It's coming back, it's coming...Football's coming back

This weekend salvation arrives, as the start of the English Football League season gets under way. Kicking it all off on Friday night are Norwich City, newly promoted to the Championship and with high hopes of a continued upturn in fortunes, taking on Watford who are tipped by many to struggle again this term.

The annoyingly named 'Championship' is in terms of attendance, revenue, and profile one of the biggest leagues in Europe. Only the top divisions in England, Germany, Italy and Spain take more people through the turnstiles each weekend; and a look through the calibre of teams in the division goes some way to explaining why.

The presence of so many traditional heavyweights also makes for one of the most open and difficult-to-predict leagues of all. It is common for one team to ultimately stretch away and win the division by a healthy margin, however prior to a ball being kicked, it's a brave or foolhardy man who would put all his money on any one team.

Further down the ladder into League One (another ridiculous name, it's Division 3, we all know that) and although there is again a scattering of big clubs, the betting market is pointing in one direction.

Southampton are overwhelming favourites to win the league; having just missed out on the play-off's last term despite a 10 point penalty, and showing form going into the second half of the season that presumably has the rest worried. This tag of favourites though is something that is very new to the Saints and something that, for the supporters at least, does not sit easily. Underdogs, forced into a corner, against all the odds - this has always been the Southampton way. Romping the league, smashing goals for fun, having it sewn up by Christmas? Don't bet on it.

Whilst the vast majority of the focus in England is on the Premier League, and more specifically the top 4-6 clubs within; no-one should be under any illusion that this weekend is when it all begins. It's been a long few weeks since Iniesta brought the World Cup to a close, and what a joy it is to know that football; real, proper, bread-and-butter football, is coming back.

The next nine months will bring all manner of twists and turns, ups and downs, drama and incident- and that, my friends, is bloody brilliant.

Welcome back Football, we've missed you.

(Come on you Saints!!)