Loyal reader and football fanatic Jim McKay has his say on the 'fortunes' and 'misfortunes' of those clubs 'with' and 'without' during the forthcoming Premier League campaign. Feel free to disagree

WITH the countdown to the opening and much anticipated 2015/16 Premier League season three days away, season tickets are all purchased (mine for Goodison Park - just to clear up a few misguided views after my last feature, not The Etihad) - potential new club heroes have been signed, and then printed upon the back of the all new home and away shirts.

And these players by now are primed into tip-top condition after trekking the globe via pre-season tours - tours designed to have them 100% physically prepped and focused, ready to rumble within our upcoming Premier League jungle.

It's at this point, in the lead up, as football fanatics, when we dare to dream - every fan does it, from Chelsea up at the top through to newly promoted Bournemouth - and each and every one of us is dreaming of the same thing - progression.

Whether that progression is to have a successful Champions League campaign or whether it's simply to stabilise within the top flight, to become an established part of Premier League furniture - it's a united hope and we are all praying at this point, regardless of stature, that the money shelled out in the summer transfer window by our club chairman proves to be wise investment - or that the player fought tooth and nail to ensure his shirt still dons our club crest come the 8th August goes on to justify that fight.

Here's a brief view on my club, your club and every other top flight side's season in waiting, please feel free to disagree......I'd love to hear your take on the upcoming season

ARSENAL

Top 4 is a guarantee this season for The Gunners, but the title challenge will again be a step too far - whether Wenger and co will prove me wrong will largely come down to one man - Alexis Sanchez - 5 star quality, an unbelievable athlete, and a talent capable of dictating any game.

**Finish - 3rd/4th

Northwich Guardian: Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez celebrates scoring against Hull City

Alexis Sanchez

ASTON VILLA

The rug has well and truly been pulled from underneath Tim Sherwood with the double whammy departures of Benteke and Delph, both are going to prove near impossible to replace and the club must continue to spend swiftly and wisely to avoid the drop. Twitchy times for the Villa faithful.

**Finish - Bottom 5

Northwich Guardian: Tim Sherwood said he had no complaints with the referee's decision to send off Younes Kaboul

Tim Sherwood

BOURNEMOUTH

What an achievement within itself to see a club that not so long ago verged on bankruptcy now about to pitt their wits amongst our elite, fantastic to see, but, and unfortunately there has to be one, this will be a one season holiday road trip of our finest English grounds. Nothing more.

**Finish - Bottom 3

Northwich Guardian: Bournemouth have all but sealed promotion to the Premier League

Action from Bournemouth's promotion winning 2014-15 campaign

CHELSEA

The current Kings of England with a Hazard'ous jewel in the crown and a special one at the throne.

But this will not be another glory year domestically.

A big Champions League on the cards instead for Mourinho's men this term.

**Finish - 2nd

CRYSTAL PALACE

Alan Pardew's side look in good shape and the arrival of Connor Wickham will give The Eagles a new dimension up at the top when needed, all in all a comfortable mid table finish.

No drama's to report at Selhurst Park.

**Finish - 11th/12th

Northwich Guardian: WORKING HARD: Sunderland’s Connor Wickham

Connor Wickham, previously with Sunderland

EVERTON

Huge season ahead for my club, Martinez is under the spotlight after a previous less than impressive 11th placed finish but if the toffees have kept the in demand back 4 together of Baines, Stones, Jags and Coleman come the opening day - add to that the quality bought in of Deulofeu and Cleverly to the already potent midfield threat of Barkley, McCarthy, and Mirallas - and this should surely provide enough bullets for Lukaku to fire the blues up the table.

BUT - Lukaku must hit the ground running.

**Finish - 5th/6th

Northwich Guardian: Romelu Lukaku

Romelu Lukaku

LEICESTER CITY

What a disaster of a preseason, as far as football is concerned we'll leave what happened over on the 'Good Will Tour' of Thailand, in Thailand, but regardless of the heroics that Nigel Pearson achieved in somehow keeping The Foxes up last season, his position became untenable.

The Tinker Man is now back amongst us and with all the experience that Claudio Ranieri will bring along for the ride, it should see Leicester safe once more, ...just.

**Finish 16th/17th

Northwich Guardian: Claudio Ranieri

Claudio Ranieri

LIVERPOOL

The opening away fixtures handed to the red half of Merseyside must have been keeping Rodgers awake at night from the day that they were handed to him, first up is a return to the scene of last season's 6-1 humiliation at Stoke, they then visit Arsenal, Manchester United, Everton, Spurs, champions Chelsea and last season's runners-up Manchester City in the following six away games - all before the end of November.

Rodgers has been installed by bookies as favourite in the sack race as a result and it's going to take a minor miracle for the Northern Irishman not to be Christmas turkey.

I predict another transitional period ahead for Liverpool and a new coach installed in time for the January transfer window.

**Finish - 6th/7th

Northwich Guardian: Liverpool manager Brendan Rogers

Brendan Rodgers

MANCHESTER CITY

The addition of Raheem Sterling to the already most rounded and strongest Premier League squad will pay dividends domestically, Sterling has slotted straight into this billion pound well oiled machine like a custom made turbo installed into a Ferrari, I cannot see any other outcome than Aguero, Silva and Kompany lifting the league trophy in May.

City's strength in depth will prove too much this season.

