Well, the wait is finally over and this Saturday sees the start of the new Football League season. LFW’s takes a look ahead to the weekend’s fixtures in the Coca Cola Championship.

Whether you are fancied for promotion or dead certs for the drop, or play off contender’s maybe? All this traditionally goes right out of the window on opening day and it all becomes a bit of a lottery. Taking a look down the fixtures, I don’t think there will be much change here.

Not surprisingly, Sky has picked one of the promotion favourites, Birmingham, to kick us off with a home tie against Sheffield United. As mentioned, the Blues are hotly tipped to return to the top flight at the first time of asking and have Kevin Phillips, Marcus Bent and more recently, Quincy Owusu-Abeyie, amongst others, added to an already strong looking squad.

Another of the promotion favourites, Derby County, take on newly promoted, Doncaster Rovers at what is expected to be a sell out crown at Pride Park. The Rams had a torrid time in the Premier League last season, winning just one of 38 league games. But Paul Jewell has given his squad a bit of an overhaul with a good few interesting additions. Including today, the signings of Latvian midfielder Andrejs Pereplotkins and exciting Serbian striker Aleksandar Prijovic.

Sunday’s Sky selection, is again one of the teams relegated from the Premiership, Reading, who travel to the City Ground to take on promoted, Nottingham Forest. Unlike the other two, departures have outweighed the signings for Steve Coppell’s side with only Noel Hunt joining the ranks from Dundee United. Forest on the other hand have been reasonably busy, with notably, Rob Earnshaw and Andy Cole being added to the Forest strike force.

Elsewhere and newsboys, Swansea City face a tricky looking trip to Charlton. Wolves face a long trip to Home Park to start their campaign against Plymouth. Last season’s play off finalists, Bristol City have an August trip to Blackpool to look forward too. Why oh why did those lovely people at the Football Association send us up there on what is surely going to be bitterly cold night in January???

Saturday, 9 August, 2008

Birmingham City v Sheffield United 12:45
Blackpool v Bristol City
Cardiff City v Southampton
Charlton Athletic v Swansea City
Coventry City v Norwich City
Crystal Palace v Watford
Derby County v Doncaster Rovers
Ipswich Town v Preston North End
Plymouth Argyle v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Queens Park Rangers v Barnsley
Sheffield Wednesday v Burnley

Sunday, 10 August, 2008

Nottingham Forest v Reading 13:15

LFW’s preview of QPR v Barnsley will be on line soon….

Photo: Action Images

Queens Park Rangers Polls