For most Bristol City fans, this summer has been one of reinforcement and improvement with the early indication that the Robins in 2022/23 will be a very different prospect to the one that was so wildly inconsistent throughout last season.
It’s maybe partly driven by the strong finish to an underwhelming campaign, and the City squad is still not without its flaws, but so far Nigel Pearson has retained his best players and added a few more. So, logically-speaking, they should be better.
Granted, it’s not a position shared by all, there remain the less optimistic among the supporters but, in the main, with the season kicking off in seven days time, there is optimism beyond the traditional excited nerves around the kick off to a campaign.
However, it’s not a view shared by bookmakers with City among a clutch of teams just above the relegation favourites who have been forecast to struggle and finish in a similar position to the 17th in which they ended up for 2021/22.
In terms of promotion odds at this stage, the Robins are 19th-favourites to go up, by whatever means, while there are just three teams with shorter relegation odds than Pearson’s side.
The Championship is notoriously difficult to predict and even the expected heavyweights of the division, mainly buoyed by parachute payments and squads that not so long ago were playing in the Premier League, aren’t guaranteed successful seasons.
But it will be interesting to see over the next nine months, as City begin their campaign at Hull City next Saturday, with Huddersfield Town vs Burnley kicking things off on Friday night, just which teams can upset the odds and buck the pre-season forecasts.
Championship odds 2022/23*
Promotion
Norwich City - 5/4
Watford - 13/8
West Brom - 5/2
Middlesbrough - 2/1
Sheffield United - 2/1
Burnley - 11/4
Swansea City - 6/1
Millwall - 15/2
Coventry City - 7/1
Luton Town - 8/1
Blackburn Rovers - 9/1
QPR - 9/1
Stoke City - 9/1
Sunderland - 10/1
Cardiff City - 12/1
Hull City - 14/1
Huddersfield Town - 14/1
Preston North End - 14/1
Bristol City - 25/1
Wigan Athletic - 25/1
Blackpool - 28/1
Birmingham City - 33/1
Reading - 40/1
Rotherham - 40/1
Relegation
Rotherham - 3/2
Reading - 13/8
Birmingham City - 13/8
Blackpool - 10/3
Bristol City - 10/3
Wigan Athletic - 9/4
Hull City - 9/2
Huddersfield Town - 6/1
Cardiff City - 13/2
Sunderland - 15/2
Preston North End - 6/1
QPR - 9/1
Blackburn Rovers - 9/1
Stoke City - 9/1
Luton Town - 10/1
Millwall - 11/1
Coventry City - 12/1
Swansea City - 16/1
Burnley - 20/1
West Brom - 33/1
Sheffield United - 50/1
Middlesbrough - 50/1
Watford - 66/1
Norwich City - 100/1
*all odds via SkyBet and correct at the time of publication
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