Barnsley

Story of the summer Jacob Butterfield departed Oakwell for the lure of Premier League football. Another notable departure was that of veteran striker Andy Gray. Jay McEveley, Alastair Taylor, David Cotterill, David Preece and Nathan Doyle all left the club after a season on the fringes of the squad last time out. Reds manager Keith Hill loves his broken toys. Polish midfielder Tomasz Cywka finds himself under his wing now. He was described by his former manager Nigel Clough as "an inexperienced and not very bright footballer" – it's time for Hill to work his Vaz Te magic again. Returning to the club is Jacob Mellis on a two-year contract. Goalkeeper Ben Alnwick has joined on a free transfer. Fans will have to wait until November to see "marquee signing" Mido make his first competitive start for Barnsley, after he suffered a serious hamstring rupture in pre-season. Fans are already questioning his fitness to compete in the Championship this season.

What the fans want An inspired billionaire to become club benefactor. To be rid of the tag of being perennial strugglers. To have a squad that is competing and demonstrating a capacity to develop even further in the Championship.

What they'll actually get Proper skintage. Periods of abject misery, punctuated by thrills, spills and derby victories. A paltry 30 seconds worth of coverage on the Football League Show each weekend. More players sold for a fiver and a bag of wine gums. But, maximum effort and honesty from Keith Hill throughout.

One to watch Paul Digby, another product of our academy, will start to establish himself this season in midfield.

We'll finish Top half of the bottom half, somewhere between 13th and 18th.

Ian Wilkinson, On The Ponty End (@onthepontyend)

Birmingham City

Story of the summer It's been a summer of change; a new management team and changes at board level have contributed to lots of talk about what will happen next. However, the transfer embargo has now been lifted and things appear to be returning to something approaching normality at St Andrews. Personnel-wise whilst a few have left the club they were in the main fringe players and as such the spine of the team remains the same. A couple more loan deals and Blues will have a team that really could compete in the top reaches of the Championship.

What the fans want A continuation of some of the exciting football of last year will satisfy many, although I think now that the expectation to go one step further and get promotion this season is also on the menu.

What they'll actually get Judging by what I've seen in pre-season there is a good chance that they will get what they want. Lee Clark seems to have understood that the team played well last year and the strong points within the team are still there – so he's not changed much, just added to it.

One to watch Obvious I know, but third-choice England and first-choice Team GB keeper Jack Butland has the No1 shirt and everyone expects him to be the bright new thing this year. However, my personal tip is young American defender/midfielder Will Packwood who has had an impressive pre-season.

We'll finish … I'm loathe to jinx this so I'm going to be deliberately vague; provided we keep the squad we have together, we keep injuries and suspensions to a workable level and the effects from Carson Yeung's impending trial etc don't affect us too much then we'll be there or thereabouts come May.

almajir, oftenpartisan.co.uk (@often_partisan)

Blackburn Rovers

Story of the summer It's actually been, shock of all horrors, quite a productive summer at Blackburn Rovers after suffering relegation last time out. In have come Danny Murphy, Leon Best (injured already), Nuno Gomes, Fábio Nunes, Edinho Junior and Paulo Jorge, with Dickson Etuhu looking likely to follow. Out have gone Yakubu and Junior Hoilett – no Mr Kean, he's not signing a new deal in 48 hours, join the rest of us in the real world. On the whole this is probably about as much as we could have realistically asked for given the previous penny pinching behaviour of the owners Venky's and it does give us a shot at a swift return to the promised land of the Premier League.

What the fans want Ideally first and foremost promotion coupled with the complete turning around of a proverbial ship that has been sinking for the best part of 18 months. For fans to unite instead of bickering constantly, for the owners to actually talk to the fans and if we're being picky … a new manager please.

What they'll actually get An underachievement on what is actually possible given the potential of a very strong squad in relative Championship terms. We'll be good at times, we'll concede goals for fun at times and you know who (manager, Scottish, likes excuses) will spend all season trying to find things other than himself and the owners to blame for defeats.

One to watch Look out for new signing Fábio Nunes who raised a merited "WHO?" upon being signed this summer but has looked like a star in the making out on the wing in pre-season, Also a quick glance towards youth academy prospect Adam Henley wouldn't hurt the eyes.

We'll finish … I shall say fifth and in a play-off spot. Contrary to the doom merchants predictions I can't see Salesman Steve lasting this season if he gets off to a less than stellar start. The playing staff will be too strong for the division at times so I expect bare minimum a top-six finish.

