Key events
Full time: Cardiff City 2-1 Peterborough
League One: Cardiff City have got their third tier campaign off to a winning start, coming from behind to beat Peterborough United in the Welsh capital. Rubin Colwill cancelled out Bradley Ihionvien’s first-half penalty with as good a free-kick as you’re ever likely to see at this or any other level, before teenage right-back Ronan Kpakio won the game for Cardiff with the first senior goal of his fledgling career.
Premier League transfer news: Callum Wilson has decided the famous West Ham striker hoodoo is nothing to be worried about and has agreed a deal to join Graham Potter’s squad on a free transfer after leaving Newcastle United in June. Wilson, 33, will sign a one-year deal with the London club.
Interview: In a predictably entertaining and at times poignant sit-down, veteran manager Neil Warnock recalls the time Crystal Palace’s data boffins stopped him from signing a young Virgil van Dijk for £4m after arriving at the deranged conclusion the Dutchman was “not quick enough”, discusses his unlikely bromances with Pep Guardiola and Arsene Wenger, and looks forward to seeing his name up in lights outside the London Palladium in September. Words: Donald McRae.
National League: Forest Green owner Dale Vince is one of the partners in an initiative where GPs can prescribe a day out watching his National League team as an alternative to antidepressants. And while the jokes obviously write themselves, it seems like a very good idea before a ball has been kicked in the current campaign. Eze Obasi reports …
Newport County: David Hughes has a wealth of coaching experience at the highest level but is enjoying his first real tilt at frontline management in his new role as head coach of Newport County, who have one of the tiniest budgets in League Two. Interview: Ben Fisher.
League One preview: Luton look the team to beat after back-to-back relegations and Stockport County have shown plenty of ambition in the transfer market, while Darren Moore’s Port Vale will be hoping to stave off the drop following their promotion last season. Will Unwin casts an eye over the runners and riders in the third tier …
League Two preview: MK Dons are many pundits’ idea of likely winners under Paul Warne and Bristol Rovers will be hoping theirs is a short stay in the fourth tier, while another difficult season awaits Accrington. Will Unwin gazes into his his crystal ball …
GOAL! Cardiff City 2-1 Peterborough United
League One: Ronan Kpakio, Cardiff City’s 18-year-old right-back, has just swept home his first ever senior goal to give his side the lead in the Welsh capital. It was a fine effort from some distance which came at the end of a good Cardiff move down the left.
Scottish Premiership: There are two Scottish Premiership fixtures today, with Kilmarnock and Livingston getting the ball rolling for the new campaign at 3pm (BST), followed by Rangers’ trip to Fir Park for their season-opener against Motherwell.
League One fixtures
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Cardiff City 2-1 Peterborough (L)
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Blackpool v Stevenage
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Bradford City v Wycombe
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Burton v Mansfield Town
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Doncaster Rovers v Exeter
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Huddersfield Town v Leyton Orient
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Lincoln City v Reading
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Plymouth Argyle v Barnsley
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Rotherham United v Port Vale
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Wigan v Northampton Town
League Two fixtures
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Accrington Stanley v Gillingham
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Barnet v Fleetwood Town
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Bristol Rovers v Harrogate Town
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Cambridge United v Cheltenham
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Chesterfield v Barrow
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Colchester v Tranmere Rovers
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Grimsby Town v Crawley Town
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MK Dons v Oldham Athletic
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Newport County v Notts County
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Salford City v Crewe
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Shrewsbury Town v Bromley
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Walsall v Swindon Town
Luton Town 1-0 AFC Wimbledon
League One match report: A late, unlucky Ryan Johnson own goal gifted all three points to the hosts and suggested that Luton’s fortunes might finally have changed for the better after back-to-back relegations. Matthew Dunn was at Kenilworth Road last night to see the opening game of the EFL season …
A new EFL season dawns
Once more on to the hamster wheel, as the marathon that is the new season’s EFL gets under way in earnest after last night’s League One curtain-raiser between Luton Town and AFC Wimbledon at Kenilworth Road. The Hatters were somewhat fortunate to come away with all three points, after Ryan Johnson capped an otherwise decent display by over-stretching for a header, only to loop the ball into his own net for the only goal of the game five minutes from time.
Today’s early action kicked off in Wales, where Brian Barry-Murphy is taking charge of his first game as Cardiff City manager. Yet to sign a player this summer after their relegation from the Championship, the Bluebirds are currently all square with Peterborough United after Rubin Colwill cancelled out Bradley Ihionvien’s first-half penalty at the Cardiff City Stadium with a wonderful free-kick.
Theirs is one of 10 games being played in the third tier today and with 12 more being played in the division below, we have no shortage of action to stay across. We’ll bring you news of the goals as they go in and flag up any major talking points along the way.