EFL 2018/19 Fixtures Announced
Born in the south east of Ireland, Simon put his life-long love of football to good use when he started a successful independent blog in 2010. That opened up an alternative route to a career in journalism, and having had work published across a number of sites and publications, Simon joined the staff at Spotlight Sports Group in 2018.
The 72 English Football League sides from the Championship down to League Two have been given their full schedule of fixtures for the new 2018/19 season.
It feels like only yesterday that we watched Fulham, Rotherham United and Coventry battle their way to play-off glory, though attentions have already been turned to the new campaign that kicks off on August 3rd a week before the Premier League gets under way.
Swansea City, West Brom and Stoke City join the likes of Leeds United, Aston Villa, Middlesbrough and Derby County in England’s second tier in 2018/19, leaving the Championship looking chock-full of traditional big-hitters.
In League One, the bookmaker’s have made Sunderland favourites to bounce straight back to the Championship after their dramatic relegation in May. Barnsley, Charlton and Portsmouth are all expected to be in the reckoning near the summit of the table, though the division has a decidedly open look.
Milton Keynes Dons and Notts County have been tipped for League Two glory, though Lincoln City, Mansfield Town and Northampton will also try to put themselves firmly in the mix for promotion.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the key fixtures and dates for the 2018/19 EFL season.
Read More: Premier League Fixtures 2018/19 – Games To Look Out For
Championship Opening Weekend
Friday August 3
Reading v Derby County
Saturday August 4
Birmingham City v Norwich City
Brentford v Rotherham United
Bristol City v Nottingham Forest
Ipswich Town v Blackburn Rovers
Millwall v Middlesbrough
Preston North End v Queens Park Rangers
West Bromwich Albion v Bolton Wanderers
Wigan Athletic v Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield United v Swansea City
Sunday August 5
Leeds United v Stoke City
Monday August 6
Hull City v Aston Villa
Games to look out for:
In a fixture with more subplots than a Holby City Christmas Special, Frank Lampard’s first game in management sees him take his new Derby County side to play Reading on Friday 3rd August. Lampard will pits his wits against his former coach at Chelsea and ex-Derby manager, Paul Clement. Elsewhere, the enigmatic Marcelo Bielsa starts his tenure as Leeds United manager against Championship new-boys Stoke City.
Championship Boxing Day Matches
Birmingham City v Stoke City
Bolton Wanderers v Rotherham United
Bristol City v Brentford
Leeds United v Blackburn Rovers
Middlesbrough v Sheffield Wednesday
Millwall v Reading
Norwich City v Nottingham Forest
Preston North End v Hull City
Queens Park Rangers v Ipswich Town
Sheffield United v Derby County
Swansea City v Aston Villa
West Bromwich Albion v Wigan Athletic
Championship Final Day Matches
Aston Villa v Norwich City
Blackburn Rovers v Swansea City
Brentford v Preston North End
Derby County v West Bromwich Albion
Hull City v Bristol City
Ipswich Town v Leeds United
Nottingham Forest v Bolton Wanderers
Reading v Birmingham City
Rotherham United v Middlesbrough
Sheffield Wednesday v Queens Park Rangers
Stoke City v Sheffield United
Wigan Athletic v Millwall
Championship Derby Dates
Second City derby
Aston Villa vs Birmingham (November 24)
Birmingham vs Aston Villa (March 9)
Sheffield derby
Sheffield United vs SheffIeld Wednesday (November 10)
Sheffield Wednesday vs Sheffield United (March 2)
East Midlands derby
Derby vs Nottingham Forest (December 15)
Nottingham Forest vs Derby (February 23)
Old Farm derby
Ipswich vs Norwich (Sepmteber 1)
Norwich vs Ipswich (February 9)
League One Opening Weekend
Accrington Stanley v Gillingham
Barnsley v Oxford United
Burton Albion v Rochdale
Coventry City v Scunthorpe United
Fleetwood Town v A.F.C. Wimbledon
Peterborough United v Bristol Rovers
Portsmouth v Luton Town
Shrewsbury Town v Bradford City
Southend United v Doncaster Rovers
Sunderland v Charlton Athletic
Walsall v Plymouth Argyle
Wycombe Wanderers v Blackpool
Games to look out for:
Joey Barton was a controversial choice when he was picked to take over the managerial reins at League One Fleetwood Town. The Cod Army didn’t seem overly concerned about Barton’s fishy betting history, and the bookies have tipped Fleetwood to challenge for a playoff spot under the former Man City and Newcastle midfielder. Barton’s first game in charge is a home match against A.F.C Wimbledon – a team most observers expect to struggle this year.
