Tottenham blocked from upholding touching 98-year tradition by Uefa ahead of Europa League final against Man Utd
OUT OF GROUNDS Tottenham blocked from upholding touching 98-year tradition by Uefa ahead of Europa League final against Man Utd
TOTTENHAM have been blocked from honouring a 98-year tradition before the Europa League final.
Uefa have reportedly stopped Spurs from laying flowers down at an iconic statue outside the San Mames.
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Tottenham's plans to lay a floral tribute to Athletic Bilbao goal legend Pichichi were stopped
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Spurs arrived with flowers for Heung-min Son to place before the famous Pichichi bust
Ange Postecoglou's side are taking on fellow Premier League strugglers Manchester United on Wednesday night in Bilbao.
But Spurs' plans to lay a floral tribute to Bilbao goal legend Pichichi were foiled by Uefa on the eve of the final, according to The Mail.
Spurs arrived armed with flowers for captain Heung-min Son to place before the famous Pichichi bust.
It is usually a tradition for those playing at the San Mames for the first time to lay down a wreath there.
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Son was expecting to perform the tribute before going out to train in the stadium on Tuesday, only for Uefa to step in and stop it.
The 49,600-seater stadium is handed over to Uefa for the event and they are in control of all logistics not Athletic Bilbao.
Tottenham officials were not impressed having been led to believe they would be allowed to lay the flowers before game day.
Uefa claimed Spurs were not stopped but informed that the ceremony should only take place when they played against Athletic Bilbao, and not against a neutral team.
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Man Utd made their Pichichi tribute ahead of the first leg of the Europa League semi-final in Bilbao, when they beat Athletic Club 3-0.
The tradition has existed since 1927.
BATTLE FOR BILBAO: The Road to the Europa League Final
Rafael Moreno, an inside forward better known as Pichichi, died in 1922 at just 29 years old.
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He is a club icon and his name lives on through an annual award made to LaLiga's top scorer.
Born in Bilbao's Casco Viejo, he scored 83 goals in 89 official games in an era before LaLiga.
He scored more than 200 for the club if friendlies are taken into account.
He won five regional Championship titles and four Copa del Rey's.
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He played for Spain in the 1920 Olympic Games in Antwerp, winning a silver medal.
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South Wales Argus
26 minutes ago
- South Wales Argus
Thursday's briefing: Son completes MLS move and Man Utd close in on Sesko
Manchester United believe they are closing in on a deal for RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko, which looks like dealing another blow to Newcastle as the uncertainty over their star striker Alexander Isak continues. Troubled Sheffield Wednesday are up for sale on the eve of the new Sky Bet Championship. Son: LAFC switch 'not my first choice' A new era begins in Black & Gold. — LAFC (@LAFC) August 6, 2025 Son Heung-min admitted Los Angeles FC were not his first choice destination after he ended a 10-year stay at Tottenham, but insisted they had 'changed his heart' on a record Major League Soccer transfer. The 33-year-old on Wednesday completed a move worth in excess of £20million – the highest transfer fee paid by an MLS club – after it was revealed on Saturday he would be leaving Spurs following 173 goals in 454 appearances and months after he captained the club to Europa League glory. At an introductory press conference in Los Angeles, the South Korea international admitted he had to be persuaded of the merits of moving to the United States before signing an initial two-year deal. 'They've been absolutely working so hard to get me here to join LAFC,' Son said. 'If I'm honest, it was not my first choice but John (Thorrington, LAFC general manager) was the first call when the season finished and John changed my mind, he changed my heart.' United confident on Sesko deal Manchester United believe Benjamin Sesko favours them over a move to Newcastle (Andrew Milligan/PA) Manchester United believe Benjamin Sesko favours a move to Old Trafford over Newcastle as they look to strike a deal with RB Leipzig for the Slovenia forward. The 22-year-old striker has been the subject of a tug of a war as the Premier League sides attempt to bolster their attacks ahead of the new season. Newcastle made the first move and their second bid for the striker was worth a reported 82.5million euros (£71.9m) plus add-ons. United have followed with a lower offer of 75m euros (£65.4m), plus a potential 10m euros (£8.7m) in add-ons, but PA understands United believe Sesko favours them. The Slovenia international, who scored 21 goals in 45 appearances in all competitions last term, has long been on the Red Devils' radar, stretching back to when he moved from Domzale to RB Salzburg in 2019, and they have made him their priority in the search for a new striker. Isak trains alone as uncertainty continues Alexander Isak arrived to train alone after his Newcastle team-mates had gone home on Wednesday (Owen Humphreys/PA) As Newcastle face the prospect of disappointment in their pursuit of