Ian Holloway: Fifteen clubs could win promotion from Championship

QPR boss Ian Holloway believes there are as many as 15 clubs in the Sky Bet Championship who could consider themselves contenders for promotion this season.

Holloway - speaking as a guest on EFL Matters on Sky Sports Football on Thursday night - said the second tier is more competitive than ever and it's too tough to call who is favourites to go up.

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Presenter David Prutton is joined by QPR boss Ian Holloway and Andy Hinchcliffe on the first ever EFL Matters podcast

"[The Championship] is becoming more and more difficult," he said. "You see the clubs in this division, it's a fantastic challenge for anybody.

"Last season [Huddersfield] went up with a minus goal difference, which has never happened before, and their manager galvanised a whole group to believe in his vision. Everything is possible now.

"Who [in the league] think they could be in the top two? It could be 15 clubs maybe."

Cardiff unexpectedly lead the way after three games of the season, with Neil Warnock's side winning all of their matches so far.

And Andy Hinchcliffe, who joined Holloway and presenter David Prutton on the show, said that the Bluebirds could go all the way and make it to at least the play-offs.

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"When Neil took over last season they were really struggling, but he said this is a team that could end up in the Premier League and I thought that was really brave," said Hinchcliffe.

"They're flying so far, it's early days but he'll be quietly confident they can finish in the top six."

Don't miss EFL Matters for debate on all the latest news in the Championship, League One and League Two, live on Sky Sports Football every Thursday at 8pm