Innehållsförteckning för Football 2018 från World Soccer

Brought in on a free, the 24-year-old Bosnian should be just what the Arsenal doctor ordered. Apart from his ability to play in a number of positions - left-back, left-wing-back or midfield enforcer - Kolasinac is renowned for his grit and ferocious competitive spirit; commodities not normally associated with Arsene Wenger’s side in recent years. Schalke fans traditionally prefer the upand- at-’em style to silky technique, and in the combative Bosnian they saw the sort of warrior they easily could identify with: a blue-collar keeper of the faith, rugged, indomitable, hard-running and particularly fearsome in the tackle. No mission or opponent fazes him, and in a sign of his single-minded effectiveness he produced a man of the match display early this year to neutralise Bayern Munich wing-wizard Arjen Robben. Rarely…

FRANK DE BOER CRYSTAL PALACE Age 47 Previous clubs: Ajax youth (Hol), Holland (assistant), Ajax (Hol), Internazionale (Ita) Honours: Dutch title (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014) Crystal Palace have taken a leap into the unknown by appointing Frank De Boer as their first permanent foreign manager in place of Sam Allardyce, who stepped down at the end of last season. Former Ajax, Barcelona and Holland defender De Boer coached Ajax to four Dutch league titles in a row and helped to lay the foundations of the side that reached this year’s Europa League Final, losing to Manchester United in Stockholm. De Boer has promised to lead a tactical revolution at Palace, who are keen to move away from the defensive style that has characterised their relegation battles of recent seasons. “I…

PREMIER LEAGUE Arsenal Bournemouth Brighton & Hove Albion Burnley Chelsea Crystal Palace Everton Huddersfield Town Leicester City Liverpool Manchester City Manchester United Newcastle United Southampton Stoke City Swansea City Tottenham Hotspur Watford West Bromwich Albion West Ham United CHAMPIONSHIP Aston Villa Barnsley Birmingham City Bolton Wanderers Brentford Bristol City Burton Albion Derby County Cardiff City Fulham Hull City Ipswich Town Leeds United Middlesbrough Millwall Norwich City Nottingham Forest Preston North End Reading Queens Park Rangers Sheffield United Sheffield Wednesday Sunderland Wolverhampton W LEAGUE ONE AFC Wimbledon Blackburn Rovers Blackpool Bradford City Bristol Rovers Bury Charlton Athletic Doncaster Rovers Fleetwood Town Gillingham MK Dons Northampton Town Oldham Athletic Oxford United Peterborough United Plymouth Argyle Portsmouth Rochdale Rotherham United Scunthorpe United Shrewsbury Town Southend United Walsall Wigan Athletic LEAGUE TWO Accrington Stanley…

FLASHBACK apr 17 Beram Kayal celebrates with teammates in the stands after the win at home to Wigan athletic secured promotion to the Premier League. LAST SEASON Championship 2nd (in Championship) // Top scorer Glenn Murray 23 // FA Cup 4th round // League Cup 3rd round // Average attendance 27,995 BACK IN THE BIG TIME Brighton are back in the top flight for the first time in 34 years. In that time, they almost dropped out of the Football League, lost their Goldstone Ground home and found temporary accommodation at Gillingham and the Withdean athletics track. With the backing of Tony Bloom, they built a brand new stadium at Falmer on the outskirts of Brighton and clawed their way back up the divisions. manager Former Newcastle and Norwich boss…

FLASHBACK apr 1 Christian Benteke scores as Palace beat Chelsea 2-1 at Stamford Bridge. LAST SEASON Premier League 14th // Top scorer Christian Benteke 15 // FA Cup 4th round // League Cup 3rd round Average attendance 25,160 THINKING BIG WITH DE BOER The shock departure of Sam Allardyce a few days after the end of last season left Palace in limbo. The former England boss restored his reputation by saving Palace from the drop, but then opted for retirement. The hiring of Frank De Boer as Allardyce’s replacement is a bold statement of intent by a Palace board that is keen to avoid the relegation struggles of recent seasons. De Boer says he wants to see Palace play a more possession-based game. manager Former Ajax and Internazionale boss Frank…

FLASHBACK mar 14 Wes morgan celebrates his goal in the 2-0 win at home to Sevilla that took Leicester into the Champions League quarter-finals. LAST SEASON Premier League 12th // Top scorer Jamie Vardy 13 // FA Cup 5th round // League Cup 3rd round // Average attendance 31,893 FOXES SEARCHING FOR STABILITY The 2016 Premier League champions are hoping for a season of stability after the highs and lows of last year: a Champions League run coupled with a relegation battle and the sacking of title-winning coach Claudio Ranieri. The Foxes swooped for young defender Harry Maguire, paying relegated Hull City £12m, but mercurial winger Riyad Mahrez may depart. manager Craig Shakespeare, the former Walsall, West Brom and Grimsby midfielder, was confirmed as Leicester boss this summer after agreeing…

FLASHBACK may 24 United lift the europa league trophy for the first time in the club’s history after beating ajax 2-0 in the Final in Stockholm. LAST SEASON Premier League 6th // Top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic 17 // FA Cup Quarter-finals // League Cup Winners Europa League Winners // Average attendance 75,289 A ‘SPECIAL’ SUCCESSOR TO FERGIE? Have United finally moved on from Alex Ferguson? David Moyes and Louis Van Gaal both struggled to live up to expectations, but Jose Mourinho has raised hopes once again at Old Trafford. Mourinho’s Premier League record was no better than Moyes or Van Gaal – United missed out on the Champions League places again last season – but the “Special One” delivered a League Cup success and the Europa League triumph in Stockholm.…

FLASHBACK apr 15 Xherdan Shaqiri scores a spectacular goal to secure a 3-1 win at home to Hull City. LAST SEASON premier League 13th // Top scorer Peter Crouch 10 // FA Cup 3rd round // League Cup 3rd round Average attendance 27,117 STEADY EDDIES SEEKING MORE SPARKLE Stoke are the Steady Eddies of the Premier League, rarely leaving the mid-table places. Manager Mark Hughes has moved the club on from the safety-first tactics of the Tony Pulis era but big-name signings (Shaqiri, Bojan, Imbula) have failed to sparkle on a consistent level. Veteran midfielder Darren Fletcher was the first signing of the summer, joining on a free from West Brom. manager Premier League veteran Mark Hughes is contracted until 2019 Who’s the daddy? Chairman Peter Coates is in his…

FLASHBACK Jan 31 Younes Kaboul gives Watford the lead at the Emirates Stadium on their way to defeating Arsenal 2-1. LAST SEASON Premier League 17th // Top scorer Troy Deeney 10 // FA Cup 4th round // League Cup 2nd round Average attendance 20,571 BIG THIWNGS EXPECTED FROM SILVA It’s all change again at Vicarage Road as the Hornets start the new season with a new manager for the fifth successive year. Following the sacking of Italian Walter Mazzarri, in comes Portuguese boss Marco Silva, fresh from his battle against relegation with Hull City. The new man will be expected to play a more attack-minded game. With that in mind, England Under-21 midfielder Will Hughes has been snapped up from Derby. manager Marco Silva agreed a two-year contract just days…

VILLA PLOT PREMIER LEAGUE RETURN After a difficult first season back in the second tier, Villa are the bookies’ favourites to win promotion to the Premier League. Villa have all the ingredients – an experienced manager, talented players and enthusiastic fans – to make that happen. But there are many examples – Wolves, Forest, Derby – of big clubs who have struggled to recapture former glories. manager Steve Bruce replaced Roberto Di Matteo in October last year on a rolling contract. Who’s the Daddy? Chinese businessman Tony Xie bought the club from American Randy Lerner for a reported £76m last year. stadium Villa Park (42,660) nickname Villains odds 5/2 to win promotion FAN’S VIEW Jonathan Fear Vital Villa LAST SEASON WAS… Bang average. There is no excuse with the expensively…

BOUNCING BACK UNDER PARKINSON Bolton are back in the second tier of English football after just one year away, having bounced back under the strong leadership of manager Phil Parkinson. This summer they have signed experience in the form of full-back Andrew Taylor (Wigan), striker Adam Le Fondre (permanent deal) and right-back Mark Little (Bristol City). manager Former Colchester, Charlton and Bradford boss Phil Parkinson agreed a two-year contract in summer 2016. Who’s the daddy? The Sports Shield consortium, owned by Ken Anderson, bought the controlling share of previous owner Eddie Davies in 2016, with Davies writing off the club’s extensive debts. stadium Macron (28,723) nickname Trotters odds 33/1 to win promotion FAN’S VIEW Chris Mann Burnden aces LAST SEASON WAS… Dropping into League One was a hammer blow, especially…

