THE phrase ‘war of attrition’ is probably an overused one in a sporting context, but it is rarely more apt than when describing the Sky Bet Championship.
The second tier of the English footballing pyramid gets going on Friday night when Blackburn Rovers take on Derby County and Preston face Sheffield United, and will take in 46 rounds of matches – mostly at a rate of two a week – before the prizes are handed out next May.
And then, for those who just miss out on the automatic golden ticket to the Premier League, the agony is extended just a little further thanks to the dreaded play-offs.
To prevail in the Championship, durability is normally as important as quality, although last season class did rise to the top, with the three teams relegated from the top flight – Leicester City, Leeds United and Southampton – finishing in the top four.
The Foxes won the title, thanks mainly to the majority of their Premier League-class players sticking around, while the Saints saw off Leeds in the play-off final to also make an instant return to the top flight.
The fly in the ointment for the relegated clubs came in the shape of Ipswich Town, who cut a dash through the division on their way to second place and a return to the top table.
That the Tractor Boys were able to sustain such excellence in their first campaign back in the Championship following promotion from League One should give hope to all of the 24 teams going to post this time, although the bookies have very clear favourites to win the division in Daniel Farke’s Leeds.
They could class themselves as unlucky not to go up last season as their 90-point tally would have been enough in six of the previous nine campaigns, and Farke has kept the majority of his squad together, although promising youngster Archie Gray has joined Spurs and top scorer Crysencio Summerville has signed for West Ham.
The Leeds boss knows his way around the division, having taken Norwich City to top spot twice, and the Elland Road club deserve to be favourites, but the 3/1 on offer does not appeal over such a long slog when all manner of things could go wrong.
Burnley are second-favourites at 15/2, and again they have managed to retain the bulk of the players who toiled in the Premier League, but crucially they have lost Vincent Kompany, the manager who recruited them and gave them a very specific style of play.
It is a mystery how any manager can swap a relegation with Burnley for the bright lights of Bayern Munich, but in his stead at Turf Moor comes Scott Parker, a very different boss who has promotions to his name with both Fulham and Bournemouth.
The former England midfielder also fell out with the hierarchy at both of those clubs, and comes here after an unsuccessful spell in Bruges, so he will have to hit the ground running to get the fans on board.
The Clarets start with a trip to fellow relegated side Luton Town next Monday night, and at the prices the Hatters might just be the team to follow this term.
Rob Edwards’s side fought hard to stay in the top flight, although in truth only points deductions for Everton and Nottingham Forest kept them really interested in the latter stages.
However, they stayed together through all types of challenges and performed better than anyone expected before joining Burnley and Sheffield United in the relegation places.
Edwards has only lost the classy Ross Barkley from his squad, bringing in Shandon Baptiste from Brentford, but his recruitment last summer will stand to the club now as the emphasis was very much on athleticism.
Chiedozie Obgene and Andros Townsend should prove quality wide men in the second tier, while Elijah Adebayo and Carlton Morris did well in the top flight and are proven goalscorers when stepping down a level.
Luton have the physicality required to thrive again in the Championship, while it should be noted that the last four winners have been clubs who were relegated the previous summer, so the Hatters are well worth backing at 12/1 with Bet365 to win the division, and at 10/3 with the same firm to be promoted.
Middlesbrough can go close to Premier League return
Elsewhere, the third relegated club, Sheffield United, start with a two-point deduction and would appear set for a season in transition with a number of stalwarts moving on, so the usual suspects in West Bromwich Albion, Norwich and Coventry should be hovering in and around the play-off spots.
Middlesbrough finished eighth last term, never fully recovering from a slow start, but they carry some momentum into this campaign, having lost only once in their last 11 games.
They have kept faith in manager Michael Carrick, who guided them to fourth in 2022/23, and in turn he has kept changes to a minimum in a squad full of Championship experience.
Luke Ayling, Darragh Lenihan and Finn Azaz are proven performers at this level, while Emmanuel Latte Lath should given them more firepower now he has fully adjusted to life in England’s second tier.
The Ivory Coast striker scored 16 times last season, with 11 of those coming in his last 13 games, and he could fire Middlesbrough to promotion, which is a 7/2 shot with Boylesports.
Latte Lath is also worth a look in a wide-open top goalscorer market headed by Leeds youngster Mateo Joseph.
The Boro man can hit the ground running this time and if he maintains his form of the springtime, he might be the man to beat at 14/1 with Paddy Power.
Coventry’s Haji Wright also scored 16 times in his debut campaign, with the American international also running Manchester United ragged at times in their FA Cup semi-final.
The Sky Blues can be relied upon to go well under Mark Robins, and Wright looks a good each-way bet at 20/1 with Bet Victor.
Blackburn’s Sammie Smodzics led the way last year with 27 goals, and yet Rovers still only secured safety on the final day of the season, with Adam Wharton’s January move to Crystal Palace hitting them very hard.
With Republic of Ireland forward Smodzics heavily linked with a move to Ipswich, and with little investment in the squad, it could be a long winter for boss John Eustace so Rovers are a stand-out bet at 4/1 to get relegated.
It will actually be a long winter all round for those involved in the Sky Bet Championship, with Luton the best bet to be left standing when the prizes are handed out come May.
SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP SELECTIONS
Luton Town, e/w, 12/1 (Bet365); to be promoted, 10/3 (Bet365);
Middlesbrough to be promoted, 7/2 (Boylesports); top-six finish, 6/4 (Betway);
Emmanuel Latte Lath, top goalscorer, e/w, 14/1 (Paddy Power);
Haji Wright, top goalscorer, e/w, 20/1 (Bet Victor);
Blackburn Rovers to be relegated, 4/1 (William Hill)
