"I think Middlesbrough will be there or thereabouts"
As a new Championship season gets underway, Sky Sports analyst Michael Dawson picks his top runners and riders
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- Michael Potts
The Championship 2024/25 season has arrived, with a fresh wave of ambition drifting over fans across the land. Is this finally their year?
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Ahead of the first fixture on Friday evening, broadcaster Sky Sports have been ramping up their start-of-season publicity campaign by bringing together 92 passionate football fans from each team across the Premier League and EFL to share their hopes for the 2024/25 season — and former Premier League and EFL defender Michael Dawson shares his predictions with RT.
Michael Dawson was a Championship star for Hull before moving to Tottenham Hotspur. Getty Images
So, who do you think will finish in the table's top two?
Michael Dawson: Burnley or Leeds are the teams for me in the Championship.
I was really surprised with the way Burnley performed in the Premier League last year, because of the way they blew the Championship away two years ago. I thought Vincent Kompany would take the team into the Premier League and play the same way, score goals and be comfortable, I did. I honestly believed that, and that was a real surprise for me, with the way Burnley defended, the goals they gave away and never learnt. But I do see [improvement] with Scott Parker there — he's had Fulham out of the Championship, Bournemouth out of the Championship, and I think he's the man.
Leeds are another team I like, they've got some good players. Yes, they've sold Archie Gray to Spurs, but if they keep some of them, they've got some big players — Joël Piroe and Georginio Rutter — time will tell, and bringing Joe Rodon back, who I thought was brilliant for them last year on loan from Spurs.
Sheffield United may be in or around it. Kieffer Moore is a good signing on loan. I like Callum O'Hare too. But what will they be like? They got used to losing, these teams, last year, and Sheffield United were really, really disappointing.
Who are your picks for this season's dark horses?
In the Championship, in terms of the surprise package teams, I think Middlesbrough will be there or thereabouts with Michael Carrick.
There might be one surprise package from the three that have come up, but only time will tell. It comes down to finances as well.
Former Manchester United and Spurs midfielder Michael Carrick is winning praise as Middlesbrough coach. Getty
Which teams do you fear could be struggling at the bottom?
Going to Plymouth is going to be a big ask for Wayne Rooney. They were promoted 12 months ago after winning League One ahead of Ipswich, who of course went back to back and made to the Premier League, which is remarkable.
Argyle struggled last year and sacked the manager, and with Wayne coming in now over the summer, I think it's going to be a big, big challenge. They'll be looking over their shoulder, as well as the three teams promoted.
At Euro 2024, England's 26-man squad was littered with 19 former EFL players, ranging from Eberechi Eze and Adam Wharton to Ivan Toney and Ollie Watkins. Who do you think can be another player to join that list?
There's someone out there who I know is going to have a great career: Harry Gray. He's still only 15 but he's away with the Leeds first team at the age of 15. We will see him this year in a Leeds kit, whether it's in the Championship or Carabao Cup. He is some talent.
Harry Gray has represented England at youth level and is the younger brother of Archie Gray, who just left Leeds for Spurs. Getty Images
Otherwise I like Jaden Philogene, who has already just gone back to the Premier League, and the kid at Middlesbrough, Hayden Hackney is a very, very good player. Liam Delap or Jack Clarke may also be one if they get an opportunity to go to the Premier League.
Any early picks for signing of the season?
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I look at Sheffield United with Callum O'Hare. But once the transfer window closes we might be looking elsewhere. There's also Mikey Moore who has just been signed by Tottenham. Will he go out on loan, or will he stay at Spurs? That's the question. If he goes to a Championship team, he will be the one that could light the Championship up, but he could also quite easily stay at Spurs, play in Europe and get minutes in the Premier League. I think he's going to be that good.
Authors
Michael PottsSport Editor
Michael Potts is the Sport Editor for Radio Times, covering all of the biggest sporting events across the globe with previews, features, interviews and more. He has worked for Radio Times since 2019 and previously worked on the sport desk at Express.co.uk after starting his career writing features for What Culture. He achieved a first-class degree in Sports Journalism in 2014.
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