ALBION CONTINUE TO DEFY THE CRITICS Burton’s incredible rise through the divisions continues. Eight years after the promotion to the Football League, Nigel Clough’s side ended their historic first season in the second tier safe from relegation after a campaign in which they again confounded the critics. This season, Clough plans to stick with the same nucleus of players but has added Northern Ireland international striker Liam Boyce, the top scorer in last year’s Scottish Premiership with 23 goals for Ross County, signed for a club record fee, believed to be £500,000. manager Former Sheffield United and Derby boss Nigel Clough returned for a second spell in December 2015 and was linked with a move to Nottingham Forest in January. Who’s the daddy? Chairman Ben Robinson has been on the…

JOKANOVIC TURNS THE TIDE Fulham earned plaudits for their attacking football last season. Slavisa Jokanovic turned around the fortunes of a team that were 18th in the table when he arrived in 2015 and staring at a relegation battle. The Cottagers were joint top scorers (with Newcastle and Norwich) and had the best goal difference after Newcastle and Brighton. They had the most shots (711), the highest possession (62 per cent) and the most accurate passes (83 per cent) but they suffered from inconsistency, losing key games that ultimately cost them dear. Manager Former Chelsea and Serbia midfielder Slavisa Jokanovic was appointed in December 2015, replacing Kit Symons. Who’s the daddy? American billionaire Shahid Khan paid Mohamed Al Fayed a reported £180m for the club in 2013. He also owns…

NEW OWNER, NEW ERA It’s been all change at Elland Road this summer. Last season, Leeds almost made the play-offs under Garry Monk despite the chaotic mismanagement of owner Massimo Cellini. Now both men have gone, with new owner Andrea Radrizzani appointing Middlesbrough’s former head of recruitment Victor Orta as director of football and ex-APOEL Nicosia coach Thomas Christiansen as coach. Manager Thomas Christiansen agreed a two-year contract in June. who’s the Daddy? Italian investor Andrea Radrizzani completed his buyout of former owner Massimo Cellini in May. Stadium Elland Road (37,890) Nickname Whites Odds 6/1 to win promotion FAN’S VIEW MARCHINg oN TogeTHeR motforum.com LAST SEASON WAS… A ray of hope, after a decade of dross. Monk got us organised, and although it wasn’t always pretty, it was effective for…

FARKE IN AT CARROW ROAD It’s all change at Carrow Road, with Norwich going down the German route by appointing Daniel Farke, the coach of borussia Dortmund’s reserve team, as the long-term successor to alex Neil. Farke returned to his old team to sign central defender Christoph Zimmermann and used his German contacts to sign midfielder Mario Vrancic from Darmstadt. angus Gunn, son of bryan, has rejoined on a loan from Man City, while striker Marley Watkins joined from barnsley. Manager Daniel Farke, who succeeded David Wagner as coach of borussia Dortmund ll, agreed a two-year contract in May. Who’s the Daddy? Delia Smith and her husband Michael Wynn-Jones are still the club’s major shareholders. Stadium Carrow Road (27,244) Nickname Canaries Odds 11/4 to win promotion FAN’S VIEW JACoB SINkINS…

HOLLOWAY FACING TOUGH TASK Ian Holloway has brought some much-needed stability at Rangers after some tumultuous seasons shuttling between the Championship and the top flight. The club is trying to bring through more youngsters while balancing the books in a tightly contested division. Striker Jamie Mackie has signed on for another year while midfielder Karl Henry left the club. Midfielder Michael Doughty joined Peterborough and Ben Gladwin moved to Blackburn Rovers. Manager Ian Holloway rejoined the club in November 2016, signing a two-and-a-half-year deal. Who’s the Daddy? Malaysian businessman Tony Fernandes bought out Bernie Ecclestone in 2011. Stadium Loftus Road (18,489) Nickname Rangers Odds 16/1 to win promotion FAN’S VIEW DAVE THOMAS A Kick Up the Rs www.akutrs.co.uk LAST SEASON WAS… Rangers started the season with a bang and finished…

HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION Defeat on penalties to Huddersfield in the semi-finals was a second successive season that the Owls have failed in the play-offs. But the club is moving in the right direction under former Sporting Lisbon boss Carlos Carvalhal. Manager Portuguese boss Carlos Carvalhal took charge in 2015 and recently extended his Owls contract. Who’s the Daddy? Thai businessman Dejphon Chansiri bought the club in 2015. Stadium Hillsborough (39,732) Nickname Owls Odds 4/1 to win promotion FAN’S VIEW RICHARD BRook LAST SEASON WAS… Has to be seen as progress by Wednesday fans, in retrospect. At the time struggling to claw our way into sixth spot in the midst of a late wobble didn’t feel like it, but we actually finished with a bigger points tally than the…

FAN’S VIEW CHARLIE TALBOT LAST SEASON WAS… An incredible achievement on paper to stay up so easily, oddly dull to watch in reality with a second-half slump to make fans nervous about this campaign. THIS SEASON WILL BE… The fear is we continue our 2017 form and find points very hard to come by. The hope is Neal Ardley rebuilds a new squad to keep us in league one. OUR BIGGEST HERO Overall, Tom Elliott. His goals and hold-up play will be sorely missed. But the iconic moment of the season was supplied by Lyle Taylor sealing the home win over the franchise. OUR BIGGEST VILLAIN Karl Robinson. More revisionist nonsense and pot-stirring dissembling from a man who should learn to keep his mouth shut. BEST SONG LAST SEASON Seeing…

FAN’S VIEW JASON McKEOWN Width of a Post widthofapost.com LAST SEASON WAS… After a difficult summer of change, to perform as well as we did over the season was well beyond expectations. It was heartbreaking to lose the play-off Final at Wembley, but still a brilliant season. THIS SEASON WILL BE… We’ve seen a worryingly high number of departures this summer, which means an unexpectedly large rebuilding job. If the club – who last season introduced a transfer committee approach – continues to recruit strongly, we should push for promotion again. But it’s a big if. OUR BIGGEST HERO Stuart McCall’s return proved inspired, as he demonstrated he was a better all-round manager than his first spell, got the team playing some excellent football and so nearly took us all…

FAN’S VIEW DANNY CARLIER forum.charltonlife.com LAST SEASON WAS… Abject nothingness. Following relegation, the club plodded along, never threatening to challenge nor be woeful enough for relegation. Russell Slade was sacked after just one defeat in five, a week after our CEO had said he was our future. Karl Robinson failed to generate any pickup. THIS SEASON WILL BE… Hope beyond hope that our absent Belgian owner and his sidekick finally leave and we can start the rebuild to being a proper football club again. My fear is Robinson just won’t be given the board support to drive us forward. OUR BIGGEST HERO Ricky Holmes walked the Player of the Year vote last season. OUR BIGGEST VILLAIN Keith Stroud. Our record versus South London rivals Millwall is worse than abysmal. Referee…

FAN’S VIEW KEITH PESTELL Gillingham Independent Supporters Club LAST SEASON WAS… Awful. A massive contrast from the season before. We had hoped to build on the success and challenge for the play-offs. Confidence and expectations were high, but the season never lived up to them. Justin Edinburgh failed to get anything out of the squad, before Adrian Pennock took over. THIS SEASON WILL BE… The hope is to have a better season than last - most Gills fans will take a quiet season in mid-table. We have to improve in defence and replace key players, especially Bradley Dack and Cody McDonald. If we don’t, the fear is we end up in another relegation battle. OUR BIGGEST HERO Josh Wright won Player of the Year, scoring some key goals from midfield…

FAN’S VIEW WAYNE AUSTIN LAST SEASON WAS… Groundhog day. As he did the season before, John Sheridan came back to save us. We went from certain relegation candidates to promotion form. THIS SEASON WILL BE… Hoping we can kick on and maybe threaten the play-offs. We only need to add a bit more quality. The fear is that we revert to type and a relegation fight. OUR BIGGEST HERO A toss up between Conor Ripley and Peter Clarke. I’ll marginally give it to Clarke (our captain), a man mountain, We’d be relegated by Christmas without these two. OUR BIGGEST VILLAIN Calvin Andrew, subsequently banned for 12 games for GBH on Clarke. BEST SONG LAST SEASON “We’ve got (clap, clap) Conor Ripley.” YOUNGSTER TO WATCH Jamie Stott followed closely by George…

FAN’S VIEW ANDY CHAPMAN LAST SEASON WAS… A promotion season that never really properly felt like one. Having seemingly got top spot back from Donny, getting pipped by Pompey on goal difference on the final day summed it all up! THIS SEASON WILL BE… Hopes are to push on and have another good go at it. Fears are that it still feels like the club has off-the-field limitations which may not be able to keep pace with the progress on the pitch. OUR BIGGEST HERO Mercurial midfielder Graham Carey was our talisman – weighing in with some quality goals. Currently out of contract – with the Green Army hoping he chooses to stay. OUR BIGGEST VILLAIN Steve McManaman with his ridiculous ramblings about the negativity of our defensive display at…

