Wolves' Kenny Jackett tips promoted teams to surprise in the Championship

Kenny Jackett today tipped Wolves' fellow promoted sides Rotherham and Brentford to be surprise challengers next season as he predicted an "open" Championship.

The Millers, who went up through the play-offs, have added six new faces already this summer and hope to sign three more, with Scott Loach, Mat Sadler, Kirk Broadfoot, Matt Derbyshire, Wolves target Conor Newton and record signing from Villa Jordan Bowery recruited.

Brentford have snapped up former Real Madrid midfielder Marcos Tebar Ramiro and winger Alan Judge and expect more activity.

Jackett said: "Quite early on we go to Rotherham and they'll surprise a few people.

"That will be a tough place to go.

"There are strong sides coming down while I also think Rotherham and Brentford coming up can surprise people and I think it will be a very even division, which is the tradition of the Championship – anyone can beat anyone else.

"In a very competitive league the top five clubs in League One last year all did very, very well.

"It was a great year and for two-thirds of the year it was so close.

"It was really only the final stretch where we got a great points total and pulled away."

Speaking for the first time about the new fixtures which sees Wolves facing the three sides relegated from the Premier League in their first four games, Jackett believes that should give them an early idea of their destiny.

"I think they'll be a very good yardstick for us, to see where we are with the sides coming down and are well fancied to do well and to try to come back up," he said.

"It will be a good test for us, new to the division, with some of the clubs coming out of the Premier League, but right the way through the division it will be very difficult.

"We go into the Championship now with an expectation, as most Championship clubs have, to see if we can be one of the three clubs next May that get into the Premier League.

"For various reasons there are some tough games but it's exciting times and an exciting season for Wolves."

And Jackett, who guided Wolves to their best ever start to a campaign last term, stressed the importance of hitting the ground running again.

"The start of the season is very important as it can make everyone believe," he said.

"It makes the players believe, the supporters believe, and you need to be successful in that first 10 to 12 games to have something to base your season on.

"That's our objective now in a Championship which looks very open."