Will Sunderland bounce back to the Premier League at the first attempt? Can new signing John Terry inspire Aston Villa to promotion? Will the promoted clubs struggle to survive?

Whichever club you follow, there are always high hopes at the start of any season.

To mark the start of the 2017-18 Championship campaign on Friday 4 August, why not have a go at predicting how the final table will look? Make your choices - placing every team from one down to 24 - and then share it with your friends.

Nearly one million of you joined us every week for our EFL live text service during 2016-17, so I'm pleased to let you know the BBC Sport website and app's coverage will be every bit as extensive this season.

As well as match reports of every single fixture in the Championship, League One and League Two, we'll once again be providing a dedicated live text commentary covering just those three divisions every Saturday between now and the final weekend of the campaign in May.

We'll also have live text commentary of every Championship match during the week and on Sundays, while you can also follow your teams through the wireless thanks to BBC local radio.

Andy Rowley
BBC Radio London

Image source, Getty Images

"Millwall are a club on the rise after two consecutive League One play-off finals, a promotion and an FA Cup quarter-final since the club's record goalscorer Neil Harris took over at the club.

"He is happy with the support he has received this summer in bringing in seven new players and is adamant that opponents will underestimate them at their peril.

"The Lions sent Bournemouth, Watford and Leicester packing from the FA Cup last season so they are not a side to be daunted by reputations."

Colin Fray
BBC Radio Nottingham

Image source, Getty Images

"After a takeover at the top of the club, there’s a more professional structure in place at Nottingham Forest, which will hopefully lead to better results on the pitch.

"Such an upturn might not happen immediately, but with a record number of season ticket sales, and some steady recruitment over the summer, there’s optimism among fans that after five years of things getting worse there’ll finally be an improvement this season.

"Improvement, though, is relative, and a mid-table finish without a relegation battle would be a step in the right direction.

"Given the changes behind the scenes and in the playing personnel, that’s something which looks achievable, with a top-10 finish a decent-looking target for the Reds."

Jody Craddock was accustomed to seeing his face on the front cover of the match programme at Molineux during his 10 largely successful years as a Wolves player.

But he will kick off a career path that very few of his fellow footballers have ever gone down before this weekend when he will be back on the front cover - this time to highlight his work as an accomplished artist.

This is a quirky little tale worth reading...

Alex Richards: We're going to be in mix #BristolRovers

James Hunter: Swindon Town: Added steel. Going up.

Lara SWFC: Wednesday: No more play-off heartbreak, automatic promotion

Kit Marsden: “dunno; haven’t kicked a ball yet!” #NCFC

Owen Bradley
BBC Radio Derby

Image source, Getty Images

"If anyone can finally get Derby County out of the Championship, it’s Gary Rowett.

"The Rams boss had a handful of games to assess his squad at the end of last season, so he knows what he is letting himself in for.

"Derby still have bags of quality despite the departures of Tom Ince and Will Hughes. The three arrivals so far, Curtis Davies, Andre Wisdom and Tom Huddlestone, are top-notch signings.

"It will be a shock if they aren’t in the conversation for a play-off place at the end of the season."

Nick Barnes
BBC Newcastle

"It’s a challenging time for Sunderland, beleaguered by ‘the mistakes of the past and mismanagement’, according to new manager Simon Grayson. He’s not wrong.

"A play-off place is arguably the best Sunderland can aspire to as they look covetously at the spending of the likes of Middlesbrough, Aston Villa and the team they faced in their opening match, Derby County.

"Simon Grayson is a manager who oozes experience at this level and his CV exudes the confidence that Sunderland, as all his previous clubs, will be left in a better shape for his hands at the tiller.

"While that may not mean promotion this season he seems the perfect choice to navigate the rebuilding the team is clearly crying out for."

We all love a new season and the chance to add a couple of new grounds around the country to our "collection".

But some of us have probably got some catching up to do on Liam Priday from Havant in Hampshire.

Young Liam has already been to nearly 200 grounds around the UK to see games with his dad Chris and all at the age of just six.

Top effort, young man! And you can see some of the places they've already been in the video above.

Rob Gurney
BBC WM

Image source, Getty Images

"Harry Redknapp wants to build a squad capable of challenging for promotion at Birmingham City, but whether he will get the chance in what is left of this transfer window remains to be seen.

"He’s talked all summer about needing more players and ‘won’t enjoy it’ unless he has the tools at his disposal to seriously have a tilt at the Premier League.

"David Stockdale, Marc Roberts and Cheikh Ndoye will be useful additions. But more additions – in terms of numbers and more importantly quality – are needed for Redknapp to have a chance of achieving his target.

"Otherwise it could be an uncomfortable campaign for all concerned."

Brenner Woolley
BBC Radio Suffolk

"While owner Marcus Evans has loosened the purse strings ever so slightly this summer, further wise investment is still required if Ipswich Town are going to be markedly different to last year, when they finished in their worst league position for over half a century.

"The club's failure to adequately replace striker Daryl Murphy continues to hold them back, almost 12 months on from his departure to Newcastle United, while the exit of defender Christophe Berra this summer will be felt more than many predict.

