The people who really know their clubs give us the lowdown on what to expect in the Championship next season, where cautious optimism abounds

Barnsley

It would appear that the footballing fraternities who comment on the Championship have Barnsley as one of the favourites for relegation. I disagree.

There have been transformations at Oakwell this summer, but that shouldn't automatically be perceived as the club having taken a backwards step. The new management duo, "HillCroft", have had to bring a realistic ethic to the club.

Working within the budgets provided, they have sourced emerging talent from the lower leagues. Craig Davies, David Perkins, Matt Done, Scott Wiseman and Jim McNulty can all demonstrate that they have abilities to offer and room to improve. Adding to that the capture of the highly rated Miles Addison (from Derby County on loan) and the experienced defender Rob Edwards from Blackpool (as a direct replacement for the outgoing Jason Shackell), my view is that the team will be stronger and more united than ever.

Previous regimes have leaned on the loan system too heavily, with performances in the league tailing off every season after January. With the majority of the team's current playing resources committed to the club, I foresee much more harmony this season, perhaps even a la promotion-winning Reds under Danny Wilson in 1996-97.

It's probably a bold expectation, but there's always a dark horse and this time it could be the team from Oakwell. Very rarely in this league do sides gain promotion simply based on them having the strongest team sheet. That can bring different pressures. If that were the case, then Cardiff City would have been playing in the Premier League for a number of years already.

Expect a few surprises. Realistically, Barnsley will be in a comfortable mid-table position by the season's end. Hopefully, we will gain further traction as a result of being under-rated in the first few games. The right start could take us anywhere and that begins at the City Ground on 6 August. Ian Wilkinson, On The Ponty End (@onthepontyend)

Birmingham City

Being a Birmingham City fan is a rollercoaster existence. We live forever in hope that the team will do well, but as history has taught us we always expect the worst.

The coming season is no different. On paper we currently have one of the strongest sides in the league, yet because of what is happening behind the scenes there are Blues fans who are backing us for relegation to League One.

I'd take a season of stability and mediocrity right now. After the amazing highs and lows of the last five months, I really want the team to settle down once more and rebuild. Relegation has seen the squad ripped apart, and it's time for a younger, hungrier squad to show the Birmingham faithful that Blues are actually allowed to play proper attacking football.

If we can end the season in the black financially, with a squad of players who have built on their potential, I'll be happy. However, the only thing I can expect as a Blues fan is the unexpected. Que sera sera. almajir, oftenpartizan.co.uk (@often_partizan)

Blackpool

The Blackpool team will be minus two of their key players from last season and it is how Ian Holloway deals with that issue is crucial. The signing of Barry Ferguson is a strong move in the right direction. It wouldn't be a surprise to see Blackpool have an underwhelming start before finding their feet during the winter months, as the team settle and their play becomes more coherent. A strong second half would be encouraging and a position in the top 10 of the Championship would be a good foundation to push for promotion in 2012-13.

It would also be good to see the club put the financial wealth and the knowledge they picked up from the Premier League to good use. On the playing side, seeing an improvement in defence, concentration levels, decision making, fitness and conditioning. Off the field it would be good to know that Holloway and his staff have everything they need at their disposal and that the new training ground has moved a step or two closer to becoming a reality. John Kane, Tangerine Dreaming (@Tanger_Dreaming)

Brighton & Hove Albion

Whatever happens on the pitch, this is the season that Brighton fans' greatest hopes will finally be realised. After 14 years without a permanent home, the club begins the Championship season at their new 22,500-seater American Express Community Stadium. The financial future of the club seems secure – some fans probably can't remember the last time that was true.

The manager, Gus Poyet, is unshakeable in his footballing principles and will maintain the team's passing style. How this fares against better quality opposition will be the key to survival. The defence will also need to shake their frustrating habit of conceding late goals.

Last season's top scorer Glenn Murray has left (for Crystal Palace, of all places) along with the creative hub Elliot Bennett, but in their place have come two club-record signings. Will Hoskins's arrival from Bristol Rovers was followed by Peterborough's goal machine Craig Mackail-Smith, who at over £2.5m cost five times the club's previous transfer record from way back in 1980. These are heady days indeed. Andrew West (@thegreatwesty)

Expectation levels are as high as they've been in a good 20 years. We've sold 18,000 season tickets, broken our transfer record three times, including seeing off far bigger clubs like West Ham and Leicester to sign Mackail-Smith, and most importantly we've still got Poyet in charge.

