Championship 2023-24 Preview: Teams and Predictions
The Viking Row can rest, the Wonderwall can wait and the Mexican ducks can waddle off into memory. The Championship is back – 46 games of chaos, jeopardy and hope stretched across nine unforgiving months.
Parachute money doesn’t dominate the landscape this time. Only four clubs arrive with it – West Ham, Wolves, Burnley and a Southampton side starting on minus four after the spygate scandal that poisoned the end of last season. Lincoln return to this level for the first time since 1961, Cardiff are back after a year away, and Bolton rejoin the party after seven seasons out.
It looks wide open. It usually does. This time it really might be.
Birmingham City – Play-offs or bust?
Chris Davies goes into his third season with Birmingham knowing the bar has moved. Last year, some fans hoped for a play-off tilt. This year, a top-eight finish feels like the minimum demand from above.
The squad overhaul from last winter brings continuity rather than upheaval. Carlos Vicente, Jhon Solis and August Priske are no longer raw additions but emerging pillars, while Christoph Klarer and Phil Neumann give Birmingham one of the more imposing centre-back pairings in the division.
The problem? The road. Only five away wins last season, with just two teams scoring fewer goals on their travels. St Andrew’s was a fortress – 44 points, fourth-best in the league – but if Davies doesn’t solve their away-day anemia, the play-offs stay out of reach.
Priske might change that equation. The 6ft 5in Dane, now bulked up and brimming with confidence after a strong pre-season, looks ready to turn promise into 15-plus goals. This could be his year.
Jobi McAnuff’s prediction: 11th.
Blackburn Rovers – Survival first, then anything else
Blackburn’s target is brutally simple: avoid another season staring down the barrel.
Four home wins at Ewood Park last year told its own story. Tony Mowbray wants more quality in the building before the window shuts, and he knows he needs it. The squad has lived through two relegation scraps in three seasons; that experience might just steel them again.
But the holes are obvious. Championship know-how is thin in key areas and both goalkeepers, Balazs Toth and Aynsley Pears, are in the final year of their deals. Toth could still go. For a club that needs stability, that is a dangerous fault line.
Amid the uncertainty, 19-year-old centre-back Tom Atcheson has been handed the number six shirt and a starting role. He turns 20 in September and is already being talked about as Premier League material. If he delivers, Blackburn might just breathe easier.
Jobi’s prediction: 22nd.
Bolton Wanderers – Back, but braced
Bolton are back in the Championship after play-off glory, and Steven Schumacher knows exactly what they’re walking into.
Consolidation is the word. Not a lack of ambition, just realism. Bolton can bloody a few noses and maybe more, but they must find their feet quickly in a division that rarely waits for anyone.
They’ll likely be operating on one of the smallest budgets, which puts huge weight on recruitment. Eight signings are already through the door, with more expected, and Schumacher’s previous Championship experience should help him squeeze every drop from a lean squad.
The concern sits up front. Bolton created plenty last season; turning those chances into goals is another matter. That’s where Ryan Hardie comes in. His best scoring spell came under Schumacher at Plymouth. If that partnership clicks again, Bolton’s season looks very different.
Jobi’s prediction: 21st.
Bristol City – Change, and a chance
Ashton Gate has seen churn before, but this summer feels different. A new sporting director in James Ellis, a new head coach in Michael Skubala, eight new signings and a hint of genuine ambition.
City fans are allowing themselves to think about promotion, even if they know it might take time. The spine looks strong: centre-backs and central midfielders with depth and, crucially, some injury cover after last season’s walking-wounded back line. Lisav Eissat and Gibson Yah should ease that strain.
The excitement is up front. Lorent Tolaj and Dom Ballard tore up League One last year and now have the chance to prove they can do it at a higher level. Until they do, it’s a question mark – as is how quickly the whole squad adapts to Skubala’s more expansive style.
Yu Hirakawa could be the wildcard. Overlooked by previous managers who shunned wingers, he now steps into a system that might finally suit him. He helped Hull to promotion from this division on loan; if he can unlock stubborn defences for City, the mood at Ashton Gate could shift for good.
Jobi’s prediction: 14th.
