The new season is a time of optimism for most football fans.

Fresh hope abounds as a long, friendly-packed summer comes to an end and kick-off draws nearer.

There will be plenty of drama along the way at all levels of the beautiful game and supporters everywhere will be dreaming that this will be their year.

If predicting the outcome of title races and relegation battles was easy then bookmakers throughout the land would be bankrupt.

But the Leader's sports writers have stuck their necks on the line and predicted the outcome of the battles to be fought in both national and local leagues...

Nick Harrison (Sports Editor)

PREMIER LEAGUE champions: Manchester City. Runners-up: Liverpool. Rest of the top six: Tottenham, Manchester United, Chelsea, Everton.

Relegated: Sheffield United, Norwich, Newcastle.

CHAMPIONSHIP champions: Leeds; Runners-up: Cardiff City. Play-offs: Fulham, Middlesbrough, Stoke, West Brom.

Relegated: Wigan, Luton, Barnsley.

LEAGUE ONE champions: Ipswich. Runners up: Portsmouth. Play-offs: Sunderland, Rotherham, Peterborough, Lincoln City.

Relegated: AFC Wimbledon, Bury, Bolton, Shrewsbury.

LEAGUE TWO champions: Walsall. Also promoted: Newport, Plymouth.

Play-offs: Bradford, Carlisle, Colchester, Northampton.

Relegated: Macclesfield, Morecambe.

NATIONAL LEAGUE champions: AFC Fylde. Play-offs: Wrexham, Chesterfield, Solihull, Bromley, Yeovil, Torquay.

Relegated: Halifax, Chorley, Woking, Maidenhead.

NATIONAL LEAGUE NORTH champions: York City. Play-offs: Altrincham, Chester, Brackley, Spennymoor, Hereford, Blyth.

Relegated: King’s Lynn, Curzon Ashton, Leamington.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE winners: Barcelona; Runners-up: Manchester City.

EUROPA LEAGUE winners: Arsenal; Runners-up: Schalke.

FA CUP winners: Liverpool; Runners-up: Leicester City.

LEAGUE CUP winners: Manchester City. Runners-up: Wolves.

FOOTBALL LEAGUE TROPHY winners: Sunderland. Runners-up: Plymouth.

WELSH CUP winners: The New Saints; Runners-up: Connah’s Quay.

WELSH LEAGUE CUP winners: Barry Town; Runners-up: Cardiff Met.

CYMRU PREMIER winners: The New Saints; Runners-up: Connah’s Quay

Play-offs: Cardiff Met, Barry Town, Bala Town, Airbus.

Relegated: Penybont, Carmarthen.

CYMRU NORTH winners: Colwyn Bay; Runners-up: Flint Town.

Relegated: Llanfair, Corwen, Penrhyncoch, Llanrhaeadr.

WELSH NATIONAL LEAGUE winners: Holywell Town. Runners-up: Queen’s Park.

WELSH ALLIANCE winners: Holyhead Hotspur. Runners-up: Llandudno Albion.

NORTH EAST WALES LEAGUE winners: Acton. Runners-up: Penyffordd Lions.

Tom Norris (Deputy Sports Editor)

PREMIER LEAGUE champions: Manchester City. Runners-up: Liverpool. Rest of the top six: Tottenham, Manchester United, Chelsea, Leicester City.

Relegated: Sheffield United, Brighton, Norwich.

CHAMPIONSHIP champions: Fulham. Runners-up: Leeds. Play-offs: Cardiff City, Nottingham Forest, Huddersfield, Middlesbrough.

Relegated: Birmingham, Barnsley, QPR.

LEAGUE ONE champions: Peterborough. Runners up: Ipswich. Play-offs: Sunderland, Rotherham, Portsmouth, Lincoln.

Relegated: Bury, Wimbledon, Bristol Rovers, Rochdale.

LEAGUE TWO champions: Bradford. Also promoted: Newport, Mansfield. Play-offs: Carlisle, Salford, Northampton, Plymouth.

Relegated: Crawley, Macclesfield.

NATIONAL LEAGUE champions: Chesterfield. Play-offs: Fylde, Wrexham, Yeovil, Solihull, Harrogate, Barrow.

Relegated: Maidenhead, Woking, Chorley, Halifax.

NATIONAL LEAGUE NORTH champions: York City. Play-offs: Chester, Altrincham, Brackley, Spennymoor, Telford, Kidderminster.

Relegated: Gloucester, Farsley Celtic, Curzon Ashton.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE winners: Manchester City. Runners-up: Barcelona.

EUROPA LEAGUE winners: Sevilla. Runners-up: Roma.

FA CUP winners: Tottenham. Runners-up: Chelsea.

LEAGUE CUP winners: Manchester City. Runners-up: Leicester City.

FOOTBALL LEAGUE TROPHY winners: Ipswich. Runners-up: Newport County.

WELSH CUP winners: TNS. Runners-up: Connah’s Quay Nomads.

WELSH LEAGUE CUP winners: TNS. Runners-up: Airbus.

CYMRU PREMIER  winners: TNS. Runners-up: Connah’s Quay Nomads.

Play-offs: Bala Town, Airbus, Newtown, Caernarfon.

Relegated: Penybont, Carmarthen.

CYMRU NORTH winners: Prestatyn. Runners-up: Colwyn Bay.

Relegated: Llanrhaeadr, Llangefni, Conwy, Llanfair.