Sunderland start life as a League One club against fellow Premier Leaguer’s Charlton Athletic at the Stadium of Light. Former St. Mirren manager Jack Ross has been chosen as the man to resurrect the Black Cat’s fortunes. The 42-year old won the Scottish Championship last season, so he has experience in dragging a team to promotion.
League One Boxing Day Matches
A.F.C. Wimbledon v Plymouth Argyle
Accrington Stanley v Shrewsbury Town
Barnsley v Peterborough United
Burton Albion v Wycombe Wanderers
Coventry City v Charlton Athletic
Fleetwood Town v Doncaster Rovers
Gillingham v Portsmouth
Oxford United v Southend United
Rochdale v Blackpool
Scunthorpe United v Luton Town
Sunderland v Bradford City
Walsall v Bristol Rovers
League One Final Day Matches
Blackpool v Gillingham
Bradford City v A.F.C. Wimbledon
Bristol Rovers v Barnsley
Charlton Athletic v Rochdale
Doncaster Rovers v Coventry City
Luton Town v Oxford United
Peterborough United v Burton Albion
Plymouth Argyle v Scunthorpe United
Portsmouth v Accrington Stanley
Shrewsbury Town v Walsall
Southend United v Sunderland
Wycombe Wanderers v Fleetwood Town
League Two Opening Weekend
Bury v Yeovil Town
Cheltenham Town v Crawley Town
Crewe Alexandra v Morecambe
Exeter City v Carlisle United
Grimsby Town v Forest Green Rovers
Mansfield Town v Newport County
Northampton Town v Lincoln City
Notts. County v Colchester United
Oldham Athletic v Milton Keynes Dons
Port Vale v Cambridge United
Stevenage v Tranmere Rovers
Swindon Town v Macclesfield Town
Games to look out for:
Two of the bookmaker’s favourites for League Two promotion this season, face off against each other on the opening weekend of the new campaign. Northampton Town, who were relegated from League One last season, host Lincoln City at the Sixfields Stadium, with both clubs looking to lay down an early marker. Northampton made Dean Austin caretaker-manager position a permanent one ahead of the new campaign. Austin had replaced Jimmy Flloyd Hasselbaink in April after the Dutchman was sacked.
Tranmere Rovers return to the Football League after a three-year exile and they travel to play Stevenage Borough in their first game back in “the 72”. Rovers won their place back in League Two with a 2-1 National League Final victory over Boreham Wood at Wembley in May, simultaneously lifting their first piece of silverware in twenty seven years.
League Two Boxing Day Matches
Cambridge United v Crawley Town
Carlisle United v Oldham Athletic
Cheltenham Town v Milton Keynes Dons
Colchester United v Stevenage
Crewe Alexandra v Lincoln City
Exeter City v Yeovil Town
Mansfield Town v Bury
Newport County v Forest Green Rovers
Northampton Town v Swindon Town
Notts. County v Macclesfield Town
Port Vale v Grimsby Town
Tranmere Rovers v Morecambe
League Two Final Day Matches
Bury v Port Vale
Crawley Town v Tranmere Rovers
Forest Green Rovers v Exeter City
Grimsby Town v Crewe Alexandra
Lincoln City v Colchester United
Macclesfield Town v Cambridge United
Milton Keynes Dons v Mansfield Town
Morecambe v Newport County
Oldham Athletic v Northampton Town
Stevenage v Cheltenham Town
Swindon Town v Notts. County
Yeovil Town v Carlisle United
Other Key Dates
The Carabao Cup starts for lower-league clubs in the week starting August 13, while the Checkatrade Trophy gets underway in the first weekend of September. The FA Cup first round proper has been scheduled for the weekend of November 10/11.
EFL managers will have to get their transfer business done a lot quicker than usual this year – the transfer window officially closes before the start of the new Premier League season at 5pm on August 9.
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