Mike Delap The Wild Blackburn Rover

Blackpool

Story of the summer It's been a quiet summer with only four players coming in up to now. No doubt there will be a few more players to come in before the deadline, probably forwards. On the way out are Bloomfield Road legends Brett Ormerod and Keith Southern leaving memories that will stay with the faithful for a lifetime. The former moving in to the end of his career with Wrexham, whilst the latter has sealed a move to Huddersfield which makes sense for all parties. From a playing perspective the side had started to evolve a little towards the end of last season and that should continue in terms of team shape whilst the style will remain as attacking as ever. Unless something changes in the next few weeks, the defence will remain a relative weakness.

What the fans want The greatest optimists would love to see the chairman lose his crushing rationality and sanction a whole host of big money signings to embellish the team that finished last season strongly. Before going on to emulate Reading's achievements last season and winning the title with games to spare.

What they'll actually get Most rational fans would love a repeat of last season, but the Championship is a very different beast this year. Lots of money and changes at other clubs means that the league is as wide open as ever. 'Pool will start slowly, picking up momentum as loan signings boost the playing squad injecting vigour during the stagnant winter months.

One to watch At the end of last season Angel Martinez broke through, this time around his Iberian team mate Tiago Gomes may well steal the headlines with his attacking talent.

We'll finish … fifth.

John Kane, Tangerine Dreaming (@Tanger_Dreaming)

Bolton Wanderers

Story of the summer We've kept much of the previous squad together and nobody's broken a leg this time around so we're relatively happy. Ivan Klasnic and Jussi Jaaskelainen have moved on, but they'd become bench warmers so Gretar Steinsson and Nigel Reo-Coker are the only regulars to depart. Andy Lonergan looks good as Jussi's replacement with Matt Mills and Keith Andrews looking decent and experienced signings to help fill the gaps left behind (though midfield also needs a Fabrice Muamba-style battler signing up). They're hardly glamorous signings but should add backbone to a team that was all-too-often spineless last season. Benik Afobe also arrives on loan as the latest Arsenal youngster for Coyle's 'finishing school'. He didn't score many on loan at Huddersfield but got rave reviews so we're hopeful he'll be good competition up front. Returns for Lee Chung-yong , Stuart Holden and Tyrone Mears will also be like new signings (as the cliché goes).

What the fans want Some fans fancy we'll walk it this year, perhaps hoping the time has finally come for the many 'Championship-level' signings we seem to have made in recent years. If all goes as well as we might hope Marvin Sordell will finish as the division's leading goal scorer, we'll win shedloads of games and be champions by April.

What they'll actually get Nothing like such a walk in the park unfortunately. We'll probably get some stuttering performances along the way and a real fight to prove our worth and to earn back a place in the Premiership, a league we've called home for 11 years running.

One to watch Young Josh Vela stepped up from our academy not long ago and could make a real impact this season. Having had a brief taste of Premier League football the busy midfielder is sure to be giving his all in a bid to earn a return.

We'll finish … We might have said top four, but after the omnishambles of our pre-season perhaps top six. We'd love to think we're bang on for automatic promotion but we have to accept that play-offs are a distinct possibility, and with them many a racing pulse.

Geoff and Chris, The Men in White (@themeninwhite)

Brighton & Hove Albion

Story of the summer How times have changed at Brighton. Tellingly, this summer's first three signings came from Manchester United, Manchester City and Valencia. The club has rarely, if ever, held such lofty ambitions. More quality was needed at fullback, where Gus Poyet has brought in Wayne Bridge, and Bruno Saltor (59 appearances in three years at Valencia). Tomasz Kuszczak has arrived to improve the options in goal and Welsh international Andrew Crofts returns after a two-year spell at Norwich, reinforcing the midfield. Most importantly, the club have managed to keep creative hub Vicente – now they just have to keep him fit.

What the fans want An improvement on last season's 10th place. Only nine teams scored fewer goals in last season's Championship, so the key is finding a way to coax more goals from Ashley Barnes and Craig Mackail-Smith, or to dip into the transfer market again.

What they'll actually get The club's aspirations are clear and the summer's transfer activity shows that the financial clout is there to realise them. Last season was our highest league finish in over 20 years, but all the signs (on and off the pitch) suggest that it's not unrealistic to expect further improvement.

One to watch 20-year-old Brighton-born Lewis Dunk. A strong, swift and stylish central defender whose classy performances earned him a call-up to the England U21s last year.

We'll finish … In the top eight, if we can score 10-15 more goals than last year.

Andrew West (@thegreatwesty)

Bristol City

Story of the summer This was the summer when Financial Fair Play hit Bristol with a vengeance. Bad, injury-prone or swiftly declining players on disproportionately lucrative deals all found the exit door open, to be replaced with younger, more versatile (and yes, cheaper) players. The exception is Jody Morris, back for a final crack at the English game after developing into Derek McInnes' on-field lieutenant at St. Johnstone. With a signing or two more still expected, McInnes appears to be creating a fast, attack-minded side that can assume a number of tactical guises depending on the opponents. After season upon season of stagnation, such an approach will be more than welcome in BS3.