WELSH NATIONAL LEAGUE winners: Holywell Town. Runners-up: Mold Alex.

WELSH ALLIANCE winners: Holyhead Hotspur. Runners-up: Llandudno Albion.

NORTH EAST WALES LEAGUE winners: Sychdyn. Runners-up: Acton.

Richard Williams (Wrexham Reporter)

PREMIER LEAGUE champions: Manchester City. Runners-up: Liverpool.

Rest of the top six: Manchester United, Tottenham, Arsenal, Chelsea.

Relegated: Sheffield United, Brighton, Norwich.

CHAMPIONSHIP champions: Leeds; Runners-up: Fulham.

Play-offs: Cardiff, West Brom Middlesbrough, Derby.

Relegated: Barnsley, Charlton, Millwall.

LEAGUE ONE champions: Sunderland.

Also promoted: Ipswich.

Play-offs: Portsmouth, Peterborough, Rotherham, Doncaster.

Relegated: Bury, Bolton, Wycombe, Southend.

LEAGUE TWO champions: Plymouth. Also promoted: Bradford, Salford.

Play-offs: Mansfield, Scunthorpe, Northampton, Carlisle.

Relegated: Macclesfield, Morecambe.

NATIONAL LEAGUE champions: AFC Fylde.

Play-offs: Chesterfield, Wrexham, Notts County, Solihull, Bromley, Stockport.

Relegated: Maidenhead, Aldershot, Woking, Halifax.

NATIONAL LEAGUE NORTH champions: York City.

Play-offs: Chester, Brackley, Altrincham, Hereford, Southport, Telford.

Relegated: Gloucester, Curzon Ashton, Farsley Celtic.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE winners: Barcelona; Runners-up: Juventus.

EUROPA LEAGUE winners: Arsenal; Runners-up: Sevilla.

FA CUP winners: Manchester United; Runners-up: Tottenham.

LEAGUE CUP winners: Chelsea. Runners-up: Everton.

FOOTBALL LEAGUE TROPHY winners: Portsmouth; Runners-up: Doncaster.

WELSH CUP winners: The New Saints; Runners-up: Barry Town.

WELSH LEAGUE CUP winners: The New Saints; Runners-up: Connah’s Quay.

CYMRU PREMIER winners: The New Saints; Runners-up: Barry Town.

Play-offs: Connah’s Quay, Caernarfon, Bala Town, Newtown.

Relegated: Penybont, Carmarthen.

CYMRU NORTH winners: Llandudno; Runners-up: Colwyn Bay.

Relegated: Llanrhaeadr, Penrhyncoch, Llangefni, Corwen.

WELSH NATIONAL LEAGUE winners: Holywell Town. Runners-up: Queen’s Park.

WELSH ALLIANCE winners: Denbigh Town; Runners-up: Bodedern Athletic.

NORTH EAST WALES LEAGUE winners: Acton; Runners-up: Caerwys.

Dan Heald (Chester FC reporter)

PREMIER LEAGUE champions: Liverpool. Runners-up: Man City.

Rest of the top six: Tottenham, Manchester United, Chelsea, Everton.

Relegated: Newcastle, Sheffield United, Norwich.

CHAMPIONSHIP champions: Fulham; Runners Up: Leeds

Play-offs: Cardiff, West Brom, Middlesbrough, Stoke.

Relegated: QPR, Charlton, Barnsley.

LEAGUE ONE champions Sunderland; Runners-up Ipswich.

Play-offs: Doncaster, Rotherham, Portsmouth, Fleetwood.

Relegated: Tranmere, Bury, Bolton, Wycombe.

LEAGUE TWO champions: Bradford; Also promoted Salford, Walsall.

Play-offs: Plymouth, Scunthorpe, Mansfield, Northampton.

Relegated: PLUS TWO

NATIONAL LEAGUE champions: Notts County

Play-offs: Fylde, Wrexham, Chesterfield, Barnet PLUS TWO

Relegated: Halifax, Boreham Wood, Chorley, Maidenhead.

NATIONAL LEAGUE NORTH champions York City.

Play-offs: Chester, Kidderminster, Brackley, Spennymoor, Altrincham, Boston.

Relegated: Gloucester, Leamington, Farsley Celtic.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE winners: Man City. Runners-up: Barcelona.

EUROPA LEAGUE winners: Sevilla. Runners-up Manchester Utd.

FA CUP winners Manchester City. Runners-up Chelsea.

LEAGUE CUP winners Spurs. Runners-up: Manchester United.

FOOTBALL LEAGUE TROPHY winners: Sunderland. Runners-up Fleetwood.

WELSH CUP winners: TNS. Runners-up: Connah’s Quay Nomads.

WELSH LEAGUE CUP winners: Cardiff Met; Runners-up Caernarfon.

CYMRU PREMIER winners: TNS Runners-up CQ Nomads.

Play-offs: Caernarfon, Barry, Bala, Cardiff Met.

CYMRU NORTH winners: Colwyn Bay Runners-up: Llandudno.

Relegated: Penrhyncoch, Llangefni, Corwen, Llanfair United.

WELSH NATIONAL LEAGUE winners: Holywell Town. Runners-up: Queen’s Park.

WELSH ALLIANCE winners: Holyhead Hotspur. Runners-up: Greenfield.

NORTH EAST WALES LEAGUE winners: Acton. Runners-up: Mold Town Utd.