sheffield Wednesday and Ladapo has moved to another League One outfit in Ipswich on a free. The arrivals of Conor Washington from Charlton and Tom Eaves from Hull hardly bring proven goal scoring experience over recent years at this level and I think the loss of Ihiekwe in particular will really hurt Rotherham's defensive resilience. Can the signings of Peter Kioso from Luton, Cohen Bramall from Lincoln, Jamie McCart from St Johnstone, and Cameron Humphreys from Wulte Zaregem counter that? Or is it too much change in one fell swoop? I fear it could be a long and difficult season for Warne's side.

Final Position: 24th

[StevieDay1983]

Reading

This might be a controversial one given the fact Reading have been a long stay team in the Championship but you do get the feeling things have been slowly unravelling for a numbers of years at the Berkshire club. Firstly, I want to point out that despite my banter with Reading fans about my dislike for their club I do think they deserve credit for the approach they are adopting to encourage £20 maximum ticket prices for away fans in the Championship this season. It's a fantastic proposal and I'm delighted that Cardiff have entered into an agreement to reciprocate the deal. Secondly, I still think this could be a very hard season for the club this season.

Paul Ince is the main the owners have decided to hand the reigns too for this season. The former MK Dons gaffer did enough to keep the team in the second tier last season and he did surprise some people by ensuring his time in charge as interim head coach wasn't a complete disaster given his previous experience in management so far. However, last season did end on a sour note with the team losing their last 3 league games of the season without scoring a goal. The team have also seen a large number of first team players depart the club on a free in order for the club to cut costs. These include Josh Laurent, Michael Morrison, Andy Rinomhota, John Swift, Alen Halilovic, and Orjan Nyland. Chelsea midfielder Danny Drinkwater and Watford midfielder Tom Dele-Bashiru also returned to their parent clubs at the end of their loan spells. Even with all those players and more, the Royals still only finished in 21st place last season.

The good news for Reading fans is that they have retained a number of quality Championship players in Liam Moore, Andy Yiadom, Baba Rahman, Tom Holmes, and Ovie Ejaria. Is it enough though? Rumours are circulating about the potential departures of strikers Lucas Joao and George Puscas. Arrivals are few and far between with Tom Ince joining his dad from Stoke on a free. Joe Lumley has come in on loan from Middlesbrough. The loan signing of Newcastle central midfielder Jeff Hendrick is a potential life saver but he can't do it all on his own. It just all feels a little underwhelming. I don't think things are very smooth behind the scenes and I don't think they have the right manager at the helm to dig them out of this hole. There is little money available to spend to improve the squad and it appears that they've already missed out on a number of their free transfer targets. I fear this could be the season Reading drop down to League One.

Final Position: 23rd

[StevieDay1983]

Birmingham

It's a very tough one to call at the bottom of the Championship table with a number of clubs not being in a very fit state entering this new season. The issues at Birmingham have been going on for longer than most of us can remember and these continued last season with the team finishing the campaign down in 20th place. The Blues were arguably saved from a drop down to League One by the points deductions to Peterborough and Derby. It was head coach Lee Bowyer who suffered the consequences with the owners replacing him with former Kidderminster Harriers and QPR head coach John Eustace. It's a big gamble call but as the years gone by are showing it's not the choice of manager that's the problem. It's the ownership.

Eustace has already seen an overhaul of playing staff at the club with the exit door being shown to the likes of Fran Villalba, Ivan Sanchez, Kristian Pedersen, Ivan Sunjic, and Jeremie Bela. Onel Hernandez also returned to his parent club Norwich after the expiration of his loan spell. Eustace has since worked hard to bring in new faces on a very limited budget with the duo of Dion Sanderson and Przemyslaw Placheta arriving on loan deals from Wolves and Norwich respectively. This is a Birmingham squad that needs more than that though. Retaining last season's top scorer Scott Hogan is a big positive but he needs to score more if he wants to help keep the club up.

This does remain a Birmingham side that boasts experience at this level. The likes of Neil Etheridge, Harlee Dean, Marc Roberts, George Friend, Maxime Colin, Gary Gardner, Troy Deeney, and Lukas Jutkiewicz have all been around the block but they are also on the wrong side of 30 years old. It's a situation that sums up the club as a whole. An ageing unit that is suffering from a lack of investment and enterprise whilst being on the decline. I just don't think this squad is good enough to stay up right now and that opinion won't change unless they take full advantage of the loan market.

Final Position: 22nd

[StevieDay1983]

Blackpool

One team I feel could really suffer a drop down the table from last season is Blackpool. The departure of last season's head coach Neil Critchley to take up the assistant manager role at Aston Villa is a gut-wrenching blow for the progression of the club. Critchley had worked wonders with the team on a budget making full use of his contacts within the academy system at Premier League level. This current squad was very much one crafted by Critchley and you can't help but feel that there's nobody out there that could get as much out of these players as he has done. Even then, the club still finished in 16th place last season despite their very encouraging start to the campaign.

Former Lincoln and Oxford gaffer Michael Appleton has been charged with the task of continuing Critchley's fine work but it's already been an appointment that has divided fan opinion. There is no denying that Appleton worked wonders at Oxford and Lincoln but his time at his other clubs including Blackburn, Portsmouth, and, of course, Blackpool saw him struggle to get his win rate over 27%. Maybe he's simply one of those managers that struggles to adapt to the second tier and above? Either way, it's a hell of a big risk from owner Simon Sadler to bring in Appleton. Especially given he holds the record for the shortest reign of any Blackpool manager at just 11 league games.

The managerial change issue aside, you have to also consider that even though the Seasiders possess some decent talent for this level with the likes of Josh Bowler, Kenny Dougall, and Marvin Ekpiteta there is a serious need for investment if the team wants to avoid being dragged into a relegation dog fight. In fact, the only reason I have Blackpool finishing outside the bottom three is simply because I feel off-field issues and appalling management behind the scenes at Reading and Birmingham will prevent that. I really wouldn't be surprised if the Appleton appointment ends badly though. The loan signings of Reece James and Oliver Casey have done little to change my mind on that.