What the fans want Let's start with not losing 3-0 at home quite as often and work from there. More goals, more fight and more attractive football would all be good. A team to enjoy watching, with youth (ideally home-grown) to the fore. Far fewer journeymen, far fewer capitulations. This correspondent would kill for a cup run, too, but let's not run before we can walk.

What they'll actually get A work in progress, one would imagine. McInnes hasn't been able to make long-standing contracts go away, and we're still lumbered with a lot of expensive dead wood. Until we know whether a new stadium is in our future, we'll be working on a tight budget so success in a division full of parachute payments will be limited. But we can expect a genuine sense of purpose, something that's been missing since Gary Johnson ran out of steam in his third season at this level.

One to watch Cole Skuse. He's been with the club forever, playing over 250 times, but at 26 this technically-adept midfielder could finally make an impact on the division. With a strong range of passing, good head for the game and perhaps even the odd goal or two, Cole may well become one of the Championship's best midfielders.

We'll finish … I hate writing "mid-table" as that often means "I think we might go down but can't say it". But I really do expect us to finish in that moderate-becoming-poor 12th-18th space. McInnes' record last season was strong enough that we can expect something more than another grim relegation battle, but in a tough, tough division I can't see us finishing above more than 10 teams or so this time round.

Will Jones, To The Left of Ross (@will_totheleft)

Burnley

Story of the summer Better than last year. Most of our budget went on Jason Shackell and he's taken the armband too. He should add stability to the back four. Other additions are mostly to add depth to the squad with the likes of Sam Vokes arriving, although young winger George Porter and left-back Joseph Mills sound exciting. We've not been able to bring in the midfielder(s) we need yet, but haven't lost anyone important apart from Jay Rodriguez, who joined Southampton early in the summer for £7 million.

What the fans want Not to have our season derailed by selling star players in August/January for a change would be nice, a promotion challenge with a faster tempo on the pitch would be even better. A homegrown star in the side to replace Rodriguez. To beat Blackburn Rovers and Owen Coyle's Bolton Wanderers.

What they'll actually get Another inconsistent campaign unless we sign a midfielder. Not enough quality in there at the moment. Brian Stock has been linked and he'd be a good addition. Perhaps a good run in one of the cups. Charlie Austin scoring a hatful of goals. Two defeats against Rovers, even if Sir Steve of Kean is still in charge.

One to watch George Porter is being played down by Eddie Howe, but I'm hoping he'll have an impact this season. He adds pace and skill from the bench, hopefully a game-changing talent.

We'll finish … I can't see us being close to either end of the table. As long as we're nearer the top six than the bottom six, most fans will be happy enough.

Jamie Smith, NoNayNever.net (@nonaynevernet)

Cardiff City

Story of the summer Well where do we begin? The club has turned from blue to red! Players coming, players going... it's been one of the most crazy and bizarre pre-seasons we've known. I will say for the record that I am fully behind the rebrand but purely because of the longevity it brings the club. After all, we're already seeing the benefits of the investment with the quality of signings such as Jordon Mutch, Kim Bo-kyung and, imminently, Craig Bellamy.

What the fans want The same as normal: promotion. Last season was seen as Malky Mackay's honeymoon period but after such a great first season coupled with the quality of players we've brought in, the famous Cardiff City pressure is bound to be out in spades.

What they'll actually get Probably a loss in the play-offs … for a change (sad but true). It's such a tough season to call but we have a superb squad for a change and we have for me the best manager in the league so I'd like to think we'll clinch promotion.

One to watch I think we're all really interested to see what Kim Bo-kyung is capable of. From what we've seen at the Olympics with South Korea, he looks a superb asset. Another prospect is young Kadeem Harris who looks to have some very raw potential.

We'll finish There are some big hitters in the Championship this season and although I'd love to say we'll finish top two, I believe that third or fourth is more than likely.

Steve Davies-Evans, Cardiff City fan

Charlton Athletic

Story of the summer Lawrie Wilson from Stevenage, Jordan Cook from Sunderland have signed with Paul Hayes and Leon Clarke being made available for transfer. Back-up keeper, John Sullivan, is available for a long term loan and if he does move, the club will need to bring in a deputy for Ben Hamer. Central defender, Dorian Dervite, is currently on trial while rumours persist that the Addicks want to sign Sam Baldock. Player Of The Year, Chris Solly, is atracting interest from Premier League clubs. The Addicks still have business to do.

