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There’s no stuffing around in the Football League with the opening day set of fixtures and the first round of League Cup fixtures already played, and three more rounds coming up over the next nine days.
This means all teams will have played five games in 15 or so days to start the season, including two full midweek programmes, but you wouldn’t have it any other way.
The first round of the League Cup, which is limited to Championship and below, saw many upsets among the 32 games. No fewer than nine Championship sides were knocked out by lower league sides, the standout of these upsets were Oxford defeating Brentford 4-0 and Portsmouth continuing Derby County’s recent misery with a 2-1 win.
With a further six League One sides knocked out by League Two sides, there were 15 games where the higher-placed team lost, and a few more lucky to escape on penalties or extra time.
But with a long season ahead, it is best to move onto this weekend for the upcoming highlights, and a quick review of the standout results from last weekend.
Championship: Last week’s highlights
Rotherham 1-4 Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes celebrated their arrival to the Championship in fine style with a big win over one of the favourites for the drop this year. One side from League One always seems to get the bounce up in the Championship and maybe it is last year’s second placed team from League One.
Charlton 2-0 Queens Park Rangers
It is always interesting to see how the relegated EPL teams go in the first week back in the Championship, and QPR faltered in week one against another London team who have been tipped by a few to be a dark horse this year. It was a win, a draw, and a loss for the three relegated sides in week one.
Championship: This week’s upcoming highlights
Wolves versus Hull City (Sunday, 12pm, GMT)
Both teams are fancied to do well, and both had solid wins in the first round of fixtures. A 2-0 start to the year will set the season up nicely early.
Milton Keynes versus Preston North End (Saturday, 3pm, GMT)
Two promoted sides face each other early in the season which is always a good guide at the potential fortunes for the season. The focus will be on the Milton Keynes side to see if the opening day win at Rotherham means they are the surprise packets in waiting this season.
League One: Last week’s highlights
Gillingham 4-0 Sheffield United
The big club and target of League One, Sheffield United must have been thinking that this is the year they finally escape the third tier, but going on the opening day result, life will be tough again. Gillingham may well eye off a return to the Championship after more than a decade out if this form continues.
Burton 2-1 Scunthorpe
Last year’s League Two winners started their first third-tier campaign with a win over Scunthorpe. Whether the wins keeps coming, and if they do, whether they can keep a hold of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, will be interesting to watch this season.
Doncaster 1-1 Bury
The interesting point from this game came when a freak goal was scored after Doncaster’s Harry Forrester kicked the ball back due to a previous injury but nailed a long-range goal over the keeper. As it was not intentional, Bury were allowed to walk a goal in to settle the score.
League One: This week’s upcoming highlights
Sheffield United v Chesterfield and Bradford City v Shrewsbury Town (Saturday, 3pm, GMT)
These games will be of interest to see how two of the most fancied teams for promotion recover after their big away losses last weekend, in which both teams conceded four goals. Bradford even led 1-0 at half-time before four goals in 18 minutes finished their day in the second half.
League Two: Last week’s highlights
Portsmouth 3-0 Dagenham and Redbridge Wycombe 0-3 York City and Cambridge 3-0 Newport County
Three big wins to start the season for some of the fancied sides for success, and dangerous first signs for those who are tipped to struggle.
Stevenage 0-2 Notts County
Teddy Sherringham gets a taste of what’s to come in League Two as his side are beaten at home by recently relegated Notts County. Notts County followed that up by defeating Championship side Huddersfield in the League Cup.
League Two: This week’s upcoming highlights
Leyton Orient versus Dagenham and Redbridge
Two sides living in the shadow of the behemoth that is West Ham and their new Olympic Stadium meet on Saturday. Leyton Orient got their bid to bounce back to League One off with a win, and the Daggers who are tipped to struggle lost to Portsmouth 3-0.
Plymouth Argyle versus Portsmouth
Both teams had opening day wins, and both teams will fancy their chances at promotion this season. Portsmouth will need to improve on their tally of just three away wins last season if they are to get close.
Fixtures in full
Championship (All Saturday 3pm GMT, unless stated)
Burnley versus Birmingham (12:30pm)
Derby versus Charlton
Fulham versus Brighton
Huddersfield versus Blackburn
Ipswich versus Sheffield Wednesday
Middlesbrough versus Bolton
Milton Keynes Dons versus Preston
Nottingham Forest versus Rotherham
Bristol City versus Brentford
Queens Park Rangers versus Cardiff
Wolverhampton Wanderers versus Hull (Sunday)
Reading versus Leeds (Sunday)
League One (All Saturday 3pm GMT, unless stated)
Barnsley versus Burton
Blackpool versus Rochdale
Bradford versus Shrewsbury
Bury versus Swindon
Millwall versus Coventry
Oldham versus Fleetwood
Peterborough versus Colchester
Port Vale versus Gillingham
Scunthorpe versus Crewe
Sheffield United versus Chesterfield
Southend versus Walsall
Wigan versus Doncaster (Sunday)
League Two (All Saturday 3pm GMT, unless stated)
Notts County versus Mansfield (Friday, 7:45pm)
Plymouth versus Portsmouth
Yeovil versus Bristol Rovers
York versus Hartlepool
Barnet versus Wycombe
Carlisle versus Cambridge U
Crawley versus AFC Wimbledon
Dag and Red versus Leyton Orient
Luton versus Oxford
Morecambe versus Accrington
Newport versus Stevenage
Northampton versus Exeter
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