Final Position: 21st

[StevieDay1983]

Bristol City

Trouble could be abound for another team that flirted with the lower end of the table in the Championship last season. Bristol City fans will no doubt come for me for putting them down this low but I look at how they performed under Nigel Pearson last year and I don't see any real evidence to suggest things will be any better this coming season. In fact, I think they could well end up worse off than the 17th place finish of last season when they owed a lot to the 22 league goals scored by striker Andreas Weimann. It was also just 1 loss from their last 6 league games that kept them away from the drop zone.

The Robins have chosen to largely keep faith with the squad of players they had last season. Pearson does have a tidy blend of youth and experience but is he the right man to nurture that combination? Players such as Weimann, Chris Martin, Jay Dasilva, and Tomas Kalas are experienced heads at this level and when you see that they have some top young talents including Antoine Semenyo, Alex Scott, and Han-Noah Massengo then you can see why their fans would be optimistic. The issue for City remains partly that it's now been a long time since Pearson's managerial approach was a success. The former Sheffield Wednesday centre back hasn't earned a win percentage higher than 33% at any club he's managed since 2015. The squad is also in dire need of increasing its strength in depth. You look beyond the starting XI for City and it becomes very thread bare with a lot of responsibility falling on the younger players. That's a dangerous game to play in this division.

To be fair, the signings of defensive duo Kane Wilson and Kal Naismith from Forest Green Rovers and Luton respectively show that Pearson is attempting to address the problem of defensive frailties. The gaffer won't want to see the team concede 77 goals across the league season again because that would put a lot of pressure on Weimann and Martin to do the business at the other end of the pitch again to keep them safe. On the positive front, there have been no real big departures from Ashton Gate with the only two high-profile exits being Callum O'Dowda and Kasey Palmer but the supporters don't seem overly bothered by their departures. Still, I think this City team just hasn't re-enforced enough and don't possess the sort of manager that will keep his composure when things get tough.

Final Position: 20th

[StevieDay1983]

Huddersfield

How can a team come so close to reaching the Premier League and then end up being tipped to finish just above the Championship relegation zone the following season? Well, Huddersfield are my tip to show you how. I'm sorry, @Kenton Schweppes, you know I've always been a fan of your lads but I do worry for you this season. The unexpected departure of head coach Carlos Corberan left the fans and players in shock. It's alleged he had a bust-up with owner Dean Hoyle but whatever the reason for his exit he's been replaced by the inexperienced Danny Schofield.

It's a disconcerting time to be a Terriers fan. The club were left in the lurch by former owner Phil Hodgkinson who failed to deliver on the investment he promised to bring into the club. Despite that, Huddersfield finished in 3rd position last season and lost 1-0 in the play-off final to Nottingham Forest. The good news is that Huddersfield have mainly kept the crux of that squad together. The bad news is that a lot of the players were Corberan signings or players that Corberan had managed to get the best out of. The likes of Naby Sarr, Pipa, and Alex Vallejo have all left the club but will only be seen as squad depth disappearing. I'm led to believe that Schofield doesn't exactly have a big budget to play with due to financial fair play so it's no surprise that the additions so far have been limited to the free signings of Connor Mahoney from Millwall, Will Boyle from Cheltenham, Kyle Hudlin from Solihull Moors, and David Kasumu from MK Dons. Not exactly signings that suggest a club philosophy of wanting to build on the success of last season.

My big concern here is the fact that Huddersfield are taking their chance with a young head coach who has next to no experience at this level with a very restricted budget and a squad that has a previous manager's philosophy stapled into their mindset. It feels like a perfect storm that could lead to disaster and there was even a part of me thinking that this prediction is generous. Retaining keeper Lee Nicholls has been key but with speculation that Harry Toffolo and Lewis O'Brien could both be on their way out, is that enough?

Final Position: 19th

[StevieDay1983]

Wigan

This next pick might surprise a few people for different reasons and I think the fact this Wigan side divides opinion so much is exactly why this prediction will draw so much controversy. Manager Leam Richardson deserves a lot of credit for turning around this team that had looked like they might be at risk of falling down the league system after their relegation from the Championship back in 2019/20. The club were forced to sell a number of key assets that summer including top scorer Kieffer Moore, centre back Leon Balogun, starlet Joe Gelhardt, creative midfielder Josh Windass, and right back Jamal Lowe amongst others. What a turnaround it's been for the Latics who stormed to the League 1 title last season.

It's ironic that the constricted situation with the purse strings at the club means that Richardson is largely having to keep faith with the squad that sealed the top spot in the third tier last season. Are they good enough to take the step up to the Championship? Striker Will Keane scored 27 goals in all competitions last season so they'll be expecting him to hit double figures at least this season. The squad also boasts a wealth of Championship experience in the form of Joe Bennett, James McClean, and Graeme Shinnie. So those old heads will help with the transition.

Unfortunately, I think that a few additions are still needed if this Wigan team is to avoid being drawn into a relegation battle. Squad depth is lacking and the team's poor end to last season, despite them winning the title, of just 1 win from their last 6 league games, means they come into this campaign slightly short of momentum. I think they have enough to stay up and it all seems quite rosy with the fans suggesting there is a feel good factor around the club right now. If you have a united team and supporters that are backing them then that's half the battle won for newly promoted teams.

Final Position: 18th

[StevieDay1983]

Blackburn

It wasn't that long ago that I was picking Blackburn as my dark horses for the Championship play-offs but a lot can change in the space of a year or two. Despite former manager Tony Mowbray working miracles with a very limited set of resources the ex-West Brom gaffer has now been relieved of his duties and replaced by the wildcard of former Danish international Jon Dahl Tomasson. The former Newcastle and Feyenoord striker has a mixed CV in football management so far having done well at Dutch club Excelsior before a rather shambolic stint with Roda JC before then moving on to enjoy two Allsvenskan titles with Swedish club Malmo.

