Bristol City are not considered by bookmakers among the early favourites to win or compete for promotion in the Championship for 2023/24, with the division’s 24 teams now set.
With Leeds United, Leicester City and Southampton relegated and Ipswich Town, Plymouth Argyle and Sheffield Wednesday promoted to replace Burnley, Luton Town, Sheffield United, Blackpool, Reading and Wigan Athletic, the Robins know the identity of the 23 teams they’ll have to face from August until May, 2024.
Fixture release day isn’t until June 22, while there is also a full summer transfer window ahead for teams to shape their squads for the campaign, with City expected to be among the busier teams in the market, so how much value you think should be placed on the odds is entirely up to you, but at the very least they do represent an interesting reference point.
The Robins are currently being priced at 40/1 to win the Championship - admittedly an ambitious proposal in itself - and 9/2 to earn a top-six berth, 19th among their rivals and the same as Preston North End and Plymouth Argyle.
While there is little expectation for City to emerge as Championship winners, a position that is increasingly the domain of teams in receipt of parachute payments after Premier League relegation, there is hope they can mount a sustained play-off challenge.
Under Nigel Pearson, City have finished 19th, 17th and 14th, improving incrementally, and although the leap into the top six represents a bigger jump, with the squad foundations in place, greater financial flexibility and a summer window in which they will be active to add depth, optimism abides at Ashton Gate.
Unsurprisingly, those teams fancied by bookmakers are those who have dropped down for the top flight as while Leeds, Leicester and Southampton may lose some of their best Premier League talent, the financial boost of parachute payments enables them to keep their wage bills high compared to the rest of the Championship.
Leicester are priced 5/1 to win the division and 4/6 to at least finish inside the top six, followed by Leeds at 11/2 and 8/11. Interestingly, Michael Carrick’s Middlesbrough, who lost in the play-off semi-final to Coventry City, are considered stronger challengers than Southampton, while newly-promoted Ipswich Town, who are widely expected to invest heavily and offer salaries at the higher-end of the scale, are also in the mix.
At the bottom, Rotherham United, Huddersfield Town and QPR are considered the least likely teams to challenge.
Championship odds 2023/24
Outright winner
- Leicester City - 5/1
- Leeds United - 11/2
- Middlesbrough - 10/1
- Southampton - 10/1
- Ipswich Town - 14/1
- Norwich City - 14/1
- Watford - 14/1
- West Brom - 14/1
- Stoke City - 20/1
- Sunderland - 20/1
- Blackburn Rovers - 25/1
- Coventry City - 25/1
- Millwall - 25/1
- Sheffield Wednesday - 25/1
- Swansea City - 25/1
- Hull City - 28/1
- Birmingham City - 33/1
- Cardiff City - 33/1
- Bristol City - 40/1
- Plymouth Argyle - 40/1
- Preston North End - 40/1
- QPR - 40/1
- Huddersfield Town - 50/1
- Rotherham United - 80/1
Top-six finish
- Leicester - 4/6
- Leeds - 8/11
- Middlesbrough - 11/8
- Southampton - 11/8
- Ipswich - 15/8
- Norwich - 15/8
- Watford - 15/8
- West Brom - 15/8
- Stoke - 9/4
- Sunderland - 9/4
- Blackburn - 3/1
- Coventry - 3/1
- Millwall - 3/1
- Sheffield Wednesday - 3/1
- Swansea - 3/1
- Hull - 10/3
- Birmingham - 7/2
- Cardiff - 7/2
- Bristol City - 9/2
- Plymouth - 9/2
- Preston - 9/2
- QPR - 9/2
- Huddersfield - 11/2
- Rotherham - 7/1
Odds via SkyBet and correct at time of publication
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