Every day before the Premiership gets under-way, TheFA.com will look at the prospects for the 20 clubs involved.

Today it’s the turn of those sides who know they won’t win the title but are ambitious to finish in the Top Ten: Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Fulham, Manchester City and Southampton.

Chris Coleman exceeded expectations last time by leading Fulham into the top half of the Premiership.

But he admits it will be even tougher second time around despite the arrivals of Andy Cole, Claus Jensen, Tomasz Radzinski and Senegalese World Cup star Papa Diop.

If Fulham fans are delighted to be contenders, Manchester City supporters expect nothing less.

Kevin Keegan has said this will be his last club and he will be delighted that Nicolas Anelka remains at the club while Danny Mills and Ben Thatcher will give the defence a new tough streak.

The north-west is well served in the Premiership and Blackburn and Bolton are looking at the Top Ten rather than merely fighting against relegation.

Southampton struggled towards the end of last season under new boss Paul Sturrock but he will have been heartened by the return to goal form of Kevin Phillips.

Now he must persuade Kevin Beattie that staying at St Mary’s will be his best option.

BLACKBURN ROVERS

Last season: 15th
Bookies prediction this season: 14th
Summer revolving door activity: 3 in (£150,00), 3 out (£0)

Reasons to be cheerful – Graeme Souness has half a team back from the treatment table with Barry Ferguson, Lorenzo Amoruso and David Thompson all key players. That will only make them stronger.

Question mark – Rovers conceded too many goals last season and there is a lack of pace with Amoruso and Craig Short.

Andy Cole helped Jon Stead make a huge impact last term but Cole has gone and it’s up to Paul Dickov to strike up a similar understanding.

What the gaffer says - "At no club is every player deliriously happy" – Graeme Souness.

Top arrival – Paul Dickov showed at Leicester last season that his all-action style can work in the Premiership.

Key departure – Andy Cole never hit his Man Utd heights at Ewood Park but was still the only player to hit double figures last season.

Star man – Barry Ferguson. Made club captain by Souness on his return from injury.

Something to prove – Dwight Yorke will want to lose his playboy tag with a few goals this season.


BOLTON WANDERERS

Last season: 8th
Bookies prediction this season: 13th
Summer revolving door activity: 6 in (£750,000), 8 out (£250,000)

Reasons to be cheerful – Sam Allardyce has assembled a mix of homegrown talent like Kevin Nolan and Nicky Hunt and top-class overseas stars led by Jay-Jay Okocha and Ivan Campo.

Question mark – Kevin Davies was a revelation last season but can the trick of giving players one last chance carry on working.

Michael Bridges and Les Ferdinand have both been snapped up on frees but the jury is out if they can make a difference.

What the gaffer says - "If we don’t have a big enough squad we will pay a big price" – Sam Allardyce.

Top arrival – Fernando Hierro has won everything with Real Madrid in his career. After a year in Qatar, the 36-year-old wants one last Hurrah.

Key departure – Simon Charlton was a vital part of Bolton’s set-up last year and his experience will be missed.

Star man – Jay-Jay Okocha is one of the most exciting players in the world let alone the Reebok Stadium.

Something to prove – Michael Bridges hasn’t scored a Premiership goal for four years but Allardyce reckons he can come good again.


FULHAM

Last season: 9th
Bookies prediction this season: 12th
Summer revolving door activity: 5 in (£3m), 9 out (£3m)

Reasons to be cheerful – Chris Coleman has spent his Louis Saha money wisely and in Andy Cole, Tomasz Radzinski, Brian McBride and Collins John, he has four strikers who bring different things to the table. Returning to Craven Cottage will be a huge boost.

Question mark – New players always find the second season the toughest and Chris Coleman might experience the same as a manager.

The loss of Sean Davis in midfield means other players like Steed Malbranque and Claus Jensen will have to become ‘leaders’.

What the gaffer says - "We can bring in good players but the price has to be right" – Chris Coleman.

Top arrival – Fulham have tracked Andy Cole for months and they are expecting a return from the second-highest scorer in Premiership history.

Key departure – Sean Davis is gone, the last link to the club’s days pre-Keegan in Division Three.

Star man – Edwin Van Der Sar proved at Euro 2004 he is one of the top goalkeepers in the world.

Something to prove – Tomasz Radzinski was mocked at Everton for his wayward finishing.


MANCHESTER CITY

Last season: 16th
Bookies prediction this season: 10th
Summer revolving door activity: 3 in (£100,000m), 7 out (£0m)

Reasons to be cheerful – Nicolas Anelka is still there despite all the transfer speculation, and so is Shaun Wright-Phillips. The arrivals of Ben Thatcher and Danny Mills will mean City will be no pushovers at the back.

Question mark – Nobody apart from Anelka weighs in with enough goals and Kevin Keegan will be looking for a new start from Robbie Fowler.

City have a lot of central midfielders with big reputations but it’s time for Steve McManaman, Claudio Reyna and Paul Bosvelt to live up to their past achievements.

What the gaffer says - "We have got a good challenge ahead of us" – Kevin Keegan.

Top arrival – Danny Mills was part of England’s World Cup squad in 2002 and will rally the troops in Manchester.

Key departure – Left-back Michael Tarnat was often City’s most creative outlet last season.

Star man – Nicolas Anelka. To score 24 goals in a struggling side like he did last season is a great achievement.

Something to prove – Robbie Fowler was seen as the greatest England striker of his generation but has never quite become A-list.


SOUTHAMPTON

Last season: 12th
Bookies prediction this season: 16th
Summer revolving door activity: 4 in (£4.5m), 6 out (£1.5m)

Reasons to be cheerful – James Beattie and Kevin Phillips are potentially one of the best strike duos in the Premiership while Antti Niemi has a great reputation at the other end.

Paul Sturrock has lost only Fitz Hall from last season’s and added quietly in the Southampton fashion, most notably with Peter Crouch and Jelle van Damme.

Question mark – For a team who have spent nearly 30 years in the top flight, Saints fans are anxious to kick on and sign better-known players. Sturrock is still relatively new in the job and time will tell if his methods, so successful at Plymouth, work in the top level.

What the gaffer says - "Pre-season results mean nothing, the important one is the first game against Aston Villa" – Paul Sturrock.

Top arrival – Left-back Jelle Van Damme stands 6ft 4ins tall and has good pedigree with Ajax and Belgium.

Key departure – Fitz Hall has left to rejoin his former Oldham manager Iain Dowie at Crystal Palace.

Star man – Southampton need James Beattie to fire on all cylinders and not intimate he wants to leave.

Something to prove – Peter Crouch was an obvious target for the boo-boys at Aston Villa because of his height and he will be delighted to get a fresh start following his £2million switch to the south coast.