I'm not sure if anybody properly briefed Tomasson on the job at hand though. He comes into this role with a squad that is in serious need of attention. A number of experienced players have departed the club for little to no money including Bradley Johnson, Ryan Nyambe, Joe Rothwell, and Darragh Lenihan. At the time of writing this, Tomasson is still yet to really dip his toes into the transfer market water. Young winger Ethan Walker has arrived from Preston but it's not the sort of signing that will have the Rovers fans sitting up and thinking that a play-off charge is on the horizon. You could argue that the fact Tomasson has managed to hold onto top scorer Ben Brereton Diaz makes this summer a success already but will he still be here come September after the window has shut?

There is no denying that this squad needs serious additions and quickly. The new season starts in just a couple of weeks and Tomasson only has 20 first team players on the books right now with just two senior goalkeepers. The fans are already expressing frustration at the lack of financial backing Tomasson has received and Tomasson himself is making spiky comments during press conferences that are hinting at his frustration. It obviously depends what business Tomasson can get done between now and the transfer deadline but any team leaving their signings this late in the window are playing catch-up and usually have problems. The longer this summer goes without Blackburn improving their squad, the more generous this predictions begins to feel.

Final Position: 17th

[StevieDay1983]

Hull

Undoubtedly, the toughest team to predict this season in the Championship is Hull. It's been a huge summer of change for the Tigers and with manager Shota Arveladze seemingly showing signs that he is adapting to life in the second tier of English football is there a chance we could see the club celebrating progression rather than regression? The new Turkish owners might have brought their own controversies with them but Hull fans will simply be delighted that Assem Allam is a name of the past. That in itself has brought a new level of optimism to the club.

Last season, the team ended up in a disappointing 19th position but that was mainly due to the awful start the team endured under former gaffer Grant McCann of just 2 wins in their first 16 league games. The arrival of Arveladze in January slightly improved things but this will be the former Georgia international's chance to make this squad his own. No excuses now. Well, OK, they do have the excuse of losing three key players in Keane Lewis-Potter, George Honeyman, and Tom Eaves but when you look at the players that have been brought in you can see Arveladze isn't messing about. Central midfielder Jean Michael Seri really shouldn't be playing in the Championship but here he is! The likes of Tobias Figueiredo, Ozan Tufan, and Oscar Estupinan are calculated risks who could improve the overall quality of the squad.

The jury is still out on Arveladze but it's not been a disaster so far. He's slowly assembling his own squad. Yes, it might be coming at a cost of big names but the hope is that the funds from those sales can be re-invested in other areas. The return of striker Fenerbahce striker Allahyar Sayyadmanesh on a permanent signing after his loan spell last season is an interesting one. A few Hull fans are tipping him to have a big season to replace the league goals lost through the sale of Lewis-Potter. More additions are needed if Hull are to even think about pushing into the top half of the table but it does seem like they're making the right kind of moves and moving in the right direction again under the Acun Ilicali ownership.

Final Position: 16th

[StevieDay1983]

Sunderland

The biggest soap opera in the Football League over the past 5 years is back in the Championship this season after Sunderland secured promotion from League One via the play-offs last season. Former Norwich and Preston manager Alex Neil was the man brought in to replace Lee Johnson back in February and it was a shrewd appointment that paid off. The Black Cats finished in 5th place but navigated their way past Sheffield Wednesday by a 2-1 score on aggregate in the play-off semi-finals before sweeping aside Wycombe with a 2-0 win in the final.

Many have said that the Tyne and Wear side have been a giant in the third tier and that promotion back to the Championship was needed as soon as possible. That mission has been accomplished and there is optimism around the club once again. Neil has done a fantastic job since coming into the club. The team appears ready-made for the second tier now. Striker Ross Stewart bagged 24 league goals last season and provided the club can keep him he should have what it takes to make the step up and score goals in the Championship. A midfield consisting of the likes of Elliot Embleton, Alex Pritchard, and Lynden Gooch plus a back-line including Bailey Wright, Callum Doyle, and Dennis Cirkin is solid enough for this level. That's even before we consider the new arrivals of centre back pair Daniel Ballard and Aji Alese, and right winger Jack Clarke.

There is a general feeling about the Sunderland fans that the team is back on an upward trajectory after years of turmoil that were very publicly played out thanks to the Sunderland 'Til I Die documentary series on Netflix. In Neil, Sunderland have an ideal gaffer to tackle this season in the Championship as a newly promoted club. I can still see why the fans have concerns about the lack of quality in depth up top. A lot depends on the fitness and ability of Stewart to adapt to this level. Nathan Broadhead hit double figures last season but he can't do the same role Stewart does if Stewart is ruled out or struggles for form. I certainly can't see Sunderland going back down and if they make the right signings between now and the start of the season then there's no reason they can't finish even higher than this prediction.

Final Position: 15th

[StevieDay1983]

Luton

The little train that could is up next in my predictions for the Championship. Luton shocked the division by reaching the Championship play-off semi-finals last season. Full credit must go to manager Nathan Jones for steering the team up that high in the table. He managed to do it using some shrewd acquisitions in the summer transfer window whilst also maximising the potential of the players already at the team. The signings of Henri Lansbury, Allan Campbell, and Amari'i Bell were particularly impressive. Jones will need the same level of nous in the transfer market if his team is to repeat the feat of last season.

It wasn't the best start to the summer with the news that key centre back Kal Naismith was joining Bristol City on a free transfer but that's been the extent of the big exits so far. The club have managed to keep the likes of James Bree, Harry Cornick, and Elijah Adebayo. Jones has also moved quick to add striker Carlton Morris from Barnsley for £1.8 million (does this suggest Adebayo is on his way?) with the likes of Alfie Doughty from Stoke, Cauley Woodrow from Barnsley, Matt Macey from Hibernian, and Luke Freeman from Sheffield United all also coming in.