Burnley – Waiting on the full picture
Burnley have made bouncing back look easy before. Twice in their last two Championship seasons they’ve smashed through 100 points and gone straight up.
This time, nobody quite knows what they are yet.
Nicky Hayen has work to do in the market and the fear is obvious: more key players could go before the deadline. Zian Flemming is the name to watch. Lose him and Burnley lose a major creative force.
There is still plenty of intrigue. Aaron Ramsey, signed for serious money three years ago, could finally feel like the player Burnley thought they were buying if he stays fit. Mike Tresor, underwhelming under two previous managers, now gets a fresh start.
Marcus Edwards might be the one to light it all up. He impressed in the second half of their last promotion season and many fans felt he was underused in the Premier League. The Championship stage looks tailor-made for him.
Jobi’s prediction: 5th.
Cardiff City – Fearless, but still learning
Cardiff are back in the Championship with a clear first objective: stay there.
Brian Barry-Murphy has transformed the atmosphere with his front-foot football and trust in youth. The squad is packed with academy products, allowed to play with freedom and pace. It worked wonders in League One and will scare plenty of teams again.
But that youth is also the risk. Only three players are over 30. The naivety that occasionally cost them last season will be punished more ruthlessly at this level. A couple of grizzled Championship veterans wouldn’t hurt, yet Barry-Murphy has stuck to his principles.
Yousef Salech is central to the whole project. Two seasons ago he scored eight in 20 Championship games for a relegated side, then added 15 last term before a nasty neck injury. If he’s fully fit, he gives Cardiff the goals they need and defenders a problem they don’t want.
Jobi’s prediction: 23rd.
Derby County – Ambition on a tightrope
Derby’s summer turned in an instant. A collapsed takeover ended dreams of major investment and a heavy rebuild. Now, everything hinges on what they can do before the window closes.
The starting XI has quality and a solid spine. Jacob Widell Zetterstrom is a dependable presence in goal, Lewis Travis arrives at his first full season fully fit, and Carlton Morris can be a serious handful if he recaptures pre-injury form.
Beyond that, it thins out quickly. Wide areas, full-back, central midfield and up front all need reinforcements with Championship pedigree. The recruitment team faces a frantic few weeks.
Bobby Clark could change the narrative. At 21, he looks capable of becoming one of Derby’s most valuable assets this season. And when Patrick Agyemang returns from the injury that cost him the World Cup – expected in January – it may feel like a marquee signing dropped into the middle of their campaign.
Jobi’s prediction: 10th.
Lincoln City – Sixty years later, and underdogs again
Lincoln are back in the second tier for the first time since 1961. The brief is simple: survive.
They’ll likely have the smallest budget in the division. They’ve heard that before. Last season they blew League One away without the financial muscle of their rivals, and they’ll lean on that underdog spirit again.
Continuity is their strength. The core of the title-winning squad remains, with Championship know-how from the likes of Tendayi Darikwa and Adam Reach. The dual-head-coach model of Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw raised eyebrows, but both are highly rated and the “risk” might just be inspired.
The window has been quiet so far, which almost certainly has to change before the end of August.
In goal, George Wickens could be the next Lincoln keeper to step into the wider spotlight. After a tough first year, he was pivotal last season and has signed a new deal. With David Preece sharpening his game, Wickens could be the latest in a line that once included standout loanee Carl Rushworth.
Jobi’s prediction: 24th.
Middlesbrough – No more near-miss
Middlesbrough were within touching distance of promotion last season before stumbling at the final hurdles and losing the play-off final. This time, the expanded play-offs are non-negotiable. The aim is to go one better.
Kim Hellberg’s side were built on defensive solidity and an ability to suffocate games once they scored first. At their best, they blew teams away with a high-tempo, aggressive style.
The flaw was clear: when opponents sat deep and handed them the ball, Boro struggled. That late run of just two wins in 10 cost them automatic promotion. The response has been to add more punch up front with Will Lankshear and Kyle Joseph, giving them the option to “batter the door down” when picking the lock doesn’t work.
