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The World Cup is in the history books, and the new season finally kicks off this weekend across England.
While fans will have to wait one more week for the Premier League to get underway, all 72 football league teams will be in action this weekend, and it is shaping up to be yet another thrilling campaign.
With several clubs having spent well this Summer, The Championship is perhaps harder to predict than ever this year.
That being said, there is always plenty of fun to be had trying to guess where each team is going to end up. With that in mind, let's take a detailed look at all 24 teams in the Championship this season and try and predict how their season is going to play out.
#1 Aston Villa
It's been a wild few months for Aston Villa. After falling at the final hurdle following an uninspired performance against Fulham at Wembley, the former Premier League giants fell into financial uncertainty at the start of June.
And in the middle of July it was confirmed that Egyptian Billionaire Nassef Sawiris, along with American Wes Eddens had brought a majority share in the club, with the former taking over as chairman.
Villa fans are hoping that the new money in the club will be enough to keep a lot of last season's players in Birmingham, with James Chester attracting interest from Stoke, and Jack Grealish attracting interest from just about everybody.
Despite the initial doom and gloom from the back end of last season, Villa should be able to manage a playoff push once again this season, though, automatic promotion feels like it may be out of their reach.
Predicted finish: 6th
#2 Birmingham City
From one Birmingham based club to another, Villa's rivals Birmingham will be hoping to build on last season's final day heroics.
Garry Monk saved Birmingham from relegation last season, and it looks as though their aims will be fairly similar this year.
Monk's win ratio since taking over the club suggests that he is capable of guiding them to a mid-table position this year, but the club's pre-season signings have hardly set the world on fire.
The Blues have developed a knack for avoiding relegation over the past few seasons though, and most fans would be glad to see them repeat that feat once again this year.
Prediction: 19th
#3 Blackburn Rovers
After securing promotion from League One at the first time of asking, Blackburn Rovers will be hoping to avoid an instant return to the third division this season.
Blackburn will be hoping to continue their momentum from last season, where they finished runners-up in League One to Wigan Athletic.
The Lancashire club have not been too busy in the transfer market, but they have succeeded in keeping several key players at the club, included last season's star player- Bradley Dack.
Rovers fans will also be hoping to see Newcastle striker Adam Armstrong return on loan for the season; the young striker smashed in 9 goals in his time at Rovers and was pivotal in their promotion push.
The key for any promoted side is to build on the momentum of the previous season and keep all of their squad in place. Blackburn is already halfway there.
Prediction: 16th
#4 Bolton Wanderers
Oh, Bolton, whatever will we do with you? After once again avoiding relegation on the final day of last season, the club descended into chaos once again when the players went on strike before a pre-season game against St Mirren in July. The issue has since been resolved, but Bolton's issues appear to run very deep.
The former Europa League qualifiers have fallen a long way in a very short space of time, and while they have been busy in the transfer market, none of their 10 summer signings are that impressive.
Veteran striker, Clayton Donaldson is probably the most recognizable of their arrivals, but at 34 years old, the former Crewe and Sheffield United man's best days may be behind him.
Bolton effectively stayed up on the basis that there were three teams worse than them last season. I don't see that happening again.
Prediction: 23rd
#5 Brentford
Brentford is one of many sides who will feel as though they can make a bid for the top six this season, after narrowly missing out on the playoffs last year.
The London based side are entering their fifth year as a Championship side, and if they can keep hold of Ryan Woods, who is attracting the attention of a lot of the bees' rivals, then they will certainly fancy their chances as dark horses.
The losses of Josefzoon and John Egan could have a bit of an effect on Brentford this year, but manager Dean Smith clearly felt as though he was ready to cover them.
The arrivals of Ezri Konsa and Said Benrahma from Charlton and Nice respectively could prove to be great pieces of business.
The Bees are likely to push for the playoffs again this season, and while that is certainly a reachable target for them these days, I feel like they will just fall short.
Prediction: 8th
#6 Bristol City
Last season was an emotional rollercoaster for Bristol City fans. The club briefly held the top spot in the division during the first half of the season but everything went wrong when they lost, live on television, to fellow promotion chasers, Wolves.