What the fans want A major signing or two and a campaign similar to the ones mounted by Norwich and Southanpton — the sides relegated with Charlton on 2009 — in the last two seasons would be nice. If Chris Powell is able to continue his rebuilding job and the club continues to progress, the fans will be happy.

What they'll actually get There have been rumours of problems behind the scenes during the summer. Consolidation, a mid-table finish without any flirtation with relegation would be a realistic aim. If the odd quality signing can be made, the play-offs could be a possibility.

One to watch With seven subs again being allowed in the Football League this season, former Darlington striker, Michael Smith, may get a chance to shine from the bench.

We'll finish Mid-table.

Ketts, Doctor Kish

Crystal Palace

Story of the summer Yawn. It's not been a terribly exciting summer. For once. The most exciting change so far has been the new kit, designed by a Palace fan with a Barcelona style yellow trim. It looks well sexy. Player-wise, we've lost Nathaniel Clyne, Darren Ambrose, Sean Scannell and a few others but signed just three (Joel Ward and Aaron Wilbraham with Aaron Martin coming in on loan from Southampton) with more expected. There was, though, this ageing chap called Dougie Freedman who had a cameo against Dulwich Hamlet and looked decent. Anyone know his contract status?

What the fans want A shot at the play-offs, or at the very least a top 10 finish. That or another decent cup run – last season's trip to Cardiff for the semi-finals (as well as the quarter-final win at Old Trafford) left Eagles fans wanting more scalps. The money helps too.

What they'll actually get Probably a league finish of about 15th, maybe top half at a push. Which wouldn't be terrible and would still signal (slow) progress under Freedman. A cup run again would be nice, maybe we could beat Brighton in the quarter-final this time, please?

One to watch How much space am I allowed? The academy is brimming with talent at the moment; but expect young Kyle de Silva – a tricky left-winger — to make the break through this season. Especially as we currently have no other left wingers.

We'll finish 15th, having taken one big scalp in the cup, and having beaten all of our local rivals (Brighton, Charlton and Millwall) at least once each.

James Daly, Five Year Plan (@FYPFanzine)

Derby County

Story of the summer The big story was the sale of Jason Shackell to Burnley for seemingly little profit. Thirty season ticket holders even asked about getting their money back after that! We've spent most of the money on his replacement Richard Keogh and the fans seemed to have calmed down with the addition of a few younger players who will strengthen us. At the time of writing, we still haven't signed a new striker, highlighted as a priority by Clough. Last season's top scorer, Steve Davies, is on the transfer list after declining a new contract and could leave imminently.

What the fans want The Rams to play high-tempo, attacking football, keep it tight at the back and score plenty of goals. For the team to learn from the mistakes of last season so that a play-off place is well within our reach.

What they'll actually get The Rams will play high-tempo, attacking football, leak loads of soft goals and miss loads of chances. We will fail to convert tight games into victories and will have a frustratingly average mid-table finish.

One to watch Will Hughes is a brilliant young midfielder who will be around the first team squad this season, along with Mason Bennett who made his debut last season aged 15 but has now left school!

We'll finish … in the top 10.

Stewart Smith, Ramspace (@cspaceram)

Huddersfield Town

Story of the summer So far this summer, Huddersfield Town have done some very tidy business. Although none of the signings are box office, they are young, talented and arrive from other clubs with very favourable reviews. Out if the signings so far, young midfielders Oliver Norwood and Adam Clayton look like they will offer the dynamism and passing ability we have so often lacked in midfield, but there hasn't been a disappointing buy so far. There have been no unexpected departures, although despite offering to drive them to new clubs myself, we've still not been able to dispose of Antony Kay and John McCombe.

What the fans want I suppose the true optimist would hope we can follow Southampton and Norwich into the Premier League the year after promotion from League One. The more cautious optimist will hope that Jordan Rhodes stays and that we compete week in week out.

What they'll actually get I expect us to have an early wake-up call where we look a bit shellshocked, before we find our feet in the league. It is unrealistic to expect that we'll compete in the upper echelons of the league, but if the team can gel then we will surprise a few people and probably finish mid-table.

One to watch After his play-off heroics, I'd like to think Alex Smithies can overcome his injury woes and have a strong season. He's got every attribute a good goalkeeper needs, he just needs to put all the pieces together and show what he's capable of.

We'll finish … I'm thinking about 14th which I would be absolutely delighted with. We currently do not have the infrastructure or fan base to make any appearance in the top flight anything more than a brief flirtation. After an 11-year exile from this division if we finish above the relegation places we should be delighted. This is a season that should be enjoyed and relished.

