In the first instalment of LoftforWords’ annual marathon season preview we look back at the six teams that left the Championship last season – how we thought they would do last August and what actually happened.

Newcastle United 1000/1

Last season:

LFW said: The team on paper is easily the best one in the Championship but without a manager, with financial disaster looming and with a chairman so obviously incompetent and out of his depth he really should be put down I can see another Leeds United situation here rather than an immediate return to the Premiership. The fact that every other Championship club is going to want their scalp more than any other and you have the lethal combination of poorly managed, under committed players facing teams making extra effort and raising their games.

Manager Survival Chances N/A

Likely Star Player Steve Harper

Verdict 13th. Midtable, another season of farce, further decline.

What actually happened? Completely the opposite. A 6-0 pre-season set back at League One side Leyton Orient hinted that the LFW prediction may be right but that actually prompted a meeting between the senior pros at St James’ Park and they never looked back from that moment on. The overall physical strength of the squad that had made them look slow and cumbersome in the top flight proved to be a real strength in the Championship with few teams able to cope with the attacking prowess of Carroll, Nolan, Ranger, Ameobi and Harewood during the campaign. The January additions of Leon Best, Wayne Routledge and Fitz Hall were distinctly Championship but Newcastle were already top by that stage and they streaked away thereafter. Too good, consistent and strong for this division at it turned out.

Manager Chris Hughton was only the caretaker manager at the time of the original piece hence the N/A. He got the job permanently after a good start to the season but just how much of the success was down to him compared to the senior pros who banged heads together and knuckled down after the Orient match will probably never be known.

Actual Star Man Steve Harper did play well but it was 18 goal midfielder Kevin Nolan and physical target man Andy Carroll who really caught the eye. Nolan was on the cusp of an England call up while at Bolton and revelled in a more advanced role in the lower league, Carroll mixed it with the physical centre halves and bagged 19 goals of his own. Already being linked with other Premiership sides in the summer transfer window but needs to keep his off field discipline (a court case for a night club assault marred his season) in check.

Next season

LFW says: There have been few incomings at St James Park so far with only the cheeky stealings of Dan Gosling and James Perch as well as a gamble on Sol Campbell to note so far and Stoke are loitering around Carroll. I get the impression Mike Ashley would quite like to attract a better manager than Chris Hughton but isn’t actually that keen to splash a load of cash on players after getting his fingers burnt the season before last. It will be tough, but they’re a better side than the likes of Wolves and Wigan already so will not need major surgery to survive. An opening day trip to Man Utd mirrors their last season in the top flight and a big defeat could set a worrying tone.

Manager: Hughton remains, and has won many friends among Newcastle fans and the media for the dignified way he dragged the club up by its boot straps last season. However, as said, how much of the success was down to him and how much was owed to the senior players for a long overdue collective removal of fingers from arses will never really be known outside the dressing room. I think Ashley would liked to have replaced him last summer but struggled to find anybody willing to work in the madhouse he oversees. Whether they are more attractive now they are back in the top flight may well depend on promises of funds being available, though Ashley’s promises haven’t proved to be worth much so far in his time at the club. I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see a mediocre start used as an excuse to move Hughton aside for a supposed bigger name. Survival chances – 3/10.

Ins and outs: Dan Gosling was stolen from Everton after a loophole in contract negotiations became clear, James Perch was taken from Forest without Billy Davies’ knowledge and Sol Campbell’s new bride put her foot down and told him to get his arse home to the north east. Fabrice Pancrate and Nicky Butt have both been released.

Likely Star Man: Andy Carroll is hot property at the moment and this is a big season for him. His sheer physical presence makes him a threat even when he’s not playing particularly well but his temper both on and off the field makes him something of a liability too. Must stay fit and out of trouble because his club needs him to lead the line against quality defences this season. Newcastle must also be wary of relying on the likes of Alan Smith who looked on his last legs last season, Kevin Nolan who is unlikely to score 18 goals in the Premiership while a hole remains in his arse and Wayne Routleddge who is being billed as some sort of big threat in the top flight but has never cut the mustard there previously.

Verdict: 16th. Lower mid table, relegation battle if they get off to a bad start or endure bad luck with injuries. Probably at least one managerial change during the season but ultimately safe.

West Brom 10,000/1

Last Season:

LFW said: Of the three relegated sides West Brom look to be in the best position to push for an immediate return to the big time. Much will depend on how Di Matteo, still very inexperienced as a manager, fits into Tony Mowbray’s shoes and if Simon Cox can translate his League One form into the Championship. They still look to have enough quality, and be settled enough, to push for the six.

