Exclusive: Don Goodman drops exciting Ipswich Town and Birmingham City prediction.

Don Goodman expects more competition for promotion in the Championship next season than last, naming Ipswich Town, Southampton, Middlesbrough, and West Brom as potential top two contenders.

The Championship season begins in less than a month, with the Tractor Boys travelling to Birmingham City for the first game.

The Blues have been promoted from League One, while Kieran McKenna’s side is back at this level after being relegated from the Premier League.

Last season, Leeds United and Burnley finished first and second, respectively, with a 10-point lead over third-place Sheffield United, who finished 14 points ahead of Sunderland in fourth.

Don Goodman expects closer promotion battle

Goodman believes the Premier League’s relegated sides will all be in contention for a top two spot, depending on Leicester City’s potential points deduction.

He has also changed his mind about Birmingham City, believing they can compete, and expects more from Middlesbrough, West Brom, Coventry City, and Norwich City.

“That’s obviously a very difficult question at this stage, with so much time left in the transfer window, but without wanting to be boring, you’d have to go with the obvious ones,” Goodman exclusively told Football League World. “When I say obvious, I mean Ipswich.

“When you look at the quality of players they have at their disposal, you would expect them to be up there.

“Southampton is the same; they have some quality players, but I believe their squad will look slightly different.” “We don’t know how Leicester will be affected by the points deduction, so we’ll have to wait and see.

“And in terms of some of the others, with each passing signing and week, after ruling Birmingham City out, you’d have to say they’re putting together a really strong squad, similar to Ipswich.”

“And when Ipswich got promoted to the Championship [in 2023], I expected them to be in the top half, possibly pushing for a play-off, similar to how I felt about Birmingham.

“Then look at what Ipswich has done. “You would expect Coventry to be strong, Middlesbrough to do better, Norwich to do better, and West Bromwich Albion to do better.”

“So I just rattled off a whole list of teams there. “The one thing I do think is it’s going to be better quality, more depth to it and a really exciting race.”

Promotion battle could be intense this year

The battle for a top two spot last year ended in an anticlimactic fashion, with Sunderland and Sheffield United’s form deteriorating as the months passed.

It did end with two teams earning 100 points, which was impressive, but it should be much closer in the coming season.

Middlesbrough, West Brom, and Norwich could all bounce back stronger, while Birmingham and Coventry will undoubtedly be vying for a Premier League spot. Given the talent at their disposal, the relegated teams will all be in contention.

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