Here is the first of our 2009/10 Seasonal Previews. it comes from our sister site, Wakuba.com…

The Championship

Over the past few seasons the Championship has become one of the most competitive leagues in the world, with 24 teams all of relatively similar standard fighting it out in attritional game after attritional game. Managers and signings that turn out to be good, injuries, luck… all can have a strong influence. So you really can’t rule anyone out, although it is perhaps slightly fanciful to think Barnsley or Scunthorpe will win it.

That is why, in the ‘To Be Promoted’ market, 19 of the 24 sides are 16/1 or less to be promoted – and Scunthorpe are the longest price to finish in the Top 6 at (again) just 16/1. Contrast that with the Premiership, where Burnley are 50/1 to finish Top 6 (remember there are only 20 teams), and you can see the difference. Any one side can beat any other.

Newcastle are currently favourites for the title in most places – as short as 5/1 in places – which seems absurd considering the turmoil on and off the field. Yes, they have good players on paper – but if they cannot perform in the Premier League its unlikely they will fancy a midweek trip to Plymouth. Of course if a takeover is completed they could well have an influx of money designed to bring a quick return to the Premier League – but that is a big if.

Where Newcastle aren’t favourites, West Brom are, and this seems a far better pick. They have the nucleus of the side that went down last season, which is also the team that won the division so comprehensively the year before. In Roberto Di Matteo they have a promising young manager who did well at MK Dons, and will stay true to Tony Mowbray’s footballing principles. At a best price 13/2, if our money was going anywhere, it would be on the Baggies.

Other teams to consider include Boro, the other team to be relegated – they’ve remarkably kept most of their good players, and though Tuncay will probably join Downing in exiting the North East, they still have good players and an excellent crop of youth players.

Roy Keane’s excellent Championship record and the money available at Ipswich makes them a worthy consideration, and the teams who were there or thereabouts last season, like Reading, Cardiff, Preston, and Sheffield United are all worth considering.

After a summer spending spree Nottingham Forest have shortened from 40/1 to 25/1, and could be a decent each way punt even at that reduced price. In Billy Davies they have a canny manager with an excellent record at this level, and the word is they are making a concerted push for the Premier League.

As we said, any team could have a good season and push on – two that stand out are Doncaster, whose end of season form would have taken them into the playoffs over the season (12/1 for top 6) and Nigel Clough’s Derby, although the 3/1 in the same market is very short.

In terms of relegation, in the same way any side could conceivably finish top 6, a lot of sides could be dragged into the mire. It’s difficult to see any of the sides we mentioned as challengers actually getting relegated; but Scunthorpe, Plymouth, Blackpool and Barnsley must be anticipating tough seasons ahead.

Then you have the unknowns; the promoted sides Leicester and Peterborough, Swansea under new manager Paolo Sousa, and teams that could be dark horses like Sheffield Wednesday, Palace, and QPR. Any of these could feature at the top of the table – but also at the bottom!

Now watch one of the few teams we haven’t mentioned streak away at the top of the table…

We’re coming into a crucial stage of the season – here is our view on the main challengers in each of the four divisions…

Premier League

Like the thoroughbreds they are (apart from Nani) Man Utd are cruising away at the top of the Premiership. They currently have a two point lead over Liverpool, which will be extended to five after their inevitable win over Fulham on Wednesday. The red half of Merseyside are closer than they’ve ever been, but with only one (decent) striker, unrest on the contractual front, unrest in the boardroom, and the pressure they will undoubtedly feel at the sharp end of the season, this season is too early for them. Chelsea will be ten points behind Utd after Wednesday’s game (assuming Utd win) which even at this stage seems too much. Villa make up the top four, and although they’re having a sensational season, they just can’t win it (can they?). Arsenal look to now be out of the running, fifteen points back in fifth place. Remember, though, how comfortable Chelsea looked earlier in the season – and remember, also, that anything can happen…

Current Odds:

Man Utd  -  1/4
Liverpool -  6/1
Chelsea   -  20/1
Villa        -  33/1
Arsenal   -  50/1

The Championship

Wolves sit atop the table despite recent stutters; they’ve only won one of their last nine. However, by winning games in hand, any one (or all) of Birmingham, Reading, and Cardiff can go ahead of Mick McCarthy’s side. Swansea are also careering up the table like a steam train, undefeated in thirteen, and now only three points off the playoffs. Burnley’s excellent season sees them sit 8th, just behind Bristol City, with the top eight completed by Preston in 4th and Sheffield Utd in 6th. Any one of those nine teams, with a Swansea-esque run, could gain automatic promotion – and even challenge for the title. Reading are favourites – but don’t rule anyone out.

Reading        -  11/8
Wolves         -  2/1
Birmingham  -  9/2
Cardiff         -  10/1
Swansea      -   66/1

League 1

Leicester are the runaway leaders, with a six point gap to Roberto Di Matteo’s MK Dons in second. There is then a further seven points to Peterborough in third, where everything is super-congested around the play-off places. Realistically, only Leicester and MK Dons look capable of taking the title (famous last words) but who will get the final promotion spot via the play-offs is anyone’s guess.

Leicester         -  1/4
MK Dons         -  6/1
Peterborough  -  28/1
Scunthorpe     -  33/1
Millwall           -  40/1

League Two

It’s tight at the top of League Two, with Brentford opening up a three point gap after victory over early eason pacesetters Wycombe at the weekend. Wycombe do have two games in hand, however, and if they can snap out of their recent abject form they can retake top spot. Bury sit third, tied on points, with Rochdale and Bradford two points behind them and Exter one point, Shrewsbury two points, and Dagenham and Redbridge and and Darlington four points behind. Gillingham are a further point behind in tenth – then there is an eight point gap to 11th. At this stage of the season it looks like the winners and indeed play-off contenders will all come from the current top ten – but don’t rule out someone making a late push (come on Swindon!). Rochdale are our tip, in great form recently, they’re closing fast on the leaders.

Wycombe   -  3/1
Brentford   -  7/2
Rochdale   -  8/1
Bradford   -  8/1
Darlington -  8/1