FAN’S VIEW JAMIE NOBLE LAST SEASON WAS… As a club you never start a season to be relegated. At the time we thought we’d invested well both in the new manager and team, but the Championship is one of the toughest leagues in the world. THIS SEASON WILL BE… The aim has to be getting off to a good start, especially at home, to show we mean business and aim to bounce back to the Championship as quick as we can. OUR BIGGEST HERO That has to go to the fans! They stuck with us at home and despite the poor season we had a die-hard group attending our away matches who spent a lot of money and covered a lot of miles. OUR BIGGEST VILLAIN We can’t really blame…

FAN’S VIEW CALLUM BOND LAST SEASON WAS… Definitely a rollercoaster. Once certain players clicked, we played some great football and made a push for promotion. But the pressure in the last few games got to us and we missed the play-offs by one point to eventually promoted Millwall. THIS SEASON WILL BE… The manager has stated that promotion is the aim and it’s also been a while since Southend had a decent cup run. However, I fear that the departures of Adam Thompson (Bury) and unsung hero Will Atkinson (Mansfield) will be difficult to replace. OUR BIGGEST HERO Anton Ferdinand always put in maximum effort on the pitch. OUR BIGGEST VILLAIN Without a doubt Frank Nouble. He missed an open goal late in the game away to Charlton that would…

FAN’S VIEW NICK WESTWELL LAST SEASON WAS… Very up and down. Early doors there was the excitement of our progress in the League Cup with a trip to the Olympic Park to play West Ham – which was a day I won’t forget in a hurry. League form up till Xmas was very poor, we never got going at all. But at the turn of the year, with a few loan signings, we really picked up and could in the end have nicked a play-off spot. THIS SEASON WILL BE… Hopes are that we keep a large part of last year’s team. Fears are that players such as McCartan and Pearson will leave in August. OUR BIGGEST HERO Easy. From January till the end of the season we had loanee…

FAN’S VIEW ALASTAIR WOODCOCK Secretary, CUOSC LAST SEASON WAS… Ultimately, very disappointing. We were lying in the top two at Christmas but the second half of the season saw us almost completely collapse, before a late run of results got us into the play-offs. THIS SEASON WILL BE… A lot will depend on how we replace the experienced trio of Mark Gillespie, Michael Raynes and Jabo Ibehre. We also need to sort out our defence as a whole, which has been a problem for years. If we can do those things, hopefully we should at least make the play-offs again. OUR BIGGEST HERO Without a doubt Nicky Adams, who swept the player of the year awards. His workrate is second to none and he gets among the goals as well.…

FAN’S VIEW JON BURNS LAST SEASON WAS… It was a real season of two halves. Dreadful and sitting second from bottom in mid-November, the team rolled up their sleeves and found a winning formula that they could believe in. After that we stormed up the table to only just miss out on the play-offs. THIS SEASON WILL BE… There’s a strong belief that if we can keep the bulk of last season’s squad together then, at the very least, they can finish one place higher this season. Our greatest fear will be a return of the injury blight that crippled us last time around. OUR BIGGEST HERO Look no further than number 15, George Elokobi, who came back from a non-league loan to be a part of a new back…

FAN’S VIEW ADRIAN DOBSON LAST SEASON WAS… Hopes were running high of getting back into League One at the first time of asking. How wrong we were, as the season steadily declined – and after a seven match winless run, in January our manager, Steve Davis, was sacked. Things did vastly improve under replacement David Artell and smiling faces from the home support returned to Gresty Road. THIS SEASON WILL BE… Really hoping that the improvements of last season continue and a realistic hope of the play-offs is not out of the question. OUR BIGGEST HERO Chris Dagnall was top scorer and player of the season. OUR BIGGEST VILLAIN Just two seasons before, Steve Davis had been lauded as the new Messiah. However he came up with the same excuses…

FAN’S VIEW Codalmighty LAST SEASON WAS… Should have been better, could have been worse. We had a new set of players in a league we knew nothing about, so not getting relegated was the aim. By Christmas we realised that everyone (except Pompey, Plymouth, Donny and the ailing Orient) were of the same standard, so we could escape to victory and go straight up. Then Marcus Bignot went mad and threw out the bathwater leaving us with his babies. THIS SEASON WILL BE… We hope and fear for a terribly dull grind towards the play-offs, possibly, maybe. OUR BIGGEST HERO Craig Disley and Shaun Pearson, just because they are heroically old-fashioned footballers who understood the club and town. OUR BIGGEST VILLAIN We’re mildly peeved at many for the waste of…

FAN’S VIEW DEAN FOULKES LAST SEASON WAS… Bizarre in many ways as it felt like it was actually two seasons rolled in to one. We started steady before fading, then manager Adam Murray left and in came Steve Evans with several new players. Generally the improvement was huge although we just missed out on a play-off place. THIS SEASON WILL BE… I hope we win every single match, soundly thrashing Chesterfield and Notts County both home and away! There are no fears, most Stags fans are super excited and can’t wait for the season to start. OUR BIGGEST HERO Our fans, especially those who travelled away particularly midweek to far flung places like Yeovil and Carlisle. OUR BIGGEST VILLAIN Probably the referee who failed to send off a Pompey player…

FAN’S VIEW STUART BROTHERS LAST SEASON WAS… Hopefully, the start of a new, successful era. New owner Alan Hardy has reinvigorated matters off the field. Kevin Nolan has exceeded all expectations as manager. THIS SEASON WILL BE… We’re always cautious given we’ve seen more false dawns than a stripclub, but players like Shola Ameobi and Jon Stead suggests things are a little rosier at Meadow Lane. OUR BIGGEST HERO Great to see Rob Milsom become the player we’d seen sporadically in spells, each cut short due to injury. OUR BIGGEST VILLAIN John Sheridan’s tenure as manager was a dark one, with a dreary demeanour upsetting the applecart and prompting a losing streak that cost us being in play-off contention. BEST SONG LAST SEASON The way the Wheelbarrow Song echoed from…

FAN’S VIEW AARON SMITH thewashbag.com LAST SEASON WAS… Terrible. Somehow Lee Power has taken the club from near promotion to relegation. The feeling among Town fans is a lack of engagement with supporters coupled with the woeful performances made 2016-17 one of the worst seasons in living memory. THIS SEASON WILL BE… Our greatest fear is the real possibility of repeating Leyton Orient’s feat of League One play-off runners-up followed by non-league football in three seasons. The only hope is we maintain our good record in the fourth division of promotion at the first attempt. OUR BIGGEST HERO Our keeper Lawrence Vigouroux was player of the season and scooped all the awards. We always get relegated when the goalkeeper wins that accolade. OUR BIGGEST VILLAIN Tim Sherwood. Branded by Power…

A star of the second-string German side that triumphed in the summer’s Confederations Cup, Antonio Rudiger’s sights are now firmly set on winning a starting place in Chelsea’s first team – and the 24-year-old will provide Blues boss Antonio Conte with a whole host of options when it comes to deciding where to play him. In Russia, Rudiger operated on the left-hand side of Germany’s back-three – the shape that was favoured by Conte as his side won the Premier League last season – but the 6ft 3in stopper is equally comfortable playing at rightback in a four-man defence. “We are pleased to be able to bring in a player of proven quality who adds to our defensive options,” says Chelsea’s technical director, Michael Emenalo. “Antonio is still young but…

ALEXANDRE LACAZETTE club: arsenal country: France date of birth: 28, 1991 (aged 26) signed from: lyon (Fra) Fee: £45m The word “prolific” could have been invented for Arsenal’s new £45million French hit-man, the most costly signing in the history of the North London club. His numbers at the point of the Lyon attack speak for themselves: 129 goals in 275 matches in all competitions since making his first-team bow in the 2009-10 season; 113 Ligue 1 strikes in the last four campaigns; and a gargantuan tally of 37 in 45 official fixtures last term. Put the Lyon local boy on a rectangle of turf and he will prove decisive. Simple as that. Early in his OL career, he normally played out wide, either left or right, but in the summer…

FLASHBACK may 27 Aaron ramsey heads the winning goal past thibault courtois as Arsenal beat chelsea in the FA cup Final. WENGER CARRIES ON REGARDLESS This could be a landmark season for Arsenal. Arsene Wenger remains manager but he is in charge of a team that will compete in the Europa League, not the Champions League, after last season’s fifth-place finish. May’s FA Cup Final success – an astonishing third in four years and a record seventh for Wenger – is unlikely to keep the fans happy for long, especially if they lose star man Alexis Sanchez. Full-back Sead Kolasinac and striker Alexandre Lacazette were early summer arrivals. manager Arsene Wenger agreed a new two-year contract over the summer. His position was strengthened by the board’s acceptance of his refusal…