Personally, I think maintaining the services of Adebayo and Campbell will be crucial if Luton want to remain a top table team but I'm not sure they can. Jones clearly has a knack of getting the best out of this group of players. It's a similar situation to the one Eddie Howe enjoyed at Bournemouth by making a success of an unfancied team on a limited budget. Can he work miracles again this season? I have no doubt Luton won't be in the relegation mix but finishing top half again is a tall order. They benefited from a lot of teams that had been expecting to be in the play-off mix having poor seasons last year and I think they might find it tougher to compete this season. Maybe my prediction is a bit harsh but you do feel Luton are constantly fighting against the side due to their lack of financial backing.

Final Position: 14th

[StevieDay1983]

QPR

Out of all the teams I'm previewing in this Championship thread, it's QPR who I think I might be overly generous about. The Hoops took the controversial decision to part company with former manager Mark Warburton at the end of last season and replace him with the unproven former Aston Villa assistant manager Michael Beale. It's a big gamble for the West London club who briefly looked like promotion contenders last season before falling away and ending up in 11th position. No surprise they only won 2 of their last 10 league games when Warburton clearly knew he was on his way out.

This season certainly raises more questions than answers for Rangers. A fair amount of dead wood has already been sent packing with the outgoings including Moses Odubajo, Dominic Ball, David Marshall, Dillon Barnes, Kieran Westwood, and Lee Wallace. Jordy de Wijs and Charlie Austin have also departed the club for Fortuna Dusseldorf and Brisbane Roar respectively. A number of new faces have come in through the club entrance though with the likes of centre back Jake Clarke-Salter from Chelsea, left back Kenneth Paal from PEC Zwolle, and striker Tyler Roberts from Leeds. Solid enough acquisitions but the fans will no doubt see keeping key players such as Chris Willock, Ilias Chair, and Lyndon Dykes as crucial to their hopes of improving on last season.

The sticking point with QPR this season for me is the inexperience of Beale at this level. I mean, former Blackpool head coach Neil Critchley (who has replaced Beale at Aston Villa as Steve Gerrard's assistant manager), showed he could do it at this level but he had a full season to build his own squad. Beale has a summer to form his playing squad, understand what system he wants to employ, get that system across to the players, and then he's also learning on the job. It could very well be a cracking long-term appointment but do the QPR board have the patience for that. I believe their fans do so Beale will have them on side for a fair amount of time but I'm not sure we'll see the fruits of his labour as quickly as this season. It may take time.

Final Position: 13th

[StevieDay1983]

Millwall

If one team has become synonymous with mid-table mediocrity over recent seasons in the Championship then it's Millwall. The Lions have finished between 8th and 11th in four of the last five seasons. Current manager Gary Rowett deserves praise for making this Millwall team one that is knocking on the door of the play-offs but could this be his toughest season yet with the club? The departure of club icon Jed Wallace is undoubtedly the biggest blow to their aspirations this season and the departure of a number of other players such as Mahlon Romeo, Alex Pearce, Connor Mahoney, and Maikel Kieftenbeld have reduced the amount of depth in the squad.

Rowett has worked tirelessly to use the spaces left in his squad and fill them with quality. The loan signing of Leeds centre back Charlie Cresswell is a potential masterstroke if he can adapt to life in the Championship quickly. There is hope that the arrival of Fortuna Sittard attacking midfielder Zian Flemming can fill the void left by Wallace. The signing of George Honeyman from Hull is also an excellent piece of business that improves the creative options in midfield. Striker Benik Afobe joining the club on a permanent deal after banging in 12 goals on loan last season will also improve their front line options.

I'm not sure what it is but I'm still worried for Millwall this season. I've kept them this high in the table because if there's one thing Rowett knows what to do it's how to keep a team stable. I have seen a large number of Millwall fans questioning their striker options. Question marks remain over the prolific nature of Afobe and their is little faith in the likes of Tom Bradshaw and academy prospect Isaac Olaofe scoring the necessary goals. I can see this being another season where Millwall become a hard team to beat but they lack that clinical edge that can push them up to the next level. That may change with the right signing or two in the remaining part of the summer transfer window but I feel that's their current situation.

Final Position: 12th

[StevieDay1983]

Cardiff

It was always going to be hard to decide where to place Cardiff. Not only because they are my own team but it's been a summer of complete transition for the Bluebirds with a lot of experienced high earners leaving the club at the end of their contracts and head coach Steve Morison wasting no time in making this squad his own with over a dozen signings since the last game of last season. Such a high volume of change in playing personnel is always a big gamble but big changes were certainly needed for a team that finished in 18th place in the Championship last season but flirted with relegation to League One for far longer than they should have.

Cardiff saw a number of familiar faces leave the club this summer on free transfers including Will Vaulks, Aden Flint, Josh Murphy, Marlon Pack, Isaac Vassell, Alex Smithies, and Leandro Bacuna. It was certainly needed with only the departures of Vaulks and Smithies leaving the fans feeling gutted. The other players were considered dead wood or under performers on massive wages that needed releasing. In addition, striker James Collins has recently left for Derby on a free. A high number of arrivals were needed to counter these losses and the general feeling is that Morison and his recruitment team have done a stellar job of bringing in new blood. Left back Jamilu Collins from Paderborn on a free and Ollie Tanner from Lewes for £50k are the stand out signings but then there's also the likes of Ryan Allsop from Derby, Andy Rinomhota from Reading, Sheyi Ojo from Liverpool, Ebou Adams from Forest Green Rovers, Jak Alnwick from St Mirren, Romaine Sawyers from West Brom, and Callum O'Dowda from Bristol City all coming in on free transfers and wages that fit our new reduced wage structure. The loan signing of centre back Cedric Kipre from West Brom will also add a much-needed ball playing centre back to our back-line.