The Robins never really recovered from that defeat, and they ultimately ended up finishing 11th in the table.
There were plenty of moments to enjoy along the way, though, as they took three major Premier League scalps in the League cup- defeating Crytal Palace, Stoke, and Manchester United, before falling to Manchester City in the semi-finals.
Manager Lee Johnson has been essential to the club's success, but he may struggle to take City any higher this season, with several of their key players have departed.
Last season's top goalscorer, Bobby Reid has left to Cardiff City, while the always dependable Aiden Flint has signed for Championship rivals, Middlesborough. Joe Bryan has also been linked with a move away from Ashton Gate, with Stoke City being his potential destination.
City has made some impressive signings themselves though, and Mohamed Eisa, who scored 25 goals in 50 appearances for Cheltenham, is a potentially huge threat in the Championship.
Bristol City fell short of the playoffs last year, and given the competition they face this year, it looks as though the same could happen again. That being said, don't be surprised to see them make a surprise appearance in the top six come May.
Prediction: 10th
#7 Derby County
Derby County grabbed the headline this Summer when they appointed former Chelsea star, Frank Lampard as their new manager following the departure of Gary Rowett to Stoke.
The Rams have been a regular part of the division's playoffs over the last few years, and many fans will be wondering whether they can finally break their run of bad luck and get out of the division under the former England star.
Given Lampard's unproven record in charge of the club, fans are likely to be a bit more forgiven if they fail to make the Premiership once again this season, though, his business so far in the transfer market has inspired some hope among fans.
The loan signing of Mason Mount from Chelsea looks promising, with the East Midlands club having a knack of picking up exciting young players on loan in recent years, and if they can keep hold of Matej Vydra, who has attracted interest from various clubs, then fans will be optimistic that they can at least make their annual appearance in the top-six.
The season could really go either way for Derby, personally, though, I fancy them to just fall short of their usual playoff spots this time around.
Prediction: 7th
#8 Hull City
Times have been tough for Hull in recent years, and this season's transfer market has not proven too kind for them.
Lacking a decent budget, Nigel Adkins has managed to make several signings, the most impressive of which is centre-back, Reece Burke, from West Ham, but has lost several influential players.
The loss of players like Michael Dawson and Abel Hernandez is likely to hit Hull hard, and Adkins has admitted that the club is still in need of several players.
Despite that, Adkins is an experienced manager, and if anyone can keep Hull up, it's him.
Expect Hull to be marred in a relegation battle for the majority of the season, but for Adkins to pull it out of the bag late on.
Prediction: 20th
#9 Ipswich Town
Mick McCarthy's departure at the end of last season was celebrated by a lot of Ipswich's fanbase, and a lot of fans will hope that new manager, Paul Hurst, can finally move the club forward.
Hurst took a relegation fancied Shrewsbury to two Wembley finals last season, and only just missed out on promotion to the Championship in extra-time to Rotherham, and fans will be hoping he can work the same magic again at Portman Road.
The former Grimsby Town manager worked with a tight budget at Shrewsbury, and it looks as though he is having to do the same again at Ipswich.
His signings so far do show signs of promise though, with Gwion Edwards from Peterborough being a nice piece of business, and the loan signing of Trevoh Chalobah from Chelsea also looking like it could be a great deal.
Hurst will likely try to sign Shrewsbury stars, Toto Nsiala and John Nolan before the end of the window, and they could prove to be just what he needs to keep the relegation fancied side in the division.
Keeping Martyn Waghorn will be a difficult task, but if Hurst can either keep him, or sign a decent replacement, then I fancy Ipswich to survive the campaign.
Prediction: 18th
#10 Leeds United
Leeds fans will be optimistic heading into the new year, with the veteran manager, Marco Bielsa having joined the club over the Summer.
The Yorkshire Club is currently one of the most fancied in the division, but it is worth remembering that their record with managers is horrendous, and that Bielsa himself spent time at two different clubs at last season.
The signing of Patrick Bamford from Middlesborough is a serious statement of intent though, and the arrival of Barry Douglas from Wolves is also a solid piece of business.
