The Championship returns this weekend with an expanded promotion race and a lingering controversy that has already reshaped the division before a ball was kicked in anger. From this season, seventh and eighth-placed finishers will also qualify for the play-offs, adding extra intrigue to what was already shaping up to be one of English football's most unpredictable competitions. Yet much of the pre-season conversation has centred on a scandal now widely known as "Spygate."
Southampton begin the campaign on minus four points after being caught filming a rival's training session, an episode that also saw them thrown out of last season's play-offs. The punishment leaves manager Tonda Eckert facing an FA charge, with a potential lengthy ban still looming despite the club publicly backing him. Southampton had gone unbeaten in 19 league games at the end of last season - 21 including the play-offs - making the fallout from the incident all the more painful. The saga has added extra spice to their meeting with Middlesbrough on 27 November, a fixture many neutrals will circle given the two clubs' intertwined fortunes: Boro were only readmitted to last season's play-offs as a direct result of Southampton's expulsion, only to lose both the semi-final and final to Hull.
Elsewhere, the opening weekend brings a heavyweight clash as West Ham travel to Burnley, reuniting two clubs who dropped out of the Premier League together in May. The Hammers are widely regarded as favourites for promotion, buoyed by the retention of captain Jarrod Bowen and a productive summer despite limited transfer activity, with Joel Veltman and Manor Solomon the only major arrivals so far. West Ham have raised around £140million through the sales of Mateus Fernandes and Crysencio Summerville, while manager Nuno Espirito Santo - who previously led Wolves to 99 points in the Championship - remains in charge after last season's relegation.
Wolves, meanwhile, have undergone significant upheaval. Following the sacking of Rob Edwards, the club turned to Portuguese coach Cesar Peixoto. Before his exit, Edwards oversaw the arrivals of Kieran Trippier and returning forward Raul Jimenez, while striker Adam Armstrong was signed back in January to bolster their promotion push. Burnley have also looked abroad for inspiration, appointing Belgian coach Nicky Hayen in the hope of replicating the success once found under countryman Vincent Kompany. The Clarets, who have won promotion in each of their last four Championship campaigns, have banked roughly £85million in sales this summer.
Among the other promoted sides, Wrexham will hope to build on last season's club-record seventh-place finish under Phil Parkinson, having brought in Danny Imray, Ben Whiteman and Anthony Patterson. Birmingham, who many felt underachieved in finishing tenth, retain manager Chris Davies and have added defender Dael Fry to a largely settled squad.
Middlesbrough have moved to strengthen a squad shorn of Hayden Hackney, sold after being named the division's player of the season. Funds from that deal and a sell-on clause attached to Morgan Rogers have allowed Kim Hellberg to sign goalkeeper Radek Vitek from Manchester United and striker Will Lankshear from Tottenham, while American midfielder Sebastian Berhalter arrives as a potential long-term successor to Hackney.
Other contenders include Millwall, who defied expectations to finish third under Alex Neil, and Norwich, who surged into play-off form following the appointment of Philippe Clement. Sheffield United have turned to the experienced Chris Wilder after a difficult spell under Ruben Selles, despite losing key personnel including Andre Brooks. At the other end of the table, Sheffield Wednesday's turbulent campaign ended in relegation to League One alongside Leicester, while Bolton, Cardiff and Lincoln - promoted for the first time since 1961 - complete the newcomers to the second tier.
Based on reporting from Independent (football).