Manager: Survival Chances 7/10

Likely Star Player Chris Brunt

Verdict Second. Play off positions bare minimum.

What actually happened?Second. Exactly as predicted, West Brom went up as the second automatically promoted side. The Baggies are a pretty easy team to call – they go up and pocket most of the money so if they can’t stay up they’re well positioned to make an immediate return. The summer move of influential manager Tony Mowbray to Celtic could have de-railed them, especially as the board took a chance on Roberto Di Matteo to replace him with only one year of experience at Mk Dons to his name, but the Italian’s style of play meant a smooth transition and the Baggies comfortably held off the challenge of Nottingham Forest largely thanks to imperious away form that saw them beaten just three times on the road all season – one of those at Loftus Road.

Manager Di Matteo represented a risk in pre-season with only 12 months as a manager on his CV. That had been at MK Dons and ended with a play off semi final defeat against underdogs Scunthorpe – with plenty of resources at his disposal that was nothing to really write home about. West Brom is an ideal Championship club to be at though with a strong existing squad and sound financial position. Di Matteo’s style of play is similarly attractive to his Hawthorns predecessor Tony Mowbray and with a wealth of attacking talent supplemented by the arrival of Simon Cox it has been a seamless transition for him.

Actual Star Man Chris Brunt was impressive, as he always is at this level, but right from left field Scottish midfielder Graeme Dorrans was the star of the show. The former Livingston man was one of a clutch of midfielders who posted impressive goal scoring figures in the Championship – 18 for Dorrans prompted a Scotland call up and close season interest already from West Ham.

Next season

LFW Says: Well, if they stay true to form they will bank the majority of the money on offer in the Premiership, make one or two signings and hope to have enough to stay up. There are some Premiership sides, Wigan for instance, who are on borrowed time so they may be able to claw their way above some of those but in reality fourth bottom would be a huge success.

Manager: Well Di Matteo was inexperienced at Championship level last season and coped fine, but this is a whole different kettle of fish. West Brom tend to bank the money and spend conservatively on players leaving the manager with a difficult task of keeping them in the league but a relatively simple task of returning them to it after relegation. The Baggies are patient with their bosses so I’d expect Di Matteo to survive despite what seems likely to be an inevitable season of struggle. Survival chances 6/10.

Ins and outs: Borja Valero has gone to Villarreal, Pablo Ibanez has come in on a free from Athletico Madrid and the Baggies have gambled on the condition of Steven Reid’s knees by picking the Blackburn man up for nothing. A bid for Preston keeper Andy Lonergan has failed so they spent £1.5m on Hull’s Bo Myhill to replace the accident prone Carson. Graeme Dorrans has committed his future to the club, spurning the advances of West Ham but Jonathan Greening has signed permanently for Fulham. Filipe Teixera and Joss Ladabie have been released, Luke Daniels and Marcus Haber have been loaned out. Auzerre’s Gabriel Thomas has set them back £800,000.

Likely Star Man: Ordinarily in such circumstances I’d be looking at the goalkeeper and saying he’s going to be busy. If he is then West Brom are in trouble because Scott Carson is a very poor keeper indeed. The Myhill signing is an astute one and he must be first choice if they are to stand any chance of surviving. Much will depend on whether Graeme Dorrans really can perform in the top flight.

Verdict: Second bottom and straight back to us at the first time of asking.

Blackpool 10,000/1

Last Season

LFW said: As things stand Blackpool’s squad looks very weak, and certainly capable of finishing in the bottom three. However the announcement this week that Latvian board member Valeri Belokon is making significant money available for transfers should change that and Ian Holloway is absolutely made for this job. Very few managers can get mediocre players producing as much as Olly can and after losing Simon Grayson last season he is an ideal replacement at Bloomfield Road.

Manager Survival Chances Ian Holloway 6/10

Likely Star Player Charlie Adam

Verdict 17th. A struggle, but the Holloway factor will be enough to keep them up with something spare.

What actually happened? Sixth. Well, in my defence, who on earth saw this coming? Blackpool will play Premiership football next season after a remarkable campaign in which they flirted with the play offs for most of the year before suddenly winning six of their last nine games to make the six, and then sweep aside Forest and Cardiff in the end of season lottery, scoring nine goals in the process. Blackpool were exciting to watch, always playing to win rather than not to lose, and caught several of the so called bigger clubs on the hop with their adventurous style.

