The EFL Championship is always an unpredictable league which offers more than its fair share of shocks and surprises.
Who, for example, could have predicted last season that Cardiff City would have romped to the Premier League with 90 points after having battled relegation the season before?
Conversely, look at Reading, who were within a penalty of reaching the promised land in the playoff final at the conclusion of the 2016-17 campaign, only to finish 20th last term.
Things would surely have been a lot worse for the Royals if they hadn't parted ways with Jaap Stam-the manager who guided them so close to promotion-in March.
The fixture schedule is so intense, the margins are so fine, and the reward of success is so astronomical-the playoff final was worth a minimum of £160 million last term-that the division will throw up drama and intrigue aplenty between now and June.
However, forecasting the division's winner-or even the three promoted teams-is a tricky business, with an open field making things even more unpredictable than usual.
Of the trio, perhaps Stoke City are the best placed to make an immediate return to the Premier League.
Paul Lambert failed to save them after Mark Hughes's reign lost its way last term, but the appointment of Gary Rowett is a solid call by the Potters' management.
The 44-year-old made progress at Derby County and Birmingham City-admittedly without securing promotion-but knows the division well.
Keeping Joe Allen and recruiting Nigeria's Oghenekaro Etebo-perhaps the most outstanding player during the Super Eagles' World Cup campaign-should give Stoke the best midfield in the division.
Etebo, in particular, has the potential to be the transfer coup of the window. The other two sides dropping out of the top tier have much less reason for optimism.
Swansea City are much reconfigured since their relegation, with Andre Ayew departed and Jordan set to follow.
Wilfried Bony, once Africa's most expensive player, remains at the club and has expressed his desire to stay, but will new coach Graham Potter-recruited from Swedish football-be able to adapt to the rigours of the Championship and boost a team on the slide.
Then there's West Bromwich Albion, where an inexperienced side led by an inexperienced coach will have to go in search of a new identity following the apparent excesses and the complacency of Tony Pulis's ill-fated tenure.
Pulis's Albion side may have lost their direction last term, but the Welsh coach was hand-picked by Middlesbrough to lead their charge back to the Premier League.
He certainly has the experience and the nous to be a success in this division once again, and demonstrated his ability to mould a side and get the best out of the talents at his disposal after taking the reins at Boro in December.
Unfortunately for Smoggies fans, Middlesbrough look set to lose their most exciting asset in Hispano-Malian winger Adama Traore - who appears bound for Wolverhampton Wanderers-but if Congolese frontman Britt Assombalonga can stay fit, they have the firepower to escape the division.
Former Boro managers Aitor Karanka and Garry Monk will also be hopeful of ending the season in the relegation mix this term with Nottingham Forest and Birmingham City respectively.
The former appear to be on an upwards trajectory again after Karanka stabilised the defence and recruited ambitiously from Portugal, and while the Blues represent outsiders for the top six, the presence of playmaker Jota gives them the kind of quality in the final third that few can match.
Birmingham's city rivals Aston Villa, surely the division's biggest club, face an uncertain campaign after a summer of remodelling.
They sought promotion last term by bringing in a series of big-money experienced campaigners-with John Terry noteworthy among the veteran arrivals-only to fall short in the playoffs.
A new approach is required, but with the purse strings being tightened, is Steve Bruce the man to get the Villains back to the top table at the third time of asking?
At Derby County and Leeds United - two of the division's giants who have struggled to function effectively in recent decades let alone years - a pair of intriguing managerial appointments have stolen the pre-season headlines.
The Rams have plumped for Chelsea legend Frank Lampard, with the former England international swapping a punditry gig during the World Cup for his maiden managerial post.
Derby are a slumbering giant at this level, but Lampard will surely need time - both in a new role and at a new level - to understand what life in the Championship is all about and strategise accordingly.
For Leeds, the arrival of Marcelo Bielsa brings a circus-like quality to a club who can be relied upon for plenty of off-field intrigue.
It's a truly fascinating marriage, and while El Loco's idiosyncrasies and standards have become sticks with which to beat him after tenures with LOSC Lille and Olympique de Marseille, his tactical nous, footballing genius and influence among some of the game's top managers are hard to dismiss.
Blackburn Rovers, Norwich City, Hull City and Queens Park Rangers are all also familiar face to recent Premier League viewers, and while none can be ruled out for an unlikely promotion run they're all sides with significant flaws ahead of the new campaign.
The Championship regularly throws up a surprise contender, however, with Cardiff, Bournemouth and Huddersfield Town recent examples.
Several sides will be quietly confident that they can capitalise on a power vacuum at the top of the table to sneak into the top six in time for the conclusion of the campaign.
Perhaps Brentford, currently enjoying their most successful spell since World War II, could gatecrash the party, while Preston North End, Millwall and Sheffield United could all enjoy successful campaigns if they build on last season's momentum.