John Terry eyes promotion as Championship season kicks off

John TerryJohn Terry has pledged to lead Aston Villa back into the Premier League as the Championship season kicks off with a host of bigspending clubs gearing up for a frenzied promotion battle After winning 15 major honours in 22 years with Chelsea Terry had to search for a new club following his release at the end of last season and rejected interest from several Premier League clubs to sign a pound60000perweek deal with Villa Terrys presence in the second tier will keep Villa in the spotlight while Steve Bruces side battle to return to the topflight after a twoyear absenceBut the former England star knows he wont have an easy ride as he plays his first matches outside the Premier League since a brief loan spell at Nottingham Forest in 2000 Given Villas abject failures in recent years and the cutthroat nature of the Championship the 36yearold believes winning promotion at a club that finished 18 points adrift of the playoffs last season would rank among the finest achievements of his glittering careerIt would be really special it would be up there for me To step out of my comfort zone was a big decision Terry said Its probably one of the most unpredictable leagues within world football We have to go up as champions if not automatically Does that bring more pressure on you Probably Do we like that as a group Yeah With the history of this club it deserves to be back in the Premier League All three teams relegated from the Premier League have undergone painful changes as they try to bounce back at the first attempt Garry Monks pound30 million investment on Jonny Howson Ashley Fletcher and Britt Assombalonga has convinced the bookmakers Middlesbrough are promotion favourites in their new managers first season after leaving LeedsRecriminationsIn contrast Sunderland are still mired in recriminations as Darron Gibson proved when the former Manchester United midfielder was filmed in a bar making a foulmouthed rant about his teammates following a friendly thrashing against Celtic last weekend That blow to squad morale was the last thing new Sunderland boss Simon Grayson needed ahead of what may be a trying year following the departures of star striker Jermain Defoe and goalkeeper Jordan Pickford This is not going to happen overnight with the project we are on We have to give the supporters something to cheer aboutGrayson said Hull are also under new management with Russian Leonid Slutsky the fascinating choice to replace Marco Silva following the Portuguese coachs move to Watford Slutsky has been busy in the transfer market signing Ola Aina Fraizer Campbell and Michael Hector to offset the sales of Harry Maguire Tom Huddlestone and Andy Robertson We now have a core and that is very important said Slutsky who led CSKA Moscow to the Champions League quarterfinals in 2010 and also had a spell in charge of RussiaIt is a testament to the Championships pulling power that Slutsky isnt the only one with Champions League credentials Wolves whose new boss Nuno Espirito Santo won the Champions League under Jose Mourinho at Porto in 2004 have spent a Championship record Acircpound158 million on Porto midfielder Ruben Neves and also signed Atletico Madrids Diogo Jota on a seasonlong loan Harry Redknapp who managed Tottenham in Europes elite club competition saved Birmingham from relegation last term and believes promotion is a realistic target Were going to have a go he said The aim has to be the top six for the season to be a success