Automatic promotion contenders
After four long years stuck in the muddy plains of League One, Sunderland managed to worm their way out but the division is still loaded with clubs who consider the third tier a world away from where they belong. No fanbase are more weary than that at Ipswich, whose mid-season appointment of Kieran McKenna galvanised the club last year. They lost four games from December and, having strengthened again, looked primed to compete at the top. As do Sheffield Wednesday, whose trio of former Rotherham players, Will Vaulks, Michael Smith and Michael Ihiekwe, look sound pickups. The pressure will be on Darren Moore at Wednesday, playoff semi-finalists last time. They gathered momentum towards the end of last season and have the toolkit to mount a serious challenge.
