Published on 1st August 2010. Transfers after this date are obviously not mentioned.

My source for Championship transfer news: Soccerlens.com.

WATRB Npower Championship Preview
By The Godfather

It really is very difficult to describe last season for QPR in words. Headbutts in the dressing room; managers sacked after only a few weeks; interfering Chairmen/Sporting Directors. Some of these storylines would be considered too bizarre for a TV soap opera. I think it would be safe to say that for much of the campaign, we were well and truly the laughing stock of the Championship. However, without wishing to jinx things, there does now seem to be a sense of stability about the Super Hoops. Flavio Briatore, a man whom I have gone from loving to absolutely detesting over the space of three years, has finally stepped aside and allowed the Mittals to take control of the club. Furthermore, we now have, as I'm sure most would agree, one of the most experienced and talented coaches in the division in Neil Warnock. So, in summary, things are looking a little bit more positive for our beloved club.

With the new season fast approaching, it's time now to take a look at the opposition. As always, it's going to be a very tough division. A common phrase used to describe the Championship is "anyone can beat anyone" and therefore it is rather difficult to predict the final league standings. Who, for instance, would have tipped Blackpool to achieve promotion last season? However, through detailed analysis of each team, I will try my very best.

Barnsley

Manager: Mark Robins

Season 2009-10 finish: 18th position.

Ins: Jason Shackell (Wolves - undisclosed), Goran Lovre (FC Groningen), Daniel Bogdanovic (Sheffield United - free), Liam Dickinson (Brighton - undisclosed), Diego Arismendi (Stoke City - loan).

Outs: Darren Moore (free - Burton Albion), Thompson (Hereford United - loan).

Since their promotion to the Championship in 2006, Barnsley have managed to avoid relegation, usually achieving lower mid-table finishes. Last season saw the departure of Simon Davey as manager, being replaced by former Manchester United striker, Mark Robins. He guided them to 18th place, which was respectable given the Tykes' poor start to the campaign.

Queens Park Rangers took six points from Barnsley last season; thrashing them 5-2 at home and then grinding out a 1-0 win at Oakwell. In the fixture at Loftus Road, the Tykes struck me as a skilful team in attack, carving out some attractive passing movements at times. Defensively, however, they were very poor indeed. The likes of Taraabt and Buzsaky were able to capitalise upon this, tearing the opposition apart.

Statistically, Barnsley had one of the worst defences in the league last season, conceding a total of 69 goals. Robins has looked to address this issue by signing the talented Jason Shackell from Wolverhampton Wanderers. The 26 year-old initially gained a reputation as a reliable centre-half at Norwich City, making 119 appearances for the Canaries between 2003 and 2008. He could play a crucial role in the Tykes' 2010/11 campaign.

However, the manager will be disappointed not to have secured the services of Sheffield United striker Daniel Bogdanovic, who enjoyed such a successful loan spell at Barnsley last season, scoring 16 goals in all competitions. Upon returning to Bramall Lane, he signed a new two-year contract with the Blades. Without his presence up front, the Tykes could lack a cutting edge next season.

In terms of creativity, supporters will probably be relying upon Iain Hume, who can play either in midfield or as a second striker. Since having his skull fractured by Chris Morgan a couple of years ago, Hume has (thankfully) made an excellent recovery and will be hoping to recapture the form he displayed with Leicester earlier in his career.

So what does the 2010/11 season have in store for Barnsley? In truth, I think that they will struggle, probably being one of the teams locked in a relegation battle. In my view, their squad lacks quality and depth and, unless Robins makes several more signings, it won't be a very enjoyable season for Tykes fans.

Godfather's Prediction: 21st position.

Bristol City

Manager: Steve Coppell

Season 2009-10 finish: 10th position.

Ins: Kalifa Cisse (Reading - undisclosed), Damion Stewart (QPR - undisclosed), David James (free).

Outs: Steve Collis (Torquay United - loan), John McCombe (Huddersfield Town - undisclosed).

