Having already looked at half of the Championship clubs ahead of the 2009/2010 season, it makes perfect sense to kick-start the second half with a club lead by a former North End manager.
Nottingham Forest
Manager: Billy Davies
Finish last season: 19th
Prediction this season: Playoffs
Former Preston manager Billy Davies has not wasted any time in the transfer market this summer having brought in no fewer than 9 players to bolster his Nottingham Forest squad, one of which included Preston skipper Paul McKenna.
And it's not just quantity without quality either as the likes of Gunter, Blackstock and McGoldrick are just a few of those new arrivals drafted in, in a bid to see a return to the top flight of English football for the first time in over ten years.
Those new additions to the Forest squad will see a significant rise in competition for places with no fewer than 23 first-team players all battling it out for 11 places. As a result, it will be Forest's strength in depth that will be key for them this season in what should be a very good campaign for the Midlands club. It would come as no surprise if Forest managed to obtain a playoff place at the very least before, inevitably, gunning for promotion.
Transfers In:
David McGoldrick Southampton Undisclosed
Dele Adebola Bristol City Free
Paul Anderson Liverpool £250,000
Lee Camp Queens Park Rangers Undisclosed
Paul McKenna Preston North End £750,000
Chris Gunter Tottenham Hotspur £1.75m
Dexter Blackstock Queens Park Rangers Undisclosed
Joel Lynch Brighton & Hove Albion £200,000
Radoslaw Majewski Groclin Grodzisk Loan
Transfers Out:
Joe Heath Lincoln City Loan
Ian Breckin Chesterfield Free
Brendan Moloney Notts County Loan
Hamza Bencherif Macclesfield Town Free
Shane Redmond Burton Albion Loan
James Reid Rushden & Diamonds Loan
Emile Sinclair Macclesfield Town Free
Mark Byrne Rushden & Diamonds Loan
Adam Newbold Released
Richard Tait Released
Liam Hook Released
Tom Sharpe Released
Ryan Whitehurst Released
Adam Gamble Released
Paddy Gamble Released
Peterborough United
Manager: Darren Ferguson
Finish last season: 2nd (League One)
Prediction this season: Lower mid-table
One can't help but get the impression that Championship new-comers Peterborough United are on the crest of a wave and are only just beginning to stamp their authority in the Football League.
Under the stewardship of Darren Ferguson, son of a certain Sir Alex Ferguson, Peterborough have come on leaps and bounds and will not want to undo the hard work put in which saw them gain back-to-back promotions.
Thus, Championship consolidation will be the Posh's number one priority in 09/10 and if obtained, should be considered a success in the minds of the players and fans alike.
Transfers In:
Tommy Rowe Stockport County Undisclosed
Lee Frecklington Lincoln City Undisclosed
Toumani Diagouraga Hereford United Undisclosed
Krystian Pearce Birmingham City Loan
Romone McCrae Crawley Town Undisclosed
Transfers Out:
Liam Hatch Luton Town Loan
Mark Tyler Luton Town Free
Alfie Potter Oxford United Loan
Chris Westwood Wycombe Wanderers Undisclosed
Danny Blanchett Released
Craig Braham-Barrett Released
Kieran Charnock Released
Scott Rendell Released
Rene Howe Released
Kwesi Appiah Released
Plymouth Argyle
Manager: Paul Sturrock
Finish last season: 21st
Prediction this season: Relegated
The Pilgrims narrowly avoided the drop last season and unless major surgery takes place between now and the end of the transfer window, it looks like that's all Argyle will be able to muster again this season.
Former Lilywhite Paul Gallagher was Plymouth's top marksman last term but has since returned to parent club Blackburn meaning that Paul Sturrock will have to find someone else to provide the goals, which were already difficult to come by as it was last season.
Other than Bradley Wright-Phillips, the man who Paul Sturrock has seemingly turned to for goals, the only other addition worth noting is former Palace midfielder Carl Fletcher. Accordingly it seems that the Pilgrims will struggle unless the partnership of Rory Fallon and Bradley Wright-Phillips blossoms sooner rather than later.
To surmise, if there isn't a lot of change personnel wise, another twenty-something place finish is on the cards for Plymouth Argyle one suspects.
Transfers In:
Carl Fletcher Crystal Palace Free
Bradley Wright-Phillips Southampton Free
Kari Amason Djurgadens IF Undisclosed
Reda Johnson Amiens Undisclosed
Transgers Out:
Dan Smith Eastbourne Borough Free
Yannick Bolasie Barnet Undisclosed
Jermaine Easter MK Dons Undisclosed
Queens Park Rangers
Manager: Jim Magilton
Finish last season: 11th
Prediction this season: Top 8
After being relieved of his duties at Ipswich, Jim Magilton now finds himself spear-heading QPR's charge towards the Premier League. Judging from the manager turnover in the last couple of years it seems that the Billionaire owners of Rangers want to see promotion sooner rather than later.
As a result, Jim Magilton has been able to flex QPR's muscles in the transfer market by bringing in the likes of Alejandro Faurlin from Instituto for £3.5m as well as Tottenham's hot prospect Abel Taarabt on loan.
Having spent that sort of money on one player, the pressure is firmly on Magilton who will be looking to do what Paulo Sousa, Iain Dowie and former North End favourite Gareth Ainsworth were unable to do or even given the chance to do.
Unfortunately for QPR this upcoming Championship season is likely to be one of the most competitive campaigns yet. Newcastle, Middlesbrough and West Brom will all be wanting a quick return to the Premier League, not to mention the half-a-dozen other sides all vying for those promotion places. A top 8 finish is most likely, missing out on the playoffs again.
Transfers In:
Alejandro Faurlin Instituto £3.5m
Adel Taarabt Tottenham Hotspur Loan
Transfers Out:
Zesh Rehman Bradford City Free
Damien Delaney Ipswich Town Undisclosed
Lee Camp Nottingham Forest, Undisclosed
Jake Cole Barnet Free
Dexter Blackstock Nottingham Forest Undisclosed
Liam Miller Released
Danny Maguire Released
Chris Arthur Released