MATCHDAY PREVIEW
Portman Road - Sky Bet Championship - Saturday 9th August - 5.15pm
Coverage: Sky Sports 1/HD1, BBC Radio Suffolk, FANbase website
Relegated club Fulham are the visitors to Portman Road on Saturday, as Ipswich Town begin their thirteenth consecutive season in the Championship.
Town fans have been asked to take part in a blue 'wall of colour', where fans are invited to turn Portman Road into a sea of blue.
Team News:
Tommy Smith (right) looks fit after missing last week's friendly at Leyton Orient.
Paul Anderson (hamstring), Jonathon Parr (groin), and Cameron Stewart (jaw) join Stephen Hunt (calf) on the injury list, with the four unavailable for McCarthy's side tomorrow.
David McGoldrick is expected to be fit enough to start from the bench for the visit of the Cottagers.
Previous Meetings:
Ipswich have won six competitive matches (four league matches), while Fulham have won eight (seven), with seven draws (five). Fulham's last win came on Boxing Day of 1963, as they thrashed Ipswich 10-1 at Craven Cottage.
Final League Positions last season:
19th (Premier League) - Fulham - 38 -34 33
9th (Championship) - Ipswich T - 46 +6 68
Coverage: BBC Essex, FANbase website
Colchester United begin their League One season as they face Oldham Athletic, starting at home for the first time since the 2002/03 season.
Team News:
Col U midfielders David Wright and Sanchez Watt are out with injuries, and will be out for Joe Dunne on Saturday; new signing George Moncur could start in midfield.
Tosin Olufemi is facing a long injury break after rupturing his Achilles tendon during pre-season.
Previous Meetings:
Out of the 42 meetings between the clubs, Oldham have won 14 games compared to Colchester's 12 wins, with 16 draws.
Final League Positions last season:
15th Oldham Ath (League 1) 46 -9 56
16th Colchester (League 1) 46 -8 53
Coverage: BBC Essex, FANbase website
Southend's League Two's campaign kicks off with a 260 mile trip up north to Accrington Stanley.
The Blues made the League play-offs last season but could not get past eventual finalists Burton Albion, with Phil Brown's men looking for promotion this season.
Team News:
The Blues are only missing Michael Timlin, due to an elbow injury, but will have a full squad to choose from, with Prosser back to full fitness.
Previous Meetings:
The previous twelve competitive meetings have seen Southend win 5 to Accrington's 3 wins with four draws. The two sides have met in consecutive seasons, since the 2010/11 season.
Final League Positions last season:
15th Accrington (League 2) 46 -2 57
5th* Southend U (League 2) 46 +19 72 (Lost in play-off semi-finals to Burton)
Coverage: BBC Essex, FANbase website
Braintree begin their fourth season in non-league's top tier, as they travel to Macclesfield Town.
The Silkmen, who played in the Football League two years ago, will welcome the Iron to Moss Rose for their opening day Conference fixture, as the Iron look to improve on last season's sixth placed finish.
Team News:
[No team news available]
Previous Meetings:
Macclesfield and Braintree have regularly met each other in the league since the Silkmen's relegation in 2012. Macclesfield have won 3 games while Braintree have won just the once.
Final League Positions last season:
6th Braintree (Conference) 46 +18 74
15th Macclesf'd (Conference) 46 -1 61
Coverage: BBC Essex, FANbase website
Sudbury begin their new Ryman North season as they travel to relegated side Cray Wanderers.
AFC made a dramatic improvement last season which saw them finish in the top 10 of the division, as well as recording some memorable cup highlights.
Cray Wanderers finished bottom of the Ryman Premier division last season, conceding 138 goals over the league season.
A bus for AFC supporters leaves from the Brundon Industrial Estate (NOT the AFC ground) at 11.15am. Details available here.
Team News:
[No team news available]
Previous Meetings:
AFC Sudbury have only met Cray Wanderers once previously, in a FA Vase Sixth Round match in 2004, played at Bromley which resulted in a 2-0 win for AFC. The Yellows went on to lose 2-0 to Winchester City in the final of the FA Vase.
Final League Positions last season:
24th Cray Wanderers (Premier div) 46 -98 26
10th AFC Sudbury (North div) 46 +13 76
AFC Sudbury Reserves/U21s beat league new-boys Leiston Reserves 2-0 last night, courtesy of a goal from Stephano Mallardo and a penalty from Scott Kemp.
Ipswich Town v Fulham
Portman Road - Sky Bet Championship - Saturday 9th August - 5.15pm
Coverage: Sky Sports 1/HD1, BBC Radio Suffolk, FANbase website
 |
| Tommy Smith could return for Town on Saturday Photo: FANbase/Louis Byers |
Relegated club Fulham are the visitors to Portman Road on Saturday, as Ipswich Town begin their thirteenth consecutive season in the Championship.