Sesko, the future of their current star striker Alexander Isak is no clearer, with the Sweden international only reporting for training on Wednesday after the rest of Eddie Howe's squad had gone home. Isak, 25, did not join Newcastle's pre-season trip to Singapore and South Korea, and had recently been training at former club Real Sociedad as Liverpool saw a bid worth £110million rejected by the Magpies. Howe's players were back in training on Wednesday after two days off with their families invited to join them later in the day, but PA understands Isak, who reported back to their Benton base on Monday, was told not to come in until after they left. The £63million frontman has been a huge hit since his arrival from Sociedad during the summer of 2022 and played a key role last season as they ended their 70-year wait for a major domestic trophy with the Carabao Cup and qualified for the Champions League for the second time in three seasons. EFL in talks with Chansiri over Wednesday sale Sheffield Wednesday are up for sale on the eve of the new season (Cody Froggatt/PA) The English Football League is in 'advanced discussions' with Sheffield Wednesday owner Dejphon Chansiri over the sale of the troubled club on the eve of the new season. The crisis-hit Owls are under various EFL-imposed embargoes for financial breaches and failed to pay salaries on time for the third consecutive month in July, with players refusing to play in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Burnley last Saturday. While the players have said they will play in Sunday's opening Sky Bet Championship fixture at Leicester, the EFL is now working with Chansiri to find new ownership. 'The League wants to see a strong, stable and competitive Sheffield Wednesday, and for that to happen we are clear that the current owner needs either to fund the club to meet its obligations or make good on his commitment to sell to a well-funded party, for fair market value – ending the current uncertainty and impasse,' the governing body said. What's on today? Several clubs are in action in the qualifying round of the Europa Conference League, with Hibs away to Partizan and Dundee United travelling to Rapid Vienna. Linfield are away to Vikingur and Larne host Santa Clara. In League One, Port Vale host Cardiff.
Scotsman
26 minutes ago
- Scotsman
Hibs No. 1 grew up on Euro legends at Forest - and can't wait to make own history
Europa Conference League test in Belgrade an opportunity for Easter Road side Sign up to our Hibs football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Jordan Smith was raised on tales of European glory. Weaned on the history of a club whose continental exploits remain the stuff of legend. Having waited so long for his first taste of UEFA competition, the 30-year-old goalkeeper is determined to savour every minute of Hibernian's adventure. And to extend the experience for as long as possible. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Smith, who takes no offence at references to his career focusing on the journeyman-like aspects of his travels to date, has come into his own since being dropped into the middle of a full-brown crisis at Easter Road last season. Having shown himself to be a dramatic improvement on Joe Bursik, he's currently seeing off the challenge of new signing Raphael Sallinger. Smith, who actually racked up 50-plus games for Forest before moving on to Barnsley, Mansfield, Huddersfield and Stockport, explained the lure of competing in the Europa Conference League – after being knocked out of the Europa League by Midtjylland – in simple terms. 'I grew up as a youngster at Forest, where the older gentlemen around the place spoke with smiles on their faces about the great days when they won two European Cups,' he said, with a grin. 'Those successes created so many great memories for everyone at that club - and that's what we want for Hibs. The gaffer challenges us to make our own history and that's what we've given ourselves the chance to do. 'All the fans who travelled to Denmark with us last time were fantastic, it was special for them and for us. I've seen a few of them since and they're so proud to be following us in Europe again. We want to give them a result that makes them even prouder. We want them to come away with memories that get passed down through the years. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'At Forest, the photos and all the other reminders are everywhere, at the stadium and the training ground – and to be honest, it's quite hard to live up to that. As soon as new signings walk in the door, the first thing they show them is the replica of the European Cup. Then there's the two stars on the badge, all that kind of stuff. 'It's something everyone there can be very proud of, and I was definitely proud to have worn that crest, to have represented them. I'm so glad they're back at the top level again. 'Thought my chance had gone ...' 'In all honesty, I thought at 30 my chance of playing in Europe had gone. I'd kind of got lost in the English system and spent a long time wondering what my level was going to end up as. 'The gaffer's spoken a lot about Dwight Gayle and what a career he's had, but playing at this level is something he never got to do, so you never take it for granted. We actually hoped the chance of European football might have tempted him back, but it didn't quite work! Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'For me, though, as a 30-year-old, would I have expected it? No. So it's testament to all of us here that we've earned the right to represent Hibs here.' Smith expects to be put to the test here in Belgrade tonight, with Partizan boasting a young team full of talent. And, of course, the atmosphere is certain to be towards the lively end of uproarious. 'A couple of the boys had a look online at Partizan's games and we know it's going to be a hostile environment,' said the experienced goalie. 'That's one of the great things about Europe, though, the fact that we get to travel to places we wouldn't normally go to, that we get to experience these kinds of atmospheres. 'It'll be different from Midtjylland, that's for sure. But when we were talking at the back end of last season, this is the kind of night it was all about, this is what we were aiming for. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'It's another opportunity for to and enjoy that and to try and prove ourselves. You need a strong mindset to thrive in the kind of atmosphere we're expecting to face. You'll definitely get the adrenaline and the nerves, it just depends on how you use them – do you allow them to breed doubt or to fuel the fire. 'For me, there's a real need to concentrate more, something I work on a lot. As I've got older, I've practiced focussing my mind more and more. When you think that Thursday went to extra-time, then you're thinking about the possibility of penalties, then you're having to pick yourself up for a league, then you're back into Europe again, you have to find ways to keep yourself switched on all the time. 'I think that's even more important for a goalkeeper, because while an outfield player might get away with switching off for a split-second and making a mistake, we don't.' Smith still carries the air of a man living some unexpected dream. Signed very much as a back-up to former England Under-21 star Bursik, he deserves enormous credit for taking his chance when it came. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'I hadn't played first team football for a long time before getting my chance here and there's no doubt that doubts begin to creep in,' he confessed, adding: 'You have to work hard to maintain confidence in yourself, so I can't sing the gaffer's praises enough for having that confidence, for sticking with me. 'I'd like to think I've repaid his faith with my performance since coming into the team at the end of last October – I'm quite proud of myself, I give myself a little pat on the back, never forgetting that the attention's always on the next game and being at your best again. 'My game's changed massively since the gaffer brought me in. There's no pretending that when I came in the team wasn't in a dark place, so it was all about trying hard not to make mistakes that would make things worse. 'But since then we've been on a great run, so we all feel a bit better about ourselves and it means I can work on helping the defenders in front of me more, taking some of the pressure off them. You're a small part of a big team, someone who just tries to help as best he can. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'I've learned a lot about myself these past ten months. In a footballing sense I'm still a student of the game, someone who still watches every frame of footage I can about the opposition. 'And as a person, when I think back to those really testing times, I feel better prepared to deal with the high-pressure moments that lie ahead.'
Daily Mirror
27 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Championship 1-24 predictions: Promotion race decided as Ipswich and Wrexham discover fate
The Championship is officially back this weekend and the division's 24 teams will all spend the next 10 months battling it out for the prize of promotion to the Premier League After months of ticking off Saturdays on the calendar, we are finally ready to welcome back the Championship ahead of Friday night's big opener between Birmingham City and Ipswich Town. One week on from Leagues One and Two taking centre stage, the Championship will return over the coming days as 24 teams all fight it out for a shot at the big-time: promotion to the Premier League and the untold riches that come with such a feat. The Championship is now regarded as one of the most exciting leagues in Europe in its own right and a big part of that is the unpredictability of it. So, as I'm an absolute glutton for punishment I figured I'd take a crack at trying to do the impossible by predicting where every single team will finish. My 1-24 is below, so feel free to get stuck in and bookmark accordingly for when May comes around... 24 - Sheffield Wednesday Unfortunately, it's hard to see how Sheffield Wednesday recover from a severely damaging summer. Dejphon Chansiri's failure to sell the club has not only caused turmoil off the pitch, from a football perspective it's seen the Owls lose key players. To make matters worse, they are also now bound by restrictions when it comes to replacing them. At the time of writing, Wednesday have made no signings at all this summer and another of their players, Max Lowe, has just handed in his notice and will likely be at a new club before the month is out. If Henrik Pedersen, the Owls' newly minted head coach, keeps Wednesday up then he deserves the keys to the Steel City. 23 - Oxford United In Gary Rowett, Oxford have a manager who practically guarantees Championship survival. Yes, Birmingham went down with Rowett at the helm two years ago, but the damage was done long before he took over. With that being said, I'm tipping them to go down. Why? I'm not blown away with the recruitment in a division which looks far tougher than last year on paper. Goals are probably the biggest concern; Mark Harris started the 2024-25 campaign on fire with four goals in as many games but scored just two more between the end of August and May. They averaged just over a goal a game last season (49 in total) and if Nik Prelec and Will Lankshear fail to hit the ground running, it could be a long hard season. 