Charlie Johnson, FootballCharlie (@FootballCharlie)

Hull City

Story of the summer Nick Barmby's sacking, and the nature of it, appalled many. Unhappiness at the owners was widespread, both for their actions and the style of them. Brusquely dispensing with a local legend was never going to be popular. Since then, the mood has improved greatly. An experienced manager in Steve Bruce was recruited, a better appointment than we really anticipated. He's been given money to spend, and his summer signings of Ben Amos, Eldin Jakupovic, Nick Proschwitz, Abdoulaye Faye, Alex Bruce and Sone Aluko should add both goals and experience to what was already an exciting young squad. Providing our existing stars are retained, chiefly James Chester and Robert Koren, the future looks suddenly bright.

What the fans want Goals. Despite finishing eighth last season and spending much of it in the top six with a beautiful style of play, a chronic lack of goals undid City at the death. That deficiency is being addressed by Steve Bruce, and if done so successfully, it should only take a small improvement to turn "nearly" into "there". The top six is definitely on the agenda, though some are peering even higher …

What they'll actually get City are strong candidates for the play-offs. The squad is coming together nicely and the manager has experience of taking teams up, so it'd be a disappointment not to still be in with a chance come April. The top two doesn't quite feel achievable, but we ought to win more than we lose.

One to watch James Chester's already broken through and is among the division's best defenders – what we want to watch is whether he can retain those high standards. If so, he's Premier League-bound – hopefully with City…

We'll finish Between fifth and eighth.

Andy Dalton, Amber Nectar (@Amber__Nectar)

Ipswich Town

Story of the summer The exits of former captain Grant Leadbitter and Lee Bowyer at the end of last season weren't universally mourned, while more fans were sad to see Ibrahima Sonko on his way and wouldn't mind Celtic loanee Daryl Murphy returning on a permanent basis. With the process of recruitment still very much ongoing, so far we've added former Forest centre-half Luke Chambers, promising ex-Macclesfield right-back Elliott Hewitt, keeper Scott Loach, a boyhood Town fan, from Watford and on-loan Tottenham man Massimo Luongo. Pre-season has seen us lose to Luton and Southend and beat West Ham within the same week. No one knows quite what to think yet.

What the fans want Even the most optimistic supporters accept that the squad is lacking in depth and not really up to a challenge for the automatic places. In or around the play-offs is the extent of hopes at present.

What they'll actually get That's probably not too far off if we add a few players to be the squad between now and the end of the month and if key players avoid injuries. At the same time, if things don't go entirely to plan, it could be yet another season spent in the lower reaches of mid-table.

One to watch On the basis of pre-season, Luongo looks likely to make a big impact, but in terms of players who are actually ours, 16-year-old Byron Lawrence made his debut on the final day of last season and is likely to be involved more during this campaign. The diminutive midfielder, who Paul Jewell has described as a "Jack Wilshere-type player", needs to get used to the physical aspects of the Championship but is tipped for big things.

We'll finish … It's tempting to say 15th as we always seem to be 15th these days but I'll go for a more glass-half-full sixth-to-ninth, which would constitute progress in the right direction after several seasons of stagnation.

Phil Ham, twtd.co.uk (@twtduk)

Leeds United

Story of the summer Neil Warnock promised huge changes this summer and despite a pending takeover making things difficult for the Leeds United manager, there has been plenty of comings and goings at Elland Road. The biggest loss is Robert Snodgrass which was a huge blow to Warnock's preparations, it's impossible to overstate how much he'll be missed. There are some positives however, most notably the defence where the likes of Adam Drury, Jason Pearce and Paddy Kenny have been added, which will hopefully provide a desperately needed improvement on last seasons defensive record.

What the fans want We want promotion. Not just the fans, but the manager and players too. Neil Warnock was brought in for that very reason and anything less than promotion back to the Premier League would be considered a failure by the majority.

What they'll actually get It's difficult to say. The squad looks solid enough from a defensive perspective, but it lacks game-changing individuals like Robert Snodgrass that are so often the difference between one and three points. We're a couple of signings short of being serious contenders in my opinion.

One to watch Fresh off the seemingly endless conveyor belt of talent that is Leeds United's Thorp Arch Academy, Sam Byram has made a huge impression on fans in pre-season and looks to have an exciting future ahead – which means he'll probably be a Norwich player by the end of January.

We'll finish The most important thing this summer was to improve the defence, and in that respect, it looks to have been a success. Unfortunately, we don't appear to have enough quality depth elsewhere or the attacking options to sustain a promotion challenge. I remain hopeful that something will change in the next week or so, but as things stand, I predict a 12th placed finish for The Whites.