FLASHBACK Nov 5 ashley Barnes scores the winning goal in the 94th minute in a 3-2 win at home to Crystal Palace. LAST SEASON Premier league 16th // Top scorer Sam Vokes 10 // FA Cup 5th round // league Cup 2nd // Average attendance 20,558 STEADY DOES IT FOR DYCHE Burnley continued to make steady progress last season under Sean Dyche. Their outstanding home form (10 wins at Turf Moor) laid the foundations for a successful first season back in the Premier League, with virtually the same side that won promotion from the Championship. The Clarets avoided getting drawn into a relegation battle and the impressive Dyche earned more plaudits for his no-nonsense style. manager Sean Dyche took charge at Turf Moor in October 2012 and led the club…

FLASHBACK Jan 15 Youngster Tom Davies scores Everton’s third goal in a 4-0 home win against Manchester City. LAST SEASON premier League 7th // Top scorer Romelu Lukaku 25 // FA Cup 3rd round // League Cup 3rd round Average attendance 39,310 EXCITING TIMES AHEAD Even with the future of Romelu Lukaku and Ross Barkley in doubt, Everton fans are living in exciting times. Clever summer signings – including goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, defender Michael Keane, midfielder Davy Klaassen and forward Sandro Ramirez – will improve the squad, while promising youngsters – including a number who starred in England’s Under-20 World Cup victory – are ready to be deployed by Ronald Koeman. manager Ronald Koeman has two years left on his Everton contract. Who’s the daddy? Iranian businessman Farhad Moshiri, a…

FLASHBACK aug 14 adam lallana scores liverpool’s third goal in their 4-3 win away to arsenal on the opening day of the season. LAST SEASON Premier League 4th // Top scorer Philippe Coutinho 13, Sadio Mane 13 // FA Cup 4th round // League Cup Semi-finals // Average attendance 53,039 ON THE UP WITH KLOPP Champions League football returns to Anfield this autumn as Liverpool continue to make steady progress under Jurgen Klopp. Record signing Mohamed Salah, a £34m capture from Roma, will bring pace and trickery to an already talented front line, where Sadio Mane and Philippe Coutinho shone last season. manager Former Borussia Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp has been in charge since autumn 2015. Last summer the 50-year-old extended his contract until 2022. who’s the Daddy? American businessman…

FLASHBACK may 7 Jamaal lascelles (left) and Jonjo shelvey lift the trophy after Newcastle secured the Championship title with a win over Barnsley at st James’ Park. LAST SEASON Championship 1st (Championship) // Top scorer Dwight Gayle 23 // FA Cup 4th round // League Cup Quarter-finals // Average attendance 51,106 BOUNCING BACK Newcastle are back in the Premier League after just one season away. Manager Rafa Benitez was justified in his decision to stay on Tyneside following relegation in 2016. Despite the sale of players such as Andros Townsend and Moussa Sissoko, the new signings – Dwight Gayle, Matt Ritchie, Mo Diame and Isaac Hayden – quickly gelled. From October 2016 the Magpies were never out of the Championship’s top two. manager Former Valencia, Liverpool and Real Madrid boss…

FLASHBACK Jan 21 Fernando Llorente scores as Swansea take a shock 2-0 lead away to Liverpool before going on to win 3-2. LAST SEASON premier League 15th // Top scorer Fernando Llorente 15 // FA Cup 3rd round // League Cup 3rd round Average attendance 20,619 SWANS LOOKING UP NOT DOWN Swansea are looking forward with confidence to the new campaign after the ups and downs of last season when three different managers (Francesco Guidolin, Bob Bradley, Paul Clement) took charge at the Liberty stadium. And hopes will be further raised following a deal for Spanish midfielder Roque Mesa and a loan for Chelsea teenager Tammy Abraham. manager Paul Clement took charge in January, agreeing a two-and-ahalf- year contract. Who’s the daddy? An American consortium led by Jason Levien and…

FLASHBACK mar 18 Craig Dawson scores with a header in West Brom’s 3-1 win at home to Arsenal. LAST SEASON premier league 10th // top scorer Salomon Rondon 8 // Fa cup 3rd round // league cup 2nd round average attendance 23,876 SAFETY FIRST FROM PULIS Last season, Tony Pulis delivered a top-10 finish, improving on the previous season’s 14th place, but his safety-first approach continued to frustrate fans, especially with the Baggies suffering early exits in the cups. An ageing squad is in need of refreshment, with veteran midfielder Darren Fletcher the first to depart the Hawthorns this summer, joining Stoke City on a free. manager Tony Pulis agreed a new contract in summer 2016. Who’s the Daddy? Chinese businessman Guochuan Lai bought the club from Jeremy Peace last…

TYKES BATTLE AGAINST THE ODDS The Tykes’ return to the Championship last year was threatened by the departures of striker Sam Winnall (Wednesday) and captain Conor Hourihane (Villa) in January, but hopes are high that Paul Heckingbottom can continue to achieve success against the odds. Manager Barnsley-born Paul Heckingbottom was confirmed as permanent manager in summer 2016 after two spells as caretaker. Who’s the Daddy? Chairman Maurice Watkins was previously a director of Manchester United. Stadium Oakwell (23,009) Nickname Tykes Odds 33/1 to win promotion FAN’S VIEW Ian WIlkInSon onthepontyend.com LAST SEASON WAS… Overall it has to be considered a success. The January transfer window had definitely “wobbled the ship”, and at times seemed to snatch a good season from something that could have been remarkable. THIS SEASON WILL BE……

BEES EYEING STABILITY Brentford continue to move and shake in the transfer market, bringing in lower-league players who can be sold for a profit. But the club are also seeking more stability as they establish themselves in the Championship. Spanish striker Jota has agreed a deal to stay on until summer 2018. Manager Former Walsall boss Dean Smith has been head coach since November 2015. Who’s the daddy? Professional gambler Matthew Benham also owns Danish club Midtjylland. Stadium Griffin Park (12,573) nickname Bees odds 9/1 to win promotion FAN’S VIEW BILL GRANT (@BillyTheBee99) Beesotted (@Beesotted) LAST SEASON WAS… Our fourth consecutive season in the Championship approaches and at no time have we looked like being relegated. For Brentford fans that says it all. Scott Hogan was scoring for fun and…

THINKING BIG WITH WARNOCK Cardiff’s form was turned around in dramatic style by Neil Warnock after the veteran boss arrived in October and they now have realistic hopes of involvement in a promotion battle. A new contract was agreed for defender Bruno Ecuele Manga while veteran midfielder Peter Whittingham left the club. Manager Neil Warnock signed a contract extension to stay until the end of the 2017-18 season. who’s the Daddy? Controversial Malaysian businessman Vincent Tan also owns Bosnian club FK Sarajevo and Belgians KV Kortrijk. Stadium Cardiff City (33,280) Nickname Bluebirds Odds 9/1 to win promotion FAN’S VIEW MICHAEL MORRIS cardiffcity-mad.com LAST SEASON WAS… A two-part season. After 11 games the club was hurtling towards League One and boss Paul Trollope was in free fall. But then he was…

SILVA GOES, SLUTSKY IN Hull are preparing for life back in the Championship without Marco Silva, who quit after narrowly failing to pull off a miracle escape from relegation. The appointment of Russian Leonid Slutsky to replace Silva was a surprise and the new man faces a challenge to keep hold of players: Harry Maguire was sold to Leicester while Curtis Davies moved to Derby. Manager Former CSKA Moscow boss Leonid Slutsky agreed a two-year deal this summer. Who’s the Daddy? The Allam family remain in charge of the club, despite their attempts to sell up. Stadium KCOM (25,450) Nickname Tigers Odds 11/2 to win promotion FAN’S VIEW IAN WATERSON City Independent cityindependent.net LAST SEASON WAS… The most ill-prepared promotion to the Premier League in living memory, utterly compounded by…

PINNING THEIR HOPES ON MONK Middlesbrough are hoping that Garry Monk can lead an immediate return to the Premier League after he was appointed as the longterm successor to Aitor Karanka. Monk will oversee an overhaul of the Boro squad. Already some senior figures have departed: keepers Brad Guzan and Victor Valdes and Stewart Downing have been released, while striker Alvaro Negredo returned to Spain at the end of his loan spell. Manager Former Swansea boss Garry Monk joined Boro this summer after abruptly leaving Leeds. Who’s the Daddy? Steve Gibson has invested large chunks of his fortune in his home-town club since 1994. Stadium Riverside (34,742) Nickname Boro Odds 11/4 to win promotion FAN’S VIEW ROBERT NICHOLS Fly Me To The Moon (30th season) fmttm.com LAST SEASON WAS… A…

NEW ERA AT THE CITY GROUND There’s a new mood of optimism at the City Ground following the takeover by Greek businessman Evangelos Marinakis. Highly rated manager Mark Warburton is expected to have cash to improve the squad, with striker Jason Cummings the first signing of the summer, joining from Hibernian. Veteran midfielder David Vaughan has agreed a new one-year deal. manager Mark Warburton signed a two-and-a-half year contract. Who’s the Daddy? Shipping tycoon Evangelos Marinakis also owns Greek club Olympiakos. stadium City Ground (30,445) Nickname Forest odds 11/1 to win promotion FAN’S VIEW Pat Riddell Seat Pitch seatpitch.co.uk (@SeatPitch) LAST SEASON WAS… An unmitigated disaster; prevented from being completely catastrophic by an emphatic 3-0 win against Ipswich Town on the final day, which saved us from relegation. The repeated…

