With the Championship campaign beginning on Friday night, then it's time to predict just how the final table could look in May.
Who will come out on top? Who will finish inside the play-offs? And who will drop out of the second tier? But more importantly for Hatters fans, can Rob Edwards’ side achieve the manager’s goal of automatic promotion back to the Premier League? Hatters reporter Mike Simmonds has had a go at predicting what the second tier will look like after 46 games have been completed in the gallery below.
1. Burnley
With Vincent Kompany somehow earning the Bayern Munich job despite a season in which he took the Clarets down, Burnley decided to bring in two-time promotion winner Scott Parker, who has led both Fulham and AFC Bournemouth to the Premier League. Bar keeper Arijanet Muric's exit to Ipswich, the new manager has a cast of players who, despite struggling in the top flight, should be able to mount a serious challenge this term. Gudmundsson has stayed put after all, Tresor's loan deal is now permanent, with good money spent on Esteve, Hountondji and Pires, as it just remains to be seen how quickly they can adapt to a first taste of English football. Photo: Stu Forster
2. Luton Town
Might be seen as biased but why can’t the Hatters go up automatically? Yes, they’ve lost Barkley and Lokonga, but Town’s squad have shown they can ruffle some features in the Premier League, which makes them more than capable of doing so in this division. Baptiste will add some guile in midfield and you can bet that Luton have at least two or three new additions up their sleeve somewhere. If they keep hold of players like Kaminski, Doughty, Mengi, Adebayo and Morris, plus getting all their injuries back, it could earn Hatters the promotion that Edwards has set out to achieve. Photo: Liam Smith
3. Leeds United
Having missed out on the Premier League after an agonising play-off defeat to Southampton, Leeds have had to sell a number of their prized assets, with Gray and Summerville getting big money moves to Spurs and West Ham, Sinisterra also going to AFC Bournemouth, while Kamara, Roca and Cresswell have all departed too. It has left manager Daniel Farke in something of a predicament, although he has still brought in Rodon, Bogle and Rothwell. Still have goal threats in Piroe, Bamford and James, and are never far from the promotion picture, but might have to try and do it via the play-off route once more. Photo: Clive Brunskill
4. Sheffield United
Will find the Championship a far more palatable division after their stint in the Premier League last season in which they were the whipping boys for most of the campaign. Wilder knows his way around the second tier and the Blades' early signings are impressive, centre halves Souttar and Gilchrist in on season-long loans, Moore, Shackleton and O’Hare giving the attack a renewed vigour as well. United have lost Archer, Bogle and Traore though, so might be just short of the top two on this occasion. Photo: Matthew Lewis