Manager Ian Holloway used to be all about ‘bad rashing’ and balls played into the channels to turn full backs around. His quips, wise cracks and jokes started to wear thin when he was relegated with Leicester in 2007/08 but a year out of the game during which time he was attracted to Swansea City and the style of play employed by Roberto Martinez where the ‘out’ ball goes across the field to a winger rather than hopefully down the line behind the full back changed his philosophy. Suddenly Holloway, who’d always been rather negative tactically, was taking Blackpool, a side many tipped for relegation, to places like Nottingham Forest and going for the win. He’s a hero up there on the coast now and rightly so – his side were terrific to watch and he has reinvented himself as a manager.

Star Man As predicted, former Rangers star Charlie Adam was the top man, bagging 18 goals from midfield including an unstoppable free kick in the Wembley play off final.

Next season

LFW Says: Holloway says he has transfer targets in mind and will go to places like Old Trafford to attack but in truth Blackpool’s targets are surely only to better Derby’s dreadful Premiership record of one win in a season, and use the untold riches of the top flight to complete their ground ready for a return to the Championship in 2011/12.

The Manager: Ian Holloway obviously remains in place for his first ever crack at Premiership management. As a player he got by in the top flight through hard work and effort, allowing the likes of Ray Wilkins to provide the ability he lacked. That option isn’t available to a manager and while Holloway has grown up considerably since his sacking at Leicester he’s still more likely to be known for his wise cracks in the face of inevitable adversity this season. Should be able to trade off 2009/10 and keep his job into next season. Survival chances – 7/10

Ins and Outs: Blackpool have been frustrated in their attempts to bring anybody in so far, although Jon Stead is there this weekend to discuss terms and Swansea’s Angel Rangel has been linked. Ben Burgess has gone to Notts County and former R Daniel Nardiello to Exeter. Joe Martin, Hameur Bouazza, Al Bangura and Danny Mitchley have been released.

Potential Stars: Pool will again look to Charlie Adam but in truth not a single member of their squad looks Premiership standard as we stand a fortnight before the season starts. Expect Baptiste and Evatt at centre half to be regularly, ruthlessly exposed.

Verdict: Rock bottom. Likely to trouble Derby’s record low points haul without massive changes to squad.

Peterborough United 12/1

Last Season

LFW said: I actually fancy Peterborough to do quite reasonably this season. I think McLean will certainly be able to make the step up and I rate Boyd and Rowe very highly indeed. The defence may be a little more suspect, and I didn’t see much of Kristian Pearce on loan at Scunthorpe last season to suggest the Birmingham defender will be the answer for them in the Championship, but I think London Road will be a very tough place to go. Three defeats at home, three wins away.

Manager Survival Chances Darren Ferguson 9/10

Likely Star Player George Boyd

Verdict 14th. Midtable security.

What actually happened? 24th. LFW got this one very wrong indeed, although in our defence Chris Kamara said Posh would win the play offs and go up to the Premiership so we didn't miscall them that badly. The Posh had nice trinkets but no tree trunk. By that I mean the quality in the team was all in attack or wide areas, while the key weaknesses and lack of quality struck right at the heart of the defence and midfield. A mediocre start gave way to an abysmal winter, the acrimonious departure of Darren Ferguson as manager, an ill-fated spell with Mark Cooper in charge and ultimately relegation, with outspoken chairman Darragh MacAnthony wailing and gnashing all the way back down to League One.

Manager Darren Ferguson actually finished the season as Preston manager, with MacAnthony accusing him of trying to tap up Peterborough players and undermining his replacement Mark Cooper. He was sacked in December after a bad string of results, a decision that seemed harsh considering how far he'd brought Peterborough in a short space of time. The appointment of Mark Cooper, previously a mediocre Conference manager at best prior to a decent 18 months with Kettering, was a strange appointment and lasted only 13 matches. Former Stockport boss Jim Gannon couldn't arrest the slide either and he left at the end of the season too.

Star Man George Boyd impressed as expected, and spent the second half of the season on loan at Nottingham Forest. McLean and Mackail-Smith flattered to deceive and so the club's player of the year award went to goalkeeper Joe Lewis without whom things could have been much worse.