22 - Hull City Sorry Hull fans, but I've got you marked for the final relegation spot after another turbulent summer under the enigma that is Acun Ilicali. The goodwill that Ilicali built up after acquiring the club back in January 2022 is quickly (and justifiably) eroding and the off-field turmoil that has made headlines in recent months is bound to have a detrimental effect on a squad which has a manager who is untested in the Championship in Sergej Jakirovic. Quality wise, is Hull's squad worse than 21 other Championship teams? No. But I reckon the aforementioned other factors at play will ultimately bring down the Tigers. 21 - Charlton Athletic Charlton will be up against it after coming up through the play-offs, but their activity in the summer transfer window has given me just about enough optimism to back them staying up. While the majority may be untested at Championship level, the Addicks have an abundance of options at the top end of the pitch: Tanto Olaofe, Rob Apter and Charlie Kelman have all arrived for seven-figure fees to bolster an attack which already featured Matty Godden and Miles Leaburn. At the other end of the pitch, Thomas Kaminski and Reece Burke were part of a defence that got relegated last season. But Charlton's options up top should be enough to get them over the line. 20 - Preston North End After sleepwalking into the relegation dogfight last season, Preston North End could well find themselves flirting with League One again in the coming months. Paul Heckingbottom has good Championship pedigree and could be worth his weight in gold if the season plays out how I think it might. At the time of writing, PNE are among a clutch of clubs pursuing a deal for Wycombe's Richard Kone which would arguably be one of the division's top summer coups. But at the moment - like most of the clubs I'm tipping to finish in the lower echelons of the table - I'm not bowled over with PNE's current options in attack. Will they go down? No. But I don't think they'll be tearing up any trees. 19 - Blackburn Rovers Tipping the team who finished seventh last year to end up in 19th place this time around feels bold, but I'm struggling to see how Blackburn improve on that this time around. The reasoning? Well, they've lost two of last season's top performers in Tyrhys Dolan and Callum Brittain. When you then factor in the departure of Andi Weimann, Rovers feel light on firepower and it's hard to see where the goals will come from. The jury is still out on Valerian Ismael for me personally, too. 19th might feel low but at the same time I think Blackburn are substantially better than the bottom five and won't be looking over their shoulder in terms of relegation. 18 - Wrexham This is one of the shouts which could age horrifically over the next nine months given Wrexham are capable of doing pretty much anything in the transfer window between now and 1 September, but their current squad struggles on paper. They've signed well and players like Lewis O'Brien, Josh Windass and Kiefer Moore are quality additions. But the majority of Wrexham's players are not Championship calibre, which is completely understandable given their rapid rise through the divisions. Phil Parkinson has taken Wrexham from non-league to the second-tier but his Championship record is unremarkable to say the least. He won just 26 games across 141 during spells at Bolton and Charlton and I don't see that changing this year, which could leave Wrexham with a tough decision to make. 17 - Stoke City Mark Robins worked wonders during a near-decade long spell at Coventry City. And if anyone needs a bit of magic after a few dire years in the Championship, it's Stoke. They've failed to finish in the top half of the Championship at all since dropping down to the second-tier eight years ago and even with Robins at the helm (who I rate highly) I'm not ultra convinced that sorry run changes this year. They do, however, have one of the best goalkeepers in the Championship in Viktor Johansson. And I like the signings of Sorba Thomas and Maksym Taloverov. I fancy Stoke to be steady but they won't rip up any trees. 16 - Middlesbrough Rob Edwards has replaced Michael Carrick at the helm ahead of the new campaign but I'm not convinced that move has particularly made Middlesbrough a better bet for promotion. Yes, Edwards guided Luton to the Premier League three years ago. But do I deem him as an improvement on Carrick? No. Nor do I think Boro have an infinitely better squad this time around even if I think the additions of Alfie Jones, Callum Brittain and Abdoulaye Kante are good ones on paper. Boro will need to replace the goals of Emmanuel Latte-Lath if they are to trouble the top-six this season. Add in the fact that Boro's other two top players in Hayden Hackney and Rav van den Berg could also be sold all of a sudden things are looking pretty bleak. 