If Bielsa can steady the ship at Leeds, and put a halt on the managerial merry-go-round at the club, then there is a chance that they could live up to their pre-season hype. Given their track record though, there is every chance that they will undergo some sort of crisis at some point that will derail their season.
Prediction: 9th
#11 Middlesbrough
You can never count Tony Pulis out of a promotion race, and after having rejuvenated Middlesbrough towards the back end of last season, the former Stoke man will be hoping to go one further this year.
The loss of Patrick Bamford will be difficult for the club, but Pulis is a clever manager, and he clearly feels as though the money was worth it.
The signing of Aiden Flint was a great piece of business and the former Bristol City star will likely excel under Pulis' style of play.
Middlesbrough will run things very close this season, and a playoff spot looks highly likely.
Prediction: 4th
#12 Millwall
Neil Harris' Millwall side surprised everybody last season when they came within three points of sneaking into the playoffs.
The club has been fairly quiet in the transfer market though, clearing out a lot of the deadwood and bringing in just three players.
The signing of Ben Amos, on loan from Bolton, is positive, and the arrival of Murray Wallace from Scunthorpe could also prove to be a nice piece of business, but it seems unlikely they will be able to replicate last season's success.
Harris should be able to guide them to a comfortable lower mid-table finish though, and most fans will be more than happy with that.
Prediction: 15th
#13 Norwich City
After failing to mount a promotion campaign last season, Norwich fans will be expecting something a little more positive from Daniel Farke's team this season.
The German manager has been busy during the transfer window, bringing in seven players and letting go 12.
The loss of James Maddison could prove costly though, and the club will be hoping that Jordan Rhodes, who was joined from a season-long loan from Sheffield Wednesday, can finally find his scoring boots once again.
The Canaries don't really look as though they could mount a play-off challenge this season. Instead, they are likely to produce a similar mid-table finish to last season, which is likely not going to rest too well with the fans.
Prediction: 13th
#14 Nottingham Forest
It's been a hectic summer at Nottingham Forest, with former Middlesborough manager Aitor Karanka assembling one of the most fancied sides in the division.
The club broke their transfer record to bring in Benfica star Joao Carvalho and also tied up a deal for Bournemouth star, Lewis Grabban.
These signings, alongside with the likes of Michael Dawson, and Jack Colback could see Forest finally make a return to the top flight this year.
The East-Midlands based club face some stiff competition but it seems likely that they will be there or thereabouts come May.
Prediction: 3rd
#15 Preston
Former Norwich manager, Alex Neil, did a great job at Preston last season, taking them to their highest finish since the 08-09 season, and narrowly missing out on the playoffs.
Neil has done a good job of keeping his team together, with only left-back Joe Cunningham leaving the team for Cardiff.
Likewise, the club hasn't made any major signings and a repeat of last season's success seems unlikely, purely because the division looks even more difficult this time around.
A comfortable mid-table finish is likely for Preston, and most fans will be pleased with that.
Prediction: 12th
#16 QPR
Despite having only been a Premier League side a few years ago, most QPR fans aren't expecting their side to mount any sort of promotion challenge this season.
Steve McClaren has a fairly youthful squad, and this season will be seen as one of progress, rather than promotion.
There is a chance they could surprise a few, but I expect them to spend a lot of time towards the bottom end of the table this season. Currently, their best odds of getting out of the division are around 16/1, so don't expect anything special down Loftus Road this campaign.
Prediction: 20th
#17 Reading
Paul Clement did a good job keeping Reading in the Championship last year, and he will be hoping to propel them back up the table this year.
It's been a Summer of change at Reading this year, with 14 players joining the club so far during the transfer window.
While they haven't lost any major players yet, Stoke has been linked with a move for Liam Moore, who turned out to be one of The Royals' key players last season.
With the club making so many new signings, Clement will have to work out his team fairly quickly, and a bad start could see Reading marred in a relegation battle for most of the season.
Every year, the Championship has one major tragedy, and I have a funny feeling that this time, it could be Reading's turn.
Prediction: 22nd
#18 Rotherham United
Rotherham fans will be hoping that their team can do better than they did last time they were in the division after beating Shrewsbury Town at Wembley to secure an instant return.
