Preview of the 2019-20 Championship: Team Guide as the battle for the promotion of the Premier League begins

The championship season begins Friday night with the promotion of Luton Town, which will face Middlesbrough at a tantalizing first game.

The winners of Ligue 1 host Boro in the first match of former England defenseman Jonathan Woodgate after replacing Tony Pulis.

Woodgate hopes to bring Boro back to the Premier League, but he will face fierce competition from Leeds and Cardiff.

This is undoubtedly an exciting new encounter for the second tier club of England, as 24 clubs face off to win one of the richest football prizes: a ticket for the highest level.

Before the new campaign, Mirror Football looks at each team …

BARNSLEY

Director: Daniel Stendel

Major ins: Wilks (Leeds), Diaby (Lokeren), Sibbick (AFC Wimbledon), Andersen (AC Horsens), Collins (Chelsea).

Main outs: Lindsay (Stoke), Pinnock (Brentford).

Want a beat? To be promoted, 25/1.

Verdict: Excellent recruitment in the past and very active again. No hbadle.

BIRMINGHAM

Director: Pep Clotet

Major ins: Crowley (Willem II), Jack Salter-Clarke (Chelsea), Gardner (Aston Villa).

Main outs: Adams (Southampton), Jota (Aston Villa) Morrison (Lecture).

Want a beat? To be promoted, 12/1.

Verdict: Lost their boss, their top scorer and their captain. Must buy a goal threat.

BLACKBURN

Director: Tony Mowbray

Major ins: Johnson (Derby), Downing (Boro), Gallagher (Southampton).

Main outs: Raya (Brentford), Downing (Portsmouth).

Want a beat? To be promoted, 10/1.

Verdict: Mowbray added the championship experience to a relatively young team.

BRENTFORD

Director: Thomas Frank

Major ins: Raya (Blackburn), Norgaard (Fiorentina), Jensen (Vigo), Jansson (Leeds), Pinnock (Barnsley).

Main outs: Konsa (a villa), Barbet (QPR), MacLeod (Wigan), Bentley (Bristol C).

Want a beat? To be promoted, 4/1.

Verdict: Good transfer merchants generally. Hard to call, but the top half ends at least.

BRISTOL CITY

Director: Lee Johnson

Major ins: Dasilva (Chelsea), Szmodics (Colchester), Bentley (Brentford).

Main outs: Eisa (Peterborough), Kelly (Bournemouth), Fielding (Millwall).

Want a beat? To be promoted, 11/2.

Verdict: Play attractive football under Johnson and have constantly improved.

CARDIFF

Director: Neil Warnock

Major ins: Vaulks (Rotherham Utd).

Main outs: Zohore, (WBA), Gunnarsson, (Al Arabi), Harris, (Sheffield Wednesday).

Want a beat? To be promoted, 3-1.

Verdict: Warnock is a cunning activist and the Bluebirds could be a handful if their veteran boss requires them.

CHARLTON

Director: Lee Bowyer

Major ins: Good (East), Lockyer (Bristol Rovers), Aneke (MK Donations), Ben Amos (Bolton).

Main outs: Bowry (Cheltenham), Aribo (Rangers), Bauer (Preston).

Want a beat? To be promoted, 22/1.

Verdict: You are told that you will suffer, but the strategist Bowyer will make them fight.

DERBY

Director: Phillip Cocu

Major ins: Shinnie (Aberdeen), Dowell (Everton).

Main outs: Mount (Chelsea), Wilson (Liverpool), Johnson (Blackburn), Thomas (Barnsley), Bryson (Aberdeen); Cole, Nugent, Olsson (released).

Want a beat? To be promoted, 11/2.

Verdict: The loaned stars were vital to Frank Lampard. Difficult acts to follow.

FULHAM

Director: Scott Parker

Major ins: Cavaleiro (wolves), Knockaert (Brighton).

Main outs: Seri (Galatasaray), Babel (Galatasaray), Schurrle (B Dortmund).

Want a beat? To be promoted, 21/10.

Verdict: The quality is at the rendezvous for a top six at least. Fans can expect goals but a more pragmatic approach with Parker.

HUDDERSFIELD

Director: Jan Siewert

Major ins: Grabara (Liverpool), Mbenza (Montpellier), Elphick (A Villa), Koroma (East), Brown (F'st Green).

Main outs: Smith (Stoke), Lowe (Dynamo Dresden), Lossl (Everton), Williams (published), Depoitre (published).

Want a beat? To be promoted, 5/1.

Verdict: Should threaten the first six.

SHELL

Director: Grant McCann

Major ins: Eaves (Gillingham), Ingram (QPR).

Main outs: Keane (released), Evandro (released).

Want a beat? To be promoted, 12/1.

Verdict: The fact that Jarrod Bowen has not evolved is an advantage, but the manager has not proven himself at this level. Everything to do.

LEEDS

Director: Marcelo Bielsa

Major ins: Costa (wolves), Harrison (Man City), white (Brighton), McCarron (Carlisle).