WILL STAM STAY? After the heartache of losing the Wembley play-off on penalties to Huddersfield, Reading face the task of picking themselves up and launching another promotion challenge. Jaap Stam, who oversaw last season’s top-six place, insists he will be staying at the club. “I’m still happy to be here, to work here, to live in the area. I still have a contract at Reading, there’s nothing that’s going to take me away from the club.” Manager Former Holland defender Jaap Stam was the surprise choice as Royals boss in summer 2016 when he signed a two-year contract. Who’s the Daddy? Chinese businessman Dai Yongge recently bought a 75 per cent stake in the club, having previously tried to buy Hull City. Former owner John Madesjski remains chairman. Stadium Madesjski…

STATE OF FLUX Sunderland were a club in a state of flux this summer. While owner Ellis Short negotiated the sale of the club with various interested parties, Simon Grayson was eventually announced as David Moyes’ replacement. As expected, a number of players left following relegation from the Premier League. Keeper Jordan Pickford was sold to Everton for £25m in a deal that could rise to £30m, while veterans John O’Shea and Seb Larsson were released. Manager Former Preston boss Simon Grayson signed a three-year contract. Who’s the Daddy? American financier Ellis Short has been looking to sell the club for some time. Stadium Stadium of Light (49,000) Nickname Black Cats Odds 11/2 to win promotion FAN’S VIEW PATRICK HOLLIS A Love Supreme a-love-supreme.com LAST SEASON WAS… I think to…

FAN’S VIEW SIMON SMITH Lancashire Telegraph LAST SEASON WAS… Miserable, gloomy and even when it finally rained soup we all had forks. THIS SEASON WILL BE… Hoping that we have enough to get straight back up and emerge stronger than before. Fearing that we sink into the doldrums and lose all key players. OUR BIGGEST HERO Charlie Mulgrew. Scored winners in both games against the champions Newcastle and was a rock when all we had was rubble. OUR BIGGEST VILLAIN Too easy to say the teetotaller who drove us all to drink – Owen Columba Coyle – so Shane Duffy: scored four against us in his four league games (three while a Rovers player) costing us vital points. BEST SONG LAST SEASON “Mahoney, Mahoney, Mahoneeeeeey”, a version of Police’s “So…

FAN’S VIEW NATHAN BEES LAST SEASON WAS… Successful. After back-toback promotions from the National League to League One, a top-10 finish represented another terrific year of progression. THIS SEASON WILL BE… My hope is we improve on last season and compete for a play-off place. I fully believe that with Clarke at the helm anything is possible. My biggest fear is that we do not get positive news on our proposed new stadium. OUR BIGGEST HERO Billy Bodin came into his own in the second half of the season and scored a number of very impressive goals. OUR BIGGEST VILLAIN Matty Taylor was loved by Gasheads but he showed his true colours by jumping ship to Bristol City. Any other club and he would have been wished all the luck…

FAN’S VIEW TOM BILTCLIFFE LAST SEASON WAS… A case of job done in the end for the club who returned to League 1 at the first time of asking. However, the title was ours to lose – and we did, picking up one point from the final five games. THIS SEASON WILL BE… The hope is consolidation at the very least and even perhaps a top ten finish, using momentum from last season ala Burton Albion. The fear is collapsing at the end of the season similar to previously. OUR BIGGEST HERO John Marquis. He arrived on a free transfer from Millwall, worked his socks off and scored more Football League goals in one season than anyone else in 40 years for Doncaster. OUR BIGGEST VILLAIN Luton’s Danny Hylton –…

FAN’S VIEW ADAM FAIERS LAST SEASON WAS… Tale of two halves. Frustration until December, then hope with the new manager. We were lucky with the stability Karl Robinson brought to the club, but the team and our play grew lethargic and predictable. Robbie Neilson brought hope and excitement in the second half of the year. THIS SEASON WILL BE… My hope is that the team really start to show the potential that Robbie Neilson can bring. He’s multidimensional and changes tactics throughout the game. My biggest fear is that it could become too confusing for our players. OUR BIGGEST HERO George Williams. A real rags to riches story having been let go a few years ago and coming back to us and winning player of the year. OUR BIGGEST VILLAIN…

FAN’S VIEW SCOTT WAlKINShAW Oxblogger LAST SEASON WAS… Consolidation after promotion was the objective. Throw in a couple of cup giant-killings, a visit to Wembley [in the Checkatrade Trophy Final] and a derby win or two and I think we can agree it was a successful year all round. THIS SEASON WILL BE… We were hoping that last season would be a platform for a play-off place and promotion. That’s still the hope, but we’ve lost Michael Appleton to Leicester City and the biggest fear is that we can’t replace him with someone who can maintain the momentum. OUR BIGGEST HERO Goalkeeper Simon Eastwood played in every minute of our 62-game season and was deservedly player of the year. OUR BIGGEST VILLAIN Sean Harvey, chief executive of the EFL and…

FAN’S VIEW RiChARD MOGeR LAST SEASON WAS… An emotional roller coaster. To go up as a fan-owned club as champions was unreal. Years of hard work, court battles and dark days finally paid off. I will never forget the scenes at Notts County away or Cheltenham at home. The euphoria of winning the title was on a par with, if not better than, winning the FA Cup because of the emotional and financial investment the fans put in. THIS SEASON WILL BE… Hope to be competitive in League One and hope that the new owner Michael Eisner does not turn out to be too good to be true. OUR BIGGEST HERO Enda Stevens was consistent for the entire season. Sheffield United have probably made the biggest steal of the summer…

FAN’S VIEW JOHN NEEDHAM Secretary of the Iron Trust LAST SEASON WAS… A bit frustrating. At the start of the season most fans would have been happy with reaching the play-offs, but having been top of the league for so long there was disappointment at slipping out of the top two and further frustration at not reaching the Wembley play-off Final. THIS SEASON WILL BE… Hoping that the Iron will at least make it to the play-offs again, but if we strengthen the spine of the team, maybe a top two place is possible. The fears are that we miss out again and that the promised new ground doesn’t materialise. OUR BIGGEST HERO Murray Wallace played every minute of the season and showed what a classy defender he is. It…

FAN’S VIEW BESCOT BANTER LAST SEASON WAS… Disappointing. A season of hope which ultimately ended with something of a whimper. THIS SEASON WILL BE… We hope to be competitive but fear that it may not be possible. The summer has seen yet another exodus of players along with a slow trickle of new arrivals. With the addition of several stronger (and richer) teams to the league we may struggle. OUR BIGGEST HERO It has to be Erhun Oztumer. The “Turkish Messi” burst onto the scene after joining from Peterborough last summer. OUR BIGGEST VILLAIN Simply for his disappointing campaign we’re going with Andreas Makris. The Cyprus international arrived for a club-record fee last summer but failed to make any sort of impact. BEST SONG LAST SEASON We’ve got the ball/We’ve…

FAN’S VIEW Christophe Emery LAST SEASON WAS… An up and down season, we had a half-decent start but had too many draws. After finding ourselves in the bottom two we then had a decent run and found ourselves flirting with the play-offs. But after a rotten run of form after Xmas we slipped down the table but then had a decent last few games of the season. THIS SEASON WILL BE… If John Akinde keeps finding the back of the net and Rossi Eames can find someone to contribute more goals from midfield, we can push for a play off place. The fear is that Akinde loses form or gets a long-term injury and we end up with a relegation battle. OUR BIGGEST HERO Michael Nelson at the back was…

FAN’S VIEW MARK HELLEWELL LAST SEASON WAS… Frustrating. After coming straight back up, we were hoping momentum would carry us into the top half at least but it never happened. Injuries and suspensions from the off meant the season never got going and it became a struggle. THIS SEASON WILL BE… Just hoping for better than last season. The biggest fear is another relegation battle, as off the field things are looking promising and we cannot let that go to waste on the pitch. OUR BIGGEST HERO Our returning goalkeeper Scott Brown came back on loan from Wycombe and put in some sterling displays as we crept above the dreaded line, notably saving a penalty in the win at Leyton Orient. OUR BIGGEST VILLAIN His value on the pitch was…

FAN’S VIEW NEIL ALLISON LAST SEASON WAS… The party line is that it was the worst-season ever, yet we still won a trophy at Wembley in front of 43,000 Sky Blue fans. Whisper it quietly, but that victory helped to numb the anger somewhat. THIS SEASON WILL BE… I hope we win League Two by some considerable margin. My fear is that it’ll play out exactly as it has done in every season since our owners Sisu arrived. I have to say, we’re all getting a little tired of wishing our lives away. OUR BIGGEST HERO Wembley winner George Thomas cemented his place as a bona fide Cov legend, alongside such luminaries as Lady Godiva and that one who plays Masood in EastEnders. OUR BIGGEST VILLAIN He may have only…