People have looked at Norwich going straight through to the Premier League and Leeds and Millwall both flirting with the play-offs and are saying why can't we do that? We knocked out near full-strength Championship teams in Portsmouth and Watford in the FA Cup last season and will undoubtedly have a better team for this campaign with the money we are chucking about.

The chairman, Tony Bloom, said he would be disappointed last term if we didn't get top two which seemed totally farcical at the time, and this time he has said he wants top six. Given how far we have come since surviving the drop to League Two on the last day in 2008-09 having been six points adrift three weeks earlier, a top half finish, the double over Palace and keeping Poyet would be a fantastic year. Scott McCarthy, We Are Brighton (@wearebrighton)

Bristol City

It's largely been a frustrating pre-season at Ashton Gate. On the positive side, Nicky Maynard is at the club at time of writing; the management seem to have a good handle on the deficiencies within the squad; and in the main our signings have been of young, promising and inexpensive players.

On the negative side, Maynard remains a year away from being able to leave on a free transfer, putting the club in the difficult position of either selling him on the eve of the season or risking him walking for nothing next year; attempts to improve the weak defence have so far met with little success, leaving the back line (denuded of impressive Premier League loanees Steven Caulker and Jordan Spence) weaker than last season; and the new players have bolstered the squad in the future, not the first team this month (Neil Kilkenny – expected to slot into centre midfield – the exception).

As things stand, then, the attack looks as good as any in the division, the defence among the worst. The squad and the manager are clearly competent so disaster should be averted, but at present it's hard to see beyond a mid-table finish. Will Jones, Bristol City fan

Burnley

I'm positive about the new season, although there are concerns from some fans we haven't managed to bring anyone in on a permanent deal and only Ben Mee and Kieran Trippier have arrived on loan so far. Eddie Howe has his hands tied by the need to move on older players on big wages such as Clarke Carlisle, Graham Alexander and Chris Iwelumo, while Leon Cort – left behind while the squad went on a pre-season tour – is another who needs to go. But we do seem more active now Tyrone Mears and Chris Eagles have been sold to Bolton, so hopefully we'll be able to land some of our targets this week.

Our squad remains strong and we saw enough from Howe's first few months in charge last season to suggest we can challenge for promotion this time. Local lad Jay Rodriguez has blossomed into one of the league's brightest attacking prospects, while André Amougou, Danny Fox, Martin Paterson and Chris McCann are among the best players in their positions in the Championship. The latter two have missed big chunks of the last two seasons through injury, so it's a boost to have them fit and ready for the new campaign.

We could do with a couple of additions – perhaps another central midfielder and we lack pace and flair in the final third after Eagles's departure – but I'm confident we can finish in the top six this season, although it's worrying how much cash is being splashed by the likes of Leicester City.

Jamie Smith, NoNayNever.net (@nonaynevernet)

Cardiff City

A new season, a new manager and new hope. That is the feeling amongst the majority of Cardiff City fans this summer. Gone is Dave Jones and the majority of last season's playing squad and in comes a new, youthful, charismatic and hungry manager who has already engaged the Bluebirds faithful. Malky Mackay may not have been everyone's first choice to take over from Jones but there is no question that after a plethora of very impressive signings such as the cult hero Robert Earnshaw and the Scottish international Kenny Miller, nobody can deny that the former Watford manager has the backing of the supporters.

The fans are certainly prepared to give the new manager time in this transitional period as long as they can see the club moving in the right direction and that is something they are definitely witnessing so far. A play-off place in the last campaign may have been judged as something of a missed chance but it's pretty fair to say that the play-offs this time round would be classed as a successful first full season for the Mackay-Malaysian owners partnership that the fans are now affectionately calling ... Malkaysians. Steve Davies-Evans, Cardiff City fan (@The_Real_SDE)

Coventry City

It's been a hard summer for Sky Blues fans – having lost key players in Marlon King, Aron Gunnarsson and Keiren Westwood, we're now left with an overwhelming concern about the strength of the squad moving into the new season. Combine that with a perilous financial position, and most onlookers will have this pinned as another season of mediocrity at best.

