The new championship season kicks off this weekend – in July! – with supporters from every team cherishing these moments of peak optimism before a ball is kicked and reality sets in.
Burnley, who were relegated from the Premier League at the end of last season, open the action with a visit to Huddersfield on Friday night and from there 46 rounds of drama await.
As part of our championship buildup, here are 10 players to keep an eye on this season.
Fulham won the championship title last season, but who will follow in their footsteps this time?
Vakoun Issouf Bayo (Watford)
Watford have fallen into the yo-yo team category along with Fulham and Norwich after two relegations and one promotion in the last three years.
The goal at Vicarage Road is once again to return to the Premier League as soon as possible and Rob Edwards, who has come over from Forest Green Rovers, will be in football’s hottest hot seat.
Watford’s notoriously impatient owners have made some money available and the main summer signing is Ivory Coast international striker Bayo, signed by Belgian club Charleroi for around £5million.
He struggled to make much of an impact at Celtic, but scored quite a few goals in Toulouse in the French second division and then in the Belgian Pro League to spark Watford’s interest.
Edwards will pray that Bayo takes the ground in English football to avoid getting the boot in the fall.
Vakoun Issouf Bayo, international from Ivory Coast, is the eye-catching arrival in Watford
Gabriel Sara (Norwich)
It’s no surprise that the bookmakers make Norwich City the favorites in the promotion race – they won the championship in style on their last two visits, only to be immediately relegated back.
Things have been quite slow in the transfer market for Dean Smith, who has nevertheless kept the core of his team together.
However, there has been one notable signing: the purchase of Brazilian attacking midfielder Gabriel Sara from Sao Paulo for £12million including extras.
Sara describes his move as a ‘big moment in my career’ and he showed his eye for goal in Brazilian football.
Canary Islands fans hope he has a similar creative impact to Emiliano Buendia, who was the Player of the Season in the Championship in 2020-21.
Scott rope (Burnley)
A summer of big changes at Burnley came to an end after their six-season stint in the Premier League came to an end.
Vincent Kompany, the former Manchester City captain, has taken charge and money has been spent despite concerns about the financial fallout from their relegation.
Takeovers include Scott Twine, a £4 million purchase from MK Dons and last season’s League One Player of the Season after netting 20 goals and 13 assists in what was his first – and last – season with the club.
The Clarets hope Twine’s confident playing style will exemplify a shift in physical approach from the Sean Dyche years.
If he comes close to the same return as last season at MK, Burnley has every chance to return to the top immediately.
Scott Twine was the League One Player of the Season in 2021-22, earning a move to Burnley
Alex Scott (Bristol City)
No, not the one you saw on your television screens during the Women’s Euros…
Bristol City midfielder Alex Scott
Bristol City’s 18-year-old midfielder has just helped England win the Under-19 European Championship, so he should jump into the new campaign with confidence.
The Robins signed Scott from Isthmian League club Guernsey in 2020 – he was born on the island – and he has since established himself as a fixture on Nigel Pearson’s team.
Last season was a real disappointment at Ashton Gate as City finished a humble 17th despite scoring quite a few goals, so everyone, not least Pearson, is hoping for much more.
Holding on to Scott and bringing in Kal Naismith from Luton and Kane Wilson from Forest Green – he was Player of the Season when they won League Two – should provide ground for improvement.
Ben Woodburn (Preston North End)
Preston showed encouraging form after Ryan Lowe took over from their manager last December and now with a full preseason under their belt, they expect to improve on their eventual 13th place finish.
They have recruited well and have hired talented youngsters Troy Parrott and Alvaro Fernandez from Tottenham and Manchester United respectively.
Another substitute is midfielder Woodburn after the expiry of his contract with Liverpool, a club where he made his first under-7 appearance.
Woodburn worked his way through the ranks and would make 11 first-team appearances for the Reds between loan spells in recent seasons.
As a Wales international, he should have the qualities to do well in the championship.
Ben Woodburn (right) plays for his new club Preston in a friendly against Leicester
Iliad Chair (Queens Park Rangers)
The Moroccan is hardly a new name for championship followers, but chairman will be more important than ever if QPR is to make a sustained promotion this season.
Mark Warburton has left after ruining a play-off space in the final weeks of last season with Michael Beale, former Liverpool youth team coach and assistant to Steven Gerrard, taking over.
The Moroccan scored nine championship goals last season – his best return yet – and his wizardry is vital for Rangers.
The side will probably look the same and they did a good job of holding the seat.
Ilias Chair brings a touch of Moroccan magic to Queens Park Rangers and is one to watch
Daniel Jebbison (Sheffield United)
Another teenager who just won the European Championship with England. Jebbison hopes to make what would be a second breakthrough at Bramall Lane.
During the 2020-21 lockdown season, Jebbison scored for the Blades shortly before their top tier relegation in a game against Everton. He was the youngest player to score on their first Premier League start.
But at the start of last season, Slavisa Jokanovic decided to loan him to Burton Albion in League One on loan.
Jebbison did well, scoring nine times for the Brewers and being recalled in January. However, he was limited to couch cameos.
He hopes that more opportunities will come his way next year, but at eighteen he certainly has time on his side.
Daniel Jebbison helped England win the Under-19 European Championship this summer
John Swift (West Bromwich Albion)
The Baggies were unable to return directly to the Premier League and their 2021-22 season ended in a very disappointing way.
However, Steve Bruce has earned promotion in this league four times in the past and they recruited well in an effort to take part in the promotion call.
John Swift, a reliable odds-maker who scored 11 goals and assisted 13 in a struggling Reading side last season, should help them tear down the opposition’s defences.
Swift, 27, knows the championship well with 217 appearances in the league with Reading and his loan spells at Rotherham and Brentford as a Chelsea player.
John Swift in the colors of West Bromwich Albion after the switch from Reading
Zian Flemming (Millwall)
Millwall stayed in the play-off battle until the last few weeks last season and there’s no reason why Gary Rowett’s team shouldn’t repeat that next season.
A letter of intent came with the club-record £1.6 million signing Dutch side Fortuna Sittard striker Zian Flemming.
Flemming from Amsterdam had a decent score in the Eredivisie with a return of 15 and 12 goals in the past two seasons.
The Lions have also signed striker Benik Afobe from Stoke and attacking midfielder George Honeyman from Hull, so should have quite the attacking threat.
Ryan Giles (Middlesbrough, on loan from Wolves)
Chris Wilder led Sheffield United to the Premier League and Middlesbrough will hope he can repeat the trick with them.
One of the incoming summer signings is left-sided midfielder Ryan Giles, who is on loan from Wolves for a season.
The 22-year-old may not have played much for Wolves, but he has extensive championship experience with previous loans at Coventry, Rotherham, Cardiff and Blackburn.
There were plenty of clubs of the same level before Giles, but Boro could be the perfect match.
Ryan Giles in action for Middlesbrough during their exhibition game against Marseille