Fixtures 2016-17: Opening days to remember ... and forget for Yorkshire's clubs

THE 2016-17 fixture list is almost upon us, with Yorkshire's Football League sides discovering their fate on Wednesday morning at 9am. Can't wait?
Brian Deane scoring 'that' goal for Sheffield United against Manchester United on August 15, 1992 - the first-ever Premiership goal. Picture: Chris Lawton.Brian Deane scoring 'that' goal for Sheffield United against Manchester United on August 15, 1992 - the first-ever Premiership goal. Picture: Chris Lawton.
Brian Deane scoring 'that' goal for Sheffield United against Manchester United on August 15, 1992 - the first-ever Premiership goal. Picture: Chris Lawton.

On that list, a number of headline games will invariably stand out. Step forward local derbies and Christmas and Easter fixtures and trips to new and alluring destinations as supporters feverishly pore over the data in express-fashion.

Chances are that the first day of term will also occupy plenty of attention too with the opening day of the season hogging plenty of headlines on fixture day.

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Yorkshire’s sides have had good and bad in equal measure over the years. Here, we take a look at some of the best and worse for each club ...

Clint Marcelle scored in the 2-1 opening-day win for Barnsley over West Brom back in 1996.Clint Marcelle scored in the 2-1 opening-day win for Barnsley over West Brom back in 1996.
Clint Marcelle scored in the 2-1 opening-day win for Barnsley over West Brom back in 1996.

Championship

Barnsley

ONE TO REMEMBER: August 17, 1996. West Brom 1 Barnsley 2

Goals from Clint Marcelle and Andy Liddell in a 2-1 success set the tone for Danny Wilson’s Reds’ remarkable 1996-97 promotion season.

Bobby Davison scored at Newcastle in August 1989, but it couldn't prevent a 5-2 defeat at St James' Park.Bobby Davison scored at Newcastle in August 1989, but it couldn't prevent a 5-2 defeat at St James' Park.
Bobby Davison scored at Newcastle in August 1989, but it couldn't prevent a 5-2 defeat at St James' Park.

Victory at the Hawthorns against the Baggies, whose scorer from the spot was Andy Hunt, was the catalyst to a five-match league winning streak in a campaign when the Oakwell outfit were magnificent.

ONE TO FORGET: August 3, 2013. Barnsley 0 Wigan 4

There are several bad first days at the office for Barnsley, with the Reds’ opening-day record not too hot. A horror 4-0 home loss to Wigan and a debut to forget for big summer recruit Dale Jennings - who was sent off - takes ‘pride’ of place.

Huddersfield Town

Dean Saunders scored Bradford City's first-ever Premiership goal on the opening day of the 1999-2000 season.Dean Saunders scored Bradford City's first-ever Premiership goal on the opening day of the 1999-2000 season.
Dean Saunders scored Bradford City's first-ever Premiership goal on the opening day of the 1999-2000 season.
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ONE TO REMEMBER: August 7, 2010. Notts County 0 Huddersfield Town 3

Town’s first-day record in recent years has been pretty lamentable. But they came up trumps at Meadow Lane in August 2010, easing to a 3-0 win to set the early-season pace in League One.

Anthony Pilkington scored twice as Town recorded a comfortable win over newly-promoted Notts, while Jordan Rhodes also found the net for Lee Clark’s side.

ONE TO FORGET: August 9, 2014. Huddersfield 0 Bournemouth 4

Sheffield Wednsday's players celebrate Marcus Tudgay's first-minute strike against Burnley back in 2008. Picture: Sarah Washbourn.Sheffield Wednsday's players celebrate Marcus Tudgay's first-minute strike against Burnley back in 2008. Picture: Sarah Washbourn.
Sheffield Wednsday's players celebrate Marcus Tudgay's first-minute strike against Burnley back in 2008. Picture: Sarah Washbourn.

Only one place to start. A thoroughly torrid afternoon ends with Mark Robins parting company with Town as the dust settled on a calamitous opening day as the Cherries ran riot.

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Marc Pugh fired the visitors ahead after just 26 seconds and further goals arrived from debutant Callum Wilson (2), who also missed a penalty and Yann Kermorgant as Town were besieged.

Leeds United

ONE TO REMEMBER: August 3, 2013. Leeds 2 Brighton 1

A marquee occasion and a chance to dream. A huge crowd of over 33,000 amassed as Elland Road expected and the hosts delivered in the nick of time thanks to £1m man Luke Murphy to break the hearts of Brighton.

The clock was on 94 minutes when the midfielder, on his debut after arriving from Crewe in the club’s first seven-figure deal since August 2005, netted a winner in front of the delirious Whites hordes.

Doncaster Rovers' Lewis Guy (left) celebrates scoring the winning goal at Derby in 2008. Picture: Nick Potts/PADoncaster Rovers' Lewis Guy (left) celebrates scoring the winning goal at Derby in 2008. Picture: Nick Potts/PA
Doncaster Rovers' Lewis Guy (left) celebrates scoring the winning goal at Derby in 2008. Picture: Nick Potts/PA

Earlier, Ross McCormack had cancelled out Leo Ulloas’s opener.

