Tim Dellor
BBC Berkshire sport editor

Image source, Getty Images

Had you asked any Reading fan on 7 May, when the team had just lost to Luton and finished the season 21st in the table, what they expected from this next season, you would have got short shrift. At that stage most fans would have hoped for 21st and survival again.

Despite the transfer embargo hampering recruitment, and the fact they lost several key players over the summer, head of football operations Mark Bowen and manager Paul Ince seem to have strengthened the squad.

The additions of goalkeeper Joe Lumley and midfielders Tyrese Fornah, Jeff Hendrick and Sam Hutchinson are eye-catching, but the real excitement surrounds the return of club favourite Shane Long.

He first played for Reading 17 years ago as a teenager in Steve Coppell’s record-breaking Championship-winning team.

Long is likely to be behind Lucas Joao in the pecking order as first choice striker, but Joao’s injury record suggests Long will get plenty of opportunities.

If Joao and Yakou Meite stay fit, and senior players like Andy Yiadom and Tom Ince have good seasons, Reading may surprise a few people.

As the season draws nearer, fans' confidence in the squad seems to be on the rise, and there is real hope the team can do rather better than 21st.

Listen to every Reading game live on BBC Radio Berkshire.

Adam Oxley
BBC Radio Sheffield

Down, up, down, up, down, up…

The Rotherham yo-yo has been relentless over the past few years under Paul Warne as the Millers have continuously moved between League One and the Championship.

Having come so close to retaining their second-tier status on the last two occasions, the hope is that Rotherham can stay up this time, but the financial gulf between the club and others – not just in their division – will once again make it very difficult to achieve.

The Millers have seen transfer targets gazumped by other Championship sides, and they have even lost promotion stars Michael Smith and Michael Ihiekwe to local rivals Sheffield Wednesday, who remain in League One.

It will take all of Warne and his coaching team’s skill, experience and ingenuity to survive this season, and a few more signings too before the transfer window closes.

You can follow Rotherham United on BBC Radio Sheffield on BBC Sounds, digital radio, Freeview Channel 734 and on FM frequencies 88.6, 94.7 and 104.1.

Andy Giddings
Sports Editor, BBC Sheffield

Image source, Rex Features

Sheffield United are rightly seen as promotion contenders. They’ve added strength in depth in defence with the arrivals of Ciaran Clark from Newcastle and Anel Ahmedhodzic from Malmo, and bolstered in midfield by signing Reda Khadra and Tommy Doyle on loan from Premier League clubs.

However, question marks persist about whether they’ll score enough goals to do more than flirt with the automatic promotion places. The spark, invention, and industry provided by Morgan Gibbs-White will need replacing, so it’s a big year for Rhian Brewster - whose season was cut short by injury when promise finally started to show. It’s an even bigger one for Oli McBurnie - who has so far failed to justify the outlay in him, leaving talismanic skipper Billy Sharp as the only ‘certainty’ to score a few goals.

But, if Paul Heckingbottom can address those issues, there are genuine reasons to think Sheffield United will give themselves a chance of going one step further this year.

Nigel Johnson
Stoke City Commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

Stoke City supporters will be gazing into their crystal balls, hoping to see the Potters finishing the 2022-23 season fighting for promotion.

When Michael O’Neill became manager in November 2019, they were bottom of the Championship. He was confronted by a massive challenge to change an underperforming and imbalanced squad. Since his arrival, he has slashed the wage bill and the average age of the squad, and opportunities have been given to members of the academy. Thirty-eight players have gone.

For this coming season, Aden Flint should bring solidity to the back line, and Harry Souttar should join him when fully fit. Josh Laurent, from Reading, will form a positive midfield partnership with Lewis Baker and striker Dwight Gayle will bring his scoring prowess up front, alongside Jacob Brown and Tyrese Campbell.

Will this new, vibrant squad produce the goods? Time will tell.

