Championship fixtures 2019-20 LIVE: Jonathan Woodgate’s Middlesbrough open new season against Luton Town
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Follow the latest updates live as the Championship fixtures for the 2019/20 season have been released.
All 24 clubs will learn their schedules at 9am on Thursday morning, with the likes of Leeds United and Derby County looking to go one better and win promotion this season and Huddersfield Town, Cardiff City and Fulham looking for an immediate return to the Premier League. Meanwhile, Luton Town, Barnsley and Charlton Athletic will learn who they face in their first season back in the second tier.
Find out all the latest news and information about the fixture list below.
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What you need to know:
When are the fixtures released?
The Championship fixtures for the 2019/20 season will be published at 9am on Thursday morning.
Has the fixture list been leaked?
No. The Championship fixtures have been kept under wraps, with last week’s false reports of a Premier League fixture leak curtailing any one from claiming they’ve seen the fixtures.
The remaining Championship matches all take place on Saturday, August 3.
Relegated Cardiff kick off at Wigan, while the other team who lost their top-flight status - Fulham - open at Barnsley, who were promoted from League One last month.
New Swansea boss Steve Cooper is handed a home opener, against Hull, while West Brom - who chose Slaven Bilic as their new manager last week - begin at Nottingham Forest.
Birmingham, currently managerless following the sacking of Garry Monk, start at Brentford, while League One play-off winners Charlton open at Blackburn.
Reading host Sheffield Wednesday, Preston are at Millwall and QPR travel to Stoke in the other opening-day matches.
As well as the Championship fixtures, the League One and League Two seasons have been confirmed by the EFL.
The three teams who dropped out of the Championship last season are all away on the opening day in League One.
Bolton, who will start the campaign with a 12-point deduction as a
result of going into administration, open at Wycombe. Rotherham and Ipswich, who also dropped down, are respectively at AFC Wimbledon and Burton.
In contrast, three of the four teams promoted from League Two start at home. Champions Lincoln host Accrington, play-off winners Tranmere face Rochdale and Bury play the other team who came up, MK Dons.
Beaten play-off finalists Sunderland begin at home to Oxford, who current owner Stewart Donald is a fan of and once owned a 10 per cent stake in.
In League Two, Newport and Mansfield, who faced each other in the League Two play-off semi-finals last month, have been paired in the opening round of matches next season. The Welsh side, who won a shoot-out but were beaten by Tranmere at Wembley, have home advantage.
Leyton Orient - who named Ross Embleton as interim head coach on Wednesday following the death of manager Justin Edinburgh earlier this month - start at home to Cheltenham.
EFL newcomers Salford begin at home to Stevenage, a contest scheduled to kick-off at 1230 on August 3. It is the first time the Hertfordshire side have been drawn away on the opening day since 2008.
The big five Championship games to look out for
Leeds v Derby, September 21
After spygate and last season's play-off clash, fans of both teams do not have too long to wait for the latest instalment. Derby completed their play-off success with victory in West Yorkshire on May 15, although they lost in the final at Wembley to Aston Villa - and it is Elland Road which will host the first meeting between the two. Whether Rams boss Frank Lampard is there is another matter, the former Chelsea midfielder has emerged as the favourite for the vacant job of manager at Stamford Bridge.
Swansea v Cardiff, October 26
It was 2014 when these two last met, in the Premier League, so the derby will be keenly anticipated in south Wales. Swansea won that one 3-0, but the last time the pair clashed in the Championship at the Liberty Stadium, Craig Bellamy won it for Cardiff, three years previously. Neil Warnock and the Bluebirds supporters will be hoping for another away win in October.
Huddersfield v Leeds, December 7
It looked like these two would be going in opposite directions last season. The Terriers were relegated from the Premier League with just 16 points and Leeds looked to be heading in the other direction, until a loss of form towards the end of the regular season was followed by play-off failure. The Terriers did the double over their West Yorkshire rivals on their way to promotion in 2017 and they have home advantage in the first meeting.
Middlesbrough v Charlton, December 7
Jonathan Woodgate and Lee Bowyer were Leeds team-mates, England training partners and even shared the same dock during a court case in 2001. Six months ago it would have been hard to see both being in charge of Championship sides next season, but that is where they are. Woodgate was appointed by the Teessiders last week, while Bowyer is upwardly mobile having impressively led the Addicks to promotion at Wembley in the League One play-off final. In a twist of fate, Charlton's final fixture is at Elland Road...
QPR v Millwall. April 25
If you're looking for late drama, Loftus Road could have it when west and south-east London collide on April 25. Neither of these teams had strong campaigns last time around and the bookmakers do not see it being a different story in 2019-20. Points could well be at a premium when these two meet in the penultimate round of Championship action.
Five key talking points from the Championship fixture list
Frankly, Rams look to have a tough start
Whoever starts the season as Derby boss will have to hit the ground running as the Rams face five of the teams expected to finish above them in the Championship, according to the bookies, in their first eight outings. However, October may bring some respite and the festive fixture list also looks kind, meaning a possible slow start followed by a mid-season improvement.
End of the road may be a challenge for Blues
Birmingham appear to have a tough finish to their campaign, with five of their final nine games coming against some of the division's strongest teams. The Blues are searching for a new manager following the sacking of Garry Monk earlier this week, so at least his replacement will have had some time to prepare for the challenge.
Owls can get off to a flyer
Sheffield Wednesday should start strongly as they face five of the Championship's apparent eight weakest teams in their first six matches. However, from mid-February onwards the Owls only have two such games and finish with three back-to-back fixtures against clubs expected to be in the shake-up for promotion.
Brewers' glass half empty, or half full?
It would seem that Burton need to make the most of the middle of their season if they are to prosper. Nigel Clough's Brewers are the only side in League One to face five of the expected top eight teams in both their first 10 and last 10 fixtures.
EFL newcomers can hit the ground running
Both the newly-promoted sides, Salford and Leyton Orient, seem to have been handed a gentle introduction to life in League Two. Each team's opening three games are against clubs tipped to finish in the lower third of the table and they only have to face two of the expected top eight before October.
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