Next season

LFW Says: Peterborough still have the nucleus of the squad that won promotion from this league a year ago, including McLean and Mackail Smith in attack and George Boyd wide left after Forest passed up the chance to sign him permanently. Add in Tommy Rowe who signed last season from Stockport and the continued presence of Lewis in goal and the Posh could be well set for an immediate return.

Manager: Gary Johnson knows all about League One having brought Yeovil into it from non-league, and then carried Bristol City from the bottom of it to the top and promotion within 18 months. He took City to the Championship play off final in 2007/08 and was, in many ways, a victim of his own success at Ashton Gate where the average gates and funds available dictate a midtable finish but expectations regularly rise higher than that due to some misguided belief that coming from a big city automatically entitles the Robins to be successful. Johnson is a fine manager who had perhaps just gone a little bit stale in Bristol and will relish the chance of working with one of the division's better squads, and bigger budgets. Survival chances – 7/10

Ins and outs: Posh have been busy. Toumani Diagouraga has gone to Brentford, Liam Hatch to Darlington and Sergio Torres to Crawley, Preston have signed Craig Morgan for £400,000, Scott Rendell has been released to Wycombe, Danny Blanchett likewise to Crewe. Arron Davies has signed from Brighton, Frank Queudrue is about to. Grant McCann is a fine signing on a free from Scunthorpe and immediately addresses the dearth of quality in the middle of midfield. James Wesolowski (Leicester), Nathaniel Mendez-Laing (Wolves) and Dave Hibbert (Shrewsbury) have all arrived on frees.

Likely Star: As before if George Boyd, Tommy Rowe, Aaron McLean and Craig Mackail Smith are all still around then Posh won't be short of firepower.

Twitter Verdict: 5th. A play off push, but ultimately coming up just short.

Plymouth Argyle 18/1

Last season:

LFW said: Plymouth were fourth bottom last year and it is hard to envisage anything much better for them this time around. The budget they seem to be working with and the difficulty in attracting players to a far flung corner of the country seem to be hindering them and Paul Sturrock came across as increasingly angry and desperate last season. This term everything will be just as tough, and Plymouth must stay lucky and injury free if they are to survive..

Manager Survival Chances Paul Sturrock 5/10

Likely Star Player Alan Gow if he signs

Verdict 21st. Relegation dog fight.

What actually happened? Exactly that, except while LFW said the Pilgrims would just about survive, in reality they looked dead and buried a long time before the season actually ended and they went down with little fight.

Manager With his Parkinson's Disease affecting his speech and mannerisms Paul Sturrock cut an increasingly desperate, lonely and out of his depth figure last season. It was no surprise to see him moved upstairs shortly after Paul Marriner arrived as first team coach, but it's absolutely astonishing that Southend United have taken him on this summer.

Star Man Alan Gow scored two in 14 at the start of the season but wasn't wanted by Marriner who released him a year into a two year deal at the end of the season. Carl Fletcher won the club's player of the year award but the annual dinner/dance was cancelled due to lack of interest.

Next season

LFW Says: It could well be a long time before we see Plymouth Argyle in the second tier again. The team is an absolute shocker, stripped of what limited talent it did have by the culmination of Alan Judge's loan and QPR's pinching of Jamie Mackie. The finances are poor and getting worse, with a company owned by the chairman currently receiving money from the club in interest on a mortgage taken out against Home Park to cover the £3m losses. Attendances have wilted and all in all Argyle are a shadow of the club that triumphantly won promotion to the Championship in 2003/04. Expect a season of midtable boredom at best.

Manager: Peter Reid is the somewhat surprising new man in the Home Park hot seat this summer. His last managerial job was at Coventry three years ago and was, to put it kindly, a total disaster. Rightly written off as a dinosaur with outdated 'hang em, flog em' methods his agent's hard work ringing round all club's with vacancies turned up nothing and he went out to Thailand to coach their national team instead. Stoke threw him a lifeline last year and made him assistant to Tony Pulis and he's now a number one again but the days of sticking players in the boot room for a spot of 'murder ball' with Kevin Ball are over, and so really should Reid's time as a manager be as well. Survival chances 5/10.

Ins and outs: Rory Patterson has signed from Coleraine, Bondz Ngala from West Ham and Anton Peterlin from Everton. Yoann Folly has gone to Aberdeen and Alan Gow has been released. Simon Walton has been loaned out for the season, Tony Capaldi has returned to the club on trial. Brighton have paid an undisclosed fee for Ashley Barnes, Gary Sawyer and Lloyd Saxton have been released, QPR paid £500,000 for Jamie Mackie.

