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Sheffield United face testing start - the football fixtures
SHEFFIELD United may have missed out on a return to the Premier League but fixtures at the start of the new season will help numb the pain.
The Blades visit relegated Middlesbrough on the opening day followed by five games in a row against clubs who have exited the top flight during the last five years.
Around 35,000 supporters will pack into the Riverside Stadium for the big kick-off on August 8 before the Blades host Watford a week later at Bramall Lane.
Subsequent dates with Leicester City, Reading, West Bromwich Albion and Derby County will also examine the credentials of a Blades side aiming to set the pace in next season's Championship promotion race.
Manager Kevin Blackwell said: "It will be great test for everybody and obviously we will find out the strengths of the teams coming down from the Premier League, so I am looking forward to it.
"It will be interesting to see how the relegated clubs handle this division, and the investment going into teams between now and the start of the season could throw up some unknowns.
"The Championship is getting bigger and bigger all the time so it will be terrific to be in the mix again," he added.
"This league has been very unpredictable for many years now and I don't think this season will be any different." The biggest game in Yorkshire on opening day will be the derby between Sheffield Wednesday and Barnsley at Hillsborough.
Owls manager Brian Laws said: "I think it is a fantastic fixture to start the season. It will also be important for us to get off to a good start and, if we can do that against one of our local rivals, all the better!"
Barnsley manager Simon Davey said: "We won there last season and will be looking to start the new campaign with a victory again at one of our biggest rivals." The Steel City derbies are scheduled to take place in September and April – with the latter, at Hillsborough, coming just three games before the end of the campaign.
Doncaster Rovers visit Watford on the opening day and travel to Swansea City on May 2 for the final game of the season.
Leeds United, who have not lost on the opening day of the season since 1989, play host to promoted Exeter City in League One.
It will be the first league meeting between the two clubs and Exeter's first visit to Elland Road in 80 years.
Leeds travel to Darlington 48 hours later, on Monday, August 10, for a televised Carling Cup tie before visiting another promoted club, Wycombe Wanderers, on Saturday, August 15 .
Manager Simon Grayson said: "It's an interesting start. We are facing two newly-promoted sides who both did well last season, playing attractive football.
I'm sure they'll both be looking forward to playing us so early in the season." Grayson was reluctant to single out any other fixtures for special comment but expressed relief at the absence of long midweek away trips.
"It's always exciting when the fixtures come out but you know it's going to be a long season before you see them and it's all about what you do over the 46 games," he said.
"The best thing, as it stands, is that there are no long midweek away trips which will suit us and it's good news for the fans." Exeter's director of football Steve Perryman is delighted to be starting life in League One against Leeds.
"We have raised the bar in everything we have done and this truly is 'Welcome to League One'," he said.
"A few years ago this is the sort of fixture we would have hoped to be playing in pre-season but now we are playing them for real!"
Huddersfield Town chairman Dean Hoyle will cycle over 200 miles to his side's opening fixture at Southend United. He agreed to pedal to the first away game of the season to raise funds for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.
Any hopes of an easy ride to Leeds or Oldham, however, were rudely dashed by the fixture computer.
"It could have been better, somewhere more local perhaps, but it will be a challenge," he said philosophically.
"It is a long way but a fantastic opportunity to raise money for a great cause."
Rotherham United entertain Accrington Stanley on the opening day – shortly before a home date with Derby County in the first round of the Carling Cup.
Bradford City will start the new season with back-to-back trips down the M1 to Nottingham.
The Bantams are at Nottingham Forest in the first round of the Carling Cup and also have to start their league campaign on the banks of the River Trent against Notts County.
Manager Stuart McCall, who saw his side open last season's campaign with a 2-1 home win against County, said: "Last season's match was very tight but we battled hard for the victory and I'd take that again. It is important to try and start the season on a positive note and we'll look to do just that."
YORKSHIRE'S KEY FIXTURES FOR THE NEW SEASON
Sheffield United v Sheffield Wednesday Bramall Lane: Saturday, September 19.
Hillsborough: Saturday, April 17.
Barnsley v Sheffield Wednesday Hillsborough: Saturday, August 8.
Oakwell: Saturday, January 16.
Doncaster Rovers v Newcastle United St James's Park: Saturday, October 24.
Keepmoat Stadium: Tuesday, March 23.
Sheffield United v Middlesbrough Riverside Stadium: Saturday, August 8.
Bramall Lane: Saturday, January 16.
Leeds United v Huddersfield Town Elland Road: Saturday, December 5.
Galpharm Stadium: Saturday, February 27.
Bradford City v Rotherham United Valley Parade: Saturday, December 12.
Don Valley Stadium: Saturday, March 6.
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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