Nick Barnes
BBC Newcastle's Sunderland commentator

There has been a significant change in mood at Sunderland.

Promotion following four seasons in League One, and a change in the ownership situation, has re-energised the fanbase.

More than 30,000 season tickets have been sold for the new campaign and there has been a positive reaction to the signings made so far, albeit there is still work to be done if Sunderland are to have a competitive squad for the Championship.

One, but probably two strikers is a must and there has been much talk of a return for the popular Nathan Broadhead - and hopes they can attract Troy Parrott from Spurs.

Overall, though, the squad is youthful but with a spine of experience in Alex Pritchard, Corry Evans and Bailey Wright. Alex Neil is a popular head coach and knows the Championship inside out. Hopefully Sunderland will, for once, start and end the season with the same man in charge.

Gareth Vincent
BBC Sport Wales

After a difficult start, Swansea improved as last season wore on.

Though they have lost Flynn Downes - and on-loan wing-back Cyrus Christie, who is still to be replaced - they will hope to maintain the momentum built as 2021-22 wore on.

Boss Russell Martin said his team were hindered last term by the lack of a pre-season together, so expectations will be greater as this campaign begins.

Nevertheless, Swansea have one of the tighter budgets in the second tier, so it would be quite some achievement should they feature in the promotion race come next spring.

If Swansea do find themselves in contention, it will be thanks in no small part to Martin's style of play.

Geoff Doyle
BBC Three Counties Radio sport

Watford supporters are really, really hoping Rob Edwards succeeds. The appointment of a young, hungry, ambitious English manager with experience – and some success – in the Football League is a move away from Watford’s normal hiring of foreign, sometimes unknown, managers.

The last time the Hornets were relegated Vladimir Ivic was chosen to coach the team. His replacement, just five months later, was another name we had to look up, Xisco Munoz.

Edwards did well at Forest Green in his first EFL management job, leading them to the title and promotion, but this is a big step up for him. Signs have been encouraging so far. Teamwork, patience, trust, rebuilding have been early buzzwords. He exudes a positive, warm, fresh approach which is hugely encouraging.

The fans will hope he gets off to a good start and doesn't run into early trouble. The club say they want to change the culture of hiring and firing and create more stability at Vicarage Road. So if Edwards does have a tough period - which most managers do - will they stick by him? That will be the crunch point and when we will see if the owner and board are true to their word.

The fans want more stability too. They understood the model when the club was on the up and staying safe in the Premier League. But two recent relegations has seen them grow cold on the model and wanting change. The club seem to have responded.

Signings have been light so far. There have been more outs than ins. As expected players have been offloaded but everyone expected the big hitters - Ismaila Sarr and Emmanuel Dennis - to leave for big fees and as yet that hasn't happened, although it still might in August. It seems Watford aren't going to make major recruitment decisions until/unless they leave.

With those two at the club plus Joao Pedro, Watford have a forward line which should tear up the Championship. The defence did well in the second tier last time so should cope, but the midfield needs reinforcing. With a bit more tweaking the squad looks easily good enough for at least a top-six finish.

Rob Gurney
BBC Radio WM Sport

Image source, Getty Images

On the face of it, Albion look a much stronger bet for promotion this season, even though there haven’t been wholesale changes to the Baggies’ squad.

The additions of John Swift and Jed Wallace, though, are critical to the club’s chances of success – bringing some much-needed creativity to the group.

Their goal involvements with Reading and Millwall respectively were right at the top of the stats charts in the Championship last season, and Steve Bruce will be hoping to see a repeat of those numbers to fire Albion into the top six at least, if not the top two.

Having spoken to both Swift and Wallace in the past week, that’s certainly their expectation, and with a fit-again Daryl Dike effectively being another new signing, options in the forward areas look plentiful for Bruce, with the likes of last season’s 18-goal top scorer Karlan Grant, and a seemingly reinvigorated Grady Diangana to factor into that equation as well.