**Finish - 1st

Northwich Guardian: Jamaican-born Raheem Sterling confirmed 'it's 100 per cent going to be England from now on'

Raheem Sterling

MANCHESTER UNITED

Van Gaal's no nonsense leadership qualities are starting to impress, Di Maria's reputation and price tag proved worthless when he failed to light up 'the theatre of dreams' and the Argentine has been shipped out.

The same treatment applied to Victor Valdes who felt the Dutchman's wrath after being told his career at Old Trafford was over before it had begun after questioning his gaffa's instructions.

Multiple high profile summer signings have impressed too and it would seem that the writing is on the wall, Manchester United are an injured beast ready to fight their way back to regaining the title, but not just yet, top 4 and a cup for starters this term.

**Finish - 3rd/4th

Northwich Guardian: World Cup Countdown: Van Gaal expects more from Dutch

Louis Van Gaal

NEWCASTLE UNITED

After another pantomime season under the gaze of cockney rebel Mike Ashley it's hard to place the Geordie's - will he, won't he invest in badly needed reinforcements and add the likes of Charlie Adam to a mediocre looking squad...? Probably not.

Mid table finish at best finish for McClaren's toon army.

**Finish - 13th/14th

Northwich Guardian: Football Team Logo for Newcastle United

NORWICH CITY

The winners of the one hundred and twenty million pound championship play off final at Wembley must invest shrewdly, it's been a rocky and emotional road back to the promised land but unfortunately The Canaries are one of my three for the drop, they simply lack too much quality all over the field - but I'd love to be proved wrong.

"Let's be having em" Delia...!

**Finish - Bottom 3

Northwich Guardian: Championship Playoff Final at Wembley: Middlesbrough FC v Norwich City.  Norwich chairman Delia Smith after the final whistle.  Picture: CHRIS BOOTH (27083296)

Delia Smith

SOUTHAMPTON

Most had written off Koeman and co before a ball was kicked last season when everything but the kitchen sink was sold off, a tweet that went viral from the man himself snapping an empty training ground and a ironic tag line of "ready for training!" summed up beautifully the task ahead for the legendary Dutchman - but the mentality of a man that won most things as a player is proving invaluable as a coach and the Saints marched in some quality displays.

Top 10 material under Koeman's watch.

**Finish - 8th/9th

Northwich Guardian: Ronald Koeman

Ronald Koeman

STOKE CITY

As random facts go they don't come more surprising than this - Stoke have more Champions League winners within their squad than Manchester City.

Let that sink in.

Mark Hughes seems to have stumbled across a winning blue print and the demolition of Liverpool on the final day of last season must be respected when visiting the Britannia Stadium.

Sparky is building quite the fortress in his own image.

**Finish - 11th/12th

Northwich Guardian: Mark Hughes

Mark Hughes

SUNDERLAND

My 3rd of 3 for the drop.

I don't believe that Dick Advocaat's heart will be fully in the job, the man was literally hounded into taking another year by the board - "They just kept on asking and asking for me to stay".... and the sale of Connor Wickham to Crystal Palace for a fee of £6,000,000 rising to £9,500,000 suggests ambition is not on the Black Cats agenda this season at all.

Miserable times ahead for the Mackems.

**Finish - Bottom 3

Northwich Guardian: Dick Advocaat

Dick Advocaat

SWANSEA

You can't help but wonder that if it wasn't for the lack of "io" on the end of Gary Monk's surname then his stock by now would have exploded through the roof.

The 36 year old guided The Swans to their best ever finish last season and has been rewarded with a bumper new contract as a result, the sky is the limit for the Welsh club at the moment. They play football the right way and Europe isn't out of the question if things go their way.

**Finish - 6th/7th

Northwich Guardian: Swansea City's Liberty Stadium

Swansea City's Liberty Stadium

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

When Mauricio Pochettino first arrived onto our shores via Southampton, I was as guilty as the next man in thinking that the Argentine's lack of English fluency would be a huge obstacle to overcome and ultimately would prove to be his undoing.

I was wrong.

A swift step up since - to the helm now of Spurs, is looking to be just one of a few en route to the very top of European Football - this man will one day manage Real Madrid, make no mistake.

In the meantime, the likes of Harry Kane will keep getting better and better under the world class coach.

**Finish - 5th/6th

Northwich Guardian: Harry Kane

Harry Kane

WATFORD

The one promoted side that have taken the plunge and dropped both feet into the summer transfer market.

Whether these new signings take to the Premier League remains to be seen but they've given themselves every chance and the Hornets are my one promoted side to survive.

**Finish - 15th/16th

Northwich Guardian: Watford Palace needs researchers for Hello Mr Capello

WEST BROM

Tony Pulis taking the reigns at West Brom is classic round peg for a round hole, Pulis builds army's, he signs man mountains and the Baggies will love that.

The Hawthorns will be an incredibly difficult away day for most this season.

**Finish - 13th/14th

Northwich Guardian: Stoke manager Tony Pulis

Tony Pulis

WEST HAM

The return of Slaven Bilic to the East End of London seems to have appeased most fans that had a hatred for big Sam's style of football.

It's a time of big changes for The Hammers with a move in stadium on the horizon too. Qualifying for the early stages of the Europa Cup through the fair play league could become a hindrance if eyes are taken off the ball domestically, but the Croatian's C.V reads sound enough to suggest that they will cope.

**Finish - 10th/11th

Northwich Guardian: Slaven Bilic

Slaven Bilic