How will relegated trio fare in the Championship?

With their generous parachute payments, it is often expected those who drop out of the Premier League will be the big contenders to shoot straight back up - but that was not the case last season. Only Ipswich Town returned to the top flight , and while Southampton did make up for a terrible start under boss Will Still, his replacement Tonda Eckert's spying tactics put an end to their hopes of bouncing back. And then there was Leicester City, who ultimately failed to escape a double relegation just a decade on from lifting the Premier League trophy. Yes, the Championship is trickier than some might think. Will the three relegated sides - West Ham United, Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers - be able to navigate it? West Ham United How did they get here? It has been a whopping 14 years since West Ham have been in the second tier but the side have been in steady decline since the high of winning the Europa Conference League in 2023. In the end, it came down to a close, fascinating scrap between them and fellow top-flight stalwarts Tottenham Hotspur for survival - but four losses in their final five games sealed the Hammers' fate. What has happened this summer? Most of the headlines surrounding West Ham this summer had nothing to do with football. There was a joint broadcaster Panorama and The Times investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct against West Ham co-owner David Sullivan, which he categorically denies. This was followed by Vanessa Gold, West Ham's co-chair, confirming her family's plans to sell its shares in the club to a consortium headed by ex-Newcastle United co-owner Amanda Staveley. However, fellow co-chair Daniel Kretinbroadcaster sold just over 2% of his stake in the club to Czech businessman Jakub Havrlant, making it possible for Kretinbroadcaster to purchase Gold's shares under the club's pre-emption rights clause, which gives existing shareholders first refusal on available shares. The whole process around the sale of Gold's shares could take two months, well into the new season. What will be key to their success? The retention of captain Jarrod Bowen is a major bonus for the Hammers. The 29-year-old forward's skillset should prove tricky for most second-tier defenders. He has also got pace and a high work-rate, which should serve him well in a physical league. Boss Nuno Espirito Santo could also be influential in West Ham's success. Despite suffering a poor end to last season, notably he is now the only head coach of the relegated trio to have managerial experience in the English Football League. The Portuguese took charge of Wolves in 2017 and led them to the Championship title in his first season, and his exploits in the Premier League since, particularly at Molineux and Nottingham Forest, will mean there will be plenty of expectation that he can get them promoted the first time of asking. Not to forget the power of the fans. London Stadium will be the biggest home ground the Championship has ever seen, housing 62,500 people. That is 51,831 more than Lincoln City's Sincil Bank. What is the expectation this season? West Ham are the bookmakers' favourites to win the title and their pedigree alone is enough for their fans to have faith in an immediate bounce back. Off the field though, the headlines surrounding the club have been a cause of concern and it is not unreasonable to believe the uncertainty could take a toll on the players and coaching staff. The Hammers did impress with a 3-1 victory over Portsmouth in the first round of the EFL Cup though and their opening game against Burnley on Sunday, 16 August (16:00 BST) could be telling as to how their season will unfold. Dazzle again there and their fans will be blowing their bubbles freely. Burnley How did they get here? Burnley have been on the promotion-swiftly-followed-by-relegation rollercoaster for a few seasons now. They have experienced four promotions to the Premier League under three different managers since 2014 - Sean Dyche, Vincent Kompany and Scott Parker - and three of those promotions, including their past two, ended in an immediate drop back to the second tier. Last season's Premier League campaign proved to be their toughest season yet, ending with a mere four wins - just 22 points - to their name. What has happened this summer? Burnley's former boss Scott Parker left by mutual consent back in April and the timing of appointing his replacement has left many fans concerned. Wales head coach Craig Bellamy had been