"New midfield signings Emyr Huws and Tom Adeyemi look good bits of business, although neither has kicked a ball in pre-season and won't be at their best for some time.

"A less cautious approach from boss Mick McCarthy would be very welcome, trusting in the undoubted talent of England youth international Andre Dozzell and allowing others the luxury of playing with a bit more freedom.

"If that happens we'll hopefully start to forget the drudgery of 2016/17."

Phil Parry
BBC Radio London

Image source, Getty Images

"Brentford are heading into their fourth successive season in the Championship, having claimed top-10 finishes in the last three, meaning we can now call them established in the second tier - despite some pundits still suggesting otherwise.

"There are good people in charge of the various departments of the football club and, while they may not be one of the so-called 'biggest' of sides in the division, there is a (apologies for this) buzz around the Bees.

"With the new stadium’s construction under way, a style of play which is pleasing on the eye and obvious investment in the playing roster there is a sense of anticipation around Griffin Park.

"If pre-season is an indicator then games involving the Bees may well produce a lot of goals, but I am sure the coaching staff will be accentuating the scoring of them at one end while cutting them out at the other.

"The Championship appears pretty open this season and if the West Londoners can maintain a consistency there will be a belief that a top-six challenge is possible."

Andy Giddings
BBC Radio Sheffield

Image source, Getty Images

"After achieving 100 points in winning the League One title last season, there’s a groundswell of optimism at Sheffield United.

"The Blades’ spending has been sensible, so Chris Wilder’s recruitment has largely seen players of Championship potential brought in - the exception being former Fulham defender Richard Stearman.

"But those players have fit comfortably into a well-rehearsed style of play, which is under-pinned by a tremendous work ethic that should see United more than competitive in the second tier."

Reading manager Jaap Stam is ready and raring to go again with his side who came so close to promotion in his first season in charge.

Stam's side make the short trip down the M4 to face QPR in West London in their season opener at Loftus Road.

The Royals were beaten on penalties in the Championship play-off final by Huddersfield in May, but the Dutchman insists there's no hangover for him or his players from the disappointment.

"I'm happy to start the season, you're always looking forward to it as these are the games that matter," he told BBC South Today.

"We've got our own motivation in wanting to do well. We can learn (from May) but it's all in the game, we know that."

Stephen Wright: Stability with Pep, exciting new players #oufc

Paul Thame: Bristol City: Less stressful than last

Justin Whitby: It's almost a different eleven players. #wolves

Little Piggy: QPR: They are playing well..... oh no!

And this, from Ben, is probably our favourite contribution so far...

Ben Jeffery: yes, yes, yes, YES, YES!! FOOTBALL!

As the tweets below testify, if you are heading to a game then you may be best off avoiding the M6...

BBC Sport app users may need to click "view more" to see social media content.

Tim Dellor
BBC Radio Berkshire

Image source, Rex Features

"Reading fans will be optimistic their team will over-achieve again this season.

"It's important they remember the miracle Jaap Stam worked last season, to get the team a third-placed finish.

"Stam got everything right last season. To repeat the feat will be no easy task. The 69-day break between the heartbreaking penalty shoot-out defeat by Huddersfield at Wembley and the start of this season has not been straightforward.

"Ali Al Habsi and Danny Williams left the club. Paul McShane is suspended for the opener against QPR. Callum Harriot, Garath McCleary and Yann Kermorgant are sidelined with long-term injuries.

"Bringing players in has been more of a challenge this summer. Awareness of the new Chinese owners' vast wealth, and Reading being widely regarded as serious contenders, has made recruitment tricky.

"This time last year Jaap Stam said finishing in the top 10 would be a good achievement. With the competitiveness of the Championship and events of the past three months, he might still be thinking about a top-10 finish."

Nick Godwin
BBC Radio London

Image source, Getty Images

"Although they weren't involved in the final day drama, Queens Park Rangers came perilously close to being relegated last season.

"The thumping they took at Norwich on the final day underlined the difficulties Ian Holloway is experiencing.

"In days gone by at Loftus Road, another root-and-branch clear-out would be under way, but times have changed. Holloway and director of football Les Ferdinand are working under limited budgets and resourcefulness is the order of the day.

"It might be another difficult campaign for QPR but Holloway has vast experience at this level and, if he can get a team to gel, they could find themselves in mid-table, which, considering the turnover of players and managers, may actually be just what's required."

And, with that last post, I may well have just give you a cheeky little clue to help with our EFL transfers quiz too.

Have you all given it a go yet? I helped compile the thing and still got a couple of the answers wrong, so let's see how you get on...

Now then, this was probably one of my favourite stories of the summer.

Tom Broadbent, who was a Lance Bombardier in the Army, was snapped up by League One side Bristol Rovers at the age of 25.

His chance came about after he sent manager Darrell Clarke a video of him in action and, after battling through a trial, he can now call himself a professional footballer for the first time.

"I enjoy it, it does not feel like my job, really. It feels like I am just here having fun," he told BBC Points West, who play Charlton Athletic this afternoon.