Last season saw the departure of Gary Johnson as manager, a man who took Bristol City from League One into the Championship Play-off Final in just two years. However, one did sense that his time was up at Bristol City. Embarrassing home defeats to local rivals Cardiff City and to the likes of Doncaster Rovers upset the fans and heaped pressure on Johnson. He left the club by mutual consent in March, leaving Keith Millen to take over as Caretaker Boss for the rest of the campaign. Millen surprised me by guiding the Robins to an impressive 10th-placed finish.

The Bristol City Board could not really have picked a more successful manager at this level to take over the reins from Millen and Johnson: Steve Coppell. This is a man who worked wonders with Reading a few years ago, taking them to the Premiership and remarkably achieving a top-half finish in the club's first season in the top flight. He also achieved a similar degree of success with Crystal Palace, a club that he took to a FA Cup Final. With such an experienced and talented coach in charge, supporters will be feeling confident that City can challenge for promotion.

At this stage it would appear that Coppell is relatively happy with the squad at his disposal. He has only made three signings so far, bringing in Kalifa Cisse from his former club. Cisse is a talented defensive midfielder, who is capable of breaking up play and dominating the middle of the park. Damion Stewart has also joined from Queens Park Rangers. The Jamaican defender won the Rs' Player of the Year award two seasons ago, but was seriously injured at the end of last season – and to be frank, even Damion would agree that the previous campaign was not his best in a hooped shirt. I am sure everyone will wish him the best of success at Bristol. Finally, England international goalkeeper, David James, has signed following his release from Portsmouth.

Coppell will be delighted to have Nicky Maynard at his disposal, who is, in my view, one of the best strikers in the division. Queens Park Rangers supporters will remember his incredible volley at Loftus Road last season, which went on to win Coca Cola's "Goal of the Year" award. In total, he notched 23 goals over the course of the 2009/10 campaign.

On the flanks, Bristol City also look strong. Jamal Campbell-Ryce is another player who I rate very highly indeed: he's skilful, fast and always seems to cause opponents problems. During his time at Southend, I remember him tearing Queens Park Rangers apart almost single-handedly in that disastrous 5-0 defeat at Roots Hall. In the past few seasons he has missed quite a few games through injury, but when he is fit he is a dangerous proposition. Ivan Sproule, too, is also a player who constantly poses a threat to the opposition with his pace.

In short, I believe that Coppell will bring the best out of Bristol City's squad. In my view, they will be among the contenders for the play-offs. However, I do feel that they are one or two players short and, unless the manager utilises the transfer market, they may just miss out on the top six. Nevertheless, I am sure that they will be difficult to beat.

Godfather's Prediction: 8th position.

Burnley

Manager: Brian Laws

Season 2009-10 finish: 18th position (Premier League).

Ins: Chris Iwelumo (Wolves - undisclosed), Dean Marney (Hull City - undisclosed), Ross Wallace (Preston North End - undisclosed), Lee Grant (Sheffield Wednesday - undisclosed).

Outs: Steven Fletcher (Wolves - undisclosed), Robbie Blake (Bolton - undisclosed).

It was always going to be difficult for Burnley to stay in the Premiership, even more so after the departure of manager, Owen Coyle, to Bolton Wanderers. His replacement, Brian Laws, couldn't quite manage to achieve the points total needed to avoid relegation. However, some of the team's performances were impressive, and the Board has trusted him with the task of gaining promotion back to the top flight at the first time of asking.

Upon reaching the Premiership, the Board made the wise decision of not spending too much money on new players. This means that they have retained much of the squad that achieved so much success in the Championship a couple of years ago. Players such as Martin Paterson, Clarke Carlisle, Wade Elliott and Brian Jensen are proven at this level of football and should have no problem adjusting to life in the second tier.

Laws has made a number of impressive signings. Chris Iwelumo is often remembered for that dreadful miss for the Scotland national team, but people forget that he is actually a very useful striker to have at Championship level. He's big, strong and aggressive - qualities that will make him an asset in such a physical division. Ross Wallace is also someone who has a lot to offer, having enjoyed a terrific spell with Preston North End, during which he provided excellent service for Jon Parkin. In fact, Brian Laws has described him as "one of the best left-sided players in the division". Moreover, Dean Marney could also prove to be a clever addition, having played an important role in Hull City's ascendancy to the Premiership. Lee Grant, a talented goalkeeper, has also joined from Sheffield Wednesday.

