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The Football League weekend ahead

16th September, 2015
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QPR in happier times. They are plying their trade in the lower divisions after relegation.
Roar Guru
16th September, 2015
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Halfway through September and the Football League teams have already played seven games, one League Cup game (and more for the successful), and for Leagues One and Two a Johnstone’s Paint Trophy game.

Too much is barely enough for the Football League fan, so bring it on!

Brighton still top the Football League as their early season form continues to surprise. They remain unbeaten after 7 games and are 5 points clear of second. Only two other teams are unbeaten at this stage – Gillingham (1st in League One) and Portsmouth (second in League Two).

At the other end of the statistics there are four teams without a win. Unsurprisingly, three of them are bottom of each of their leagues, but very much a surprise is the other team Blackburn, who sit second last in the Championship.

Championship midweek highlights
A quick round up of the notable fixtures from during the week in the Championship.

Cardiff City 0 Hull City 2
This top six clash falls the way of last year’s former EPL side over the year before’s former EPL side. Both Hull and Burnley have adapted well after last year’s relegation and both sides sit in the top six

Middlesborough 3 Brentford 1
Two of last year’s playoff teams met in the north east and the result shows the opposing fortunes of the sides this year. Middlesbrough sit second, Brentford have just the one win, and sit just one place above the drop zone.

Leeds United 0 Ipswich 1
It was always going to be interesting how former table toppers Ipswich reacted to their 5-1 weekend thrashing at Reading. A 1-0 away will do nicely after two straight losses including one that looked the side had gone back to the dark ages according to manager Mick McCarthy, who took over three seasons ago with Ipswich in the bottom three.

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Upcoming highlights

Hull City v QPR
Two of last year’s EPL discards meet and in an important clash for both sides hopes for a quick return. While Hull and Burnley are in the top six QPR are just outside in ninth place and three point shy of Hull.

Derby v Burnley
Two of the pre-season favourites meet, and Derby have now won two in a row after going winless for the first five. Burnley have quietly gone about consolidating in the Championship after losing some of the best in the off season. Third place is a good foundation for another top flight stint.

Blackburn v Charlton
One would assume that if Blackburn don’t win overnight and their manager isn’t released that a loss here to Charlton will seal his fate. Blackburn remain winless and second last, but play QPR overnight so there could be a happier story come Saturday.

Given the owners previous history of managerial changes (sacking Sam Allardyce while sitting midfield in EPL) it is mildly surprising it hasn’t happened yet. Charlton started off very well sitting in third with 8 points from their first four games. But two losses and a draw since has dropped them to 12th.

Upcoming highlights

Doncaster Rovers v Oldham Athletic
A meeting of two teams already down on their luck this season. Both have already sacked their manager, Doncaster (22nd – 6pts) have the worst league position, but Oldham (20th – 7pts) have the worst result last weekend – beaten 5-1 at home. Another loss here will ensure more misery for one of these sides.

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Swindon Town v Burton Albion
Burton Albion continue to impress in their first season in League One, with five wins and two losses to start their first campaign which currently leaves them in third, just two points behind Gillingham. Last year’s playoff finalists Swindon Town have had a mixed start to the season, currently sitting eighth among a group of 9 teams within three points of each other under Burton.

Bradford v Sheffield United
This match gets the premium Sunday timeslot, and this is in deference of two of the biggest sides in the third tier. It’s not all going to plan for both sides so far, Sheffield United will be expected to top the table and currently sit fifth, while Bradford will be expecting top six at minimum and sit midfield in 15th.

Upcoming highlights

Leyton Orient v Wycome Warriors
A top seven clash between first and fourth. Leyton Orient won their first 5 games and remain top of the league, however a loss and a draw since has tightens the margin and now the top nine are all within 4 points of each other. Wycombe suffered their first loss of the season last weekend, but still remain fourth. The O’s are 3/3 at home so far this year and Wycombe are unbeaten away.

Dagenham and Redbridge v Newport County
An early season relegation six pointer as Newport look for their first win of the season. The Daggers were in similar trouble until their first win two rounds ago, but a loss here would leave them just 1 point from the bottom. Another loss for Newport could cause irreversible damage, nothing that the league’s first manager change wouldn’t fix.

Morecame v Northampton
Morecambe have won three in a row to climb to fifth and are an unlikely top seven side as they are usually predicted to go down a division not up. Northampton may be 11th but are only three points from this weekend’s opponents.

Full Fixtures
Championship

Ipswich vs Birmingham (Fri 7:45pm UK)
N Forest vs Middlesbrough (Sat 9:30pm UK)
Wolvers vs Brighton
Blackbrn vs Charlton
Brentford vs Preston
Bristol C vs Reading
Huddsfld vs Bolton
Hull City vs QPR
Milton K vs Leeds
Rotherhm vs Cardiff
Sheff W vs Fulham
Derby vs Burnley (Mon 7:45pm UK)

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League One
Blackpool vs Barnsley
Bury vs Port Vale
Colchest vs Gillingham
Coventry vs Chesterfield
Doncastr vs Oldham
Millwall vs Southend
Peterboro vs Walsall
Rochdale vs Scunthorpe
Shrews vs Crewe
Swindon vs Burton
Wigan vs Fleetwood
Bradford vs Sheffield United (Sun 12pm UK)

League Two
Mor’cmbe vs Northampton
Oxford vs Portsmouth
Plymouth vs Bristol Rovers
York City vs Carlisle
Accr Stan vs Exeter
Wimb’don vs Notts Co.
Barnet vs Stevenage
Crawley vs Yeovil
Dag andamp; R vs Newport
Hartpool vs Cambridge U
L Orient vs Wycombe
Luton vs Mansfield

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