With the only notable arrival being the goalkeeper Joe Murphy on a free transfer, and little indication of further additions, 2011-12 is also likely to see an increased reliance on fast-tracking youth team players into the first team to provide the competition for places.

There is a beacon of hope however. The manager, Andy Thorn, has already shown himself to be an astute and influential leader in his short time in charge at the Ricoh. He's continuing to mould the side into a fluid and technically sound unit – an approach that's proven popular with players and fans alike. The teamsheet may look familiar, but as many clubs will testify from the final months of last season, this isn't the same Coventry side that became so predictably long-ball under Aidy Boothroyd. They might just surprise you. Neil Allison, Sky Blues Blog (@neilallison)

Crystal Palace

I'd be lying if I said that the last 18 months had been fun; the club being plunged into administration and two successive (and thankfully successful) relegation battles certainly afforded Eagles fans plenty of entertainment, but most of it for the wrong reasons.

As often happens in times of adversity the club and its fans were brought closer together, although that may have more to do with the open attitude of new owners CPFC 2010 – all four of them Palace fans and successful businessmen – who have already implemented plenty of the fans' ideas at the club, including real ale behind the bar and improved disabled access.

On the pitch, the rookie manager and Eagles legend Dougie Freedman has been busy snapping up a host of free transfers during the summer – including Glenn Murray from arch-rivals Brighton – after steering Palace away from the drop after just six months in charge. It's fair to say his cult-hero status has improved 100 fold already.

Most Eagles fans would be happy with a season without drama; a nice mid-table finish would be lovely, thanks very much. But this being Palace, I'm sure there will be some twist in the plot that Dan Brown would be proud of. Expect to see us in the play-offs or something equally ridiculous come May. James Daly, Five Year Plan (@FYPFanzine)

Derby County

On the surface of it, last season may have appeared a disaster for Derby County and certainly some of our fans would see it that way. However, with the exception of a couple of hammerings, we weren't that bad and small margins made all the difference. We conceded loads of late goals but never scored any; and lacked the squad depth to alter the course of games. After a frugal couple of years, the Rams have now opened the cheque book again and Nigel Clough has made eight new signings to address some of last season's issues. At least two of the new recruits captained their sides last season, while four new strikers should give us options going forward.

If we can convert some of our narrow defeats to narrow victories, we could soon shoot up the table and gain some momentum. We have shown we can play good football, we just need the backbone to support it. Clough has spoken about a top-eight finish and I can see no reason why this shouldn't be the case. Stewart Smith, Ramspace (@cspaceram)

Doncaster Rovers

This will be Doncaster's fourth season in the Championship, and the fourth in which they are heavily tipped for relegation. No matter that on its day Rovers' strongest side is a match for any at this level – as shown when the club sashayed into the play-off positions last autumn – no team flashing its ankles at the Premier League expects to be losing to "the likes of Doncaster".

Thankfully Rovers tend to thrive when written off, and with the severe injury crisis which halted last season's progression unlikely to be repeated, optimism remains. Useful additions have been made; Chris Brown should bring size and strength to our forward line, which the unfortunate Steve Brooker was only able to bring to the treatment room, while Tommy Spurr will fill another of last season's problem areas at left-back.

The chief area of concern remains our ability to match the Championship's stronger teams physically. At centre-half we have struggled for two years to fill the tall, imposing hole left behind by Matt Mills, and I'm yet to be convinced the addition of the experienced Richard Naylor will provide the answer.

The heart says we'll spend a carefree nine months in mid-table, though the head is already sweating profusely at the prospect of a nervy season end looking over our shoulders. Glen Wilson, Viva Rovers (@vivarovers)

Hull City

There's a quiet confidence building in East Yorkshire about the 2011-12 season. Much of that is down to Nigel Pearson's influence – a resolute and calm character who evidently inspires great loyalty among his charges, he has A Plan For Success whose first indications we saw last season.

Upon inheriting a relegated wreck of a side, he firstly whipped a porous defence into shape; we'll be hard to beat this season. He's recruited repeatedly from the Manchester United youth set-up, adding pace and skill to supply a forward line that has recently had the muscular presence of Dele Adebola added to it.