The return of the popular Turkish midfielder Okay Yokuslu, this time permanently, after a semi-successful loan spell when they were last in the Premier League, should add some steel to midfield, while defensively, a back four, under Bruce, rather than three centre-backs, favoured by his predecessor Valerien Ismael, seems to suit the squad better.

The departure of England goalkeeper Sam Johnstone, on a Bosman to Crystal Palace, shouldn’t be too keenly felt, with evidence that David Button promises to be an able replacement.

All in all, the signs are good, but Bruce will be aware that a good start is crucial to avoid early disquiet around The Hawthorns.

Full coverage and commentaries of West Brom games will be available on BBC Radio WM this season.

Anthony Pilling
BBC Radio Manchester

Image source, Rex Features

Two years on from their cruel exit to League One, Wigan Athletic are back in the Championship. The Latics were a surprise package to many last season, but soon cemented themselves in the promotion chase with a team largely formed in the summer prior.

The task for every promoted side is cutting it in the league above. Leam Richardson has introduced only one new face so far in defender Ryan Nyambe, who should add some much welcomed Championship experience.

For the likes of Graeme Shinnie and Jamie McGrath, who moved to Wigan in January, it’s a chance to make their impact with a full pre-season under their belt. The return of Charlie Wyke in pre-season - after suffering a cardiac arrest in training in November - is a boost, not just for Latics but the whole football world.

A combination of youth and experience in Richardson’s armoury should see Wigan settle back into the Championship fairly comfortably.

It's the league that some of you will no doubt have been waiting for... the Championship.

There are storylines everywhere you look, as well as some big names and even bigger budgets.

Sit back and enjoy the thoughts of people in the know - it'll be kick-off between Huddersfield and Burnley before you know it!

We're exactly two hours from kick-off at the John Smith's Stadium, where last season's play-off finalists Huddersfield host Burnley in the EFL curtain-raiser.

The Terriers have been through some upheaval this summer - losing Lewis O'Brien and Harry Toffolo to Nottingham Forest - while boss Carlos Corberan resigned just three weeks ago.

Ian Woodcock has taken an in-depth look at how all that might effect them going forward.

Image source, Getty Images

We've shared the thoughts of BBC local radio commentators and reporters who will be covering a League One club this season.

I hope you learned something!

Let's get some healthy debate going on #bbcefl - tell us how you think your side will get on.

Dan Jewell
BBC Radio Lancashire Sport

After back-to-back mid-table finishes in League One for Stanley, the question is becoming about whether this is now the norm for the club.

All the traditional factors like budget and size of club suggest John Coleman’s side should be battling relegation - but they’ve consistently not been in that position.

The vastly experienced manager will have to replace big players like Ross Sykes and Colby Bishop, who have moved on, but his track record suggests he can and will.

Pre-season defensive injuries could be costly but Coleman remains their greatest asset.

Adam Oxley
BBC Radio Sheffield

It’s a new era at Oakwell both on and off the pitch with a new board and a new head coach after relegation to League One, just a year after losing in the Championship play-offs.

Immediately reclaiming their second-tier status is an obvious ambition this season but vital to the future of the Reds is re-establishing a relationship between the club and its supporters after anger turned to apathy during a dismal campaign.

New boss Michael Duff, fresh from a successful few years at Cheltenham, is Barnsley’s seventh head coach in less than five years, and the first UK-born boss in that period, a notable change of direction.

Duff has made six new signings so far this summer but you feel he will need a few more if the Reds are to challenge the top six, notably up front after the departures of forwards Cauley Woodrow and Carlton Morris.

You can follow Barnsley on BBC Radio Sheffield on BBC Sounds, digital radio, Freeview Channel 734 and on FM frequencies 88.6, 94.7 and 104.1

Jack Dearden
BBC Radio Manchester

Expectation levels appear to have gone off the scale for Bolton this summer.

