2nd Tier to get underway.

The Football league kicks off this weekend across the water with the first game taking place on Friday night. Much will be expected of the three clubs relegated from the Barclays Premier League when the new Coca-Cola Championship season kicks off.

All eyes will be on Newcastle after a miserable season of turmoil on and off the pitch but of the three teams relegated in 2007-08, only Birmingham managed to secure promotion last season.
The previous season Charlton, Sheffield United and Watford all failed to regain their places in the top flight.

Middlesboro take on Sheffield Utd in the first game on Friday night. Gareth Southgate's men will hope to be challenging for promotion come May. They have, at present, hung on to many of their 'star' players like Alfonso Alves & Tuncay, so they will be difficult to beat.

My club Watford will, I hope & pray, be up near the top half battling for the playoffs, but I have this nagging feeling in my gut that a season of struggle and hardship may be in store. Last season we had a very strong finish, under Brendan Rodgers, but he upped ship and climbed aboard the Reading yacht leaving the Hornets in the lurch a bit.

Roy Keane's Ipswich will be another side of interest this seaon, he worked well in this league with Sunderland, lets see how he gets on this time round.

My Prediction:

1st - Ipswich

2nd- Middlesboro

Playoff - Newcastle, Reading, West Brom, and what the hell - WATFORD!

Relegation - Scunthrope, Plymouth, Blackpool