Main outs: Jansson (Brentford), Clarke (Tottenham), Saiz (Girona).

Want a beat? To be promoted, 8/5.

Verdict: Going down to a flyer will help a lot. Will be there or pretty much again.

LUTON

Director: Graham Jones

Major ins: Crainie (Sheff Utd), McManaman (Wigan), Sluga (Rijeka), Galloway (Everton), Tunnicliffe (Millwall).

Main outs: Justin (Leicester), Stacey (B'mouth).

Want a beat? To be promoted, 14/1.

Verdict: Consolidation, but came with Tony football as Jones, a protégé of Roberto Martinez, will continue.

MIDDLESBROUGH

director : Jonathan Woodgate

Major ins: Meijas (Omonia Nicosia).

Main outs: Flint (Cardiff), Jon Obi Mikel (Trabzonspor), Downing (Blackburn).

Want a beat? To be promoted, 17/4.

Verdict: Boro has a new boss and a reduced transfer budget. A season of consolidation is the best thing to hope for.

MILLWALL

Director: Neil Harris

Major ins: Mahoney (Bournem'th), Bodvarsson (Reading), Molumby (Brighton), Fielding. (Bristol City).

Main outs: Martin (West Ham), Gregory (Stoke) and Morison (Shrewsbury).

Want a beat? To be promoted, 18/1.

Verdict: No need for a boss to change. Go fight, but should get out of it.

NOTTINGHAM FOREST

Director: Sabri Lamouchi

Major ins: Ameobi (Bolton), Adomah (Aston Villa), Muric (Man City), Ribeiro (Benfica), Semedo (Benfica).

Main outs: Tachtsidis (Lecce), Vellios (Atromitos Athens), Henderson (Palace C).

Want a beat? To be promoted, 11/2.

Verdict: More turbulence … But top scorer in Joe Lolley. Everything can happen.

PRESTON

Director: Alex Neil

Major ins: Nugent (Derby), Bauer (Charlton).

Main outs: Robinson (Sheff Utd), Howard (Morecambe).

Want a beat? To be promoted, 17/2.

Verdict: Preston strikes more than his weight, given his resources, but perhaps lacks that star quality to make himself a place in the top six

QPR

Director: Mark Warburton

Major ins: Masterson (Liverpool), Amos (Spurs), Ball (Rotherham), Wallace (Rangers), Cameron (Stoke).

Main outs: Freeman (Sheff Utd), Furlong (WBA), Bidwell (Swansea).

Want a beat? To be promoted, 16/1.

Verdict: If the Hoops can avoid trouble early, their star could get up.

READING

Director: Jose Manuel Gomes

Major ins: Adam (Stoke), Morrison (Birmingham), Maizga (Chelsea).

Main outs: Bodvarsson (Millwall), Kelly (Feyenoord); McNulty (Sunderland).

Want a beat? To be promoted, 18/1.

Verdict: The additions of Charlie Adam, Michael Morrison and Matt Maizga will avoid any flirtation with relegation.

SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY

Director: To be confirmed

Major ins: Harris (Cardiff), Odubajo (Brentford), Borner (Arminia Bielefeld).

Main outs: Boyd (Peterborough).

Want a beat? To be promoted, 6/1.

Verdict: The exit of Steve Bruce meant that Owls had to act quickly … but the time was running out and the pre-season in ruins. Can not record.

FEED

Director: Nathan Jones

Major ins: Smith (Huddersfield), Lindsay (Barnsley), Powell (Wigan), Ward (Burnley), Gregory (Millwall).

Main outs: Pieters (Burnley), Cameron (QPR), Adam (Reading).

Want a beat? To be promoted, 15/4.

Verdict: The boss has recruited seasoned professionals eager to rank among the top six.

SWANSEA

Director: Steve Cooper

Major ins: Bidwell, (QPR); Wilmot (Watford).

Main outs: James, (Man Utd), Ayew, (Crystal Palace).

Want a beat? To be promoted, 8/1.

Verdict: Cooper arrived at Liberty Stadium with an excellent training pedigree. But relying on Graham Potter's legacy in the midst of vicious cost reductions is a daunting task.

WEST BROMWICH ALBION

Director: Slaven Bilic

Major ins: Zohore (Cardiff), Furlong (QPR), Ajayi (Rotherham), Krovinovic (Benfica).

Main outs: Rondon (DL Yifang), Dawson (Watford), Rodriguez (Burnley).

Want a beat? To be promoted, 10/3.

Verdict: The team seems weaker than it is 12 months ago – it needs to be further strengthened.

WIGAN

Director: Paul Cook

Major ins: Robinson, (Everton), Marshall, (Hull), MacLeod, (Brentford).

Main outs: Powell, (Stoke), Vaughan, (Bradford), MacDonald, (Rotherham), McManaman, (Luton).

Want a beat? To be promoted, 18/1.

Verdict: Wigan just kept his head in the last quarter – it seems just as difficult this time around.