Latest news with #Charlton
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Watford aiming to continue impressive opening day record
The start of the new season may still be six weeks away but the publication of Watford's fixtures means fans can now start planning for the campaign ahead – although it's wise not to finalise anything just yet until the TV selections have been announced. One game where arrangements can safely be made though, is for the first game of the new Championship campaign when the Hornets will travel to Charlton Athletic on Saturday, August 9. Advertisement Mileta Rajovic celebrates his late winner at Millwall last season to continue Watford's impressive run of opening-day results. (Image: PA) It will mean a morning trip south of the Thames for away fans after Sky Sports decided the prospect of a new Watford head coach coming up against a newly-promoted club in the opening game was attractive enough for live broadcast in one of the 12.30pm kick-off slots. Paulo Pezzolano will, of course, be aiming to start his Vicarage Road tenure with three points but the visitors will also be seeking to extend an impressive record on the opening day of the season. As we reported when the fixtures were published, the Hornets have won their last five matches on the first day. Look back further though, and Watford's record is only one defeat in the last 18 opening day fixtures they've played. Supporters could have been forgiven for fearing the worse when Aidy Boothroyd's side headed to Molineux for the start of the 2007/08 campaign as the Hornets had lost their previous seven opening-day matches. Advertisement It looked like those fears were well founded when Wolves took the lead and remained in front until three minutes from time when Jordan Stewart equalised before Marlon King scored a late winner from the penalty spot. Danny Graham scored twice in the victory at Carrow Road where Troy Deeney made his Watford debut (Image: Action Images) Draws followed in the opening game of the next two seasons - 0-0 at Crystal Palace and 1-1 at home to Doncaster Rovers – before Watford kicked off 2010/11 with a memorable 3-2 triumph at Norwich City thanks to a John Eustace goal and a brace from Danny Graham. That victory also saw a new signing come on in the second half to make his debut for the visitors. Troy Deeney was also a second-half substitute on the opening day of the following season when the Hornets led 2-0 at Burnley through goals from Craig Forsyth and Mark Yeates, only to be pegged back to a 2-2 draw. Fast forward 12 months and Watford had new owners, the Pozzo era getting underway with another memorable 3-2 away triumph, this time at Selhurst Park when Gianfranco Zola's new-look Hornets were heading for defeat against Crystal Palace until Almen Abdi and Matej Vydra dramatically turned the game late on. Advertisement Matej Vydra's late winner ensured Watford made a winning start to the Pozzo era in the league (Image: Action Images) Deeney delivered at his boyhood club on the opening day of 2013/14, securing a 1-0 victory at Birmingham City, and was on target again a year later – along with Vydra and Fernando Forestieri – as Bolton Wanderers were seen off 3-0 at Vicarage Road at the start of a season that would end with promotion to the Premier League. Watford's return to the big time started with a 2-2 draw at Everton – Miguel Layun and Odion Igahlo twice putting the visitors in front at Goodison Park, only for the hosts to equalise for a second time in the 86th minute. The next two seasons also started with draws – 1-1 at Southampton and an action-packed 3-3 stalemate against Liverpool at Vicarage Road – before a Roberto Pereyra double fired the Hornets to a 2-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion on the first day of the 2018/19 campaign. Mileta Rajovic grabbed a dramatic opening-day success for the Hornets last season (Image: PA) The Seagulls again visited Vicarage Road at the start of the following season, but the tables were turned as they won 3-0 to end their opponents' 12-year unbeaten record on the opening day. Advertisement The current five-year winning sequence began in the Championship in 2020/21 with a 1-0 home win over Middlesbrough, but Watford were back in the Premier League a year later and started the season with another exciting 3-2 opening-day win – this time against Aston Villa at Vicarage Road. It has been the Championship ever since for the Hornets but each season has started with three points – 1-0 at home to Sheffield United in 2022/23, the emphatic 4-0 victory over QPR 12 months later before Mileta Rajovic's late winner secured Watford's latest 3-2 opening-day triumph, this time at Millwall.