I could go on for days about my thoughts on Cardiff's season. There's no doubt our midfield quality has improved ten fold on last season. Ryan Wintle has looked immense in pre-season and Joe Ralls extending his contract has also been a boost to the new additions. The right back position still looks a weakness so I wonder if Joel Bagan or Collins will fill in if the performances of Mahlon Romeo and Vontae Daley-Campbell continue to underwhelm. We also need another striker or two. Max Watters has started to show glimpses of his potential but he needs help. We've been linked with a few players but nothing confirmed yet. I feel this is a big season of change for Cardiff. I've said for months in the Championship previews that Morison was trying to turn an oil tanker regarding our playing philosophy and pre-season performances suggest he's moving closer to where we want to be. It might be a slow start for us with so much change in personnel and playing approach but I think we'll surprise a lot of people this season. This will be a Cardiff team nobody has seen since the Dave Jones years and I think finishing mid-table is a fair expectation but we can't be blamed for thinking if we find a scorer and sort out the right back situation then we're looking very dangerous.

Final Position: 11th

[StevieDay1983]

Preston

Stability can be key in consolidating your status as a top half of the table Championship team and I feel that's where Preston are right now. The appointment of former Plymouth and Bury gaffer Ryan Lowe was a stroke of genius by the North End owners. You have to say that Lowe's arrival did appear to improve the club's fortunes overall and after finishing in 13th position last season they are now well set to look to build on that this coming campaign. A limited budget means that Lowe has been unable to make sweeping changes but simply tweaking things and not altering too much is an approach that could actually benefit the team the most.

Like most other clubs, Preston have used the expiration of a number of contracts belonging to first team players as an excuse to shift dead wood. Players including Tom Bayliss, Josh Earl, Tom Barkhuizen, Joe Rafferty, Connor Ripley, Paul Huntington, Izzy Brown, and Scott Sinclair are amongst the departures on free transfers. It's freed up some much-needed cash for wages that can be spent on new signings and the transfer activity of the Lilywhites this summer has looked subtly impressive. Newcastle goalkeeper Freddie Woodman is the stand-out arrival. The former England under-21 keeper earned rave reviews for Swansea at this level so the fans will expect big things from him again here. The double signing of the wide midfield duo of Ben Woodburn and Robbie Brady on a free from Liverpool and Bournemouth respectively will also raise eyebrows. Both players have had their critics over recent seasons but both have also shown superb quality down the years. Woodburn in particular feels like a young talent with so much left to give. Could this move re-ignite his career?

If you have a decent manager then you're always going to be there or there abouts in the Championship. Preston have that in Lowe. He came in and did a solid job last season when they were a bit of a here and there under Frankie McAvoy. It's easy to forget that a lot of the players here go under the radar. The team has a potent finisher in last season's top scorer Emil Riis Jakobsen who scored 16 league goals last year. The midfield contains the experience of Daniel Johnson, Alan Browne, Brad Potts, and Ben Whiteman. Defensive resilience is then assured with a back-line including Andrew Hughes, Patrick Bauer, and Greg Cunningham. A few more additions are needed with the holes left by loan signings Sepp van den Berg and Cameron Archer returning to their parent clubs but this is a Preston team that remains largely in tact from last season and they'll be even more cohesive and tough to beat this time around.

Final Position: 10th

[StevieDay1983]

Stoke

This is set to be a hit or miss season for Stoke with Michael O'Neill entering his third full season in charge at the club. It's been a rather mixed spell for the former Northern Ireland head coach. There are times you feel his tactics are too negative and the team will enter a slump that could suck them into a relegation battle but then they also go on runs where they look like potential promotion contenders. This inconsistency was summed up by the club finishing in 14th last season having won 17 and lost 18. There's no denying the ambitions of the Potters this season with the club being linked to a lot of high-profile players but they're just not managing to get those signings over the line.

O'Neill was ruthless with his contract renewals this summer with a number of big name players leaving the club including Joe Allen, James Chester, Steven Fletcher, Tom Ince, and Tommy Smith. Benik Afobe and Alfie Doughty have also departed the club for undisclosed fees to Millwall and Luton respectively. Then there is also the loan exits of the duo of Mario Vrancic and Tashan Oakley-Boothe. The arrivals haven't been as emphatic as the rumours. I think the signing of centre back Aden Flint on a free gives you some idea of the direct approach O'Neill will be continuing to adopt this season. Bringing in central midfielder Josh Laurent on a free from Reading is a wise move. The arrival of Leeds youngster Liam McCarron will also add quality to the back-line and give the defender a chance to prove himself. I'm also interested to see how the loan signings of Harry Clarke from Arsenal and Gavin Kilkenny from Bournemouth work out.

You have to think that there's still a chance for Stoke to bring in a couple of big name signings but it's clear Stoke's financial strength doesn't currently match their ambition. There's a reason they are linked to some interesting names but not managing to seal the deals. I still think the fact they're being linked with the likes of Edwin Andersson and Liam Delap is exciting and shows they still have some level of pull. I do feel a lot depends on the business O'Neill does over the next couple of weeks will have a big say on their final league position. I am quietly confident that they can sufficiently add what is needed to a squad that boasts quality at this level. They still have the likes of Josh Tymon, Sam Clucas, Nick Powell, and Tyrese Campbell in their ranks. The fans are getting understandably nervous though and claims of the club sleepwalking into a potential relegation dogfight aren't a million miles away from being true. This is Stoke though and the Coates family always seem to find a way to keep the club stable.

Final Position: 9th

[StevieDay1983]

Coventry

As you can see, a common trend with teams in the upper to mid-table area of the Championship for this season preview is stability. I believe that those teams that have consistency and a stable set-up are best-placed to hit the ground running and end up enjoying a positive campaign. Coventry are another prime example of that. Mark Robins will lead his team into another league campaign after what can be considered by many as a very satisfactory 2021/22 campaign with the club finishing in 12th place last season. There was even a time when they looked like they might be play-off contenders before a lack of squad depth led to a poor end to the season of just 2 wins from their last 10 league games. The general opinion of the fans is an expectation to build on that season's work.