FAN’S VIEW ALICE COOKE LAST SEASON WAS… A real rollercoaster - from bottom of the league in November to the play-off Final at Wembley against Blackpool. Wow! THIS SEASON WILL BE… We hope the manager will be able to build on the team that took us so far but always have the fear of being left behind due to lack of investment – always a problem with a Supporter-owned club. OUR BIGGEST HERO & OUR BIGGEST VILLAIN Could be seen as the same person, our manager, Paul Tisdale. Fans were calling for his head at the end of 2016 but were full of praise by the end of the season. BEST SONG LAST SEASON One of our supporters puts a bet on City to win 4-1 every match and he’d…

FAN’S VIEW gaRy hUtChiNSoN Editor, the Stacey West staceywest.net LAST SEASON WAS… The most emotional and remarkable season I have ever experienced as a football fan. Groundbreaking, unparalleled and beyond our wildest dreams. THIS SEASON WILL BE… My main hope is that we are competitive on our return to the Football League. If we could sit somewhere in the top 10 that would be real progress. Our biggest fear is a relegation battle. OUR BIGGEST HERO The real heroes were the management team of Danny and Nicky Cowley. It took them 10 months to turn a battle-weary bottom half side into title winners, full of belief and purpose. OUR BIGGEST VILLAIN Mark Cooper of Forest Green made many condescending remarks about our team despite us beating them twice. BEST SONG…

FAN’S VIEW JACK STEER LAST SEASON WAS… A disaster off the pitch and a miracle on the pitch. Well publicised ownership issues seriously threatened the existence of the club but Jim Bentley worked miracles to keep us in the League. THIS SEASON WILL BE… Even the most optimistic Morecambe fan will be very cautious at the moment with the loss of key players from last year. Survival is the only immediate target. OUR BIGGEST HERO Ryan Edwards cleaned up at the end-of-season awards do and has earned a move up a league with Plymouth in the close season. OUR BIGGEST VILLAIN Diego Lemos, a Brazilian who “bought” the club then did a runner. However, the off-field problems had the positive effect of uniting the fans and the club to an…

FAN’S VIEW ROB FIELDING onevalefan.co.uk LAST SEASON WAS… A farce. A dreadful and expensive gamble on untried foreign signings was followed by the loss of several key players in January. Then late hope that we may escape relegation was dashed as we went down on the final day. THIS SEASON WILL BE… A massive rebuilding job awaits. I think the club desperately needs stability and less off-field controversy. The long-term goal for many fans is a change of ownership. OUR BIGGEST HERO Youth team graduate Nathan Smith didn’t deserve to be relegated after a stellar first season that ended with him winning six end-of-season awards. OUR BIGGEST VILLAIN After such a disastrous season there were a few. Owner Norman Smurthwaite and Bruno Ribeiro’s summer recruitment drive went spectacularly awry, caretaker…

In last season’s Premier League, Manchester United conceded far too many soft goals. The response of manager Jose Mourinho? Seal a £31million deal for “The Iceman” – Benfica’s up-and-coming Swedish centre-back. Still only 23 but already a regular for the Swedish national team, Lindelof has become United’s most expensive defender of all time, his price tag eclipsing the £29.1m that Alex Ferguson paid Leeds United for Rio Ferdinand in July 2002. And it’s not hard to see why so many experts believe the Swede to be among the best two or three young stoppers in Europe. Tall, quick, robust, composed and commanding, he is strong in the tackle and in the air and has a good understanding of the game. Thanks to his high concentration levels, enforced errors are kept…

RYAN SESSEGNON Club: Fulham Position: left-back or wide midfielder Date of birth: May 18, 2000 (aged 17) Previous clubs: none Linked with: liverpool, tottenham Hotspur 1 Fulham’s exciting teenager recently agreed his first professional contract with the club, signing a deal that delighted Fulham fans but disappointed Tottenham Hotspur, who were keen to take him to north London. the England Under-19 international made his league debut against leeds United in august 2016 and a week later scored his first professional goal, against Cardiff City, making him the first English player born in the 21st century to score in a Championship match. by the end of the season he had become a Fulham regular and was named in the PFa Championship team of the Year. the new contract means Sessegnon will…

FLASHBACK Dec 4 Nathan Ake scores in the third minute of added time as Bournemouth come from 1-3 down, with 15 minutes left, to beat Liverpool 4-3. LAST SEASON Premier league 9th // Top scorer Josh King 16 // FA Cup 3rd round // league Cup 3rd round Average attendance 11,182 CHERRIES HAVE SERIOUS AMBITION Anybody still referring to “plucky little Bournemouth” should hang their heads in shame. Last season saw Eddie Howe’s men record a best-ever league finish (ninth) and this summer there has been some serious activity on the south coast, with Jermain Defoe arriving from Sunderland, and keeper Asmir Begovic and defender Nathan Ake joining from Chelsea. manager At 39, Eddie Howe is the Premier League’s youngest manager and the longest serving after Arsene Wenger, having taken…

FLASHBACK may 21 Chelsea celebrate with the Premier League trophy after the game against Sunderland at Stamford Bridge. LAST SEASON Premier League Champions // Top scorer Diego Costa 20 // FA Cup Runners-up // League Cup 4th round Average attendance 41,507 CHAMPIONS FACING NEW CHALLENGES Antonio Conte brought an exciting dynamism to Chelsea last season and delivered an unexpected but impressive title success. The Blues now face the challenge of being back in European competition, with the added pressure of fixture congestion, while last season’s star performer Eden Hazard will miss the opening weeks of the season through injury. manager Antonio Conte agreed a three-year deal in 2016 but has yet to sign a proposed contract extension. who’s the Daddy? Roman Abramovich has spent £1.14billion since buying Chelsea in 2003,…

FLASHBACK may 29 Christopher Schindler celebrates after scoring the winning penalty as Huddersfield beat Reading in the Championship play-off Final. LAST SEASON Championship 5th (Championship) // Top scorer Elias Kachunga 12 // FA Cup 5th round // League Cup 1st round // Average attendance 20,342 PLAY-OFF WINNERS WITH ATTITUDE After their dramatic Wembley play-off triumph over Reading on penalties, Huddersfield are back in the top flight for the first time since 1972, some 45 years ago. Their promotion was a just reward for manager David Wagner’s hightempo pressing game – and was achieved by a team with one of the smallest wage bills in the Championship. The club have a rich pedigree though; they were champions of England three times in a row in the 1920s and previous players include…

FLASHBACK nov 1 Ilkay Gundogan scores twice in the 3-1 home win against Barcelona in the Champions League group stage. LAST SEASON Premier league 3rd // Top scorer Sergio Aguero 20 // FA Cup Semi-finals // league Cup 4th round Average attendance 54,018 PEP PLOTTING CHANGES After last season’s trophyless campaign – the first of Pep Guardiola’s coaching career – City had a busy summer, with major new arrivals, including Bernardo Silva from Monaco and keeper Ederson from Benfica. New full-backs were also planned as Guardiola implemented a major overhaul of an ageing City defence. manager Former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola’s is under contract with City until 2019. Who’s the Daddy? Owner Sheikh Mansour, a member of the ruling family of Abu Dhabi, has spent £1.21billion on…

FLASHBACK Jan 25 Fraser Forster acrobatically saves on the line from Emre Can in the second-leg of the EFL Cup semi-final, as Southampton win 2-0 on aggregate. LAST SEASON Premier League 8th // Top scorer Charlie Austin 9 // FA Cup 4th round // League Cup Runners-up Average attendance 30,936 ALL CHANGE AT SAINTS – AGAIN It’s been all change at Southampton again this summer, with Mauricio Pellegrino replacing Claude Puel after just one season in charge. Puel guided the team to the League Cup Final and a comfortable eighth place in the Premier League, but fans were not completely appreciative of his conservative tactics. manager Mauricio Pellegrino was an assistant to Rafa Benitez at Liverpool and the Argentinian worked wonders at Spanish side Alaves last season, reaching the Spanish…

FLASHBACK may 14 harry Kane scores tottenham’s last goal at the old White hart lane, before the stadium gets rebuilt, in the 2-1 win at home v manchester united. LAST SEASON Premier League 2nd // Top scorer Harry Kane 29 // FA Cup Semi-finals // League Cup 4th round // Average attendance 31,639 SPURS FACE WEMBLEY CHALLENGE After their highest league finish since 1963, last season’s Premier League runners-up are back in the Champions League and will be playing all their home games – league, Europe and cup – at Wembley while a new home is built at White Hart Lane. The big question is whether Spurs can adapt to the challenge of playing at the national stadium. manager Argentinian Mauricio Pochettino joined from Southampton in 2014 and extended his…