ONE TO FORGET: August 19, 1989. Newcastle 5 Leeds 2

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Howard Wilkinson’s Leeds led 2-1 at half-time through Ian Baird and Bobby Davison, only for a Micky Quinn-inspired Toon to turn the tables and win 5-2, the Scouse striker scoring four times. Both sides were eventually promoted.

Rotherham United

ONE TO REMEMBER: August 10, 2002. Millwall 0 Rotherham 6

One of the most staggering opening-day results ever saw Ronnie Moore’s magnificent Millers go berserk at the New Den on an afternoon when Darren Byfield scored four times in what proved a memorable 2002-03 for the club.

The Londoners made the play-off semi-finals in May, while Rotherham narrowly avoided relegation, but the formbook was completely overturned.

Further goals for Rotherham, who hit four goals after the break, were notched by Martin McIntosh and Chris Sedgwick.

ONE TO FORGET: August 8, 2015: Rotherham 1 MK Dons 4

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Not too far to rewind. The Millers suffered a horror first day at term, crashing 4-1 to promoted MK.

The visitors celebrated their first-ever Championship game in style with Rob Hall firing in an early opener, cancelled out by Matt Derbyshire.

After that, it was all MK, who led 3-1 at the break through Jordan Spence and Dean Bowditch before Carl Baker fired another past rookie keeper Kelle Roos.

Sheffield Wednesday

ONE TO REMEMBER: August 9, 2008: Sheffield Wednesday 4 Burnley 1

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Marcus Tudgay and Akpo Sodje scored two goals apiece as the Owls blew away Burnley at Hillsborough.

Tudgay put the Owls ahead inside 60 seconds, with Sodje doubling the lead three minutes later.

Martin Paterson pulled one back with a near-post header, but Sodje restored Wednesday’s two-goal lead on 17 minutes after a blistering opening.

Sodje limped off halfway through the first half, but Tudgay killed the game on 65 minutes with an emphatic finish.

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ONE TO FORGET: August 7, 2004: Sheffield Wednesday 0 Colchester 3

Wednesday crazily conceded three goals in the last five minutes to slip to a thoroughly embarrassing loss to the U’s.

Craig Fagan slotted home from three yards before a long-range effort from Sam Stockley and a spectacular Joe Keith free-kick sealed the U’s win.

League One

Bradford City

ONE TO REMEMBER: August 7, 1999. Middlesbrough 0 Bradford 1

A ‘where were you’ moment as a dramatic last-minute goal by Dean Saunders gave promoted City their first-ever Premiership victory in a 1-0 win at Middlesbrough.

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Saunders, who came on as a substitute, was found by Lee Mills with a simple through ball and the former Liverpool and Aston Villa striker made no mistake, drilling the ball underneath ex-Bradford goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer from just inside the penalty area - with his ‘old man’ celebrations as he pretended to walk with a stick being something to behold.

ONE TO FORGET: August 8, 2015: Swindon 4 Bradford 1

Rampaging Swindon wing-back Nathan Byrne scored a 16-minute hat-trick as City were on the receiving end of a second-half drubbing in Wiltshire, despite taking the lead.

The visitors went ahead early on when Josh Morris struck, before Billy Clarke’s poor penalty was saved.

After the break, Byrne curled in his first before his close-range finish under goalkeeper Ben Williams put the hosts in the lead.

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Byrne’s third came after a mazy dribble and striker Jon Obika secured three points when he slotted home the fourth.

Doncaster Rovers

ONE TO REMEMBER. August 9, 2008. Derby 0 Doncaster 1

Rovers’ first second-tier match in half a century proved a memorable one as a goal from Lewis Guy gave them victory.

The Cumbrian put newly-promoted Rovers ahead on the hour mark at Pride Park when he touched in Brian Stock’s free-kick after a Robbie Savage foul - to leave Paul Jewell still waiting for his first league for the Rams, who included debutant and ex-Doncaster midfielder Paul Green in their side.

ONE TO FORGET: August 6, 2011: Brighton 2 Doncaster 1

Rovers saw defeat heartbreakingly plucked from the jaws of victory after threatening to spoil Brighton’s big day at their new Amex Stadium.

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Doncaster led through Billy Sharp’s first-half strike with the clock ticking, only for two late goals from substitute Will Buckley, including a stoppage-time winner, to dramatically turn the tables on an afternoon when home boss Gus Poyet was sent to the stands.

It was a game which was fateful in another way for Sharp, stretchered off following a robust challenge from Lewis Dunk after the restart which kept him out until late September.

Sheffield United

ONE TO REMEMBER: August 15, 1992. Sheffield United 2 Manchester United 1

A milestone goal from Brian Deane in front of the Shoreham Street End created history as the frontman became the first player to score in the new Premier League on a sweltering opening day to the 1992-93 campaign.

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Deane fired the hosts in front just five minutes in and added a second from the spot in the 50th minute. Mark Hughes pulled one back just after the hour, but it was the Blades’ day.

ONE TO FORGET: August 8, 2015. Gillingham 4 Sheffield United 0

Nigel Adkins’s first match in charge turned into a nightmare at the pre-season promotion favourites crashed at the Priestfield Stadium.

Luke Norris scored the opener for the Gills before on-loan defender Deji Oshilaja added a second on his bow for the club.

John Egan headed in a corner eight minutes from time to make it 3-0 before Bradley Dack’s drive completed victory and capped a miserable first game in charge of the Blades for Adkins.