More than 13,000 season tickets sold for a club who, three years ago, almost disappeared into oblivion.

A lot may well depend on how the staff and players deal with that expectation.

Manager Ian Evatt is happy with recruitment, and has gone on record saying “keeping players happy who aren’t regular starters" could be his biggest challenge.

Wanderers are capable, no doubt about that, but they need to improve on sluggish starts to the past two campaigns - if that can be achieved, they might take some catching.

I’m expecting Dion Charles to lead the way on the goalscoring front, with skipper Ricardo Santos and Dapo Afolayan being prominent in any realistic promotion push.

Follow the Wanderers throughout the season @bbcrmsport on Twitter

Image source, SNS

EFL clubs on red alert? Graham Alexander has just left Scottish Premiership side Motherwell.

The former Preston defender, who has managed Salford, Fleetwood and Scunthorpe in the EFL, watched his Motherwell side lose 3-0 on aggregate to Irish side Sligo Rovers in Europa Conference League qualifying on Thursday.

The managerial merry-go-round has already started, ladies and gentlemen...

Ed Hadwin
BBC Radio Bristol

Image source, Getty Images

How on earth can Bristol Rovers top their finish to last season? That last-day drama will live long in the memory, but the 7-0 win over Scunthorpe was set up by a run of 12 wins in 17 matches in League Two.

If they can bring that kind of momentum into the start of the season, who knows what they could achieve.

The signing of John Marquis gives them another goal threat, with James Gibbons and Jordan Rossiter adding a bit of much-needed depth in defence and midfield.

The absence of Conor Taylor and Elliot Anderson - who played a huge part in the promotion during their loan spells - is a blow, but expect more arrivals in the coming weeks to try to replace them.

Most bookmakers have Rovers pegged for a mid-table finish but don't be surprised if the feelgood factor at the Memorial Stadium sees the Gas aim a little higher.

Dave Fletcher
BBC Radio Derby Sport

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has openly admitted that he still has more business to do in the transfer market before he is happy with his Burton squad.

But he has made some key additions that he hopes will add a bit more pace and power at the Pirelli.

Davis Keillor-Dunn has impressed in pre-season, while the return of Calum Butcher from a spell in Scotland adds guile.

Ultimately, though, loan signings could prove to be key.

Midfielder Quevin Castro from West Brom and the latest recruit, Tyler Onyango from Everton, could have major roles to play, and if they are as impressive as Daniel Jebbison was in the first half of last season the manager will be a happy man.

Of course, the Brewers are continually battling teams with far greater resources, so a decent start is essential.

All Burton Albion matches are live on BBC Radio Derby 1116AM

Image source, BBC Sport

Throughout the season you'll be able to listen to coverage of your team across BBC local radio and by tuning into Squad Goals.

Most stations will have live commentary of home and away matches - though if you live outside of the area, you can follow all the action on Squad Goals on Saturday afternoons and Tuesday evenings.

The BBC is very much the place to be for coverage of your local EFL team.

Peter Swan
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire sport

Having seen their side adapt brilliantly to life in League One in 2021-22, Cambridge United fans will be hoping for more of the same this time around - and most likely won’t be disappointed.

Aside from a handful of heavy defeats away from home, the U’s proved hugely competitive on their return to the third tier, earning plenty of plaudits for their brand of organised, energetic and purposeful football.

It’s been a quiet summer at the Abbey, with few arrivals - but crucially few departures either.

Joe Ironside and Sam Smith should remain a reliable source of goals, and while veteran midfielder Wes Hoolahan has moved on, the likes of Harvey Knibbs, Jack Lankester and Adam May look well-placed to fill the void.

So what represents success for the U’s this season? Beating the drop? Mid-table security? A top-half finish? Mark Bonner will doubtlessly be setting the bar high. Whatever happens, it should be an enjoyable ride.

BBC Radio Cambridgeshire will provide match commentary of every U’s game home and away this season