David Wilkinson, The Scratching Shed (@TSSLUFC)

Leicester City

Story of the summer Nigel Pearson's clear-out has continued. At the back the excitable Sol Bamba, the inconsistent Matt Mills and the almost ever-present but unfancied Lee Peltier have all gone. In their place arrive players looking to establish themselves in the shape of Ritchie de Laet and Zak Whitbread. Up front Jamie Vardy's outrageous goalscoring record in non-league football has earned him a record breaking £1m move three divisions up the league ladder. He'll be competing for a place alongside David Nugent with Jermaine Beckford who, to the surprise of some, remains in the camp. Sven thought experienced heads would do the job last term. It looks like Pearson is doubling down on youth and hunger.

What the fans want Promotion. This is Leicester's ninth season outside the top flight and you have to go back to the 1920's to find a City side away from English football's top table for so long. Please let this be the year.

What they'll actually get Matches to die for, followed by maddening inconsistency. Pearson will be done over tactically at least a few times this season (he always is). But what matters is if he's rediscovered the formula that saw Leicester win more games by a single goal (14) than any other Championship side in 2009-10.

One to watch Undeterred by the Yann Kermogant affair, Pearson has dipped into Ligue 2 again and signed France Under-20 winger Anthony Knockaert. Apparently Newcastle were interested in him.

We'll finish … Annoyingly close to automatic promotion, perform heroically in the playoff semi-final until the match goes to penalties and Knockaert attempts a Panenka … probably.

Mike McCarthy, Foxblogger (@foxblogger)

Middlesbrough

Story of the summer Compared to recent years there's been a veritable feast of new signings this summer, Grant Leadbitter, Mustapha Carayol, George Friend, Emanuel Jorge Ledesma and old boy Stuart Parnaby have all been added to our ranks. In the opposite direction goes Barry Robson plus three of our home grown stars in Jonathan Franks, Jonathan Grounds and Tony McMahon. The loss of those academy products seems to suggest Mowbray won't be swayed by sentimentality during his rebuilding process. In addition to those bits of business we all gave a collective shrug and said "meh" to the inconsequential loss of Malaury Martin, Bart Ogbeche, Danny Coyne and Adam Hammill. But for all these comings and goings the 'story of the summer' has undoubtedly been the capture of Jonathan Woodgate. I can't help feeling that "as long as he can stay fit" will become a slightly overused phrase over the next few months. With club captain Matthew Bates already a long term absentee, Woodgate is certainly a gamble but one most other Championship clubs would have jumped at given half the chance.

What the fans want A full season out of Woodgate is an absolute must. It would be nice to see the goals shared around with less of a reliance on Marvin Emnes. If the new boys can complement our crop of emerging youngsters then we should see a more balanced team and one that plays with a bit more width, freedom and expression. People have been waiting patiently to see a team with the Mowbray stamp on it and this could well be it. A return to some +20,000 crowds at the Riverside would also be a welcome addition, but I'd settle for getting Kevin Thomson off the wage bill as a close second.

What they'll actually get A huge chorus of "you see, what did I tell you" as Woodgate breaks down on the opening day. Seriously though, its difficult not to be positive about the coming season. I don't think we'll walk the league or even go up as champions but I do believe we could be in for some very entertaining football over the next few months.

One to watch Cameron Park and Adam Reach have both been promising to break through for a while now, Reach in particular has really impressed during pre-season. That said, if Curtis Main continues where he left off last season he could well be the name on everyone's lips.

We'll finish … Last season my prediction was just one place out, so buoyed by that unnerving accuracy I'm going stick my neck out and say we will finish fourth this time round.

Steve Welsh, MiniBoro (@miniboro_dotcom)

Millwall

Story of the summer Undoubtedly influenced by last season's slow start, we've been quick to address some of the squad's weaknesses in signing Bournemouth wing back Scott Malone and winger Chris Taylor from Oldham. Karleigh Osborne was also brought in to augment the defensive options on offer after turning down a new contract with Brentford, and veteran goalkeeper Maik Taylor joined permanently following a successful loan spell from Leeds. In terms of the departures, Hamer Bouazza left for AC Omonia, defender Tony Craig signed with Brentford for an undisclosed fee, and Josh McQuoid returned to his former club Bournemouth as part of the deal to bring in Malone.

What the fans want The conclusion of last season indicated that this side could have probably done better than spending much of the campaign flirting with relegation. More than anything, I think most of us are hoping that it doesn't take until March for the players to show what they're truly capable of.

What they'll actually get Producing the kind of form we took into April for months on end seems more than a little unlikely, but I don't see why we can't improve upon our overall consistency. While it might not end in glory, this season should hopefully be less arduous than the previous one.

