The BBC's 72+ Podcast has kicked off its coverage of the new English Football League season, offering an extensive preview of the Championship, League One and League Two campaigns ahead of nine months of competition across the three divisions.
Hosted by Aaron Paul, the episode brought together pundits Andy Woodman, Luke Chambers and Lyle Taylor to break down the storylines shaping the season, with particular focus on clubs adjusting to life after relegation from the Premier League and those chasing an immediate return to the top flight.
West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers both begin the campaign in the Championship following their drop out of the Premier League, and the panel devoted significant time to assessing how the two sides might fare in the second tier. Burnley were also discussed as one of the clubs to watch this season.
Among the traditional promotion hopefuls, Southampton and Middlesbrough were highlighted as teams with genuine aspirations of climbing back into the Premier League. The podcast also touched on potential dark horses who could disrupt the established pecking order in the Championship this term.
Attention then turned to League One, where Bromley are preparing for what the club describes as a historic first season in English football's third tier. Manager Andy Woodman, who also featured as a guest analyst on the episode, spoke about the significance of the achievement for the south London club as they adjust to life at a higher level of the pyramid.
Leicester City and Sheffield Wednesday were also discussed in the context of League One, with both sides looking to recover from relegation and push for a swift return to the Championship. Oxford United were mentioned alongside them as another club to monitor in the third tier this season.
One of the episode's featured interviews came from Salford City manager Peter Cklamovski, who is regarded as one of the leading candidates for promotion in his division. Cklamovski discussed his footballing journey, which took him from Australia and Asia into English football, including previous work alongside Ange Postecoglou. He also reflected on the pressure that comes with managing a club widely tipped among the promotion favourites.
Further down the pyramid, York City received a mention as the podcast rounded out its tour of the EFL's lower divisions.
Away from the on-pitch preview, the episode also referenced a significant off-field development, noting that the Professional Footballers' Association has opened legal proceedings against the EFL, a story that is likely to run alongside the football throughout the season.
Listeners were also reminded to sign up for the official 72+ EFL Fantasy League using a promotional code, as the podcast continues to build its community engagement around the new campaign.
The 72+ Podcast, which has recently moved to a new home on BBC Sounds, will continue to provide weekly coverage of the Championship, League One and League Two throughout the season. The BBC also confirmed a busy week of live commentary, including PSG against Aston Villa in a pre-season fixture and the Premier League clash between Manchester City and Arsenal.
With promotion battles, relegation survivors and newly promoted sides all in the mix, the coming months promise to deliver plenty of drama across England's three professional divisions below the Premier League.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport Football (72+ Podcast).