15 - Portsmouth Portsmouth stayed up with games to spare last year and I'm expecting a year of consolidation this term under the impressive John Mousinho. Adrian Segecic is an intriguing signing, while John Swift is still a quality operator at this level. They feel light in attack, though, and it's imperative that Josh Murphy and Colby Bishop stay fit if Pompey are to stay clear of trouble. They will be buoyed by how they finished last season, though, and boast one of the EFL's top young managers, so I'm backing more progress for Pompey. 14 - Bristol City Liam Manning took Bristol City to the play-offs last season but I can't see Gerard Struber replicating that feat this season. Style-wise, going from Manning's controlled approach to Struber's heavy metal football is quite the leap. But with the Championship's fascination of keeping possession for possessions' sake dying out, Struber's philosophy should translate well. For me, the biggest question mark yet again is around the goals. Anis Mehmeti top scored last year with 12, followed by Nakhi Wells on 10 and Scott Twine on five. That's a big drop and Wells is no longer around. Is Emil Riis the answer? The jury is out on that for me personally but he has hit double figures in two of his five seasons in the Championship for PNE - including last year - and should be a good fit for what Struber wants to do. A drop-off from last year feels inevitable, though. 13 - West Brom West Brom are probably the hardest team to place for me in this. Much of that is down to their new head coach, Ryan Mason. The former Tottenham man has never been the main man before and while he inherits a decent squad on paper, this is largely the same group which fell away from the play-off picture after Carlos Corberan departed on Christmas Eve (good tidings and all that). Firepower is something they do have with Josh Maja and Daryl Dike now joined by summer signing Aune Heggebo. Sometimes it's alright to hold your hands up and say, in all honesty, I haven't a clue. And that's very much the case with me and West Brom here. 12 - QPR A mid table finish might be boring, but I think QPR will be anything but this season. After all, they have Illias Chair, Karamoko Dembele and Kwame Poku in their ranks after landing the latter from Peterborough United on a free transfer. Will that translate into a top-six finish? Maybe; there's certainly lots to like about their squad and Julien Stephan is an intriguing choice to replace Marti Cifuentes. Keeping goals out was the issue last season, rather than scoring them, but Amadou Mbengue is a shrewd pick-up, as is bringing in Steve Bould - formerly of Arsenal - as head of defensive coaching. Could QPR trouble the top-six? Anyone from this point in should be in the picture and I'd have them higher if I was higher personally on their No 9 options. 11 - Derby County I almost tipped Derby to finish a couple of places higher than this and I quietly fancy John Eustace will make them a bit of a force after coming in and having a huge impact last season. Eustace is a top coach and Derby have added well: Carlton Morris, Patrick Agyemang and Rhian Brewster will spearhead a new-look attack alongside the returning Andi Weimann and David Ozoh is also back for another loan spell. Derby have strengthened in key areas, suffered no big losses and have a coach who outperformed his parts at both Birmingham and Blackburn. The Rams will go well indeed. 10 - Swansea City Swansea have done some quality business. But I'm not sold on them having the depth to push for a top-six finish. Picking up Cameron Burgess on a free transfer from Ipswich is one of the most eye-catching deals of the summer and Ethan Galbraith just oozes class. But they still feel a quality striker short of being bonafide play-off contenders. I like Alan Sheehan, though, and I think Swansea are a good bet for a top-10 finish. Higher than that? Maybe next year. 9 - Norwich City Norwich were one of the Championship's biggest disappointments last year under the uninspiring Johannes Hoff Thorup. Enter Liam Manning, who defied the odds to steer Bristol City into the play-offs last season. I'm a big fan of Manning and Norwich have been ambitious in the transfer market with 11 new signings. Most are unknown quantities at this level but some, such as Papa Amadou Diallo and Mathias Kvistgaarden, are eye-catching additions. If they can hit the ground running in Norfolk, then expect Norwich to push higher than ninth - even if they lose the impressive Josh Sargeant. At the bare minimum, though, the appointment of Manning and Norwich's attempt to overhaul a squad which massively fell short of expectations last year are signs that the Canaries are back on the right track. 