However, Burnley will be desperate to hold on to their star winger, Chris Eagles, whose impressive performances have attracted interest from a number of Premiership clubs. Eagles has bags of potential and will provide defenders with a very difficult task at this level.

In conclusion, I wouldn't be surprised to see Burnley compete for automatic promotion. In my opinion, they are strong in every department and boast a healthy mixture of youth and experience.

Godfather's Prediction: 2nd position.

Cardiff City

Manager: Dave Jones

Season 2009-10 finish: 4th position.

Ins: Tom Heaton (Manchester United - free).

Outs: Josh Magennis (Aberdeen - free), Joe Ledley (Celtic - free).

I shall own up to disliking Cardiff with a passion, so I was delighted to see them miss out on the Premier League in the Play-off Final against Ian Holloway's Blackpool. At the moment it is difficult to see the Bluebirds mounting a promotion challenge next season. Despite a wealthy Malaysian businessman, Tan Sri Vincent Tan Chee Yioun (I copied and pasted that), taking control of the club, City are struggling to deal with the effects of a transfer embargo. This prompted an outburst from star striker, Michael Chopra, who stated "if this club doesn’t bring in new players, I’m off. I’ve had enough. Nothing is moving, with just a couple of weeks until the new season. I can see that we will struggle this season if people at board level don’t get real and sort this matter (the financial struggles) out sooner rather than later".

Manager, Dave Jones, will also be feeling disappointed about the departure of star midfielder Joe Ledley. Out of contract at the end of last season, he chose to make the move to Celtic on a free transfer. This could prove to be a major loss to the Bluebirds. He played such an important role in their success in the previous campaign, so it will be interesting to see how the manager replaces him.

Queens Park Rangers fans will be familiar with Cardiff's only signing so far this summer: Tom Heaton from Manchester United on a free transfer. He joined the Rs on loan last season as back-up for first-choice goalkeeper, Radek Cerny. Super Hoops supporters will remember his outstanding display against Chelsea in the Carling Cup, during which he made several top-class saves. At the age of 24, he could have a very bright future ahead of him, and I think this could turn out to be a very good bit of business for City.

Can Cardiff contend for promotion once again? With the current financial situation, possibly not. (Perhaps that is wishful thinking on my part!) There is no doubt that they have some of the best attacking talent in the division (Bothroyd, Chopra, Whittingham, McCormack etc), but they may have difficulties keeping these star players if disillusionment with the Board grows.

Godfather's Prediction: 12th position.

Coventry City

Manager: Aidy Boothroyd

Season 2009-10 finish: 19th position.

Ins: Gary McSheffrey (Birmingham City - free), Stephen O'Halloran (Aston Villa - free), Roy O'Donovan (Sunderland - free), Lucas Jutkiewicz (Everton - undisclosed), Clive Platt (Carlisle United - undisclosed), Richard Keogh (Carlisle United - free).

Outs: Elliott Ward (Norwich City).

Aidy Boothroyd was named as Coventry's new manager in May and will be hoping to improve dramatically upon their 19th-placed finish in the previous campaign. In truth, the last few years have been incredibly dull for Sky Blues supporters, with the team languishing in mid-table, far too inconsistent to contend for the play-offs. And, to be perfectly honest, I can't really see that changing next season.

Boothroyd favours a very direct style of play, which I do not find particularly enjoyable to watch. This tactic reaped a lot of success during his first season with Watford, surprisingly taking the club to the Premiership. However, by his third year in charge, the direct approach had become somewhat predictable, and the absence of a plan B in Boothroyd’s locker may have been a factor in Watford’s faltering form and the young manager’s subsequent departure from the Hornets. A brief spell at Colchester followed, but his brand of football did not find favour with the supporters there. At Coventry, already a very physical side, Boothroyd may fit in better, but fans of the Sky Blues will certainly see plenty of brawn and aggression in the season ahead.