One to watch Forward Shaun Batt, who's been injured for the best part of two years, will almost be like a new signing for us. I'm really interested to see how he gets on.

We'll finish… I think we have enough to avoid the drop, but don't see us properly competing with the pacesetters. A top-half finish is probably the best we can hope for, though mid-table seems more realistic.

Charlie Mahoney, Millwall fan (@THRIIIIKER)

Nottingham Forest

Story of the summer It was all about the takeover for us – the Al Hasawi family were long linked with a move to acquire Forest from the estate of Nigel Doughty, eventually this happened and the new owners have proven popular with fans. Not least for meeting Steve Cotterill and sacking him hours later. After much speculation they sprung a surprise by placing Sean O'Driscoll in charge (who was, weeks before the takeover, a Forest employee of course). It's come at the cost of disrupting our preseason, we've lost a few players and signed some — but not quite enough yet to have a comfortable size of squad.

What the fans want Most seem content with our approach of rebuilding sensibly and shrewdly with a manager who promises to deliver the kind of football we want to see. Some want to see the new owners spunk money left, right and centre despite the kind of warning signs we have seen recently at the two blue cities of Cardiff and Leicester (although Cardiff are red now aren't they?).

What they'll actually get I think we'll have a season of consolidation – new signings will need time to bed in and gel, and the manager needs time to get his message across. Mid-table. And you know what? I'd be happy with that.

One to watch I'm hoping that this will be the season that Jamaal Lascelles will be promoted to the first team squad – maybe not always a first choice, but I'd like to see him get some first team game time to kick on and develop his game.

We'll finish … I'm expecting mid-table mediocrity – a slow start, and a better middle and finish with possibly half a sniff of being the late surgers into the play-offs (if I'm being quite wildly optimistic).

Ryan Brice, NFFC Blog (@NFFCblog)

Peterborough United

Story of the summer Posh have been fairly busy this summer bringing in: Bobby Olejnik (Torquay), Nathaniel Knight-Percieval (Wrexham), Danny Swanson (Dundee United), Michael Bostwick (Stevenage), Nathaniel Mendez-Laing (Wolves) and Johnson Clarke-Harris (Coventry). The signings show that the management team are sticking with the club's policy that has got them this far: bringing in young talent from the lower leagues. Of the new signings Swanson and Bostwick are the two that have created the most excitement around London Road. Swanson has had a lot of injury problems during his career so far, but has already caught the eye north of the border with his talent on the ball. Bostwick, on the other hand, is the exact sort of player Posh were missing last season. A physical presence, that never stops running, he has earned a reputation as one of the best midfielders in the lower divisions and Darren Ferguson will be hoping that he makes the step-up to the Championship with ease. Things have been quieter in terms of players going out. The very much divisive goalkeeping debate has been ended with both the club's first-team keepers from last season – Joe Lewis and Paul Jones – heading elsewhere, the former to Cardiff and the latter to Crawley. However, despite Posh having placed some talented players in the transfer list – including George Boyd, Paul Taylor and Grant McCann – there has been relatively little interest in the trio and all three still remain at the club.

What the fans want Expectations haven't increased too much since last season. I think everybody would like to see the club simply consolidate in the division again. We managed to reach 50 points last season, bang on the initial target set by Ferguson. He and Darragh MacAnthony have constantly talked of moving the club forward slowly at this level so I expect that they are hoping to achieve around 60 points this campaign and most fans, too, would like to see some positive progress.

What they'll actually get Unfortunately the Championship looks a stronger division this year. With Doncaster out of the division, we are the smallest club in the Championship by a greater margin and picking out three teams that, on paper, appear worse than us is a bit of a struggle. The key will be in how well the new signings settle in, but if we manage to stay in the division this season it will be a greater achievement than last campaign.

One to watch Joe Newell has come through the youth system at the club and looks an exciting talent. He was in and around the first-team squad last season and managed to score his first goal for the club against Leeds, towards the back end of the campaign. MacAnthony has said that he will play around 30 games this year, so there is a large amount of expectation on the 19-year-old's shoulders.

We'll finish … I think we'll finish just above the relegation zone again. This season looks set to be a struggle, but the squad has increased in quality in certain areas and we should just about have enough to see us safe.

John Verrall, Peterborough United Football Blog (@JohnVerrall)

Sheffield Wednesday

Story of the summer A strong summer where fringe players have been shown the door and Championship pedigree players have been welcomed. The signing of Chris Kirkland boosts Wednesday's already strong competition for the No1 shirt, which can only mean good things. The blow of not being able to sign promising youngster Danny Batth permanently was cushioned by the signing of experienced centre back Anthony Gardener. The long pursuit of Michail Antonio also finally came to an end too, with the pacey winger signing a four year deal. That's been a massive boost to players and fans alike.