8 - Leicester City Plenty fancy Leicester for an instant return to the Premier League, but I don't think it will be as cut and dried as that. Marti Cifuentes is fine as a Championship operator. But the division is strong this year and I'm not sure that fine cuts it. The same goes for Leicester's squad; there have been no major additions to the group that dropped out of the top-flight last year and they look light on quality No 9 options. A possible points deduction would leave Cifuentes and Co with a mountain to climb from the off. When you also factor in financial concerns, fan unrest and the likelihood of key players such as Mads Hermansen and Bilal El Khannouss moving on, it gets harder to tip Leicester for that top-six finish. My gut says they miss out. 7 - Watford 12 months on from being suitably worried about Watford to tip them for the drop, I've done a complete 180 and am labelling them as my dark horses this year. They've got a player I rate as one of the division's very best in Giorgi Chakvetadze and there's serious quality around him, too, in the form of Imran Louza and Kwadwo Baah. Furthermore, Watford's summer business on paper looks exciting even if the likes of Nestory Irankunda and Luca Kjerrumgaard are Championship newbies. The same can be said for the Hornets' new head coach, Paulo Pezzolano. And while that means there's maybe an element of risk backing Watford to finish this high, there's lots to like about them this year. And after being proved massively wrong by them last year, I'm all in on Watford this year. 6 - Birmingham City Birmingham have one thing on their mind this season: promotion back to the Premier League. And while that may seem bold for a team who have just come up from League One, they look nailed on for a top-six finish. If we're being blunt, Birmingham's squad was far too good for the third-tier last year. Add in the likes of Tommy Doyle, Kyogo Furuhashi, Demarai Gray and Eiran Cashin amongst others to that group and you've got a squad which is up there with the best in this division. Do I think Blues go up automatically? No. But they should be shoo-ins for the top-six unless something goes drastically wrong. 5 - Millwall Without being biased (honestly) I think this is the year Millwall finally crack the top-six after some near misses in recent years. 4-4-2 is sexy again down at The Den and Mihailo Ivanovic and Josh Coburn (signed permanently for a club-record fee after a positive loan spell) have the scope to add the goals Millwall have been sorely lacking in recent years. In the former, it feels like the Lions have a genuine golden boot contender IF they can keep him beyond 1 September. The signing of Alfie Doughty is a major coup and his quality can keep Millwall's front two well fed, while in Alex Neil the Lions' boast one of the Championship's most consistent coaches. What does this all add up to? I'm saying a fifth place finish. 4 - Sheffield United We'll start on Sheffield United with this: I really like Ruben Selles and Hull's decision to sack him will be another decision from their eccentric owner that doesn't age well. The Blades already have a strong squad, albeit one which struggled to get over the line when it mattered at the business end of last season. They have quality all over the pitch and in Michael Cooper and Gus Hamer, they have two of the division's best players in their respective positions. Anel Ahmedhodzic would have been pooled similarly and his departure to Feyenoord is a significant blow. But Sheffield United have too much quality to not be in the mix for a top-two finish - even if I'm tipping them to fall short again. 3 - Coventry City Coventry made the top-six last term and while I think they will miss out on going one better, I reckon Frank Lampard and Co will get another crack at the play-offs this time around. They've added to what is already a quality squad and will be all the better for their failed play-off campaign last season. Goals are no concern with only the two promoted sides and Norwich bettering Coventry's tally of 64 strikes last term and in Carl Rushworth they have a quality operator in between their own sticks. Yes, Lampard had the benefit of inheriting a squad with quality all over the pitch when replacing Mark Robins last season but players like Jack Rudoni have flourished under him. And there should be more to come from Coventry, Rudoni and their manager this season. 2 - Southampton Southampton have way too much firepower to not be in the promotion mix and in Will Still, they have one of the most promising young coaches in football. Does that translate to promotion? Yeah, basically. I don't really see any other outcome: the Saints' squad is absolutely stacked and they will overpower plenty of teams in their bid to make an instant return to the Premier League led by Still, whose CV is impressive and varied enough to outweigh the caveat of him being an unknown quantity in the Championship. Sometimes football is simple. The best players, in this case those of Southampton, will win lots of matches and subsequently promotion. 1 - Ipswich Town They blitzed their way to successive promotions two years ago and Ipswich should be all the stronger for last season's unsuccessful crack at attempting to stay in the Premier League. The fact that Kieran McKenna's stock remains largely intact following relegation should tell you everything you need to know about the Ipswich Town manager and the swashbuckling style that took them to promotion two years ago should translate well with how the division is shaping up this year. Liam Delap may be gone but Ipswich have more options in attack than a Swiss Army knife: Jack Clarke and Jaden Philogene have torn up the Championship before, as has Sammie Szmodics. Omari Hutchinson is also still around at the time of writing, and that's before you even factor in the likes of Chiedozie Ogbene, George Hirst and Conor Chaplin. The most important thing about Ipswich is that they don't feel like damaged goods after succumbing to relegation last term. They will start the season as red-hot favourites for the title and it's not hard to see why. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