FLASHBACK Jan 14 - Andy Carroll scores with a spectacular bicycle kick at the London Stadium during the 3-0 win against Crystal Palace. LAST SEASON Premier league 11th // top scorer Michail Antonio 9 // Fa Cup 3rd round // league Cup Quarter-finals average attendance 56,970 HAMMERS SEEKING BIG NAMES West Ham are slowly adapting to life at London Stadium. The first season at the former Olympic arena was not without its problems, with the previous season’s hero, Dimitri Payet, quickly turning into a villain and leaving in a huff for Marseille. There was criticism of Slaven Bilic but he was backed by the owners and West Ham began the summer by chasing a number of big transfer targets. Argentinian defender Pablo Zabaleta was first to arrive, joining on a…

HEADY TIMES AHEAD WITH HARRY? Interesting times lie ahead for the blue half of Birmingham. Fresh from saving the club from relegation after being parachuted in for the final few games of last season, Harry Redknapp has decided to stick around for the whole of this season. Several deals are in the pipeline, with former favourite Craig Gardner rejoining the club from West Brom and keeper David Stockdale moving from Brighton. Manager Harry Redknapp was the surprise choice to replace Gianfranco Zola in April. He agreed a one-year contract this summer. Who’s the Daddy? Panos Pavlakis, who ran the club on behalf of owners Trillion Trophy Asia, stepped down as a director in May. Stadium St Andrews (30,016) Nickname Blues Odds 6/1 to win promotion FAN’S VIEW ROB WILDEY Vital…

LIFE AFTER ABRAHAM? In their second campaign back in the Championship, City flirted with relegation but did enough to beat the drop. They were grateful for the goals of Tammy Abraham, but the youngster has headed back to parent club Chelsea, with City breaking their transfer record to sign Senegal striker Famara Diedhiou for £5.3m from Angers as his replacement. Manager Lee Johnson has been in charge since February 2016. Who’s the Daddy? Local businessman Steve Lansdown is a billionaire who also owns Bristol Rugby club. Stadium Ashton Gate (16,600) Nickname Robins Odds 11/1 to be promoted FAN’S VIEW PAUL BINNING The Exiled Robin LAST SEASON WAS… Less than middling, overall. A fantastic, exciting start, a truly miserable, dreadful middle, then a decent recovery to end. We showed we can…

ROWETT TO THE RESCUE? Last season was chaotic for County. Former Leicester City boss Nigel Pearson was sacked after less than five months in charge and replaced by Steve McClaren, 17 months after he himself had been fired. McClaren’s second spell lasted just until March but he departed after a run of one win in nine games, to be replaced by Gary Rowett, who had been unlucky to be sacked by Birmingham earlier in the season. Rowett must make do without Will Hughes, sold to Watford, but has reinforced his defence with Andre Wisdom (Liverpool) and Curtis Davies (Hull City). manager Gary Rowett is County’s fifth permanent manager in less than two years. who’s the Daddy? Mel Morris made his fortune from computer games and has been criticised for his…

FRUSTRATION MOUNTING AT PORTMAN RD These are frustrating times at Portman Road. Ipswich failed to get close to the play-off places last season, with manager Mick McCarthy insisting he won’t walk away from the job despite criticism from fans and a lack of cash to improve matters. Joe Garner from Rangers was Town’s deal of the summer. Manager Former Sunderland boss Mick McCarthy took charge in November 2012. Last year he agreed a contract extension until 2018 Who’s the Daddy? Chairman Marcus Evans is a controversial figure in the sports hospitality business and has been described as the “world’s biggest ticket tout”. Stadium Portman Road (30,311) Nickname Tractor Boys Odds 20/1 to win promotion FAN’S VIEW PHIL HAM Editor, TWTD.co.uk LAST SEASON WAS… Thoroughly underwhelming and fractious. Having finished sixth…

RISING ABOVE OFF-PITCH PROBLEMS Last season Millwall gained more headlines off the pitch than on it. Lewisham council’s controversial plans to compulsory purchase land around the New Den prompted the club to consider moving out of the borough. Even the Wembley play-off victory over Bradford City, securing promotion back to the second tier after two seasons in League One, was marred by a pitch invasion. But in club hero Neil Harris, Millwall have a manager who has turned matters around on the pitch. manager Club record goalscorer Neil Harris took over as permanent manager in summer 2015 after a number of caretaker spells. who’s the Daddy? American banker John Berylson took full control of the club in 2011. stadium New Den (20,146) nickname Lions odds 25/1 to win promotion FAN’S…

LEFT IN LIMBO BY GRAYSON WALK-OUT PNE were left in limbo when Simon Grayson, one of the longest-serving managers in the Championship, left to join Sunderland on the first day of pre-season. The club moved quickly to appoint Alex Neil as Grayson’s successor. Exciting young attacker Josh Harrop, who scored on his Manchester United debut on the final day of last season, has joined on a four-year contract. Manager Former Norwich boss Alex Neil agreed a one-year rolling deal. Who’s the Daddy? Chairman Peter Ridsdale, previously with Leeds, Barnsley and Cardiff City, runs the club on behalf of owner Trevor Hemmings. Stadium Deepdale (23,404) Nickname Lilywhites Odds 14/1 to win promotion FAN’S VIEW GAVIN WILLACy LAST SEASON WAS… Another pleasant surprise. If we knew in pre-season that we would be…

WILDER BRINGS THE GOOD TIMES BACK The good times are back at Bramall Lane after Chris Wilder confirmed his growing reputation by steering the Blades to promotion to the Championship after six seasons in League One. Early summer signings included defender George Baldock from MK Dons, left-back Enda Stevens from Portsmouth and midfielder Nathan Thomas from Hartlepool. Manager Former United defender and Halifax Town, Oxford United and Northampton Town boss Chris Wilder was appointed in May 2016 on a three-year contract. Who’s the Daddy? Property developer Kevin McCabe owns 50 per cent of the club, along with Saudi investor Prince Abdullah, who bought a 50 per cent stake in 2013. Stadium Bramall Lane (32,702) Nickname Blades Odds 9/1 to win promotion FAN’S VIEW IAN RANDS unitedview.com LAST SEASON WAS… After…

INTO THE UNKNOWN WITH NUNO Interesting times at Molineux, where Chinese owners Fosun have brought in Portuguese coach Nuno Espirito Santo, whose time at Valencia was short-lived amid criticism of his close links to super-agent Jorge Mendes. Manager Former Valencia and Porto coach Nuno Espirito Santo agreed a three-year contract in May. Who’s the Daddy? Jeff Shi runs the club on behalf of Chinese investment company Fosun International, who bought the club in summer 2016. Stadium Molineux (31,700) Nickname Wolves Odds 11/2 to win promotion FAN’S VIEW THoMAS BAUgH wolvesblog.com LAST SEASON WAS… Not very good. We had new owners (Fosun) and significant investment in the team but another mid-table finish and an occasional flirtation with the bottom three. Some decent results in the cup, most notably victory over Liverpool…

FAN’S VIEW PETER GILLATT Blackpool FC on This Day LAST SEASON WAS… Manager Gary Bowyer arrived at a club which looked as if its life support had been switched off, with around half a dozen players who were demoralised and dejected. Playing to empty home gates and in testing circumstances, he turned things around and fully deserved our respect. THIS SEASON WILL BE… Clearly the events at the courtroom are keeping us all occupied and quite rightly because that will affect where the club goes next. A bitter battle between Blackpool FC’s owners and its president is being fought out at the High Court in what could prove to be one of British football’s most expensive legal actions. OUR BIGGEST HERO Although 5,800 were at the play-off final at Wembley,…

FAN’S VIEW NICK HOLT mannyroadend.co.uk LAST SEASON WAS… Up and Down. A run of 12 consecutive defeats took us from 2nd in September to 22nd by Christmas. David Flitcroft was fired and Lee Clark came in before we recovered and finished 19th, avoiding relegation by a point. THIS SEASON WILL BE… I hope our new manager and his new squad make it to the play-offs. I fear they won’t and that we’ll be left with an expensive but unsuccessful squad. OUR BIGGEST HERO James Vaughan. His 24 goals kept us in League One. Also Ryan Lowe because he’s always our hero. OUR BIGGEST VILLAIN David Flitcroft. League two is his level but sadly he doesn’t realise it. He talks a lot of waffle, is a bit thick and lacks tactical…

