Who are the favourites for promotion to the Premier League this season?

This seasons Championship campaign kicked-off last night with Blackpool beating Hull 1-0 at the KC Stadium.

Some big names will be in the second tier of English football this season and it looks set to be an interesting division.

Favourites

Leicester City have to be the favourites for promotion this season after spending big this summer. The arrivals of the likes of Kasper Schmeichel, Michael Johnson and Matt Mills has strengthened the Leicester squad significantly.

They also have experienced boss Sven Goran-Eriksson at the helm. He has assembled a good Championship squad and they will be regarded as the team to beat in England’s second tier.

Relegated

Despite being relegated from the Premier League last season West Ham have kept a good core of players. The Hammers have kept hold of the likes of Robert Green, Scott Parker and Carlton Cole. And have also signed experienced Premier League players Kevin Nolan, Matthew Taylor and Abdoulaye Faye.

However their biggest signing has to be that of new boss Sam Allardyce. Big Sam is regarded as one of the best motivators of players in the game and after last season that’s what the West Ham squad need.

The Rest

Leicester and West Ham look like the two strongest teams in the league but there is a whole clutch of teams hoping to make it into the Premier League next May.

Another relegated team Birmingham City will be hoping that they can bounce straight back up into the top flight. However they have lost a host of top players this summer. The likes of Sebastian Larsson, Roger Johnson and Lee Bowyer have all left the club.

New Chris Hughton has brought in strikers Marlon King and Adam Rooney though. He has also brought in Scottish stars Steven Caldwell and Chris Burke. The Blues have to be considered a serious contender for promotion.

Reading were beaten in last seasons play-off final but will be hoping to go one better this season. Brian McDermott has turned the Royals into a really solid outfit and they will again be amongst the contenders for promotion.

The key factor could be keeping hold of star striker Shane Long, who fired home 24 goals last season. The Irishman is being tracked by West Ham and Premier League sides Everton and Newcastle. If he can repeat the goalscoring feats of last season Reading could be right up their challenging for the automatic promotion berths.

Nottingham Forest were challenging for a place in the Premier League for most of last season, before falling off badly towards the end of the season. They have made an interesting managerial appointment in Steve McClaren.

He has added the experienced players Andy Reid, Jonathan Greening and George Boateng to his squad. He has however lost the likes of strikers Nathan Tyson and Robert Earnshaw. Probably an outside bet for the automatic spots but a good bet for the play-offs.

Surprise

Last seasons Championship was surprisingly open. It threw up some surprises and this seasons is unlikely to be much different. Any team from the 24 teams in the league could just make, just like Norwich did last season.

The Championship is definitely a league to expect the unexpected and that’s why its promises to be so exciting this season.

Who will win promotion to the Premier League?