What the fans want Whispers of the Owls doing a Norwich or a Southampton will always echo throughout the message boards and the pubs of Sheffield. Wednesday would be in a better position to hit back-to-back promotions than Charlton or Huddersfield, but sadly I think that would be a step too far at the minute.

What they'll actually get Everyone would happily take a mid-table finish, with the aim to build for next season and then push for the play-offs. The glut of good teams such as Bolton and Wolves who have come down from the Premier League and teams like Birmingham still lingering will mean a tricky season for all involved.

One to watch If he starts most matches and manages to form a successful partnership with Gary Madine, I believe Chris Maguire will have a storming season for the Owls. He's a player that really has it all.

We'll finish I'm going to plump for 11th with a massive 58 points.

James Edwards, Sheffield Wednesday fan

Watford

Story of the summer [Takes a deep breath] So. Our previous, somewhat worrying and unfathomable owner has sold the club to the Pozzo family, who also own Udinese (Italy) and Granada (Spain). Within minutes of their expensive Italian shoes hitting the tarmac in England, they had sacked Sean Dyche – his P45 the reward for steering us to our highest finish in years. His replacement is the unmistakable Gianfranco Zola, one of the greatest footballers the world has ever seen. Hornets fans are hoping we are yet to see his best as a manager. Since the takeover we've seen no fewer than seven new additions to the playing squad, with more almost certainly on the way. Oh, and last year's leading striker was jailed for 10 months, whilst cult hero Lloyd Doyley celebrated his testimonial year with a game against Spurs. Just an average close season in WD18 really.

What the fans want After several seasons of setting survival (both on the pitch and of it) as the only goal, Watford supporters could be forgiven for using the arrival of the Pozzo family as justification for training their sights on the top half of the division for a change. Outside of Watford, some media outlets are starting to talk of Watford and their illustrious backers as promotion contenders, but I think most regular watchers would settle for a season in which we play some of the decent football Zola has promised, whilst remaining comfortably clear of the drop zone.

What they'll actually get Even the most grounded of Hornets will accept that the Pozzo family haven't got involved at Vicarage Road with a view to adding a mediocre Championship club to their stable. They want success and the stated target is the Premier League. They've made a success of Udinese and Granada, quickly in the case of the latter, but the second tier is a cruel mistress and will be tough to conquer. With a manager who lacks experience at this level and a host of new additions, creating a side that will challenge this time round looks tough. I think if the Hornets finish comfortable mid table, perhaps after flirting with the play-offs, no one will be too surprised.

One to watch After an incredible end to last season, the cat is out of the bag with regards to Sean Murray, but I believe he'll shine again. Piero Mingoia, an Italian midfielder who has been at the club since he's 13, is one readers may not know much about. Not dissimilar in appearance to the new gaffer, this year may be his year. Also worth keeping an eye on the wonderfully named Britt Assombalonga, who last season was the 50th graduate from the Watford Academy to make a first team appearance.

We'll finish Hopefully with the same manager and owners. The club is craving stability. In terms of a league finish, I'm going to go for one better than last year. Tenth for the new look golden boys..

Mike Parkin, From the Rookery End (@RookeryMike)

Wolves

Story of the summer As I write this the vultures are beginning to circle over our top talents. Steven Fletcher and Matt Jarvis are both likely to join Michael Kightly in leaving before the transfer window shuts and that will leave a gaping hole to fill. We've signed two strikers: Frank Nouble, a freebie from West Ham, and Bjorn Sigurdarson for a few million from Norway. Midfielder Tongo Doumbia has also arrived on a season long loan. It's really anyone's guess as to how the jigsaw will look when all the pieces are shifted around and put together again.

What the fans want An immediate return to the Premier League (automatically please) playing attractive football and re-energising the club after an horrific year both on and off the field. New manager Stale Solbakken seems to have a very clear idea how he wants us to play and if it comes off, there's no reason we shouldn't achieve our ultimate goal.

What they'll actually get A lot of faith is being placed in the manager's ability to build a team out of the wreckage. Lots of players are being moved on and those coming in seem like gambles. That said, it looks like Solbakken will be backed financially throughout the season, so there's no reason we shouldn't be around the top six as an absolute minimum.

One to watch At lot is expected of Sigurdarson and he arrives with a decent reputation. Of our home grown talents, winger Zeli Ismael has been widely touted for a good while now. Hopefully this is his time.

We'll finish … Top six is the minimum and I think that's about where we'll end up. I'd like to think we'd be in the automatic shake-up, but it could be the lottery of the play-offs. Fourth or fifth.

Thomas Baugh, Wolves Blog