Likely Star: A signing yet to be announced. Marcel Seip, Steven MacLean, Bradley Wright Phillips and Krisztian Timar should all be too good for League One but it remains to be seen how many stay put.

Verdict: 12th. Further decline leading to much broken crockery in the dressing room.

Sheff Wed 6/1

Last season:

LFW said: Hardly even worth writing. Almost exactly the same squad with exactly the same strengths and weaknesses as last season. Same manager, same style of play, same players, same old, same old – I’ll actually be surprised if they do not finish exactly12th again.

Manager Survival Chances Brian Laws 6/10

Likely Star Player Akpo Sodje

Verdict 18th. Solidly midtable.

What actually happened? Oooh dear, LFW was wrong. Wednesday started badly and never recovered. A brief renaissance in January under new manager Alan Irvine quickly subsided and they went down with a whimper after a final day home draw with fellow strugglers Crystal Palace. Akpo Sodje was awful and spent most of the season in the stiffs or on loan at Charlton.

Manager Brian Laws set the Wednesday squad up for relegation by allowing it to stagnate. He didn't add to the likes of Tudgay and Grant in his squad who can actually play a bit and in many ways they were luckier this didn't come sooner as there was clearly no ambition there, or ability from Laws, to triumph in the face of adversity. He was sacked midway through the campaign and promptly picked up a Premiership job at Burnley, by some miracle or other, based on an equation done by the board at Turf Moor on results achieved for money spent. Laws then relegated the Clarets as well.

Star Man Goalkeeper Lee Grant won the club's player of the year award, a consistently outstanding member of the Wednesday squad for four years despite the dross served up in front of him. Laws got his man at Burnley last week after a protracted summer long chase.

Next season

LFW Says: It's not often LFW ever tips a team just relegated to bounce straight back up. Usually the bookies have the three relegated teams as the favourites in every league and usually at least two of the three don't even make the play offs. Leeds, Forest and QPR all took the path Wednesday find themselves on again and spent three years coming back and Newcastle and West Brom filling the top two spots in the Championship last season was the exception rather than the rule, which was again proved with Middlesbrough. However, Wednesday have a promising young manager in Alan Irvine and have signed eight players already this summer who wouldn't look out of place on a Championship shopping list. Neil Mellor and Clinton Morrison look a particularly potent League One partnership.

Manager: Alan Irvine cut his managerial teeth in Newcastle's academy and as assistant to David Moyes at Everton. Having been sacked by lowly Preston last season and then relegated with Sheff Wed when he had plenty of time, and a transfer window, to save them his career has not made a very promising start. However I think he was harshly treated at Deepdale, where the club is punching above its weight, and it's always hard taking over midway through a campaign. He's made good signings at Hillsborough and should do well, although the board in this part of the world have never been particularly patient with failures. Survival chances 6/10.

Ins and outs: Clinton Morrison and Paul Heffernen have joined on a free from Coventry and Doncaster respectively while Neil Mellor has joined on a season long loan from Preston to pep up the attack. Giles Coke (Motherwell), Chris Sedgwick (Preston) and Gary Teale (Derby) will be charged with supplying them. Frankie Simek has been replaced by Jon Otsemobor. Lee Grant’s £900,000 move to Burnley is the big departure but Simek, Francis Jeffers (released), Leon Clarke (QPR), Akpo Sodje (Charlton), Sean McAllister (Shrewsbury) and Nick Wood (Tranmere) have also jumped ship.

Likely Star: Neil Mellor's physical presence will serve him well in League One, and having looked one of the better players in the Championship while at Preston he should be too good for his new level.

Twitter Verdict: 2nd. Against the LFW grain expect a championship push from the Owls, probably coming up short to Southampton.

Photo: Action Images

Aitch added 16:38 - Aug 2 I think pretty much everyone got it wrong on the Newcastle prediction front last season. What do you expect from punters though? I'd forgotten Posh had the likes of Mclean & Boyd. I wouldn't mind both of them joining us & I think they'll be a good bet for coming straight back up. Siep and Timar both pretty good for Plymuff to though I'll be surprised if Reid gets past Christmas without falling out with most of his squad at the very least.

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derbyhoop added 10:59 - Aug 3 Hands up time from me,as well. I didn't think Newcastle would do as well as you did. That mauling at Orient must have been exactly the kick up the Rs they needed and were far and away the best side in the division.
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