City's midfield will benefit from the experience of Paul McKenna, and the only remaining weak spots can be filled with the loan market, whose importance to Championship clubs grows every season. Last time out a stunning sequence of 17 away games unbeaten took us to the edges of the play-off race in March; while a repeat of that run is improbable, it's easier to fix your home form than your results on the road. We have every reason to be cautiously optimistic about a real challenge for the play-offs. Andy Dalton, Amber Nectar (@Amber__Nectar)

Ipswich Town

After six years of non-achievement and mid-table mundanity, most Town fans would probably consider a season in which the Blues are merely in contention around the play-off zone approaching Easter as a comparative success. Generally, there is optimism that the more experienced Paul Jewell has a greater chance of succeeding where Roy Keane and Jim Magilton failed, but a feeling that it may take a little time.

The sale of Connor Wickham to Sunderland for an initial £8.1m has partly helped fund a major summer personnel change with Michael Chopra, Lee Bowyer, Nathan Ellington, Aaron Cresswell, Ivar Ingimarsson, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas and David Stockdale all joining the squad. How quickly these signings – plus the two or three others Jewell is still targeting – settle in will be key to Town's prospects by the time we're unwrapping the chocolate eggs. Phil Ham, twtd.co.uk (@twtduk)

Leeds United

To say this summer has been less than inspiring would be an understatement. We've lost a few first-team regulars in Neil Kilkenny, Bradley Johnson and Kasper Schmeichel, all of whom should have been easily replaced. However, player arrivals have been few and far between with only Paul Rachubka and Michael Brown added to the squad so far leaving some cause for concern.

We'll also start the season with our two main strikers out injured. Davide Somma is out for around six months and we're also hearing Luciano Becchio may need an operation so could be absent for quite some time too. Overall then, things could be better.

On a more positive note, key players such as Robert Snodgrass and Max Gradel are still at the club and pre-season has also unearthed another gem in Ramón Núnez who supporters are extremely excited about. Patrick Kisnorbo returns after a season out injured and could be partnered in defence by the impressive looking youngster Tom Lees.

A few issues then ahead of the new season, but a couple of additional signings and I won't be too concerned. In terms of predictions, I'm a perpetually optimistic kind of guy who expects nothing less than the play-offs. David, The Scratching Shed (@ScratchingShed1)

Leicester City

In other circumstances a side who never climbed higher than seventh, won only four of its final 14 league matches and conceded 71 goals last year would not seem like pre-season favourites for promotion. But Leicester are not doing things by half measures this time.

Sven's revolution, forgoing the loan market in favour of permanent deals, is starting at the back. Twenty players (including goalkeepers) started at least one match in Leicester's defence last season. Only three of them have realistic hopes of first-team action now. The fee commanded for Matt Mills makes him the headliner amongst eight new faces. He will be expected to steer a back four which often looked rudderless last season.

Many Leicester fans remain concerned that the club has yet to find a 20-goal centre-forward. They should take comfort knowing that no fewer than 22 players scored for the Foxes last term. Leicester's style will create enough leads for the newly reformed defence to protect.

But there is pressure. Do not expect Sven's contract to be renewed if his expensive squad, backed by the owners of a Thai duty-free emporium, fail to launch into the Premier League. Mike McCarthy, Foxblogger (@foxblogger)

Middlesbrough

It's been 25 years since the club's rebirth and there's cautious optimism we may be on another upward curve under Tony Mowbray. The analogy Mogga used last season was "pruning an overgrown tree, getting it back to a base and enabling it to grow again." It's been a painful process but I think we are starting to see the first green shoots of recovery.

The recent departure of Kris Boyd was greeted with a sense relief usually reserved for deadline-day signings. Removing the goal-shy Scotsman together with the painfully fragile Didier Digard, means we have some much needed elbow room within the squad, albeit with no money to spend. It is imperative that we hang on to the majority of our home grown stars but one or two may still have to be sacrificed to balance the books.

On the playing side, if we maintain a battling spirit, together with a bit more guile and youth in midfield, it should see us mount a credible assault on the play-off places.

Throw in the Shhhteve McClaren sideshow over at Forest and it should prove to be a very interesting season. Steve Welsh, MiniBoro (@miniboro_dotcom)

Millwall

To many outside of south London, Millwall were one of last season's surprise packages in the Championship, finishing ninth on their return to the second tier. Those that know their manager, Kenny Jackett, though, were less shocked. The Welshman has an uncanny knack for getting the best out of players and making the most of the funds available to him, which, last year, dwarfed in comparison to many of the big-spenders.