Lankshear is the headline act. Boro have paid big money for a true number nine. Behind him, USA international Sebastian Berhalter arrives after shining at the World Cup, while Adilson Malanda’s partnership with Alfie Jones at the back will be crucial to giving them a platform to dominate.
Jobi’s prediction: 2nd.
Millwall – No fear, no apology
Millwall finally cracked the play-offs last season for the first time in more than 20 years. Now they want to prove it was no one-off.
The fanbase knows the financial realities. There are bigger budgets and bigger squads elsewhere. But they also watched their team rip up reputations last season and they know what’s possible when it all clicks.
Alex Neil is central to that belief. He understands the club and its crowd, and he has a track record of getting teams up. His nous in tight, decisive moments could again be the difference.
The search for a ruthless striker has felt endless at The Den. If Josh Coburn stays fit and hits the same purple patches he showed last year, he might finally be the missing piece.
Jobi’s prediction: 6th.
Norwich City – Quietly dangerous
Norwich approach the season with something they’ve lacked for years: calm.
Philippe Clement took over a side drifting towards League One last November and turned them into one of the Championship’s form teams. Only three clubs collected more points in the second half of the season.
This summer has been measured. No overhaul, no scattergun foreign recruitment. Clement has had a full pre-season with a largely settled squad. That continuity is seen as a major asset.
The lingering worry is injuries. They plagued Norwich last year and have already claimed Ali Ahmed for the entire season with an ACL. Kellen Fisher, Jovon Makama and Lucien Mahovo will miss the early weeks too, despite Makama looking a superb prospect with 13 goals before his campaign was cut short in February.
The firepower is there. Mo Toure smashed 10 goals in 12 games after arriving last winter, then scored 40 seconds into the Carabao Cup tie with MK Dons. Andre Brooks has impressed in pre-season. If Norwich can just keep more of their key men on the pitch, they look like serious contenders.
Jobi’s prediction: 7th.
Portsmouth – Modest budget, big intent
Portsmouth’s target is straightforward: stay well away from the relegation scrap.
They’ve already spent about twice as much as last summer, yet their budget still sits firmly in the modest bracket. Any climb from last year’s 18th would be a job well done.
There is genuine excitement about the flanks. Josh Murphy and Abu Kamara, if fit, could be one of the Championship’s most thrilling wing duos. Terry Devlin’s rapid progress and Adrian Segecic’s 11 goals in his debut season add further cause for optimism.
But injuries hammered Pompey last year, and this squad doesn’t have the depth to absorb long absences. Championship experience is thin among the new arrivals, and Fratton Park no longer catches visiting sides by surprise. Teams sit in, respect the threat and dare Pompey to break them down. Too often, they can’t.
Murphy is the game-changer. When fully fit, he’s one of the best players in this league. He’ll miss the opener, but if he finds the form of two seasons ago, Portsmouth’s survival prospects look a lot healthier.
Jobi’s prediction: 20th.
Preston North End – All on Devine, and then some
Preston have already smashed their transfer record, spending £6m on Alfie Devine. They’re not done yet.
Paul Heckingbottom wants more significant additions before the window closes to avoid a repeat of last season’s dramatic post-New Year slump. The first half of that campaign showed what they can be; the second half showed how quickly it can unravel.
One major upgrade has already arrived off the pitch – literally. Preston have spent more than £1.5m on a new Deepdale surface after last winter’s pitch made Heckingbottom’s preferred style almost impossible to execute. They hope the new grass becomes the base for a more consistent season.
Depth is the concern. Key loanees have gone, experienced figures such as Robbie Brady have moved on, and the departures of Lewis Dobbin, Harrison Armstrong and Daniel Jebbison leave big gaps in attack.
Devine is the focal point. He excelled on loan from Tottenham and now returns as Preston’s record signing and standout talent. If the club can surround him with enough quality, he could drag them into the top half. If not, he risks carrying too much of the load.
Jobi’s prediction: 19th.
QPR – Fix the leaks, chase the dream
QPR conceded 73 goals last season. Only Sheffield Wednesday were worse. That statistic hangs over everything.
Julien Stephan now has a full Championship campaign behind him and a squad more tailored to his ideas. The summer window has been encouraging and pre-season promising, raising hopes of a top-half push and, with a fair wind, maybe something more.
