Strengths: Strachan has signed some quality international players during the summer, raiding the best of Scottish talent in the shape of Kris Boyd and Kevin Thomson from SPL champions Rangers.
Weaknesses: Boro will be under pressure to perform after such a huge outlay on new players, while the imports are without experience of English football - regardless of excellent records north of the border.
Key man: As the SPL's all-rime record goalscorer, Boyd outstripped even Celtic legend Henrik Larsson with 164 goals while at Rangers. His knack of finding the net is just what Boro lacked last term.
Last season: Third in League One, promoted via the play-offs.
Strengths: The Lions are defensively very solid and difficult to break down. Once again they will prove tough to score against.
Weaknesses: Few members of the current Millwall squad have experience of playing in the Championship before.
Key man: Striker Steve Morison made the step up from Stevenage at the start of last term, scoring just twice in his first 18 games, but led the Lions' promotion push in the second half of the season to end with 23 goals.
Strengths: Scoring goals. Grant Holt, Chris Martin and Wes Hoolahan shared 52 between them in League One, and the Canaries have a knack of scoring in the dying minutes of a game.
Weaknesses: Very few last season, but lack of pace at the back is more likely to be exposed in the Championship. Also, several signings in key positions will have to settle quickly.
Key man: Goalkeeper John Ruddy, who has joined from Everton after attempts to re-sign Fraser Forster on loan from Newcastle failed. Ruddy will need to prove to be as commanding a presence as the man who kept 18 clean sheets last term.
Strengths: Forest are very strong defensively and do not concede many goals with Lee Camp in goal, and Kelvin Wilson and Wes Morgan outstanding at centre-back. In front of that trio, Paul McKenna pulls the strings in midfield.
Weaknesses: Ended last season with a poor record away from home, having gone unbeaten on the road from March 2009 to January 2010. Current lack of new signings also suggests a lack of depth in squad.
Key man: Much of Forest's good attacking play goes through McKenna. He was missed in the final few months of last season and on his return for the play-offs, he was arguably not fully fit.
Strengths: The free signing of Paul Hayes could give the attack an extra dimension to complement the talents of Jon Parkin and Chris Brown.
Weaknesses: Just nine wins from 46 away games over the past two seasons tells its own story.
Key Man: Former Blackburn winger Keith Treacy becomes even more important following Ross Wallace's departure to Burnley. It is Treacy's first full season with North End and he will aim to provide and score goals from midfield.
Reporting by Matt Newsum, BBC Radio Lancashire's Phil Cunliffe, BBC Radio Norfolk's Richard Hancock, BBC Radio Nottingham's Robin Chipperfield, BBC London's Simon Watts and BBC Radio Solent's Adam Blackmore.
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