This campaign could prove more difficult than last for the Lions. Their main asset, the striker Steve Morison, departed for Norwich at the start of the summer and there now lies a great deal of expectation on the shoulders of replacement Darius Henderson, who has since stepped into Morison's 17-goal shoes. Indeed, firepower up front could be slightly lacking at Millwall this season, although their talented young strikers, Josh McQuoid and John Marquis, could surprise a few.

On the bright side, Jackett has an outstanding defence at his disposal; a back-four which kept the second-most clean sheets in the division last year. The goalkeeper David Forde, who recently forced his way into the Republic of Ireland squad, is perhaps one of the Football League's greatest undiscovered gems.

While without Morison's goal the Lions may struggle to better last season's achievements, Jackett's shrewd summer business ought to ensure they do no worse. A top-half finish should be within reach. Alex Aldridge, South London Press (@aldo_slp)

Nottingham Forest

With Forest there always comes great expectation from a chunk of the fans – I tend to err more on the side of realism (or maybe pessimism), but certainly I do expect at least a play-off berth come the end of the season. To justify usurping Billy Davies, the new manager, Steve McClaren, must at least seek to equal the achievements of the wee fella from the last couple of seasons. The signings have only just started to arrive at the City Ground, so it's hard to make a cast-iron judgement, but I'm happy with the additions the Reds have made so far – however we still lack that elusive left-back. With Leicester prepared to chuck over-the-odds fees and wages at players this season it has been tricky in the transfer market, but I'll take quality over quantity any day of the week. I do think the PR machine at Forest has done a great job at suggesting we are somehow significantly weaker this season – I'm not so sure that's all that accurate – as such, I have a sneaky feeling we might be dark horses to do well this season. Alan, NFFC Blog (@NFFCblog)

Peterborough United

The attitude of the fans, management and players at Posh is in stark contrast to what it was in 2009-2010, the last time we were at this level. After back-to-back promotions, everyone at Peterborough United believed we could kick on a challenge for promotion in the Championship. In the end it was a season of turmoil, with four different managers and we ended up bottom of the table.

This time we are making sure we do not underestimate the division. Consolidation is the word on everyone's lips. If you offered anyone at Posh 21st place at this stage they would take it. We have realised that we are punching above our weight to even be playing at this level. That said, for us to achieve Darragh MacAnthony's aims, staying in the Championship is imperative and this season is of major importance. MacAnthony has talked of turning the club into one of the stature of a Norwich or Reading in the future but the blueprint for Posh in the short-term are teams like Blackpool, Barnsley and Doncaster who have established themselves at this level and reaped the benefits.

So far the excitement of last season and promotion has somewhat died out after realising the sorts of teams we are up against this season and the task that lies ahead of us just to stay in the division. This hasn't been helped by the fact that the transfer window has been largely underwhelming so far, with us missing out on many of our first-choice signings. However, League One's promoted teams often are surprise packages in their first season in the Championship and staying up is certainly not an impossibility with the exciting young squad that we have. No one is getting carried away this time and if we retain our Championship for the 2012-2013 season everyone involved at Peterborough will be delighted. John Verrall, Peterborough United Football Blog (@JohnVerrall)

Portsmouth

After the last couple of seasons at Portsmouth, where we've had difficulty looking for any positives around the club, it's great to be looking forward to this season with some optimism. Indeed, there is even talk of us looking at a challenge for the play-offs!

Steve Cotterill did a great job with limited resources last year, and is in the process of putting together a decent base for a squad to take the club forward. The likes of David Norris, Greg Halford and Luke Varney have been brought in, and we're still on the lookout for new recruits. There does still need to be some fresh players brought in though, as the squad is still light, but Cotterill seems to be being supported by our new owners, so I have confidence that, by the time of the end of the transfer window, we'll have a squad ready to make an impact this season.

There's a feeling around the club that we're moving in the right direction at long last. I'll be happy with a season of consolidation to back that feeling up but, with more players to come in, the play-offs might not be a pipe dream. Bill Gillon, Pompey Online

Reading

The problem with coming so close to falling at the final hurdle in the race to the Premier League, apart from the crushing disappointment of that Wembley day, is the expectation that you'll go one better the next year. Except that isn't quite as easy when all of your players are in the shop window and Reading's best chance of reaching the play-offs again comes from keeping the current squad together rather than any new signings.

