Demitri_C Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 We have all been so busy discussing takeovers, signings and RDM, tomorrow our fixture list will be revealed. Would like a nice home game first as can start RDM reign with a bang. Someone like Blackburn or Fulham at home would be a nice start. Here's what you need to know Quote Aston Villa in the Championship: All the key dates and everything you need to know 12:47, 21 JUN 2016 UPDATED 12:47, 21 JUN 2016 BY STEVE WOLLASTON Chris Waugh identifies the key dates for the forthcoming Championship season Aston Villa fans are heading for the unfamiliar waters of the Championship after their relegation for the Premier League. To prepare fans for the fact that they will be a Football League side next season, rather than a Premier League club - we have come up with a handy guide. Many questions remain unanswered at Villa Park , the new owners, the future of players and the small matter of a manager. But what we already know is when the Championship fixtures are announced, when the second-tier season begins, and whether you can watch the Football League on TV next season. Here’s all the key questions answered: When are the Championship fixtures announced? Fixtures for the new Championship season will be released in little more than a month’s time on Wednesday, June 22. That’s a week after the top-flight fixtures are announced. So from June 22, you can start planning your trips to the new grounds you haven’t visited before, for example Burton Albion’s Pirelli Stadium and Rotherham United’s New York Stadium. When does the second-tier season begin? The Championship season begins on the weekend commencing Saturday, August 6. There are also scheduled fixtures for Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve and January 2 in the Football League’s calendar. So when will pre-season start for the Villa squad? No date is yet confirmed, but six weeks is the average length of time which a club usually allows for their pre-season schedule. Villa’s players therefore could reconvene by the middle-to-end of June. MORE: Villa defender set for new contract offer this summer Aston Villa train ahead of the Chelsea game How many games will Villa play in the Championship? At least 46 during the regular season; 23 at Villa Park, and the same number away. If they were to qualify for the play-offs, Villa could play a maximum of 49 games in all - with a two-legged semi-final and then the final too. When is the last weekend of the regular Championship season? The weekend of May 6, 2017 will host the final weekend of the regular season of the second tier of English football. Can I watch any of the Championship games live on TV? Yes - Sky Sports has a deal to broadcast 148 live matches across the Football League, the Capital One Cup and Johnstone’s Paint Trophy for the 2016-17 campaign. Villa will likely feature regularly in these live games, given that Derby County and Leeds United have both been on TV more than 10 times each this season. What about highlights? Sky Sports shows highlights of the Football League on a Saturday evening, as well as on a Sunday morning and at regular slots during the week. Also, Channel 5 air all the goals from 9pm on a Saturday night (or during the week if there are mid-week fixtures) on ‘Football League Tonight’. Which round of the League Cup will Villa enter the competition? Either the first or second round, depending on whether they get a bye - which is yet to be determined. The first round begins during the week commencing August 8, while the second occurs during the week beginning August 21. Which round of the FA Cup will Villa enter the competition? Championship clubs still enter the FA Cup at the third round in January 2017. When does the summer transfer window open? Officially the window reopens on July 1, but players, agents and clubs will begin discussing contract terms and final fees long before then. The summer window then shuts on August 31, though the time is yet to be confirmed. MORE: Football LIVE - Villa player linked with Burnley Will Aston Villa be able to use the emergency-loan system next season? No - the emergency-loan window has been scrapped by FIFA. That means Villa will be unable to temporarily sign, or allow players to leave on short-term loans, outside of the summer and winter transfer windows next season as things stand. Let the Dr Xia Era begin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoof hearted Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 Brentford away first game and first game at Villa park Ipswich. *taps nose* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ender4 Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 a nice easy game against a crappy team to start with please. winning the first game would bring confidence into the team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 11 minutes ago, ender4 said: a nice easy game against a crappy team to start with please. winning the first game would bring confidence into the team. Are the championship rules different then, and you can actually play yourself? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Stevo985 Posted June 21, 2016 VT Supporter Popular Post Share Posted June 21, 2016 (edited) 4 minutes ago, Richard said: Are the championship rules different then, and you can actually play yourself? Edited June 21, 2016 by Stevo985 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ender4 Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 27 minutes ago, Richard said: Are the championship rules different then, and you can actually play yourself? We'd lose that game Who got promoted from league 1 last season through the play-offs? i want to play them at home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 That will be Barnsley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodders0223 Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 1 minute ago, ender4 said: We'd lose that game Who got promoted from league 1 last season through the play-offs? i want to play them at home. No chance, they would be coming up with a winning mentality! Give me a home tie against a nothing team like Wolves please. Actually quite excited for this. I never paid much attention to the fixture list the last few years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted June 21, 2016 Moderator Share Posted June 21, 2016 We won't be getting Wolves. They specifically said that the opening day is one of their 'special' days and they try to avoid derbies on special days that will be busy regardless of opponent. Linky The opening day is considered a key date – along with Boxing Day, New Year's Day and the final day. We try to avoid local fixtures on these dates to allow clubs to minimise costs. Doing so helps to keep the profile of the fixture down, so the police categorisation, and therefore cost, is relatively low. Clubs prefer to avoid local derbies on key dates because they will be well attended regardless of when they are played. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
useless Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 Huddersfield away is a possibility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theboyangel Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 I expect we'll play Newcastle around 3 matches to go as it could be seen as a title decider. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AntrimBlack Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 We will be starting top - that's something, isn't it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Czechlad Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 1 hour ago, Richard said: Are the championship rules different then, and you can actually play yourself? We did that last season and lost 3-1 remember? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AstonMartyn88 Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 I'll be interested to know if it bears any resemblence to the fixture list that was floating around Twitter a few weeks ago (and was reportedly a fake) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alreadyexists Posted June 21, 2016 VT Supporter Share Posted June 21, 2016 2 minutes ago, AstonMartyn88 said: I'll be interested to know if it bears any resemblence to the fixture list that was floating around Twitter a few weeks ago (and was reportedly a fake) I imagine it's fairly similar, as all the teams have to play each other twice Just kidding, it could have been a leak, but I personally doubt it was. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaChris Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 This is where reality kicks in for me...be pretty humbling looking at the fixture list but that's where we're at so need to get on with things and accept the challenge. We'll get someone like Burton on boxing day which would be amusing as imagine we'd get a big crowd for that. Think we'll play Newcastle early on as that would be a blockbuster early fixture for the championship. Be interesting to see how many midweek games we get at home, there are loads of them. Also expect plenty of them to be moved for TV over next few weeks... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demitri_C Posted June 21, 2016 Author Share Posted June 21, 2016 Hope it's not Leeds away... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 I would like our first 6 games to be against teams who ended the season in the bottom half so that we can get a bit of much needed confidence into us. Blackburn (h) to start followed by Huddersfield, Bristol City, Fulham, Leeds and Rotherham would fit the bill. But I think our first game will be destined for television so I suspect it will be away against either Burton or Barnsley with Newcastle playing the other one. Newcastle at home for the final day of the season so we can sing "staying down" to them or Small Heath so we can sing "going up and staying/going down" to them anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MessiWillSignForVilla Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 6 hours ago, ender4 said: We'd lose that game Who got promoted from league 1 last season through the play-offs? i want to play them at home. Ha Ha, as if that would ever happen... http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3458534/Aston-Villa-suffer-humiliation-hands-21S-Remi-Garde-watches-team-lose-3-0-closed-doors.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fun Factory Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 4 hours ago, VillaChris said: This is where reality kicks in for me...be pretty humbling looking at the fixture list but that's where we're at so need to get on with things and accept the challenge. We'll get someone like Burton on boxing day which would be amusing as imagine we'd get a big crowd for that. Think we'll play Newcastle early on as that would be a blockbuster early fixture for the championship. Be interesting to see how many midweek games we get at home, there are loads of them. Also expect plenty of them to be moved for TV over next few weeks... Do you know how many are midweek- I guess it is around 8-10 midweek rounds in the season? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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