The Championship Is Back... Where The Soul Of Scottish Football Lives

When faced pinch nan mobility of who will triumph nan Championship this season, nan words of that awesome philosopher Homer J Simpson outpouring to mind.

"I ne'er make predictions - and I ne'er will."

This self-defeating maxim seems for illustration a peculiarly apt codification to unrecorded by erstwhile it comes to contemplating nan unusual and splendid chaos that is Scotland's 2nd tier.

And it each kicks-off connected Friday evening pinch Arbroath hosting Ayr United successful beforehand of nan Sportscene cameras.

Forget astir predictions and sane shot chat, conscionable bask nan madness - and dream nan Gayfield upwind instrumentality is switched connected for moreover much added spice.

The days of Dick Campbell astatine Arbroath are agelong gone but nan embers of that bunnet-inspired titanic title tussle pinch Kilmarnock backmost successful play 2021-22 still pain brightly connected nan Angus coast.

Two of his trusty lieutenants from those glory days – Colin Hamilton and David Gold - now stock player-management duties, and to awesome effect. The nine will unfurl nan League One emblem earlier nan lucifer pinch Ayr, testament to a broadside that knows really to win.

However, nan 2nd tier is simply a different tube of smoked fish. While nan Red Lichties whitethorn publically aspire to higher ambitions, endurance for nan part-time broadside would surely count arsenic success. After all, their past lucifer was a 1-0 conclusion to League Two Forfar Athletic. Clearly that is not ideal.

What does occurrence look for illustration for Ayr United?

At nan extremity of past play a visibly scunnered Scott Brown formed uncertainty connected his ain early arsenic Ayr exited nan play-offs.

But those acheronian clouds person seemingly scudded disconnected into nan region pinch Brown starring his broadside to 4 wins retired of 4 successful nan Premier Sports Cup group stage, including a 4-0 triumph complete Arbroath astatine Somerset Park.

Add to this caller signings for illustration Dom Thomas, Kevin Holt and Shaun Want who person each returned from crossed nan Irish Sea – indeed, erstwhile Hamilton Academical defender Want was subordinate of nan play for a Larne broadside who competed successful Europe - and abruptly nan Honest Men look to person nan nous and expertise to group coagulated foundations.

Off nan section nan nine is heading successful nan correct guidance too. Could this yet beryllium their year?

Their last lucifer of nan play will beryllium astatine location to St Johnstone. The Perth broadside are among nan favourites to triumph nan section aft their 16-year enactment successful nan apical formation came to an end.

They person stuck pinch Simo Valakari, intelligibly believing successful his imagination of attack-minded football. It worked for Falkirk past play and has intelligibly worked for nan Saints successful nan League Cup frankincense far, 4 wins retired of 4 ending successful a flourish pinch an 8-0 demolition of Elgin City.

Add to this an intriguing blend of decent performers from past play - Sven Sprangler, Jason Holt and Adama Sidebeh - now allied pinch proven Championship additions for illustration Sam Stanton, Reece McAlear and Morgan Boyes and location looks to beryllium committedness there. The signing of Stevie Mallan besides catches nan eye.

Some bookies are making nan different relegated Premiership broadside Ross County favourites to triumph nan title.

Appointing BBC Scotland pundits seems to beryllium de rigueur and proprietor Roy McGregor has prised John Robertson distant from weekends connected Sportsound to lend his acquisition to head Don Cowie.

The Staggies person besides brought successful value and acquisition pinch Declan Gallagher, Ross Docherty, Nicky Clark and Gary Mackay-Steven. They each cognize this territory wrong retired and should instantly stamp immoderate personality into nan side.

It would surely beryllium a large astonishment if County aliases St Johnstone decorativeness extracurricular nan apical four. The grounds of Livingston past play shows that nan teams dropping retired of nan apical formation are highly apt to beryllium successful nan mix.

Also traditionally successful that apical 4 operation are Partick Thistle, but really will they fare without talismanic skipper and striker Brian Graham who near to subordinate Falkirk?

Pretty good if nan League Cup is immoderate barometer. The Jags were different broadside pinch 4 wins retired of 4 to triumph their group. Interestingly that besides included a 3-1 distant triumph astatine Ross County. The summation of Tony Watt, who won nan Championship pinch Dundee United, looks astute arsenic they activity to switch nan 20-goals-a-season spread near by Graham.

Could nan container agency beryllium astatine Dunfermline Athletic? Possibly, pinch poker playing tycoon co-owner James Bord - who besides has engagement pinch a sports analytic patient - now successful power astatine East End Park on pinch erstwhile Celtic leader Neil Lennon successful nan dugout.

Some make them Championship acheronian horses and 3 wins successful nan League Cup positive a conclusion astatine Hearts wherever they earned plaudits points to affirmative signs for nan Pars.

They footwear disconnected their play disconnected distant to Greenock Morton who are different nine to person brought successful an knowledgeable manus to thief nan manager. In this lawsuit it's nan erstwhile Motherwell, Derby and Nottingham Forest leader Billy Davies who has arrived arsenic method caput coach to activity pinch Dougie Imrie.

Three League Cup group wins and 2nd information progression to look Aberdeen bodes well.

Perhaps nan champion spot of business Raith Rovers did successful nan summertime was keeping prima winger Dylan Easton. If he tin support backmost tense issues astatine bay he has proved earlier that he tin beryllium 1 of nan prima players successful this division.

He already has 5 goals successful 4 matches successful what was mixed container of a League Cup run for nan Kirkcaldy side.

And what to make of Airdrieonians? Hamilton Academical's points conclusion which saw them plunge into League One saw gave nan Diamonds nan chance to past via nan play-offs.

There will beryllium dream they tin do amended this clip fixed Rhys McCabe's broadside won plentifulness of plaudits successful their first play successful nan 2nd tier. That 1-0 triumph complete Premiership Dundee successful nan League Cup will person done nary harm.

And lastly Queen's Park... With able philanthropist Willie Haughey ending his financial backing of nan nine adjacent summer, this play looks for illustration being each astir transition. Given this backdrop, it is difficult to spot them emulating nan promotion push of 2023.

Of course, nan shot is only portion of it successful nan Championship, wherever we person nan allure of those hard-fired pies (which only occasionally get fired onto nan pitch), nan rickety stands which evoke memories of a bygone property and nan passion and colour which spill distant from those stands successful often wondrous and wacky ways onto our tv screens connected Friday nights.

The psyche of Scottish shot lives here. It is awesome to beryllium portion of it and nan madcap chaos is astir to statesman again. Sit backmost and enjoy.