Jeff Stelling drops Norwich City and Birmingham City prediction | OneFootball

The talkSPORT presenter has high hopes for both the Canaries and Blues this season

talkSPORT presenter and long-time media icon, Jeff Stelling, has revealed that he has high hopes for both Birmingham City and Norwich City in this season's Championship promotion picture.

Issuing a number of club and player-themed predictions ahead of the second tier season getting underway, Stelling believes both Chris Davies and Philippe Clement can guide their respective squads into the play-off places.

The play-offs have also been restructured, meaning the sides who take up seventh and eighth position will now face off against fifth and sixth place in one-off 'eliminator' ties beforehand.

There are hopes that the change gives a greater incentive to sides whose seasons, if played out in the previous format, could have potentially been dead in the water.

At one point last season, there was a small possibility that Norwich could have shot up into the play-off places despite languishing in 23rd when Clement was appointed, although in the circumstances, ninth place was a more than respectable finish.

Blues, meanwhile, finished one place below in 10th after two big-spending transfer windows, and supporters at both Carrow Road and St. Andrew's @ Knighthead Park will be hoping for an improvement this time around.

Jeff Stelling evaluates Norwich City and Birmingham City's play-off hopes

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Speaking on talkSPORT with former Aston Villa striker, Gabby Agbonlahor, Stelling outlined that he believes the automatic promotion places will be taken up by Middlesbrough and Wolves, before going into further detail about his play-off selections.

Unsurprisingly, a key reason behind the inclusion of Norwich was their post-January form, which saw them win 16 games despite the loss of Josh Sargent to Toronto FC and a major injury crisis.

"Norwich finished last season absolutely brilliantly," said Stelling.

"They won 16 and drew two of their past 25. That's promotion form, really," he claimed.

The 71-year-old then assessed Birmingham's chances, with Davies taking a 'quality over quantity' approach in this summer's transfer market after a strong end to last season.

"I think Birmingham City have got enough to make the play-offs as well," Stelling added.

After joking that this was down to a radio appearance from Davies, he continued: "I thought they might make the play-offs last season.

"They've spent £6m on a young midfielder from Girona, Jhon Solis."

"I think they will (finish in the play-offs)."

Norwich City and Birmingham City made up an interesting play-off prediction from Jeff Stelling

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As well as giving reasons behind why Norwich and Birmingham will finish in the top eight, whilst Agbonlahor claimed that his rival club, being a well-known Villa supporter, "need" to be in those positions, it made up an interesting overall play-off picture from Stelling.

Despite many believing they will win the division with relative ease, he predicted West Ham United to finish behind Wolves, whilst also believing that Wrexham would move into the play-offs after finishing seventh last term under Phil Parkinson, whilst starting to invest this summer.

The remaining places within Stelling's predictions were made up by Southampton and Millwall, both of whom were involved in last season's semi-finals, although the former of the two were expelled and given a four-point deduction for this season due to Spygate, whilst Tonda Eckert could receive an anticipated FA ban as late as next month.

Norwich City and Birmingham City could lay down markers in their first Championship games

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Both Norwich and Birmingham will be hoping to lay down a marker in their opening matches of the season, as they are extremely intriguing on paper.

The Yellows, who eventually made Carrow Road a fortress once again under Clement, kick their season off against West Bromwich Albion, who were much-improved following James Morrison's appointment, which has now been made permanent after survival was secured.

The Baggies have made a plethora of exciting additions, particularly in attack, so the Belgian's side will have to overcome plenty of obstacles to start in winning fashion.

Birmingham travel to Sheffield United for a televised encounter, with the Blades not giving their supporters much optimism overall despite the recapture of Kalvin Phillips on loan from Manchester City.