The 2011/2012 Championship season is less than a week away and in preparation for the new season it is time to look at how Brighton, Peterborough and Southampton will fare in their first season back in England’s second tier.
All three will enter this season with confidence after a successful campaign last season and several reasons to be optimistic.
All will be to emulate Norwich and gain back to back promotions and a £90m dream ticket to the Premier League, however I am sure that all three will be happy to settle for a progressive season that stays clear of the relegation trapdoor.
Here is what you need to know about the three newly promoted Championship sides starting with Brighton and moving on to Peterborough and Southampton in the build up to the season.
Brighton Hove Albion
After years of fighting the Seagulls will start the season in the brand new 20,000+ capacity Falmer stadium, with the first game against Doncaster will be the end of an emotional journey and a defining moment in the history of the club.
Brighton dominated League One last season and under former Tottenham and Chelsea player Gus Poyet they have developed into an attacking force with an attractive style of play.
This will be assisted by their star capture of proven striker Craig Mackail Smith who will provide the Seagulls some real firepower.
The Championship is an impossible league to predict but Brighton come into the league with a competent manager with players equipped for the step up.
I would back the Seagulls to stay up comfortably and feel that a tilt at the play offs is not out of the question after a frantic summer of comings and goings in the transfer market.
In – Craig Mackail-Smith, Romain Vincelot, Kazenga Lua Lua (on loan), Roland Bergkamp, Will Buckley, Will Hoskins
Out – Francisco Sandaza, Gary Hart, Jim McNulty, Elliott Bennett, James Tunnicliffe, Glenn Murray, Agustin Battipiedi
