Championship Fixtures Announced
The English Football League (EFL) Championship season is scheduled to commence on Friday, August 14, with a series of anticipated matchups. Notably, recently relegated Premier League clubs Burnley and West Ham United are set to face each other on Sunday, August 16. Burnley, who finished 19th in the top flight last season, will host West Ham, who also dropped out of the Premier League on the final day.
Another relegated side, Wolverhampton Wanderers, will open the league season against Blackburn Rovers at Molineux on Friday, August 14. Meanwhile, Southampton, who will begin their campaign with a four-point deduction due to a 'Spygate' scandal, will travel to Watford on the opening weekend. Promoted Welsh rivals Cardiff City and Wrexham are slated for a Monday, August 17 encounter.
League One champions Lincoln City will start their Championship journey against beaten play-off finalists Middlesbrough on Saturday, August 15. Fellow third-tier play-off winners Bolton Wanderers will host Preston North End on the same day.
Relegated Clubs Aim for Immediate Return
Burnley, West Ham, and Wolves are all focused on securing a swift return to the Premier League. Burnley has experienced a cycle of relegation and promotion in the past four seasons and is currently without a manager following Scott Parker's departure in May.
West Ham United's manager, Nuno Espirito Santo, remains at the helm despite their relegation after 14 seasons in the top flight. Santo previously guided Wolves to the Championship title in the 2017-18 season. Wolves, who finished last in the Premier League, recently appointed Cesar Peixoto as their new boss after sacking Rob Edwards. They have strengthened their squad with additions like Kieran Trippier and Raul Jimenez.
However, all three clubs will be mindful that in the past two seasons, a team relegated from the top tier has subsequently suffered a second successive demotion to League One, as seen with Leicester City and Luton Town.
Emerging Rivalries and Managerial Changes
The new season will also feature several intriguing rivalries and new faces in the dugouts. Southampton's four-point deduction stems from an incident in May where a staff member was found spying on Middlesbrough's training before their Championship play-off semi-final. Southampton admitted to similar actions against Oxford United and Ipswich Town during the regular season. The Saints will host Middlesbrough on Saturday, November 28, in their first league meeting since the incident.
Key derby fixtures include Millwall welcoming East London rivals West Ham on Saturday, September 19, marking their first encounter since February 2012. On the same day, Wolves will host West Bromwich Albion in their first league match in front of fans in 14 years. Other notable derby clashes include Southampton vs. Portsmouth on Saturday, October 10, and the East Lancashire derby between Blackburn and Burnley on Saturday, November 21.
While Burnley continues its search for a new manager, six Championship clubs have made new appointments this summer. Michael Skubala, who led Lincoln City to the League One title, is now at Bristol City. Lincoln has replaced him with Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw. Tony Mowbray has returned for a second spell at Blackburn, Alessio Dionisi has taken over at Watford, and James Morrison has been appointed permanently at West Brom. Wolves will be hoping their new manager, Peixoto, can replicate the success of his compatriot Nuno Espirito Santo in guiding them to promotion.
Source: Burnley and West Ham to meet on first Championship weekend