City have made six signings so far this summer, the most interesting of which is Gary McSheffrey. The 27 year-old was once regarded as one of the best forwards outside of the Premiership, but a number of serious knee injuries have hampered his progress. This led to his contract at Birmingham City being terminated in May. Fortunately for him, the Sky Blues have given him the opportunity to get his career back on track. It remains to be seen whether he will be as good following his injuries as he once used to be.

Other additions include Roy O'Donovan from Sunderland, a 24 year-old winger who has enjoyed loan spells with a number of clubs. Last season, he scored 9 goals in 15 appearances for Hartlepool, which indicates that he does have the potential to succeed. Strikers, Lucas Jutkiewicz and Clive Platt, have also joined the club this summer.

Boothroyd also has Freddy Eastwood, Michael McIndoe, Martin Cranie and David Bell at his disposal, all of whom have enjoyed a measure of success at some point in their careers. Throw-in specialist, Aron Gunnarsson, could also play an important role in either central midfield or the fullback position.

In conclusion, as already mentioned, I expect that this is going to be another campaign spent in lower mid-table. In my view, although Coventry do have some decent players, they do not possess enough quality to push for a top-half finish.

Godfather's Prediction: 18th position.

Crystal Palace

Manager: George Burley

Season 2009-10 finish: 21st position.

Ins: David Wright (Ipswich Town - free), Adam Barrett (unattached - free), Andy Dorman (unattached - free).

Outs: Nick Carle (Sydney FC - free), Johannes Ertl (Sheffield United - free), Jack Randall (Aldershot - undisclosed), Shaun Derry (Queens Park Rangers - free), Clint Hill (Queens Park Rangers - free).

For some time it didn't look like Crystal Palace would participate in the 2010/11 campaign. Crippled by debt, the club was under serious threat of liquidation. Nobody wants to see a football team wiped out from existence and I was pleased to see the CPFC2010 consortium manage to take control of the Eagles.

It is clear, however, that the transition from the Simon Jordan era into CPFC2010 is not going to be a smooth one. I have had a look at the Palace squad and, I have to say, there are some real areas for concern. Many of the players are youngsters who, despite having potential, lack experience in what will be a very physical and hard fought Championship in the coming season. The departures of Shaun Derry and Clint Hill to QPR, two players who are proven in this league, will not have helped matters. New manager, George Burley, is going to have a very difficult job on his hands.

Meanwhile, the "Darren Ambrose saga", an epic fast approaching the scale of Leo Tolstoy’s "War and Peace", seems finally to have been resolved. Yes that's right: Ambrose has reached a decision and has signed a new deal with the Eagles. Palace's star winger netted 20 goals in all competitions last season – but how good will he be without the coach and mentor under whose management tenure he developed into such a good player? (I.e. Neil Warnock…)

In the close season the Eagles have only been able to make free signings. Former Ipswich Town defender, David Wright, has joined, whilst Andy Dorman, a Welsh international midfielder, signed after an impressive spell with St Mirren. Curiously, Palace also snapped up Adam Barrett after having his contract with Southend United terminated.

I do feel that next season could be a very tough one for Crystal Palace. George Burley achieved a lot of success with Ipswich Town ten years ago, but his previous jobs at Hearts, Southampton and the Scottish national side have been disappointing to say the very least. Will he be able to cope with such a difficult job on what seems to be a very tight budget? Another relegation battle could well lie ahead - and with the squad in its current state, I think they will struggle to escape the drop.

Godfather's Prediction: 22nd position.

Derby County

Manager: Nigel Clough

Season 2009-10 finish: 14th position

Ins: James Bailey (Crewe - undisclosed), John Brayford (Crewe - undisclosed), Tomasz Cywka (Wigan Athletic - free), Dave Martin (Millwall - undisclosed).

Outs: Paul Connolly (Leeds United - free), Lee Croft (Huddersfield - loan).

Derby were one of the most inconsistent teams in the Championship last season. For much of the campaign it looked as if the Rams might sink into the relegation battle, but a late run of form saw them climb into mid-table, eventually achieving a respectable 14th-placed finish.

