West Ham, Middlesbrough and Wolves are among the pre-season favourites to win the Championship title as the second tier kicks off this Friday.
West Ham aim for immediate return
West Ham will be determined to secure an immediate return to the Premier League as they look to justify their tag as Championship favourites. The Hammers are back in the second tier for the first time since 2012 but have retained manager Nuno Espirito Santo and leading light Jarrod Bowen, leaving them as plenty of people's pre-season pick for the title.
They begin their campaign against fellow relegated side Burnley on Sunday, with the Clarets undergoing notable upheaval as they embark on a sixth successive year in a different division.
Play-off near misses and relegated rivals
Middlesbrough and Millwall were undone in the Championship play-offs last season, the former losing to Hull in the final, and both will look to use those near misses as motivation for the upcoming season.
Wolves were the third side to suffer relegation from the Premier League, ending their eight-year spell in the top flight, and will also be targeting an immediate return. They begin the Championship season when they host Blackburn Rovers on Friday night.
Play-off ambitions for Birmingham and Wrexham
Birmingham City and Wrexham, two teams who are North American owned and have invested heavily over recent years, will at least be targeting play-off berths. Lincoln City romped to the League One title, amassing more than 100 points, and have been backed to struggle, but may seek to spring a surprise.
