Key events
Plymouth 1-0 Huddersfield (Whittaker 6)
Plymouth are back in the Championship and have an early lead against Neil Warnock’s Huddersfield. Sue Smith on Sky saying Morgan Whittaker just wasted a good chance to double his and his side’s tally.
Goal! Wrexham 0-2 Milton Keynes Dons (Eisa 10)
Well, well, well. No Dean Lewington, no problem for the Dons. Mohamed Eisa doubles the visitors’ lead.
Maybe League Two will be harder for the newly promoted teams than we expected, or maybe we should not read too much into the first ten minutes of the season. The facts are that both Notts County and Wrexham both trail. Joe Kizzi has put Sutton United ahead against Notts County, while MK Dons lead at the Racecourse courtesy of a Eoghan O’Connell OG
Goal! Bolton 1-0 Lincoln City (Iredale 4)
Ben Fisher tipped Bolton as one to watch this season and they’re already up and running with Jack Iredale getting it.
Goals! Wycombe 0 Exeter 2 (Aitchison 1 and Aimson 4)
We have another, the first of the League One campaign goes to Jack Aitchison and that is quickly followed up with another from Will Aimson.
Goal! Watford 1-0 QPR (Dele-Bashiru)
Well, we did not have to wait long for a goal at Vicarage Road. It’s Tom Dele-Bashiru who has got it, darting into the QPR box and slotting home.
Ready for some fitba? Simon McMahon is and has emailed in:
Afternoon Tom, and all Clockwatchers. Hope everyone is well, and ready for the rollercoaster ride that is the football season. After a 2022/23 campaign from hell that resulted in relegation from the top division, Dundee United kicked off the Scottish league season last night with a thumping 4-0 win at Arbroath as they look to bounce back at the first time of asking. Promising early signs for Jim Goodwin’s reshaped squad, but let’s wait and see, one swallow does not etc.
Premiership champions (last season, though probably this season too, let’s be honest) Celtic have just beaten Ross County 4-2 in the early kick off. The other three o’clock kick offs in the Scottish Premiership are Dundee v Motherwell, Livingston v Aberdeen and St. Johnstone v Hearts, while Kilmarnock host Rangers later. Good luck to all, though not Dundee, obviously.
On Sky, Wrexham’s Ryan Reynolds was asked about Tom Brady’s investment in Birmingham City:
“I know him a little bit, but you don’t need to know him to realise he has the spirit of a lion and a competitor. I’m sure he’ll do great things with Birmingham,” said Reynolds.
Co-owner Rob McElhenney added: “I would never presume to give Tom Brady wisdom pertaining to professional sports … if he has any advice for us, please get in touch!”
Reynolds also revealed that Hugh Jackman, who is at the game today, is a Norwich fan like new Soccer Saturday host Thomas.
Postponement alert!
Have you ever heard of this before? Colchester v Swindon has been called off on the first day of the new season due to a waterlogged pitch at the JobServe Community Stadium. Back round the M25 for Town fans.
Elsewhere, the transfer window rumbles on… There have been a few big deals confirmed this morning. The conveyor belt from Brighton to Chelsea continues to keep moving, but Moises Caicedo is not on it, yet. Today is the turn of keeper Rob Sanchez to make the well trodden path from the south coast to west London, with Chelsea paying £25m.
There were also two big deals done in Manchester. Rasmus Højlund has signed a five-year contract to move to Old Trafford after United and Atalanta agreed a £72m deal – an initial £64m with a further £8m in add-ons. At City, Josko Gvardiol has completed his move from RB Leipzig, signing a five-year deal after a fee believed to be €90m (£77.6m) was agreed.
You can also read Ben’s guides to League One, here:
And League Two here:
If you’re looking for a guide the new season in the EFL, may I recommend my colleague Ben Fisher’s cheat sheets. Here is Ben’s look ahead to the Championship:
Jeff Stelling may be gone, but Clinton Morrison is still there and for that we should all be grateful.
Big day in the Sky studio, new host for Soccer Saturday is Blue Peter legend Simon Thomas:
It’s the start of a new era for Soccer Saturday with Simon Thomas as host! ✨
🗣️ “It is an absolute honour to host this brilliant show! If I can do half the job that the legend Jeff Stelling did over the last 25 years, I will have done something right!” pic.twitter.com/8Tvx7Olv0M
— Sky Sports (@SkySports) August 5, 2023
On a personal note, I am gutted to see that Dean Lewington is not in the MK Dons squad for this one. He had been struggling with an injury in preseason, but it is about time they built Dean a statue in my eyes.
For all of you in North Wales and North America, here is how Wrexham line up:
Intrigue in Carrick’s first team sheet, last season’s top scorer, Chuba Akpom is on the bench:
Preamble
It is a curious quirk of the Championship fixture list, or more accurately the demands of Sky, that none of the teams relegated from the Premier League last season are in action on the first Saturday of the season.
Southampton got off to a winning start last night at Sheffield Wednesday, while title favourites Leicester and Leeds, who start the season under new ownership, play tomorrow.
This gives Middlesbrough, who finished last season so strongly under the guidance of Michael Carrick, a chance to show how they measure up against the beaten playoff finalists, Millwall.
Swansea impressed so much under Russell Martin that he left for Saints. The Swans host Birmingham City with all eyes on the director’s box to see if the Blues’ new minority owner Tom Brady will make an appearance (unlikely).
In League One there are some intriguing opening day matchups, with Portsmouth v Bristol Rovers the most intriguing. Two sides with strong squads who are tipped to challenge at the top of the table this season.
In League Two, Wrexham mark their return to the Football League by hosting a MK Dons squad that still includes club legend Dean Lewington, who is set to feature in his 20th campaign.