Championship angst: why the sense of rejuvenation in EFL is not universal

sense of rejuvenation in EFL is not universal The lineup of Championship teams this season is fearsome, leaving some supporters fearing a long slog to come A new season is supposed to be about renewed hope and optimism, a fresh campaign opening up a world of possibilities, a clean slate. But with the English Football League due to kick off on Friday night when Wolves host Blackburn in the Championship , the sense of rejuvenation is not universal. The lineup of Championship teams this season is fearsome. Wolves and West Ham, hitherto established Premier League clubs, have dropped into the second tier. Others such as Burnley, Middlesbrough and Southampton anticipate a promotion push. So perhaps supporters of those who are not enjoying parachute payment riches and squads still packed with top-flight talent are wise to feel cautious. Some fear a long slog of a season to come. League One 2026-27 preview: the contenders, hopefuls and strugglers Read more Blackburn fans, for example, saw their side scrape to the safety of a 20th-place finish last season, therefore would be forgiven for tempering their expectations before the trip to Molineux. Tony Mowbray has been brought back to Ewood Park as an experienced

guiding hand, but the 62-year-old has a huge task to avoid a relegation battle. Fans believe the Rovers owners and the club’s head of football operations, Rudy Gestede, have sold Mowbray short on players heading into the season, particularly in midfield. The 34-year-old Sam Morsy – described by Mowbray as “a real man, a soldier” – has added steel to that area of the pitch with his free transfer, but after Moussa Baradji and Jayden Fevrier he is only the third addition at Blackburn this summer. Mowbray wants and needs more. “I’m a bit greedy for good players,” he said. “I keep saying to Rudy: ‘I just want good players, doesn’t really matter where they come from, what age they are.’ I want to see personality on the pitch, players who are desperate to win.” Blackburn edged past Burton 2-1 in the Carabao Cup first round last week, though they required late goals from Andri Gudjohnsen and Fevrier, who Mowbray believes can bring “magic” on the right wing after signing from Stockport. View image in fullscreen Bolton Wanderers celebrated victory in the League One playoff final but a tricky season lies ahead. Photograph: Nigel French/PA Down the road, there are

two other Championship clubs feeling a similar sense of trepidation before the new campaign, and they meet at the Toughsheet Stadium on Saturday lunchtime, a game that could set the tone for their seasons. Bolton should still be on cloud nine; they finished last season with a 4-1 demolition of Stockport in the League One playoff final. Yet as the football world has witnessed this summer at York – where the manager, Stuart Maynard, was sacked and replaced by Scott Lindsey, despite winning the National League with 108 points – the afterglow of promotion can be short-lived. Reality bites quick. And such is the chasm between the second and third tiers nowadays, the need for Steven Schumacher’s side to strengthen fast became paramount after that glorious day at Wembley. David Watson, Ben Davies, Akin Famewo, Luca Stephenson, Kyliane Dong and Gaizka Larrazabal have all arrived, but there is a feeling among the fanbase that a marquee addition is needed, especially in attack where they risk asking too much of the striker Sam Dalby. Schumacher’s admission last week that Bolton “can’t afford to waste money” rang alarm bells with the fanbase. There is not an embarrassment of riches in the pot

📝 This article summarizes content originally published by The Guardian. All credit to the original source.