The Independent
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Championship 2025/26 fixtures – live: EFL opening matches and full schedule revealed
The Championship's 2025/26 fixtures are being revealed today as all 72 clubs of the English Football League (EFL) find out their journey through the season. The schedule for the Championship, League One and League Two will be released simultaneously with the three divisions following quickly after the Premier League 's matches were confirmed earlier in June. After a play-off final win, Charlton are back in the second tier of English football along with Birmingham City and Wrexham, while Leicester, Ipswich and Southampton dropped down from the top-flight. Barnet and Oldham navigated out of non-league at the end of last season to return to League Two, replacing Carlisle and Morecambe. In League One, meanwhile, the quartet of Doncaster, Port Vale, Bradford City and play-off winners AFC Wimbledon take the places of Crawley, Cambridge United, Bristol Rovers and Shrewsbury, who were all demoted in 2024/25. Follow the fixture release for the 2025/26 season as it happens with our live blog below, plus watch every Fifa Club World Cup game free on DAZN: Sign up here now. Key 2025/26 dates The 2025/26 EFL season will begin on the weekend of 1-3 August in League One and League Two, and 8-10 August in the Championship. The second-tier's fixtures take place over 33 weekends, nine midweeks and four Bank Holidays, while League One and Two's match rounds are structured across 33 weekends, five midweeks and eight Bank Holidays and International Breaks. The final games of the season take place on the weekend of 2/3 May 2026, before the play-offs begin: Championship Play-Off Final – Saturday 23 May 2026 League One Play-Off Final – Sunday 24 May 2026 League Two Play-Off Final – Monday 25 May 2026 Will Castle26 June 2025 10:30 When are the EFL fixtures released? The EFL fixtures will be confirmed at midday BST on Thursday 26 June. Every Championship, League One and League Two team will have their schedule confirmed for the new campaign simultaneously. The round one draw for the Carabao Cup will also be made later in the afternoon. Will Castle26 June 2025 10:15 Will Castle26 June 2025 10:00 Lawrence Ostlere26 June 2025 08:41
The Independent
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Independent
What time are the Championship fixtures released? Date, time and schedule for EFL 2025/26 season
The 72 constituent clubs of the English Football League (EFL) will find out their journey through the 2025/26 season as the fixtures for the new campaign are revealed. The schedule for the Championship, League One and League Two will be released simultaneously with the three divisions following quickly after the Premier League's matches were confirmed earlier in June. After a play-off final win, Charlton are back in the second tier of English football along with Birmingham City and Wrexham, while Leicester, Ipswich and Southampton dropped down from the top-flight. Barnet and Oldham navigated out of non-league at the end of last season to return to League Two, replacing Carlisle and Morecambe. Here's everything you need to know. When are the EFL fixtures released? The EFL fixtures will be confirmed at midday BST on Thursday 26 June. Every Championship, League One and League Two team will have their schedule confirmed for the new campaign simultaneously. The round one draw for the Carabao Cup will also be made later in the afternoon. Key 2025/26 season dates The 2025/26 EFL season season will begin on the weekend of 1-3 August in League One and League Two, and 8-10 August in the Championship. The second-tier's fixtures take place over 33 weekends, nine midweeks and four Bank Holidays, while League One and Two's match rounds are structured across 33 weekends, five midweeks and eight Bank Holidays and International Breaks. The final games of the season take place on the weekend of 2/3 May 2026, before the play-offs begin: Championship Play-Off Final – Saturday 23 May 2026 League One Play-Off Final – Sunday 24 May 2026 League Two Play-Off Final – Monday 25 May 2026
The Independent
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Independent
When are the Championship fixtures released? Date, time and schedule for EFL 2025/26 season
