The Championship next season looks like a lengthy line of Bullseye contestants who’ve just flunked at the 101 in the six darts challenge and then been presented with the caravan they would have won.
Stale Solbakken may be completely new to the second tier as a manager but he knew he was walking into one of the most fiercely competitive leagues in world football.
Wolves, with four seasons in the Premier League behind them, will be certain to face 17 other teams with previous Premier experience over the last 20 years.
Sheffield United could make that 18 if they prevail in the League One Play-Offs at Wembley Stadium.
The bookies appear flummoxed as to who might prevail. With West Ham and Blackpool as yet exempt from the early odds they make Leicester early favourites, marginally ahead of Bolton, Blues, Leeds and Wolves, ahead of Brighton, Blackburn, Cardiff and Middlesbrough.
But just look at the teams with that Premier League experience behind them: Blackburn (18 seasons), West Ham (16), Boro (14), Bolton (13), Leeds (12), Charlton, Leicester and Sheff W (8), Blues and Derby (7), Ipswich and Nottm Forest (5), Palace (4), Sheff U (3), Watford and Hull (2) and Barnsley, Blackpool and Burnley (1).