There is no doubt that the number one priority this season for the Sky Blues is to enter the campaign with star player Callum O'Hare still within the ranks. The creative midfielder is key to making the team tick and if he departed the club then it could have a massive detrimental impact on their form. For the time being, the 24-year old remains a Coventry player. Robins has also moved to add more creative quality to the team with the signing of Kasey Palmer from Bristol City for an undisclosed fee. You feel Palmer's career needs an adrenaline shot and this move could be exactly what he needs. The double defensive loan signings of Callum Doyle from Manchester City and Jonathan Panzo from Nottingham Forest address a key weakness for Coventry after last season's defensive loan signings Jake Clarke-Salter and Ian Maatsen returned to parent club Chelsea. It will also be odd not seeing long-time Coventry stalwart Jodi Jones listed amongst the squad list for this season after he was released. A career that promised so much but was effectively ruined by injury.

A key factor in my belief that Coventry can expect a solid season again is the fact that the team has constantly improved under Robins. When he took the reigns in 2017 the club was in a far worse place than they are now. However, 5 years later and the team is back in the Championship, have won the League One title and the EFL Trophy, and are backing playing home matches at the Coventry Building Society Arena. Times are good at the club again and don't their fans deserve it. This Coventry team might not be packed with star names or a wealth of individual talents but they're a hard-working unit who set themselves up well, never give up (just look at their late goals scored statistics!), and they do have the odd match-winner in the their team in O'Hare, Gustavo Hamer, and Viktor Gyokeres. I wish them well this season and think they have every valid reason to believe they can finish in and around the play-offs with the right additions.

Final Position: 8th

[StevieDay1983]

Swansea

Next up, it's my team's local rivals and the fact I'm putting them here shows that I'm not going to let petty rivalry impact my predictions! Swansea are set for a pivotal season this year. The club finished in 15th position last year and there is an expectation within the fanbase that the team should be aiming to push for the play-offs this season. Why? Well, they did only lost 2 of their last 11 league matches last season but then both of those defeats were their last two league games of the campaign and they didn't actually win any of their last 6 league matches. In fact, an alarming statistic was that they conceded at least 3 goals in 50% of those games.

Russell Martin is doing a good job of winning the hearts and minds of Swans supporters. The recruitment of club legend Joe Allen during the summer has not harmed that at all. The signings of defenders Harry Darling from MK Dons and Nathan Wood from Middlesbrough could go a long way to solving the team's defensive frailties. I'm also keen to see how loan signing Matthew Sorinola performs. By all accounts, he could be another shrewd acquisition. The big blow for Swansea though is that influential central midfielder Flynn Downes has left the club for West Ham. The former Ipswich star was a superb member of the Swansea squad last season and even though Allen's return will ease the pain of the Downes exit you don't find midfielders like him on every corner in the Championship.

This Swansea team showed sparks of their potential last season but they also became exposed by a number of teams. The fact they have kept Joel Piroe is a massive boost for the team. If you can have a player up top that can bang the goals away then you're always in with a chance. The goalkeeper situation at the club is still a potential weakness and the jury remains out on the defence based on pre-season performances. However, Piroe and Michael Obafemi have the potential to be the most prolific strike force in this division and that will be their strength. I think a more settled Swansea team with Martin being more familiar with his squad and still potentially adding more signings yet will mean they enjoy a better campaign than last year. Keeping Piroe and Obafemi is key to that though.

Final Position: 7th

[StevieDay1983]

Burnley

The big wild card in the Championship this season comes in the form of Burnley. Relegated after six seasons of struggle in the Premier League. The long-serving manager Sean Dyche replaced with a younger and more exciting management team led by Vincent Kompany with Craig Bellamy on his coaching staff. Big earners have been shown the exit door. Younger and cheaper alternatives have been drafted in. It's a clear shift in direction by a club that clearly needed to address a few issues after their relegation. This season brings with it a lot of pressure though. Failure to bounce straight back up to the top flight could result in the team entering financial oblivion.

It has been a summer of change on and off the field at the Lancashire club. Kompany has moved quickly to shift on the high earners with Nick Pope, Phil Bardsley, Aaron Lennon, Nathan Collins, James Tarkowski, Ben Mee, Wout Weghorst, Wayne Hennessey, Erik Pieters, and Dale Stephens all moving either on permanent deals, free transfers, or loan spells. The Clarets have used the funds freed up by their departures to bring in some fresh faces including central midfielder Josh Cullen from Anderlecht, centre back Luke McNally from Oxford, central midfielder Samuel Bastien from Standard Liege, striker Scott Twine from MK Dons, centre back CJ Egan-Riley from Manchester City under-23s, and the loan signings of centre back Taylor Harwood-Bellis and left back Ian Maatsen from Manchester City under-23s and Chelsea under-23s respectively. It can be argued that more additions are still needed and there is a particular lack of experience of playing at this level in this squad right now.

Even the Burnley fans understand what it takes to bounce back from the Championship up to the Premier League after a relegation from the top tier. They did exactly that back in 2015/16 but they had done so by maintaining consistency in playing staff and their management team. The board have gone for a completely opposing approach this time around knowing that costs needed to be cut and a calculated gamble needed to be taken. The fans are predicting a play-off chase with the most pessimistic suggesting mid-table would be considered satisfactory. I do rate Kompany as a manager from what I've seen of him during his time in Belgium with Anderlecht. I also have a very high opinion of Bellamy as a first team coach and he does know this division with its brutal realities. I no doubt feel there will be teething problems but provided the fans show patience I still feel Kompany can lead this Burnley squad into the play-offs at least. Two or three experienced heads at this level would still really help their cause.

Final Position: 6th

[StevieDay1983]

West Brom

It's beginning to get trickier now to place where the teams battling for promotion will finish. It's far from a guarantee that any of them will be up this end of the table but here we go (as the social media famous journalist Fabrizio Romano says!)! West Brom are the team I'm picking next. The sacking of Valerien Ismael last season seemed a strange decision given the obvious time it was going to take for him to implement his playing style. I'm not sure why the Baggies appointed him in the first place if they were so keen to get rid of him. The appointment of Steve Bruce as his replacement brought criticism from a number of fans but, ultimately, there's no denying that Bruce knows this division almost as well as anyone. The former Manchester United centre back has led Birmingham and Hull both into the Premier League from this division twice. Although, the most recent of those successes did come nearly a decade ago!