The 72 constituent clubs of the English Football League (EFL) will find out their journey through the 2025/26 season as the fixtures for the new campaign are revealed. The schedule for the Championship, League One and League Two will be released simultaneously with the three divisions following quickly after the Premier League's matches were confirmed earlier in June. After a play-off final win, Charlton are back in the second tier of English football along with Birmingham City and Wrexham, while Leicester, Ipswich and Southampton dropped down from the top-flight. Barnet and Oldham navigated out of non-league at the end of last season to return to League Two, replacing Carlisle and Morecambe. Here's everything you need to know. When are the EFL fixtures released? The EFL fixtures will be confirmed at midday BST on Thursday 26 June. Every Championship, League One and League Two team will have their schedule confirmed for the new campaign simultaneously. The round one draw for the Carabao Cup will also be made later in the afternoon. Key 2025/26 season dates The 2025/26 EFL season season will begin on the weekend of 1-3 August in League One and League Two, and 8-10 August in the Championship. The second-tier's fixtures take place over 33 weekends, nine midweeks and four Bank Holidays, while League One and Two's match rounds are structured across 33 weekends, five midweeks and eight Bank Holidays and International Breaks. The final games of the season take place on the weekend of 2/3 May 2026, before the play-offs begin: Championship Play-Off Final – Saturday 23 May 2026 League One Play-Off Final – Sunday 24 May 2026 League Two Play-Off Final – Monday 25 May 2026
Powys County Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Powys County Times
Plan to overhaul Powys public transport reaches a key stage
Plans to transform Powys' bus network so no resident is more than an hour's travel from one of the county's five core towns has taken a leap forward. A full council meeting next month will see the plans face their final test, with members needing to agree to spent £1.349 million in the first instance, and to increase the travel budget by £2.35 million a year to allow the changes to happen. Powys County Council's Liberal Democrat/Labour Cabinet met on Tuesday, June 24, and discussed a report on bus service contracts in that county as well as details of a consultation held earlier this year on the proposed timetable changes. Under the Sustainable Powys programme Welshpool, Newtown, Llandrindod, Brecon and Ystradgynlais are being designated the county's core towns. And the new network is aimed at ensuring communities can get to their local core town within an hour's travel. It also provides for longer distance services and onward travel to bigger towns and cities across the borders where Powys residents access services such as health. Details of the new services will be published later in the summer. Cllr Jackie Charlton, cabinet member for a greener Powys who is responsible for transport, said 'Subject to full council approval, Powys communities will soon be able to benefit from a more connected county. "The upgraded public transport network in Powys aims to provide more reliable and frequent services in rural areas with better connections between towns and key services. 'If the additional funding requirements are approved by full council early next month, the new seven-year contracts will be awarded to a range of local and regional transport operators who will begin delivering enhanced services with greater connectivity from September 2025. 'Along with improved public transport provision, we are delighted that the young people of Powys will also benefit from the extension of the Welsh Government young person's travel concession (MyTravelPass) from September 2025, allowing them to travel on buses within Wales for just £1.' Speaking at Tuesday's meeting Cllr Charlton added: 'We engaged, consulted and listened to lots of feedback from public transport users, this is the starting point for along the improvement journey for local transport users." She added that 'lots of ideas' for further improvement had been received from consultation feedback which could be used in the future if more money is found. Cllr Gary Mitchell (Plaid Cymru) vice-chairman of the Economy, Residents and Communities scrutiny committee criticised the lateness of the report coming in front of the councillors and that it had to be 'squeezed in' to a special 'last minute' meeting last Friday (June 20). Cllr Mitchell said: 'There were only two options, and that limits us in making recommendations and we must understand there are significant budget pressures to both of them.' Finance portfolio holder, Cllr David Thomas (Labour) said that he was 'confident' that the extra money could be found within council budgets to fund the proposal. Former council leader and now portfolio holder for a prosperous Powys, Cllr James Gibson-Watt (Liberal Democrat) said: 'The perception out there is we hardly ever see a bus in Powys, when you look at the list there is a really comprehensive network operating and this will enhance that immensely.'