Town fans have been asked to take part in a blue 'wall of colour', where fans are invited to turn Portman Road into a sea of blue.
Team News:
Tommy Smith (right) looks fit after missing last week's friendly at Leyton Orient.
Paul Anderson (hamstring), Jonathon Parr (groin), and Cameron Stewart (jaw) join Stephen Hunt (calf) on the injury list, with the four unavailable for McCarthy's side tomorrow.
David McGoldrick is expected to be fit enough to start from the bench for the visit of the Cottagers.
Previous Meetings:
Ipswich have won six competitive matches (four league matches), while Fulham have won eight (seven), with seven draws (five). Fulham's last win came on Boxing Day of 1963, as they thrashed Ipswich 10-1 at Craven Cottage.
Final League Positions last season:
19th (Premier League) - Fulham - 38 -34 33
9th (Championship) - Ipswich T - 46 +6 68
Colchester Utd v Oldham Athletic
Weston Homes Stadium - Sky Bet League One - Saturday 9th August - 3pmCoverage: BBC Essex, FANbase website
Colchester United begin their League One season as they face Oldham Athletic, starting at home for the first time since the 2002/03 season.
Team News:
Col U midfielders David Wright and Sanchez Watt are out with injuries, and will be out for Joe Dunne on Saturday; new signing George Moncur could start in midfield.
Tosin Olufemi is facing a long injury break after rupturing his Achilles tendon during pre-season.
Previous Meetings:
Out of the 42 meetings between the clubs, Oldham have won 14 games compared to Colchester's 12 wins, with 16 draws.
Final League Positions last season:
15th Oldham Ath (League 1) 46 -9 56
16th Colchester (League 1) 46 -8 53
Accrington Stanley v Southend
Crown Ground - Sky Bet League Two - Saturday 9th August - 3pmCoverage: BBC Essex, FANbase website
Southend's League Two's campaign kicks off with a 260 mile trip up north to Accrington Stanley.
The Blues made the League play-offs last season but could not get past eventual finalists Burton Albion, with Phil Brown's men looking for promotion this season.
Team News:
The Blues are only missing Michael Timlin, due to an elbow injury, but will have a full squad to choose from, with Prosser back to full fitness.
Previous Meetings:
The previous twelve competitive meetings have seen Southend win 5 to Accrington's 3 wins with four draws. The two sides have met in consecutive seasons, since the 2010/11 season.
Final League Positions last season:
15th Accrington (League 2) 46 -2 57
5th* Southend U (League 2) 46 +19 72 (Lost in play-off semi-finals to Burton)
Macclesfield v Braintree
Moss Rose - Vanarama Conference - Saturday 9th August - 3pmCoverage: BBC Essex, FANbase website
Braintree begin their fourth season in non-league's top tier, as they travel to Macclesfield Town.
The Silkmen, who played in the Football League two years ago, will welcome the Iron to Moss Rose for their opening day Conference fixture, as the Iron look to improve on last season's sixth placed finish.
Team News:
[No team news available]
Previous Meetings:
Macclesfield and Braintree have regularly met each other in the league since the Silkmen's relegation in 2012. Macclesfield have won 3 games while Braintree have won just the once.
Final League Positions last season:
6th Braintree (Conference) 46 +18 74
15th Macclesf'd (Conference) 46 -1 61
Cray Wanderers v AFC Sudbury
Hayes Lane, Bromley - Ryman North - Saturday 9th August - 3pmCoverage: BBC Essex, FANbase website
Sudbury begin their new Ryman North season as they travel to relegated side Cray Wanderers.
AFC made a dramatic improvement last season which saw them finish in the top 10 of the division, as well as recording some memorable cup highlights.
Cray Wanderers finished bottom of the Ryman Premier division last season, conceding 138 goals over the league season.
A bus for AFC supporters leaves from the Brundon Industrial Estate (NOT the AFC ground) at 11.15am. Details available here.
Team News:
[No team news available]
Previous Meetings:
AFC Sudbury have only met Cray Wanderers once previously, in a FA Vase Sixth Round match in 2004, played at Bromley which resulted in a 2-0 win for AFC. The Yellows went on to lose 2-0 to Winchester City in the final of the FA Vase.
Final League Positions last season:
24th Cray Wanderers (Premier div) 46 -98 26
10th AFC Sudbury (North div) 46 +13 76
AFC Sudbury Reserves/U21s beat league new-boys Leiston Reserves 2-0 last night, courtesy of a goal from Stephano Mallardo and a penalty from Scott Kemp.