Blues boss Paul Jewell says next year’s Championship could be even tougher than ever with the likes of Sheffield Wednesday, Charlton and Huddersfield winning promotion from League One. Town start their 2012/13 campaign on Saturday 18th August with a home game against Blackburn, a club which has moved in the opposite direction this summer.

Jewell told the club site: "It doesn't matter who you play on the first day of the season or the last in this division, you know it's going to be a hard game.

"There are plenty of big clubs in this division who will feel they have the stadium and facilities worthy of the Premier League and getting back to that level will be the aim.

"The Championship is one of the most competitive leagues in the game and I lost count how many times I said that anyone can beat anyone in this league last season.

"It will be just as tough next year, possibly even tougher. You've got Sheffield Wednesday coming up, who are a massive club. Huddersfield have shown their ambition and Charlton were playing in the Premier League not so long ago.

"They will all look to build on the momentum of last season and we have seen Norwich and Southampton benefit from that over the last two years. It's going to be a real battle, we know that, but it's one we're looking forward to taking on."

Photo: Action Images

bluediver added 11:20 - Jun 18 StowTractorBoy has got it spot on. Every Prem team coming down has four years of 12m a year in parachute payments if they don't go back up. How is that fair and equitable? If they overpay players on long contracts without clauses in and then get relegated - tough they should be putting their finances in order. Why should clubs like ITFC be at a financial disadvantage to the tune of one and a half Connor Wickham sales every season?! Bottom line is the Premier League runs the show and the Football League just rolls over every time there is an issue.

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JimmyJazz added 11:32 - Jun 18 So when a manager attends an interview he surely outlines how he plans to win promotion (or achieve stability based on a club's aspirations). He doesn't come out with crap like 'let's have it right, this division is harder than ever to get promoted from'. So why is PJ so downbeat? My guess is ME is going to do exactly what he did with RK going into his last year of his contract - he's not going to back him with money to spend and will probably start looking at alternative managers that can be hired around Christmas or whatever date PJ's contract doesn't trigger a hefty pay off for dismissal. PJ knows this and recognises that he stands no chance in the coming season as the squad is likely to be weaker than last season.

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itfc1981 added 11:39 - Jun 18 The worst PL clubs came down last season (bar Norwich of course) have ambition Jewell. There's no West Ham type club this year.
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WorcesterBlue added 11:39 - Jun 18 Right let's get this straight. It is PJ who is setting the tone by being negative not us. The relentlessly downbeat, droll, uninspired drivel beggars belief particularly when we are trying to attract new players and motivate the team. If this is what the players (and prospective players) hear from our 'leader' then a lot is explained. He says he cares but his words and actions suggest otherwise. And yes I am a fan (of over 30 years) and I am allowed to get hacked off by this. Let's have some positive messages about how we are going to take on these big guns and how excited he is by our young hungry squad etc - or bugger off the golf course and let Lee Clark have a go instead!!

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walberswick added 11:49 - Jun 18 It's going to be extremely tough with only 11 players in the first team squad.
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afrodids added 11:59 - Jun 18 can we sign harry redknapp please :)
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Brockleyblue added 12:06 - Jun 18 I disagree with PJ re. the current strength of the Championship. There is no team this season who have vastly greater financial clout than the rest (unlike West Ham last year, or QPR the year before). Of the teams that missed out in the play-offs, Brum are in dire straights money wise, and I think Blackpool may have had their day in the sun. The three teams who came down from the Prem. are as poor and (relatively) impoverished as any I can remember. Of those that came up from League 1, Charlton spluttered towards the end of the season and Huddersfield were relying on people like Alan Lee and Gary Roberts. Sheff Wed may be a threat but Dave Jones managed teams usually fall a bit short in this division. I don't think there are many v. poor teams in the Championship in the year ahead (the relegation battle should be interesting) but neither are there any stand-out contenders. If Ipswich are ever to get back into the play-offs then next season offers a reasonably good chance of doing it (assuming they make some much needed signings over the summer).

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Dozzells_Bobblehat added 12:18 - Jun 18 Ah , the chirpy , cheeky return of daleyitfc. How i have missed u. Hang on.......nope I haven't.
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irishtim added 12:33 - Jun 18 Lets give him a chance. Get some quality players & judge him in 6 months. If there is no improvement by then, get a new man in.
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Mark added 12:34 - Jun 18 In simple terms, there are three ways to get promoted: A) Spend big money on quality players to get promoted; B) Wheel and deal to get a lucky mix of players who happen to do well; C) Invest in youth and have a long-term plan. Under Magilton and, especially, Keane we tried A and both managers blew the money big time. I think under Jewell we tried B, bringing lots of players in but not spending so big, and that failed. Now we seem to be trying C, buying younger players and developing the academy. I agree that is the right thing to do, but the results may take a few years to realise. For that reason I can't see us challenging at the top this season, but so long as we build for the future and get better over time I think fans would accept that.

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Dog added 12:35 - Jun 18 What a bunch of muppets we have on here. Every club is in the same position as us. Most clubs have signed one player with the exception of the promoted clubs, who are sorting their side out as to who is capable of playing at this level. In my opinion, we still have a month to go to acquire players. if we do not have them in by mid July so that they have a good pre season then that is the time to worry. There are far more clubs in a far worse position than us - try Leeds United (10 players - 1 player less than us Walbersthick), Bristol City, Millwall (without Trotter), Blackburn, Bolton, Charlton, Barnsley and Huddersfield (without Rhodes). We will strengthen - I am sure of that. It is easy to sign players who are on freebies (look at last year) but do they actually perform - not really. Let's bide our time please. We could do far worse than sign McCormick from Leeds. One year left on contract and refusing to sign a new deal at moment until their finances are sorted.