West Brom finished last season with a whimper down in 10th and it's hard to say how Bruce improved things after the departure of Ismael. Transfer activity has been relatively quiet for the Midlands team with Romaine Sawyers, Andy Carroll, Cedric Kipre, and Sam Johnstone being the only real big name exits but even their importance to the team over the past 12 months is open to debate. Midfield is an area Bruce has been keen to address with the triple signings of John Swift, Jed Wallace, and Jayson Molumby adding undoubted quality to the middle of the park. The free transfer signing of Celta Vigo defensive midfielder Okay Yokuslu is a leftfield choice so it'll be interesting to see how he copes with this level of competition. Bruce will be hoping his defence continues their fine end to their last season where they didn't even concede in their last 3 league games of the season. Striker Karlan Grant will also take responsibility for the goals with the fans hoping he can surpass the 18 league goals he scored last season.

I feel last season will have been seen as a huge disappointment for West Brom when many expected them to be competing for automatic promotion. Still, it was a season of transition and even though the appointment of Ismael didn't work out there were a lot of foundations put in place for this campaign. Bruce will know that the team's defence holds the key to doing well this season. Adding creativity to the midfield was vital and he's done that by picking up arguably two of the best performing midfielders in the Championship over recent years. I'm afraid to say I am one of those that still doubts Bruce's ability to get the job done. I think the team's quality of personnel alone will get them into the play-offs... I'm not sure he can take them further.

Final Position: 5th

[StevieDay1983]

Sheffield United

I'm not going to lie, Paul Heckingbottom has surprised me with how well he is doing with this Sheffield United team. Poor spells with Leeds and Hibernian followed by a disastrous caretaker period as Sheffield United manager had me thinking the club had made a big mistake appointing him and that it was all about saving costs. It turns out, the former Barnsley head coach has been exactly what the Blades needed during a turbulent time. The tenure of Slavisa Jokanovic, who seemed a shrewd appointment by many, didn't work out and Heckingbottom turned the form of the club around to guide them to the play-off semi-finals last season after going unbeaten in their final 4 league games including winning the last 3. A 3-2 defeat on penalties after a 3-3 draw on aggregate against the eventual play-off winners Nottingham Forest saw them fall short but the ground work has been laid now. Will this season bring promotion?

There was certainly no need for a major overhaul in playing staff like most clubs in the Championship have required over the summer. I find it intriguing that Heckingbottom has chosen to prioritise strengthening the defensive line with the additions of centre back duo Anel Ahmedhodzic from Malmo for £4 million and Ciaran Clark from Newcastle on loan. I'm also gutted that they've snatched central midfielder Tommy Doyle from Manchester City under-23s on loan after his impressive loan spell with Cardiff last season. They've got a hell of a player there. A few expected departures have happened with David McGoldrick, Luke Freeman, Lys Mousset, and Oliver Burke all leaving the club. I'm not sure their exits will be felt too badly by anyone at the club.

I'm still not sure how Sheffield United are stocked up front for the coming season. The evergreen Billy Sharp ended up being top scorer last season but he only bagged 14 league goals. The team did score 63 goals last season but they had the midfield to thank for that with the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White, Illiman Ndiaye, and Sander Berge regularly appearing on the score sheet. It's a tactical system that seems to work well for the Yorkshire club and maybe this is finally the season Rhian Brewster fulfils his potential? Or maybe not. There's still time for United to add attacking talent though and they have both stability, consistency, and a solid defensive unit from last season that is a great foundation for this campaign.

Final Position: 4th

[StevieDay1983]

Middlesbrough

It was a classic case of so near yet so far for Middlesbrough last season when the team fell just one place and 5 points short of reaching the play-offs. Chris Wilder's team will no doubt know that poor spells during November and April were the main cause for this and had they not suffered those two blips then they would almost certainly have made it. Boro now go again and you have to say that the team feels like it's in an even better place at the start of this season than it was at the beginning of the last campaign. Deadwood has been sent packing and the freed up funds on the wage bill has been used to strengthen across the pitch.

A number of familiar names have left the team this summer including Sol Bamba, Lee Peltier, Sammy Ameobi, Neil Taylor, Martin Payero, and Joe Lumley. It's unlikely any of those players were seen by the management and fans as anything other than squad depth. Wilder has been keen to not let that depth impact though and he's moved to bring in a few exciting signings such as Manchester City keeper Zach Steffan on loan, Blackburn centre back Darragh Lenihan on a free, and Wolves winger Ryan Giles on a loan. You would imagine that the money raked in from the £13 million sale of Djed Spence to Tottenham could well be used to further strengthen what was already close to being a Championship play-off competing squad.

The main credit will go to Wilder for the job he has done at taking the club on from the trusty hands of Neil Warnock and moving them up another level. It was clear that Wilder maximised the potential of the loan market last season with the January arrivals of Aaron Connolly and Folarin Balogun both having a positive impact. The team will need to replace their attacking qualities. The one thing Wilder has done well with Boro, minus the April blip, was turn the Riverside into a fortress. The old saying goes that if you can win your home games and draw your away matches then you'll be in the mix. I can certainly see Wilder leading Boro to a superb home record again. A few more additions will be needed to achieve that but I am optimistic that Wilder has dominated this division before and he will dominate it again.

Final Position: 3rd

[Bang on]

Excellent write ups @StevieDay1983 , as a Sheffield United fan, we will no doubt miss Morgan Gibbs-White, but the signing of Tommy Doyle looks good. We are also reputed to be close to signing Reda Khadra from Brighton which will also be a major boost. problem as always is not creating chances but having the strikers to take them, looks like we will be relying on the youngsters stepping up from the academy (we have a few promising youngsters coming through).

We got off to an awful start last season and almost made it, better start in the first 10 games or so and we should be up the top end for the season. We don't need to sell but don't exactly spend either, at a press conference they stated that they would be looking at loan signings and academy youngsters 'in the main'. Your estimate of 4th is about right, but I'm hoping for a little more.