The task is clear: tighten up at the back without blunting the attack. New faces such as Boy Kemper, Tariq Lamptey and Glen Kamara should help reshape the spine, while the goalkeeping department has been refreshed.
Up front, Rumarn Burrell could be the surprise package. He has the tools to thrive at this level – pace, movement, a nose for goal. If he stays fit and gets the service, he might be the one who turns QPR from leaky entertainers into genuine contenders.
Jobi’s prediction: 13th.
Southampton – Promotion, no excuses
Southampton’s situation is complicated off the pitch after their expulsion from last season’s play-off final and the four-point deduction that followed. On the pitch, the message is brutally simple: automatic promotion.
Tonda Eckert has kept the core of the side that went 21 league games unbeaten at the end of last season. Cyle Larin and Daniel Peretz, both crucial loanees in that run, are now permanent.
Divin Mubama arrives on loan from Manchester City to replace Ross Stewart. The potential is enormous, but he still has to prove he can deliver across an entire Championship campaign after five goals in 20 starts at Stoke before injury.
The star, though, is Leo Scienza. The Brazilian winger terrifies full-backs and, unless a giant bid arrives before the deadline, he will spend the season doing exactly that in a Southampton shirt. With him in full flow, the points deduction looks more like an inconvenience than a barrier.
Jobi’s prediction: 4th.
Stoke City – Defence first, then dare
Stoke’s hierarchy has set the bar: compete for the play-offs.
Last season’s bright start came from a watertight defence and Viktor Johansson’s outstanding goalkeeping. The plan now is to keep that platform and add more punch going the other way.
The problem is obvious. Outside of Sorba Thomas, there isn’t enough proven attacking threat. Stoke lack a prolific striker and the supporting cast has yet to show it can chip in with enough goals to cover that shortfall.
Luke Graham might not grab the headlines immediately, but his signing could prove shrewd. The young, left-footed centre-back from Dundee is robust, confident stepping out with the ball and full of potential. Give him a year or two and he could be one of the division’s most interesting defenders.
Jobi’s prediction: 15th.
Swansea City – Pressing, patience and a big decision
Swansea again arrive at the start line with mid-table behind them and play-off ambitions in front.
The squad is still in flux, especially around the future of Zan Vipotnik, last season’s Championship top scorer. His goals, alongside the performances of Ethan Galbraith, Josh Tymon and goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux, underpinned their 11th-place finish. Galbraith has gone. Vipotnik may follow.
Vitor Matos, appointed last November, has imposed a high-pressing style that worked especially well at home. With his background alongside Jurgen Klopp, that intensity is not going anywhere.
The away form has to improve. A few extra results on the road last season would have changed everything. If Vipotnik leaves, the responsibility shifts to Adam Idah – who struggled in his first year – and new signing Ross Stewart to carry the attack.
Out wide was a weakness last term. Swansea have responded by investing heavily in Joseph Opoku and Moussa Yeo. Opoku, a 21-year-old Ghanaian winger, looks physically ready for the Championship. Behind him, academy product Filip Lissah returns from a superb loan at Falkirk and seems set to become a first-team regular.
Jobi’s prediction: 12th.
Watford – Talent, but time ticking
Watford’s hierarchy will hope for another promotion push. Many fans are braced for something more modest.
Last season ended with eight winless games and a slide to 16th. Recruitment has been slow and the spine of the side looks alarmingly light. Just two recognised centre-backs. A thin central midfield, with Imran Louza’s future uncertain. Two young centre-forwards who are not yet proven at this level.
Loans will arrive, they always do at Watford, but they will need to hit the ground running under new head coach Alessio Dionisi.
The upside is the talent already in the building. Othmane Maamma is the standout – a gifted, two-footed attacker with balance, touch and an eye for goal. He looks destined for the top level, if Watford can keep him for the season. Behind him, little-known Amin Nabizada is tipped to break through.
If the Hornets can shore up their spine quickly, mid-table might be the floor rather than the ceiling.
Jobi’s prediction: 16th.