Nigel Clough is still in the process of rebuilding his team. That disastrous Premiership campaign a few years ago did lasting damage to the club and it's probably going to take another couple of seasons for County to re-establish themselves as play-off contenders. That's providing that they don't sink into the relegation battle during the transition period, of course.

This summer, Clough has made four signings, two of which are promising young players from Crewe. Although last season was a disappointing one for Alexandra, James Bailey and John Brayford impressed the supporters with a number of mature performances at right-back and central midfield respectively. Dave Martin (midfielder) and Tomasz Cywka (striker) have also joined on free transfers. Although it is good to see that the manager is trying to freshen up his squad, three out of these four players have never played in the Championship. Therefore, it may take a while before they fully adjust to life in the second tier.

Meanwhile, County will be relying on star winger, Kris Commons, to offer the team creativity. When fit, Commons is an asset to the side with his skill and crossing ability. However, he seems to frequently struggle with injuries. Derby also still have Robbie Savage, whose career surely cannot continue much longer.

So, how will County fare? I think it might be a similar campaign to the previous one, with fan pressure mounting upon Nigel Clough. I expect the Rams will spend the majority of the season in lower mid-table, achieving around 19th position.

Godfather's Prediction: 19th position.

Doncaster Rovers

Manager: Sean O'Driscoll

Season 2009-10 finish: 12th position.

Ins: George Friend (Wolves - free), Billy Sharp (Sheffield United - £1.15 million), Simon Gillett (unattached).

Outs: Lewis Guy (MK Dons - free), Paul Heffernan (Sheffield Wednesday - free).

Since taking charge of the club in 2006, Sean O'Driscoll has achieved so much. He has taken Rovers from being a struggling League One team to a mid-table Championship side whose football is very enjoyable to watch. Last season I attended Donny's 2-0 victory over QPR and I was very impressed (and surprised) by the attractive passing movements they displayed. The 2009/10 campaign was a real success for the club and they will be hoping to replicate and perhaps even improve upon their 12th-placed finish.

Doncaster supporters will be delighted that O'Driscoll has managed to secure the services of striker, Billy Sharp, on a permanent basis after his excellent loan spell at the Keepmoat Stadium. Last season he notched 15 goals in 33 appearances for Rovers. Frankly, I'm surprised that QPR didn't make an attempt to sign Sharp: in my view, he's a top striker at Championship level.

O'Driscoll has made two other additions: Lewis Guy and Simon Gillett. The former is a talented left back who has enjoyed a number of successful loan spells with lower-league teams, whilst the latter was once regarded as a hot prospect for the future by the Southampton academy.

In what is likely to be an even tougher division next season, I'm not convinced that the Doncaster squad is capable of achieving another top-half finish. However, as already mentioned, they are a good footballing side that are difficult to beat. I think that they will achieve around 14th position.

Godfather's Prediction: 14th position.

Hull City

Manager: Nigel Pearson

Season 2009-10 finish: 19th position (Premier League).

Ins: James Harper (unattached), Nolberto Solano (Leicester City - undisclosed).

Outs: Dean Marney (Burnley - undisclosed), Steven Mouyoloko (Wolves - undisclosed), Stephen Hunt (Wolves - undisclosed).

Hull's 2009/10 campaign proved to be a turbulent and ultimately disastrous one. Phil Brown was placed on gardening leave after some lacklustre performances, with former Rs manager Iain Dowie, replacing him. (We have rather too many ex-managers in the game these days!) I am not Dowie’s biggest fan and it came as no surprise to me personally that he couldn't prevent the club from being relegated or that ultimately he was dismissed from his duties.

The man handed the task of taking Hull back into the top flight is Nigel Pearson, a coach who I rate very highly. He did a terrific job with Leicester City, gaining them promotion from League One and then achieving a top six finish in the Championship. In fact, the Foxes were one of the best sides I saw last season. However, this job is going to be a difficult one, amidst high expectations from the supporters.

Pearson has made two additions to the squad: James Harper and Nolberto Solano. The former has enjoyed spells with Reading and Sheffield United, whilst the latter is perhaps best known for his time with Newcastle United in the Premier League.

