We have the 2017/2018 Championship fixtures released earlier this morning. I was overjoy with excitement at the prospect of the new upcoming season hoping my club Cardiff City have a better season. I know it is a few months away from the kick off, but I still get a tingling feeling run up my back.
The people behind compiling the fixture list for 2017/2018 will had to fit 2,036 matches, across the Premier League and Football League over a nine-month period leaving space for schedule Cup fixtures and International breaks. So many variations have to come into play in compiling the fixture like if Cardiff City are playing at home Swansea must play away. Liverpool and Everton never play home games on the same days and just think of London. That must be a nightmare.
Like many fans I was sitting back waiting on the 9 am release with my chosen port of call was the reliable BBC website. Just a bit of a hiccup with the loss of the internet had me in a bit of a panic but it was easily sorted. Today is better since the arrival of the internet the days of listening to the local radio for a snippet of news until the full list was in the Echo later. Now at 9am like magic the full list will appear on my computer screen.
I always have my eye on those relegated from the Premier League. They are nearly always flagged up with the bookies to be favourites for a speedy return back to the Promised Land but that is not always the case.
I have a bit of a tradition I follow every release day I always check out the first and last games and then the Christmas/New Year fixtures before perusing the rest of the list at my leisure.
Who knows what next season will bring but let us hope more joy than heartache fingers crossed.
Cardiff have an away fixture to kick off their season on August 5 against Burton Albion and the first home game the following Saturday is against Aston Villa. Those of us interested in the ‘Sevenside’ derby against Bristol City have to wait until November 4 and that is the away fixture with the home game end of February at the Cardiff City stadium. I would not be surprise if both these fixtures were likely to be subject to change and could be televised.
Over the Christmas and New Year Cardiff, have two home games. Boxing Day Fulham with visit the Cardiff City Stadium and a few days later Preston are visiting. New Year’s Day hungover Cardiff fans have to travel to the ‘smoke’ and QPR.
Come May 6 and the last game of the season and hopefully a promotion party at the CCS Reading are the visitors.
The fixtures are not written in stone just yet. Now the police will be having their say about the spicy games high on the polices radar. Then the TV companies have their say although the Premiership take most of the TV schedule there is still bits left on the table for the Football league. Cardiff must also play second base to Rugby international fixtures. There some interesting team coming out of Division 1 with Sheffield Untied, Bolton, and ruddy Millwall. The Championship will not be a walk over with many teams capable of a league finish in the top six. It could be another interesting season.
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