West Bromwich Albion – Old-school shape, new energy
West Brom flirted with disaster last season before James Morrison dragged them clear with a 10-game unbeaten run. Now he has the job full-time and a clearer mandate: push for the expanded play-offs, or at least show serious progress.
Morrison’s rescue act was built on structure. A 4-4-2, players in their natural positions, full-backs encouraged to attack but a back line that knew its job. Seven clean sheets in the final nine games proved it worked, and it wasn’t dull either.
The issue is goals. Only four teams scored fewer last season, and two of those went down. Aune Heggebo managed nine in his first year in England and will want more help.
Jimmy-Jay Morgan has hit five in pre-season and looks lively, but the Championship is another level. Felix Horn Myhre might be the one to watch. At 27, with European experience and a reputation as SK Brann’s “most important player”, he arrives with the profile to take charge of West Brom’s midfield if he adapts quickly.
Jobi’s prediction: 17th.
West Ham United – No hiding place
For West Ham, this season is binary. Go up, or fail.
Relegation has not shaken Nuno Espirito Santo’s commitment. The Portuguese coach stays, bringing with him the memory of a 99-point title-winning campaign with Wolves in 2017-18. The squad still has a strong core and, crucially, Jarrod Bowen.
Off the pitch, ownership wrangles rumble on and could yet complicate late-window business. On it, the exits of Mateus Fernandes and Crysencio Summerville strip away some of the side’s sparkle and must be addressed.
Bowen, though, is the trump card. With 131 goal contributions in 228 games for West Ham since the start of 2021-22, he is not just their best player but arguably the standout individual in the entire division. If he stays fit and focused, the path back to the Premier League is there.
Jobi’s prediction: 1st.
Wolverhampton Wanderers – Back where they know
Wolves fans know this league too well to get carried away, but optimism has returned to Molineux.
Relegation was grim, but the mood has shifted. Over 21,000 turned up for a Carabao Cup tie and bought into the idea of an immediate response. New executive chairman Nathan Shi has already spoken of an 18-month plan to be back in the Premier League by 2027-28. The supporters can see the outline of it.
The squad still features players with proven Premier League quality – Raul Jimenez and Kieran Trippier most notably – and Adam Armstrong, signed in January, has a track record of scoring heavily in the Championship. The fact that some players expected to leave have stayed, and that Jimenez chose to return, hints at a renewed sense of unity.
The questions are unavoidable. Will departures be delayed rather than cancelled? Is there enough defensive depth behind Ladislav Krejci, whose pre-season was shortened after the World Cup? Will one of the two international goalkeepers remain, and if not, who comes in?
Mateus Mane could make those worries feel smaller. Once a youth prospect known only to Rochdale and Wolves academy watchers, he broke through last season, perhaps too often for a teenager. The campaign caught up with him, but the talent was obvious. He has looked fresh and grounded in pre-season, knowing a big year in the Championship could launch him towards the elite.
Jobi’s prediction: 3rd.
Wrexham – Ruthless, but still vulnerable
Wrexham’s rise has been rapid. Now they want to take the next step.
Missing the play-offs by a whisker last season still stings. A top-eight finish would be respectable under the new format, but Phil Parkinson and his players will be thinking about the top six.
The numbers say they’re ready. Wrexham outperformed their expected goals by 12.21 last season, more than any other Championship side. They are ruthless in front of goal. With Josh Windass, Callum Doyle and Kieffer Moore in attack, they have a blend of craft and power that unsettles any back line.
The problem lies behind them. Wrexham gave up too many chances and took too long to settle on a back three last year, with injuries at wing-back disrupting the balance. Improvement is expected now they’ve had a season to adjust.
Danny Imray might be the quiet solution. Signed from Crystal Palace, the right-sided flyer has racked up 76 appearances on loan in the last two seasons. If he locks down that flank and stays fit, Wrexham’s defensive issues could ease just enough for their forwards to do the rest.
Jobi’s prediction: 9th.
One of the most open Championship seasons in years is about to begin. Parachute clubs with scars, promoted sides with nothing to lose, fallen giants demanding promotion and a pack of ambitious challengers all squeezed into the same 24-club cage.
Forty-six games each. No guarantees. Who handles the chaos best?