In Brian McDermott, we've got a really good manager who has transformed our fortunes since taking over, but he can't work miracles. Central defence is currently a problem – we've already lost our captain, Matt Mills, to Leicester of all places and two players with top-flight experience have also left in Ivar Ingimarsson and Zurab Khizanishvili.

We've recently signed Bongani Khumalo on loan from Tottenham, but neither him, Alex Pearce or Sean Morrison have much experience at this level. So the key to our season lies on keeping the rest of the squad together – if Shane Long, Adam Federici and Jimmy Kébé are still at the Madejski when the transfer window slams shut then we can make the play-offs again. If not, then it'll be a mid-table, rebuilding season for the Royals. Todd Nash, Reading fan (@toddnash)

Southampton

We have been building up to this season ever since we were relegated in 2009. Not only were we relegated then, but were handed a 10-point penalty for the following season, having been placed in administration.

That was a miserable time to be a Saints fan. The club was right on the brink of going under. Then, when we were at our lowest, along came the Swiss, Markus Liebherr. Since then we have been on a five-year mission to return to the Premier League. This season will be year three. So far, so good.

For the last two seasons we have been looking forward, signing players that were at least Championship standard. In fact we have several players who would not be out of place in the Premier League. Let's not even mention Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

So here we are. What do we hope for? To be in the top half and enjoy our football as much as the last couple of years would be good. Our fears? For a financially stable club that no longer has to sell (are you listening Arsène?), managing fans expectations is probably our biggest problem. Hugh Collins, itsbeautifuloutside.co.uk

Watford

Nothing is ever straightforward when it comes to supporting Watford. Flamboyant chairmen, the turning of a much loved ex-manager into a vegetable, constant criticism of our style of play and a three-sided ground have all been used as proverbial sticks to beat us. Now, us Hornets fans have another thorn in our side. Wales.

During the close season we have lost the Championship's leading scorer Danny Graham down the M4 and across the border to Swansea, whilst our manager, his backroom team and the influential midfielder Don Cowie have also crossed the bridge, all now employed by Cardiff City.

The exciting winger Will Buckley has also departed, although he has headed south to Brighton. Add into the mix a relatively new and unknown owner and Watford fans could be forgiven for being mildly concerned.

However, in appointing the former youth and reserve team manager and Mackay's assistant Sean Dyche as boss, the club have gone for continuity – something that has pleased Watford fans. He may not have managerial experience, but he has Watford experience and that will do for us. Combine his appointment with a smattering of new signings; Mark Yeates, Chris Iwelumo, David Mirfin, Craig Forsyth and the wonderfully named Prince Buaben, who all look like good additions, and there is perhaps cause for cautious optimism.

Of course, when I say optimism, I mean a vague notion that we may achieve this season's single goal. Survival. Whilst our younger players performed admirably last year, they are going to have to do so again this term if Watford are to avoid a relegation scrap and only time will tell if the squad is big enough, strong enough and experienced enough to keep our heads above water in what is an increasingly competitive division.

Simply put, if by 5pm on 28 April Watford are still a Championship club, the 2011-12 season will have been a success. I guess time will tell exactly what Wales has that Watford doesn't … Mike Parkin, From the Rookery End (@RookeryMike)

West Ham United

Promotion is key for us this season – our new signings like Kevin Nolan and Matt Taylor have signalled this intent, and failure to do so would be catastrophic for the club. Automatic promotion will be fantastic, but it's going to be a long, tough season and I'll settle for a play-off spot. Look out for bright young thing Christian Montano, a tricky winger who has impressed of late. A season out of the spotlight will hopefully also benefit players like James Tomkins, Winston Reid and Freddie Sears, who all have a chance to shine. Strategically, I think Sam Allardyce has got it right, bringing in three or four older, wiser heads and blending them with the younger hopefuls. As long as Karren Brady stops using her Sun column as part of her appraisal process and the chairmen concentrate on the business side of the club, it should be a good season. Perversely, I'm really looking forward to it, perhaps it's the prospect of winning some games for a change that is spurring this enthusiasm. Simon, West Ham Blog