The Millers only managed to earn 23 points in their last season in the division, and while they may be many fan's favorites for the drop this year, it's difficult to see them being that poor this time around.
Paul Warne did a great job of getting the team out of League One last year, and the Yorkshire club will be hoping that they can hold their own this time around.
The Millers have signed Blackpool duo Kyle Vassell and Clark Robinson, and Sunderland defender Billy Jones has also joined the club.
You can expect Rotherham to give a better account of themselves this time around but unfortunately, they are still likely to exit the division through the wrong end of the table.
Prediction: 24th
#19 Sheffield United
Sheffield United enjoyed a solid first season back in the Championship last year, and the Yorkshire club will be hoping to build on that this year and mount a serious playoff push.
The club has had a fairly quiet transfer window, with David Brooks being the only notable name to have left Bramall Lane, signing for Bournemouth for £10 Million.
In terms of signings, Dean Henderson could prove to be a great piece of business for Chris Wilder. The Manchester United goalkeeper had an excellent campaign for Shrewsbury next year and is more than capable of making the move up to the Championship.
Wilder's men will likely push for a playoff spot once again this season but like last year, they will likely fall short. A solid top half finish will likely satisfy fans though.
Prediction: 11th
#20 Sheffield Wednesday
After falling at the final hurdle two seasons ago, Sheffield Wednesday failed to build on that last season, finishing 15th in the league.
After Carlos Carvalhal left the club in January, they appointed Jos Luhukay as his replacement and The Owls had a fairly strong finish to their campaign.
That being said, Wednesday have had a fairly dull transfer window this season, and given the strength of other teams in the league, it seems unlikely that they will be back in the playoff picture this year.
Prediction: 14th
#21 Stoke City
Stoke's 10-year run in the Premier League came to a surprising end last season, but the Midlands club has wasted no time in putting together a team that should be considered serious favorites in the Championship next season.
After a disastrous season with managers last year, The Potters appointed Derby manager Gary Rowett as their boss for the new season in what was a serious statement of intent.
The former Burton and Birmingham man has found success wherever he has been and combined with an impressive budget, he should be able to navigate a route back to the Premier League for Stoke this season.
Stoke's pre-signing seasons have been among the most notable in the division with the likes of Tom Ince and Benik Afobe having joined the club.
It seems lazy to predict a relegated side to win the league, but Stoke looks like the strongest side in the division at the moment.
Prediction: 1st
#22 Swansea City
Swansea had teased relegation back to the Championship for several seasons, and last season the Welsh club finally succumb to the pressure.
The Swans appointed Graham Potter as their new manager and will be hoping to bounce straight back to the top flight.
They will have to do without Lukasz Fabianski, Kyle Bartley and Roque Mesa, who have all left the club this Summer.
Potter did an excellent job at Ostersund, and fans will be hoping that his style of attacking football can propel them up the table.
While there is a sense of doom and gloom at Swansea, they should be able to mount a play-off challenge. Automatic promotion may be a step too far though.
Prediction: 5th
#23 West Bromwich Albion
Despite getting relegated last season, West Brom fans will be feeling fairly optimistic for the upcoming season.
Albion was inspired under Darren Moore at the back end of last season, and they will be hoping that they can continue that form now that he has been given the job full-time.
While they may have lost some key players, including James McClean, Ben Foster, and Johnny Evans, they have managed to secure the services of Sam Johnstone and Kyle Bartley.
While Moore may be inexperienced, his end of season form certainly makes Albion one of the favorites for promotion this year, and if things get off to a good start, then an immediate return to the Championship seems fairly likely.
Prediction: 2nd
#24 Wigan Athletic
After dominating League One last year, Wigan will be hoping that they can solidify their place as a Championship team once again this season.
The Latics have a strong team and have not lost anybody too important over the Summer.
Paul Cook has proven himself to be a solid manager as well, and if they can carry their momentum, they could surprise a few this season.
The side didn't perform very well in their last run in the Championship though, and most fans will be happy to see them avoid the drop. Expect them to guarantee safety this year, and build from there.
Prediction: 17th