FAN’S VIEW JOHN WOOLFENDEN LAST SEASON WAS… Absolute superb top-four season after nearly getting relegated the season before. Ran out of steam towards the end, but brilliant overall. THIS SEASON WILL BE… Another upper-table finish would be nice. My biggest fear is we don’t beat Blackpool. OUR BIGGEST HERO It has to be Cian Bolger. Magnificent giant, ginger Irishman! OUR BIGGEST VILLAIN That Nick Ajose. Scored against us yet again! BEST SONG LAST SEASON “Cian Bolger’s magic he wears a magic hat, if you throw a brick at him he’ll head it back.” YOUNGSTER TO WATCH We have plenty of quality youngsters. Web Burns, Ash Hunter, Kyle Dempsey, George Glendon and Conor McAleny. There’s plenty of young English and Welsh talent in our squad. GAME TO LOOK FORWARD TO The…

FAN’S VIEW DANNY BROTHERS LAST SEASON WAS… I’d have taken mid-table at the start of the season. Could have been a lot better had Rob Page not taken us in the wrong direction, but could have been a lot worse if Justin Edinburgh hadn’t steadied the ship mid-season. THIS SEASON WILL BE… Hopefully we can kick on towards a top-half finish but it’s a tough league once again. OUR BIGGEST HERO Another good season from talisman John-Joe O’Toole who stepped back up to League One impressively. OUR BIGGEST VILLAIN Rob Page. Cup exit to Stourbridge was the beginning of the end. BEST SONG LAST SEASON Not a vintage year for new chants so “We’ve got O’Toole, John-Joe O’Toole...” remains pick of the bunch. YOUNGSTER TO WATCH Leon Lobjoit signed from…

FAN’S VIEW JOHN VERRALL LAST SEASON WAS… Can only really be described as a fairly dull one. We never looked like sustaining a play-off push, and the inconsistency of our performances was a major frustration. THIS SEASON WILL BE… Hoping that manager Grant McCann gets it right and we get promoted. Posh have been stagnating in League One for too long now, and really need to start showing some signs that we’re heading in the right direction. OUR BIGGEST HERO Luke McGee signed on loan from Spurs, with absolutely no experience of playing senior football, but he was superb over the entire length of the campaign. OUR BIGGEST VILLAIN Tom Nichols may have finished the season as top scorer, but he’s not exactly popular with the Posh supporters. BEST SONG…

FAN’S VIEW COL CAVANAh LAST SEASON WAS… A season of ups and downs, finishing a lot higher than we should have. We came close to the play-offs, so overall was a pleasing season. THIS SEASON WILL BE… The hopes are that we go that one bit further than we have for the last three seasons and sneak into the play-offs. OUR BIGGEST HERO Hilly [Keith Hill]. He’s the greatest thing to happen to this football club and we’ve just signed him up for another five years. I know we’re biased but there’s not a better English manager out there. And anyone disagreeing can’t remember the Rochdale of old. OUR BIGGEST VILLAIN Calvin Andrew, who launched what appeared to be an unprovoked attack on Oldham’s Peter Clarke, earning him the biggest…

FAN’S VIEW OLLIE WARNER Salopcast podcast LAST SEASON WAS… A real rollercoaster! We started the season so poorly, leaving us rock bottom of the table. Following a change of manager the club went on a super run that had Salop top of the form table. The points in this run saved us from relegation. THIS SEASON WILL BE… I hope we can exceed all expectations and push for the play-offs. Mid-table mediocrity would be progress and more realistic. Another relegation battle would be a nightmare and torment the fans with another long season with little to cheer! OUR BIGGEST HERO Manager Paul Hurst. He took over when we were bottom of the league and by saving us from relegation he performed a miracle. OUR BIGGEST VILLAIN Former manager Micky Mellon.…

FAN’S VIEW MARTiN TARBUCK Mudhutter editor (@mudhutter) LAST SEASON WAS… A complete shambles. The cycle of going from feast to famine has again repeated itself. Going through three managers, four including both of Graham Barrow’s spells, was never going to end well. THIS SEASON WILL BE… We want to bounce back in style but we don’t have the budget this time. Even though Sheffield United have finally escaped, there’s still Bradford, Blackburn, Portsmouth and quite a few others. And we’ve got to change mentality from losing every week to winning every week. There’s a good chance League One will be our home for some time. OUR BIGGEST HERO Whoever at the Football League decided to conclude the season early on May 7 to put us out of our misery. OUR…

FAN’S VIEW MATT RAMSAY LAST SEASON WAS… A missed opportunity. A dismal start and a poor home record denied the Us a realistic chance of making the play-offs in a very open division. THIS SEASON WILL BE… Hopes: that Shaun Derry can learn from his first full season in charge and progress the club into one that can seriously challenge. Fears: that he won’t, and pressure on him will mount from the wider fan base. OUR BIGGEST HERO Unquestionably Luke Berry. With forwards misfiring, he struck 22 goals. No midfielder in the top four divisions scored more. OUR BIGGEST VILLAIN Those forwards. Except Uche Ikpeazu, Barry Corr was the second highest scoring striker. He only started one game all season. BEST SONG LAST SEASON “He’s magic you know, we’ve got…

FAN’S VIEW HILLY81 Bob’s Board, Spireites forum LAST SEASON WAS… An absolute car crash. Shambles on the field. Scandal off it. Absolute basket case of a football club. THIS SEASON WILL BE… The hope is that we will not be getting relegated again. The fear is getting relegated again. OUR BIGGEST HERO The members of Bob’s Board who worked tirelessly to uncover the shady goings on at this football club. Ian Evatt was the only player who looked truly committed. OUR BIGGEST VILLAIN Former chairman Dave Allen, club director Ashley Carson, the majority of the players, ficticious competition winner James Higgins. Take your pick. BEST SONG LAST SEASON Hard to think of one for last season. YOUNGSTER TO WATCH Joe Rowley broke into the first team and got good reviews.…

FAN’S VIEW CAROL BATES LAST SEASON WAS… Disappointing in the end. From a very good start, it diminished into a battle flirting near the relegation places, which was a mirror of last season. THIS SEASON WILL BE… Before James Collins, our 22-goal striker, was on his way to Luton, there was a lot more optimism! I’m hoping for a couple of big signings to bring back that optimism. OUR BIGGEST HERO Difficult to choose between James Collins and Glenn Morris. Without Collins’ goals, we would have been in trouble but then Morris in goal made so many important saves, especially penalties, that earned us points. OUR BIGGEST VILLAIN Not really a villain but when Jason Banton arrived we thought he would be a good addition but it didn’t work out…

FAN’S VIEW Voodoobluesman, SkunkMan forum.fgrfc.net LAST SEASON WAS… Unpredictable, at times frustrating, but ultimately joyous. Towards the end of the season we did not look particularly sharp, but we pulled together brilliantly in the play-offs. THIS SEASON WILL BE… We want to consolidate. So I hope for a few good wins, to keep playing attacking football and to finish six or more points clear of the relegation zone! Going down would be a nightmare. OUR BIGGEST HERO Without the Welsh Wonder Christian Doidge scoring 27 goals, we would still be in the National League. Sam Russell produced some legendary saves to keep us in the running, even during the tough times. OUR BIGGEST VILLAIN Lincoln. Both their team and their fans were very ungracious in victory, in complete contrast to…

FAN’S VIEW DPLEATED Luton Outlaws LAST SEASON WAS… Consistently inconsistent. We never lost consecutive games but until the final month we never put more than a run of two winning games together. Fourth place was about right for a young team. The playoff’s were no surprise as we continue our run of never being promoted via them – our fifth failed attempt. THIS SEASON WILL BE… Hope to go one better. Despite the loss of McGeehan and Marriott our squad already looks stronger than last season, particularly the key additions of McCormack, Stech and Shinnie. OUR BIGGEST HERO Danny Hylton – a pantomime villain – all opposition fans hated him! OUR BIGGEST VILLAIN Stuart Moore. Unfortunately for the young keeper he made a season defining clanger in the play-offs which…

FAN’S VIEW SIMON SADLER LAST SEASON WAS… Difficult for the club. Pitch and performance issues dominated the first half of the season but the Great Escape in the final 12 games was something our supporters will never forget. THIS SEASON WILL BE… My hope is that we get off to a good start despite having to play the first handful of games away from Rodney Parade. My fear is that we start poorly and lose the momentum from last season. OUR BIGGEST HERO Manager Mike Flynn. Performances since he was appointed caretaker were incredible and he restored the relationship between the fans and the players. OUR BIGGEST VILLAIN Graham Carey of Plymouth. His penalty cost us a trip to Anfield in the FA Cup and his hand in their 6-1…

FAN’S VIEW PETE HAYMAN LAST SEASON WAS… After an inconsistent first half of the season, we came to life after Christmas, putting together a string of results that lifted us right up into the promotion mix. The impressive 3-0 win at home to Pompey had us dreaming of a topthree finish, but we ran out of steam at the worst possible moment. No wins in the last six cost us even a play-off spot. THIS SEASON WILL BE… The fundamental hope is that Boro keep building on the past couple of seasons. Promotion wasn’t even on the cards at the start of last season; this time, however, it could well be if Darren Sarll can reignite the form that lifted us into the top four. The fears are that we’ve…