But I’ve had a go...
21. PETERBOROUGH UNITED
21st: POSH. Major signings: Jorge Grant, Josh Knight, Jack Marriott, Joel Randall. It’s tough to stay up following promotion from League One, but this won’t be a normal Championship campaign. Clubs are struggling financially because of Covid so the big hitters who aren’t armed with parachute payments won’t be hitting quite so hard now. Posh are financially stable, have recruited well in parts, and they have a calm, astute manager so 21st it is!
22. PRESTON NORTH END
22nd: Preston North End. Major signings: Izzy Brown, Liam Lindsay, Matthew Olosunde. Preston trod water last season which cost Alex Neil the manager’s job. He’s been replaced internally by Frankie McAvoy which is seen as a gamble given his inexperience. The signing of former Hampton schoolboy Izzy Brown could have been a masterstroke, but he’s already stricken by injury. I have a feeling North End’s hopes could go South next season.
23. HUDDERSFIELD TOWN
23rd: Huddersfield Town. Major signings: Matty Pearson, Jordan Rhodes, Josh Ruffels. The Terriers flirted with relegation last season and it provoked multiple signings at the start of the summer in a bid to avoid a repeat. Several have been taken from League One which is a gamble given the gulf between the two divisions is bigger than the space between Matt Hancock’s ears. Joint favourites to go down alongside Posh and Blackpool. Only one will drop in my opinion.
24. DERBY COUNTY
24th: Derby County. Major signings: None, zero, zilch. A transfer embargo, a botched takeover bid and strong players leaving make County this season’s basketcase club in the Championship. Not sure rookie manager Wayne Rooney is the man to fight fires either so I’m expecting the Rams to be lambs to the slaughter even without the points deduction that could well come their way. Just 13 players signed on at the time of writing.