Hull also have a number of players who have substantial experience in this division. The likes of Paul McShane, Richard Garcia, Peter Halmosi and Craig Fagan are all proven Championship footballers. In addition, Pearson will be hoping to hold on to Jimmy Bullard, who, when fit, is arguably one of the best set-piece takers in the country.

In conclusion, I am not sure that the City squad has what it takes to achieve automatic promotion. I notice that the Tigers have several key players who seem to struggle with injuries, something that could damage their chances. Nevertheless, they are likely to be strong candidates for the play-offs, and I predict a top-six finish for them.

Godfather's Prediction: 4th position.

Ipswich Town

Manager: Roy Keane

Season 2009-10 finish: 15th position

Ins: Conor Hourihane (Sunderland - undisclosed).

Outs: Ed Upson (Yeovil Town - free), David Wright (free - Crystal Palace), Kevin Lisbie (loan - Millwall).

Last season was a bizarre one for Ipswich. Under the leadership of Roy Keane, the Tractor Boys didn't gain their first victory of the campaign until the end of October. Fortunately for Town, an improvement in form during the second half of the season resulted in a reasonable 15th-placed finish. However, both the supporters and the Board will be expecting success: if things start badly, expect Keane to be one of the first to lose his job.

The manager has only made one addition to his squad so far: Conor Hourihane from for an undisclosed fee. The Republic of Ireland Under-19 international is a product of Sunderland's youth academy. He probably won't be involved too much this season - but he's definitely one to watch for the future.

At the beginning of the transfer window, it was reported that Keane had placed several players on the market, including Jon Stead, Pablo Counago, Lee Martin, Kevin Lisbie, Owen Garvan and Alan Quinn. The Ipswich squad is indeed very large and it isn't surprising that the coach is looking to shift out the deadwood.

I expect that Ipswich will improve upon their previous campaign, but, for me, their squad just isn't impressive enough to compete for the play-offs. I predict a 13th-placed finish, with Keane perhaps being replaced.

Godfather's Prediction: 13th position.

Leeds United

Manager: Simon Grayson

Season 2009-10 finish: 2nd place (League One)

Ins: Kasper Schmeichel (Notts County - free), Billy Paynter (Swindon Town - free), Paul Connolly (Derby County - free), Federico Bessone (Swansea City - free), Niell Collins (Preston - undisclosed), Lloyd Sam (unattached).

Outs: Jermaine Beckford (Everton - free), Sean McDaid (Carlisle - free), Tom Elliott (Rotherham United - loan).

After three seasons in League One, Leeds finally achieved promotion to the Championship, finishing the 2009/10 campaign in second place. The Whites are one of those teams that everybody loves to hate, but there can be no doubt that they are probably the biggest club outside of the Premiership. Therefore, given their reputation, many have tipped United to be surprise play-off contenders. But is that really likely?

Grayson is certainly a talented manager, being someone who has already achieved some success in this division. In his previous coaching job, he led Blackpool to the Championship, arguably laying the foundations for Ian Holloway's play-off winning team.

Despite the manager having bolstered his squad, there is no doubt that the departure of Jermaine Beckford, although expected, will have served a blow to supporters' hopes. Beckford's prolific goalscoring record attracted the attention of numerous top tier clubs, and it was Everton who eventually managed to secure his services, signing him for free. The obvious question is will United lack a cutting edge next season?

Beckford's replacement is Billy Paynter, who netted a remarkable total of 29 goals for Swindon Town last year. Among Grayson's other signings are winger Lloyd Sam, who played an important role for Charlton Athletic last season, and highly rated goalkeeper, Kasper Schmeichel, who spent the previous campaign with Notts County. Three footballers that are proven in this division, Federico Bessone, Niell Collins and Paul Connolly, have also joined, bringing some much-needed Championship experience to the team.

In summary, Leeds do have a fairly strong squad, which could see them finish in the top half of the league table. However, do they possess enough quality to reach the top six? Not in my opinion.