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Skip73 added 12:45 - Jun 18 The same negative drivel on here I see. Every team will be thinking it looks hardLets wait to see who we bring in before we start making daft predictions shall we? Also I have noticed that the teams who do well have decent supporters who get BEHIND their teams. With the majority of so called 'fans' on here we have no chance.
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Skip73 added 12:47 - Jun 18 The same negative drivel on here I see. Every team will be thinking it looks hardLets wait to see who we bring in before we start making daft predictions shall we? Also I have noticed that the teams who do well have decent supporters who get BEHIND their teams. With the majority of so called 'fans' on here we have no chance.
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Yeasayer added 13:49 - Jun 18 What is he suppose to say? "This season is going to be a lot easier than the last". It's going to be even tougher with unsupportive fans berating the manager before a ball has been kicked.
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LordMamu added 13:53 - Jun 18 What I'm looking forward to most next season is some of the regular posters on here learning to spell and/or using some basic grammar.....
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Karlosfandangal added 13:54 - Jun 18 Only worry at the minute is the fact that it will be harder this season than last with team coming down with a load of cash, We have a weaker team than last year with players leaving and the only replacement is a youngster who will be out till October so will no play till christmas. All the promise of we have been looking at targets since Jan and will get them in early, Need to get a move on as pre season is only a few weeks away. Depending on who we sign it could be a good season but so far mid table again looks on the cards

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JewellintheTown added 14:03 - Jun 18 I'd be interested to hear what comments some of you "experts" on here would come up with if you were manager that werent cut and paste comments. Ironically your comments are very much that! Summing up what some of you expect him to say, they need to be motivational, inspirational, uplifting, non cliche, something we've never heard before, humourous, entertaining, yet down to earth, honest and in-touch with the fan base. Well, come on then, now's your chance to prove it can be done so motivate us all then. "We're all ears".

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Langdon_Blue added 14:13 - Jun 18 LordMamu "What I'm looking forward to most next season is some of the regular posters on here learning to spell and/or using some basic grammar....." Hear, here, I completely ugree. Sum of the spelling is atroshus! Back to the subject, as some have already pointed out, it's far too early to judge how our team are going to perform next season. This is mainly due to the fact that we haven't actually signed most of them yet! Let's see where we are player-wise towards the end of July.

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Surco72 added 14:15 - Jun 18 I dont understand why some fans on here think we have a divine right to be challenging for promotion ? We have less money to spend than the relegated teams of last two years ,6 teams ,clearly less spending power than Leicester ,probably less than Middlesboro ,Hull ,Cardiff who have challenging squads already and are adding and have more fan base . 3 promoted sides who will be on a high for the start of the season like Saints,Norwich,Leeds,Brighton have done in recent years In reality we are a mid table side who need a very good run to get momentum going or big money spent as too get a gelled team together takes time and we have had too many changes to management in recent years to achieve what the likes of Swansea ,Blackpool, Saints and Reading have done .

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kerryblue added 15:15 - Jun 18 Off with you Jewell,hopefully well be rid of your rubbish soon
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legoman added 15:39 - Jun 18 I am quietly confident about this season. the settled pack will feel more confident at the start of a season than they have for a good while. Cant wait to go hunting. WILD BOYS ALWAYS SHIIIIIIINE.
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JimmyJazz added 16:23 - Jun 18 What should he say? Well a cut and paste positive answer would be an improvement for a start. 'It's going to be a tough season but we'll be ready for the challange when the season kicks off'. I'm berating the chairman, he doesn't seem to have a clue what to do next and if he is thinking PJ has had enough money already and isn't bothered about offering improved contracts to the likes of Lee Martin and JET so they don't walk away for nothing as we've let others do, then we're in for more doom and gloom. As I said previously, I think PJ is downbeat because he can see the writing on the wall.

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buryblue77 added 16:56 - Jun 18 JimmyJazz, I agree with you what you say about the chairman and giving PJ money, I think we have a CEO and owner who thinks that promotion can be achieved on the cheap and if we don't stop players from walking away for nothing then the past mistakes haven't taught them anything (or they don't see them as mistakes) I think it's going to be a very tough season, and whilst I can understand the views of some on here who were there during the glory years (I wasn't, being too young) and wanting to see a return, which I sadly can't see happening, especially with FFP coming in, effectively leveling everything out it'll be even more difficult for us to compete with the big clubs in this league and those relegated every year. Having said that, I want to see us make a push for the play off, if we miss out then we will have failed, we have to at the very least be in the top half of the table by the Autumn or I think we should look at PJ's position.

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walberswick added 17:45 - Jun 18 What Jewell is really saying is that with the half arsed backing he's had from ME and Clegg this year we will be lucky to get above mid table. He's happy to fill in with youngsters and free/ low fee players but don't expect anything this season. And if a proper job comes up PJ will be off just like any of our squad. PJ won't be sacked, he'll walk.
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bluearmy4life added 17:53 - Jun 18 First six games are very tough. I know it would be early days but we might have an idea of what sort of season we may have after six games.
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