Finally, WBA 5th - with Steve Bruce in charge, can't see that myself, he is far too negative tactically, tries not to lose rather than trying to win.

[StevieDay1983]

Watford

A season is disruption and constant change overshadowed Watford's Premier League campaign last year and the fans will be hoping that the appointment of former Forest Green Rovers manager Rob Edwards will signal the start of a new era where owner Gino Pozzo shows a little more patience and backs his gaffer. Xisco, Claudio Ranieri, and Roy Hodgson all came and went last season as the Hornets fell to 19th in the top flight and, if we're being brutally honest, never looked like anything other than relegation fodder for their entire time in that division.

The club have decided to follow the approach they adopted after their last relegation from the Premier League and that's to do all they can to retain the star names. The fans will be delighted to see that the only departures from the club so far have been Cucho Hernandez, Ben Foster, Moussa Sissoko, Joshua King, Philip Zinckernagel, Andre Gray, Adam Masina, and Nicolas N'Koulou. Edwards will have the likes of William Troost-Ekong, Emmanuel Dennis, and Ismaila Sarr at his disposal for the time being plus a host of additions brought in to the club to strengthen the quality. Arrivals such as Vakoun Issouf Bayo from Charleroi, Rey Manaj from Barcelona, and Ben Hamer from Swansea. There's still time left for the team to be strengthened even further but with the club carrying an alleged £150 million worth of debt I'm not sure we'll see any incomings other than loan signings.

Overall, the squad looks to be in a strong place and you have to think that with most of these players knowing each other inside out that they have an edge on their rivals who have experienced big turnovers in playing staff. The disconcerting issues for me are that Edwards is still very inexperienced as a manager and his time at Forest Green ended with an abysmal run of form and a fall out with the owner after he was reportedly "tapped up" on the sly by Watford. He's also walking into a dressing room that is desperately low on morale. I still think there's enough quality in this team to get them back up automatically and it feels very similar to the start of their 2020/21 campaign.

Final Position: 2nd

[StevieDay1983]

Norwich

Was there really going to be any other team that I chose as the title winners for this season's Championship other than the perennial yo-yo team of Norwich? The Canaries finished 20th in the Premier League last season, top of the Championship in 2020/21, bottom of the top flight in 2019/20, and top of this division in 2018/19. The trend is going to continue isn't it? This is the point when Norwich fans will be wishing they still had Daniel Farke at the club instead of Dean Smith. The former Brentford and Aston Villa gaffer has his fair share of critics within the fan base but he does know how to get out of this division having led Villa to the promised land back in 2018/19.

Norwich are entering this season with the proven formula of keeping their best players in an effort to bounce right back. There's a reason they keep smashing the second tier in recent seasons and that's because they have the quality to cruise to the automatic promotion places. Transfer activity has been limited within the Norfolk-based club. Gabriel Sara is an intriguing signing for over £9 million from Sao Paulo. Is he the type of character they want in the middle of the park? Isaac Hayden arriving on loan from Newcastle is a subtle transfer that could prove pivotal. The return of fellow midfielder Todd Cantwell from Bournemouth on loan is a much-needed boost and he's looked class in pre-season. Exits at the club have been limited to fringe and reserve players such as Lukas Rupp, Josip Drmic, and Przemyslaw Placheta. This remains a team that boasts the talented likes of Tim Krul, Max Aarons, Sam Byram, Grant Hanley, Milot Rashica, and Kenny McLean. Then there's the attacking threats of Teemu Pukki, Josh Sargent, Jordan Hugill, and Adam Idah.

Everything is already in place for Norwich to launch a serious bid to win the Championship league title again. Smith has the luxury of a unique balance of experienced heads, young players, and a side that perhaps isn't as emotionally damaged by relegation from the Premier League as the two other relegated sides because a lot of these players have been here before. They've suffered the misery of the drop but they also know what is required to hit back immediately. If Norwich don't win the Championship title this season then there's only one person to blame and that's Smith himself. The Norwich front line alone has 30 goals in it and with a defensive line that will perform at this level it's hard to see past them as champions.

Final Position: 1st

[StevieDay1983]

OK, so to sum up my predictions for the Championship this season here is my full table...

1st: Norwich
2nd: Watford
--------------------------------
3rd: Middlesbrough
4th: Sheffield United
5th: West Brom
6th: Burnley
--------------------------------
7th: Swansea
8th: Coventry
9th: Stoke
10th: Preston
11th: Cardiff
12th: Millwall
13th: QPR
14th: Luton
15th: Sunderland
16th: Hull
17th: Blackburn
18th: Wigan
19th: Huddersfield
20th: Bristol City
21st: Blackpool
-------------------------------
22nd: Birmingham
23rd: Reading
24th: Rotherham

Even now I'm looking at a few of those teams and questioning whether I have over-estimated or under-estimated them ahead of this campaign. I'm talking about the likes of Middlesbrough, Stoke, Swansea, and Sunderland being placed too high and teams such as Birmingham (now the takeover is complete), Huddersfield, and Blackburn being placed too low. We shall see anyway.

Hit us with your prediction tables below though. Keen to hear where you think the teams will finish this season! 

[yossa6133]

Great write up! Feel like I'm much more up to speed now 

Agree that Norwich are the obvious ones again and look a fair price at 6/1. Not amazing insight but Watford also should be up there too!

WBA seem to have bought well and I can see them doing way better this season.

I like Wilder and thought I would want to back Middlesbrough for top 6 but their signings haven't inspired me.

Sheffield United have looked really poor in pre-season and managed to lose 3-0 to Mansfield. Gibbs White was one of their main sparks last season and I can see them missing out on the playoffs.

Pukki the obvious choice for top scorer at 8/1, has turned 32 but managed 11 goals in the Premier League last year and scores for fun at this level. Brereton might not stay at Blackburn and has got to back up what he did last season anyway.