Whether it's the three teams who dropped from the top-flight, or the trio who enjoyed the elation of promotion from League One, as ever this season brings with it new challenges and new opponents, so we've profiled the clubs preparing for life back in the second tier this term.
Relegated | Fulham
Scott Parker’s Cottagers finished their latest Premier League campaign in 18th, and with three games to play, their return to the Championship was sealed with a home defeat to Burnley in early May.
Fulham's final standings saw them end the 11 points from safety, a place beneath the Clarets, who confirmed their exit from the division. Bobby Reid topped Parker's side's scoring charts, but his seven goals were too little to prevent them from ending the season in the drop zone.
The London side last met Reading in January 2020 and it was a day to remember for the Royals who ran out victorious at Craven Cottage thanks to strikes from midfielders John Swift and Charlie Adam.
Relegated | West Bromwich Albion
The position of manager at The Hawthorns remains vacant after West Brom suffered relegation back to the second tier with a 19th-placed Premier League finish during the 2020-21 season. Coming in two points beneath Fulham, and 13 from safety, the Baggies were up against it from the off, and when Arsenal inflicted a 3-1 defeat on them in early May, Sam Allardyce's men were condemned to the drop.
The impressive Matheus Pereira was a standout for the Baggies with 12 goals to his name last season, but with the league's worst defensive record to their name, the Midlands outfit, who conceded on 76 occasions, failed to prevent an instant return to the Championship.
We last faced West Brom at the Madejski back in February 2020, on that occasion the Baggies ran out winners, an 11th-minute George Puscas penalty got the ball rolling for the Royals, but the visitors struck twice to take the tie at 2-1.
Relegated | Sheffield United
The Premier League's bottom side come matchday 38, Sheffield United endured a tough campaign that saw the departure of boss Chris Wilder, as his side failed to drag themselves to safety as the season progressed.
A brilliant first season back in the top-flight, failed to be backed up the following year as the Blades were subjected to relegation come mid-April. Wolves edged past the South Yorkshire outfit 1-0 at Molineux, and it was that particular loss that sent United back to the Championship.
David McGoldrick led the United line for the majority of the campaign, and contributed nine goals as his side's top scorer. Despite often being the saviour for the Bramall Lane side, there was only so much he could do to shape the season of a side with the league's lowest goals tally.
Our last meeting with the Blades was also our final game before the Covid-19 pandemic suspended the 2019-20 season, teeing off against eachother in the Fifth Round of the FA Cup, United progressed to the quarter-finals with a 2-1 win over the Royals in extra-time in RG2.
Promoted | Hull City
Sealing an instant return to the Championship in style, as champions, Hull enjoyed a memorable campaign as they escaped the third tier at the first time of asking.
Life at the KC Stadium during the 2020-21 campaign was good, Hull fans saw their team come in top of the pile - the Tigers finishing two points clear of second-placed Peterborough with a final points tally of 89.
Their two star men who were in amongst the goals, scoring exactly half of their side's strikes, were forwards Malik Wilks (21) and Josh Magennis (19). With 40 goals between them, the pair will be a threat to defences across the division in the coming year.
We last did battle with Hull in February 2020, the Tigers travelled to the Madejski and take home a point following a 1-1 draw. Jordan Obita's opener was cancelled out by Wilks in the second-half of Hull's relegation season.
Promoted | Peterborough United
After an eight year stay in League One, the Posh are on the up once more, returning to the Championship for the first time since the 2012-13 season. Darren Ferguson's men weighed in second, narrowly pipped for the title by trophy lifters Hull.
Rampant striker Jonson Clarke-Harris netted 31 goals during the 2020-21 League One campaign, and rightly topped the charts not just for his side, but for the division.
August 2013 is the last time we met the Posh, the Royals endured an afternoon to forget in the League Cup, as Peterborough put six past Reading at London Road. Britt Assombalonga and Lee Tomlin were amongst the scorers for United on that day, helping to produce a 6-0 scoreline, one that the Royals had previously inflicted on them back in April 2010.
Promoted | Blackpool
Winners of a Championship spot in the most dramatic fashion, Blackpool secured their return to the division with a Play-Off Final victory at Wembley.
Having progressed past our near neighbours Oxford United in the semi-finals, the Tangerines faced Lincoln City in the capital, advancing past the Imps in a 2-1 courtesy of two goals from Aussie midfielder Kenny Dougall.
Neil Critchley's men had finished the regular season in third on 80 points, seven off an automatic promotion spot, but six clear inside the top six. Former Rotherham striker Jerry Yates spearheaded the Bloomfield Road side's success with 23 goals, and nine assists, while Ellis Simms also reached double figures with 10 strikes.
Blackpool played hosts to the Royals last in January 2020, a Third Round FA Cup replay that fell in favour of the Royals. Reading advanced to Round Four as 2-0 victors as goals from Lucas Boye and Jordan Obita saw us advance by the coast. Our last league meeting came five years prior in April 2015, a 1-1 draw, again in Blackpool, during which a Grant Hall own-goal sealed the Royals a share of the spoils.
Six teams that should make for six entertaining match-ups in the coming campaign, make sure you're there to take in all the action in our 150th Anniversary season by purchasing your 2021-22 Season Ticket!
