Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray says Ipswich Town will be a 'big test' for his Black Cats in the season opener next week.
Town travel to the Stadium of Light to kick off their Championship campaign with a 5pm game live on Sky a week on Sunday.
And Town icon Mowbray, who won promotion to the Premier League with the Blues back in 2000, says the return of his old club to the second tier is just one reason this season's Championship will be tougher than ever.
"The landscape has changed because the relegated Premier League teams can spend £10m or £8m on a player, and there have been some pretty big additions to their squads," Mowbray told Chronicle Live.
"Leicester, Southampton, Leeds, are three pretty big, established, football clubs that will be a handful in this division so let's see how they adjust and adapt.
"It seems this season the league is going to be tougher - even Ipswich Town coming up (from League One).
"I was there for nine years as a player and coach, it's a big club with a big fanbase and they are very passionate having won the FA Cup in 1978 and the UEFA Cup in 1981.
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"It's a big, big club, and it will be a big test for us on the opening day.
"Sheffield Wednesday also coming out of that league, then Plymouth as a bit of an unknown quantity.
"The league looks tough but I am sure that other teams look at Sunderland and think 'that's a tough fixture' home and away."
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