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Football League 2014/15: Garry Birtles makes his predictions for the season

Sky Sports expert says Cardiff will win the Championship and Barnsley will get back in it

Image: Cardiff are Garry's tip to win the Championship

Grab your rattles and don your scarves because the Football League is back!

Seventy-two teams will head into the 2014/15 campaign looking to earn promotion to a higher division – though by next May nine will suffer the ignominy of relegation.

Sky Sports will be there every step of the way, with regular live games and our weekly highlights and analysis programme FL72-Review, as well as ample articles and features on skysports.com and our iPad and mobile apps.

Ahead of the big kick-off, we asked some of our Football League experts for their predictions and Garry Birtles is the final pundit to share his views.

The former Nottingham Forest frontman is backing Cardiff for an immediate return to the Premier League; a Leeds new boy to make an impact; the Yorkshire clubs to thrive in League One; and Lowe to fly high in League Two...

CHAMPIONSHIP

Image: Former Peterborough star Nicky Ajose is a shrewd acquisition for Leeds

Winner: Cardiff

Runner-up: Derby

Play-offs: Norwich, Fulham, Nottingham Forest, Reading

Relegation: Blackpool, Brentford, Rotherham

Top scorer: Ross McCormack (Fulham)

Player to watch: Nicky Ajose (Leeds)

Young gun: Will Hughes (Derby)

LEAGUE ONE

Image: Preston will make the League One play-offs again

Winner: Barnsley

Runner-up: Doncaster

Play-offs: Sheffield United, Leyton Orient, Peterborough, Preston

Relegation: Rochdale, Colchester, Crewe, Gillingham

Top scorer: Michael Higdon (Sheffield United)

Player to watch: Paddy Madden (Scunthorpe)

Young gun: Benik Afobe (MK Dons)

LEAGUE TWO

Image: Pompey's Danny Hollands can flourish this term

Winner: Carlisle

Runner-up: Southend, Tranmere

Play-offs: York, Bury, Luton, Burton

Relegation: AFC Wimbledon, Cambridge

Top scorer: Ryan Lowe (Bury)

Player to watch: Danny Hollands (Portsmouth)

Young gun: Carlton Morris (Oxford)

What do you make of Garry's choices? Let us know using the feedback form below…

Click here to read Peter Beagrie's predictions

Click here to read Don Goodman's predictions

Cick here to read Matt Murray's predictions

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