In the Championship, every year the division seems stronger on paper, but the reality often shows so called ?œbig clubs??living off their name and the truth is that any club who can put together a consistent run of results will be in with a great chance - i.e Watford last term! Birmingham look to have signed the right type of player for this league and their early favouritism would seem justified. The 3 losing play off clubs: Leeds, Palace and Preston, should all be there or thereabouts and I expect much better seasons from a trio of midlands clubs: Coventry, Derby and Leicester.

They all could feature heavily from the turn of the year and I?™d expect at least 2 of them to be in the top 6 come the finish. Southampton too should make a strong challenge, but I can see Wolves having a bad time of it. I see their big rivals West Brom just missing out, unless they get off to a flyer. Plymouth, Hull and Cardiff seem solid enough, which is as good a description as I can give to Norwich, which won?™t be enough to allow them a sustained challenge. I?™m not sure what?™s going on at Sunderland, but they look nothing more than a mid-table outfit to me. Ipswich have always been well fancied but I can see a difficult season ahead for them, likewise Burnley and Luton.

Sheff Weds should have a slightly easier time of it and of the 3 promoted clubs I think Southend look the most likely to adapt. Barnsley and Colchester may well be scrapping with each other come the end with the other 2 relegation spots being filled by QPR - who looked poor last year and maybe surprisingly Stoke, who pulled out some cracking results last time, but appeared to me to flatter to deceive!

In League One, Forest are everybody?™s favourites - everybody?™s except me that is! Granted they had a terrific run at the end and only just missed out, but I still have my doubts. The other team who came with a storming run late on get my vote and that?™s Bristol City. I?™ve tipped them 2 or 3 times over the past 5 or 6 years and they always managed to mess it up somehow, but I think this could actually be the year they get it right. Joining them I like the look of Doncaster, who have some progressive ideas and a smashing young Manager. Huddersfield and Swansea ought to feature strongly, plus Tranmere and relegated Crewe. The 5 B?™s: Bradford, Brentford, Bournemouth, Brighton, and Blackpool are all capable of top half finishes. Of the promoted clubs I fancy Leyton Orient to do the best closely followed by Carlisle. The other 2: Cheltenham and Northampton may well go on a return journey. Gillingham, Chesterfield, Millwall, Oldham and Yeovil have a lower mid-table look about them, which leaves Port Vale, Scunthorpe and Rotherham who need a minor miracle as they have to start 10 points adrift.