Godfather's Prediction: 11th position

Leicester City

Manager: Paulo Sousa

Season 2009-10 finish: 5th position.

Ins: Tom Kennedy (Rochdale - free), Miguel Vitor (Benfica).

Outs: Billy Kee (Torquay United - free), James Wesolowski (Peterborough United - free), Wayne Brown (Preston North End - free), Nolberto Solano (Hull City - undisclosed), Yann Kermorgant (Arles - loan).

As I've already mentioned, Leicester City were one of the best sides I saw last season. They were so strong and fast in attack, with Matty Fryatt and Dany N'Guessan tearing QPR's defence apart. Therefore, I wasn't really surprised to see them reach the play-offs, eventually being knocked out by Cardiff City.

Former QPR manager, Paulo Sousa, is now in charge of the Foxes, a man who, as we all know, favours a very defensive approach. Unless Sousa’s style has evolved (and he is still a young enough manager for that to happen), Leicester fans should expect to see an end to the free-flowing attacking football that they enjoyed last season. Sousa's style of play relies on a robust back four and his teams concede very few goals. Although it is not particularly exciting to watch, there is no doubt that this approach can be very effective. For example, Sousa was unlucky not to reach the play-offs last season, with Swansea City only just missing out on the top six.

This time the Portuguese has, in my view, a stronger squad to work with. The likes of Fryatt, N'Guessan, Wellens, Oakley and King are very good players at this level, but I'm not convinced that they are going to adjust to the new style of play immediately. I feel that it is going to take a little while before the Foxes start putting together a really good run of form. This could damage their chances of promotion.

So, in short, although I am sure that the Foxes will be difficult to beat, I think that they just might miss out on the top six on this occasion. I will certainly be interested to see how Leicester's fans respond to Sousa's style of play.

Godfather's Prediction: 9th position.

Middlesbrough

Manager: Gordon Strachan

Season 2009-10 finish: 11th position.

Ins: Andrew Halliday (Livingston - undisclosed), Kris Boyd (Rangers - free), Nicky Bailey (Charlton Athletic - 1.4 million), Stephen McManus (Celtic - 1.5 million), Kevin Thomson (Rangers - 2 million), Tarmo Kink (Gyori ETO - undisclosed).

Outs: Emmanuel Pogatetz (Hannover 96 - free), John Johnson (Northampton Town - undisclosed)

After last season's disappointing 11th-placed finish, Middlesbrough are now being touted as one of the favourites for automatic promotion. And it isn't difficult to see why. Strachan has splashed out a total of £4.9 million on five new players, four of whom played for top Scottish clubs. The squad is now packed with quality and they will certainly be ones to watch during the 2010/11 campaign.

It is not really surprising that Strachan, a Scot with recent experience as manager of Celtic, has made four of his six signings during close season from Scottish teams. On paper, some of the acquisitions look very impressive indeed. Kris Boyd, for example, scored 101 goals in 143 appearances for Rangers over four years - and Boro' didn't even have to pay a penny for him (he was out of contract). Andrew Halliday, meanwhile, earned Livingston's 2009-10 Player of the Year award for his performances on the flank. Kevin Thomson (defensive midfielder) and Stephen McManus (centre-back) also look to be excellent additions. Nicky Bailey has also joined the club after a highly successful two-year period with Charlton Athletic, whilst Estonian international winger, Tarmo Kink, has penned a deal for an undisclosed fee.

To be frank, I'm not a fan of Strachan as a coach (though I do enjoy his TV interviews). However, with such an outstanding squad at his disposal, it is very difficult to see him failing. Middlesbrough are strong in every department - and would have been even without the new signings. The fact of the matter is that the likes of Brad Jones, Didier Digard, Justin Hoyte, Gary O'Neil, Julio Arca and Leroy Lita would walk into most Championship sides.

So, in short, I expect Middlesbrough to be strong candidates for automatic promotion. In my view, having conducted research on every Championship team, Boro' have the strongest squad, boasting quality in every department. Providing that the players perform to the best of their ability, I can see the club returning to the Premiership, quite possibly as Champions.

Godfather's Prediction: 1st position.