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Millwall came agonisingly close to reaching the Premier League last season, missing out on automatic promotion by just a point to Ipswich Town before losing to eventual play-off winners Hull City in the semi-final.

It was the closest the Lions have come to promotion since relegation from the top flight in 1990 - their only other nearly moment coming in 2001-02 when they finished fourth, 12 points behind second, and also lost in the play-off semi-final.

Alex Neil's side will have to dust themselves down and go again, starting with a tough trip to Ashton Gate.

Bristol City had a disappointing 2025-26 campaign, finishing 12th following a run to the play-offs the previous season.

The Michael Skubala era for the Robins did not get off to an ideal start, with a 1-0 home defeat to League Two side Walsall in the EFL Cup first round last weekend and they will be keen to get off on the right foot in the league.

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After a dismal start to the 2025-26 campaign, with just two wins from their opening 17 games, Norwich City probably did not want last season to end come May.

The transformation under Philippe Clement following his arrival to replace Liam Manning as boss in November 2025 was remarkable, with 17 wins from 31 league matches - only four sides picked up more points than the Canaries in that time.

Norwich will hope to carry on where they left off to have a crack at least a play-off spot this season, with two extra places up for grabs.

Their visitors West Bromwich Albion endured a season to forget, matching a 99-year club record for their worst run of away form with 10 straight defeats on the road between October and January.

But the Baggies picked up sufficiently towards the end of the season under new boss James Morrison with a 10-game unbeaten run to avoid relegation by four points, despite a two-point deduction for breaching PSR rules.

Albion too, for a club of their size, will hope to push on to bigger and better things in the next nine months.

Derby have been on somewhat of a rollercoaster this summer.

It looked as if the Rams were destined to have a new owner in Saudi Arabia government official Turki Al-Sheikh but, despite the green light from both the Independent Football Regulator (IFR) and the English Football League (EFL), the deal was called off.

Some fans would have feared that leaves Derby in a tough spot. They had only made four summer signings up until that point and the squad was looking light.

Since the collapse of the takeover though, Derby have recruited midfielder Alex Mowatt for their fifth signing and Eustace is pleased he can concentrate on what happens on the pitch.

"I'm glad all the drama is over and that we can get back to business now and concentrate on making sure Derby are successful this season," the head coach told BBC Radio Derby.

They visit Charlton as their season opener, who themselves have been hanging under a cloud of uncertainty, external regarding their ownership.

Stoke have spent big this summer and among those huge money buys was Swansea's Ethan Galbraith.

For many Swans fans, it was a puzzling choice. Galbraith had only been across the Welsh border for one season and was offered an improved contract in the spring.

Stoke, though their start to the season was strong, ended up finishing nine points and six places below the Swans.

Galbraith says he still has respect for the side and though there may be some fans in the away stands at the bet365 this afternoon who are nursing a wound over his departure, his old boss Vitor Matos won't be one to visit with animosity.

"Every person tries to find their place and Gally (Galbraith) made a decision," Matos said.

"I have nothing but good words to say about him. He is a really good kid and a really good professional who was really important for us in different phases of the season, in different roles as well."

Don't forget, we will also have Sheffield United v Birmingham to headline our first Saturday of the season at 17:30 BST.

After an excellent opening day victory for newly-promoted Bolton over their Lancashire rivals Preston, it is now time to turn our attentions to our 15:00 BST kick-offs...

Paul Gallagher
Former Preston midfielder on BBC Radio Lancashire

Preston were too slow out of the blocks, the game was taken away from them in the first half.

Bolton played well and were the deserved winners.

The positives for Preston were the subs.

They need to find the right balance that suits these players because in the first half they were too wide open at the back for me.

But Paul Heckingbottom is a good coach and I like the signings that they've made.

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Preston make a late surge but can't pull back an equaliser as they lose against Bolton for the first time in 25 years.

Jusef Erabi scored in the 86th minute to validate a better second half performance from North End but they couldn't add another to level things up.

Could it have been different if Milutin Osmajic had struck at goal rather than attempted to set up a team-mate earlier in the game?

Maybe. But for now, Bolton top the Championship table.

A header is offered up on a plate for Preston's Liam Lindsay but he sends it high and wide.

That's probably going to be it.

Andy Bayes
BBC Radio Lancashire commentator

So often is the case in football matches, when you're two goals in and then a team pulls one back and you think, well why didn't they play like that earlier.

They've got to get on with this now North End. They feel, can there be one more chance.

Four minutes added.

There's time...

Oooooh painfully close for Preston!

Jusef Erabi pings a good ball into the box for Liam Lindsay to get his head on but the nod goes the wrong way of goal.

Some tense fans in the Toughsheet now.

Chris Forino is given a caution for a foul on Preston substitute Odeluga Offiah.

You can hear the away stands loud and clear. They think they can get something from this.

Luca Stephenson has completed his Bolton debut to allow space for a another debutant in Lewis Brunt.

Goal scorer Thierry Gale is also withdrawn for Kyliane Dong.

Eoin Toal is introduced and takes back his captain's armband for Bolton.

Max Conway makes room for his skipper.

Corner complete. No damage to Bolton done.

Thierry Small was an injury doubt for Preston this afternoon but boss Paul Heckingbottom has decided to bring him on to clock up some minutes.

He replaces Delano Burgzorg, while Andrija Vukcevic takes the place of Andrew Hughes.

What did Milutin Osmajic do that for?!

The Preston striker is alone up front with the ball and only has to sneak it past the keeper but instead he squares poorly to his team-mate.

The visitors at least still have a corner...

John McAtee has been superb this afternoon but his race is run for Bolton.

He's off alongside Gaizka Larrazabal.

Loan players Ryan Hardie of Wrexham and Aston Villa's Samuel Iling-Junior are on for a Bolton league debut.

Sam Dalby is on a one-v-one with the keeper but Preston stopper Daniel Iversen judges the strike well and dives right to deny Bolton a third goal.