Eurosport - Fri, 07 Aug 16:14:00 2009
Team news ahead of the opening day of the 2009-10 League One campaign, with Millwall struggling at the back.
Southampton v Millwall
Graeme Murty and Dan Harding are set to make their Southampton debuts against Millwall.
Veteran full-back Murty joined Saints on a free transfer this week after being released by Reading at the end of last season and he is expected to go straight into the starting line-up.
Left-back Harding is also expected to start after completing a move to St Mary's from Championship side Ipswich over the summer.
Boss Alan Pardew had also hoped to included Radhi Jaidi in his side, but the former Birmingham defender's switch to the south coast looks to be in doubt as he may struggle to obtain a work permit.
Young striker Kayne McLaggon is ruled out as he continues his recovery from a ruptured Achilles.
Pardew has been left short of options in attack following the departures of David McGoldrick, Bradley Wright-Phillips, Jason Euell and Stern John.
Millwall boss Kenny Jackett has a defensive crisis to contend with ahead of the match.
Highly-rated central defender Zak Whitbread (pictured), who has been linked with a move to Peterborough in recent weeks, is rated as doubtful due to a hip injury. Whitbread has not featured in pre-season and is unlikely to be risked against Alan Pardew's side.
Tony Craig is unlikely to feature as he is nursing a back injury, while Andy Frampton (ankle) is also rated as doubtful to face the Saints.
Full-back Danny Senda will definitely not play after being ruled out until January following surgery on his Achilles.
And fellow defender Paul Robinson is also sidelined, with his recovery from a broken metatarsal setback over the summer when he had to have a new pin inserted.
New signings Steve Morison, John Sullivan and Jason Price are all in contention to start after joining the club on permanent deals.
Charlton v Wycombe
Charlton are set to hand debuts to their three new signings when they begin life in League One against Wycombe.
Former Scotland international Christian Dailly is expected to start in the centre of defence after joining the Addicks on a free transfer.
Dailly could play alongside Spaniard Miguel Angel Llera, who turned down a new deal with MK Dons to move to the Valley.
Addicks boss Phil Parkinson also brought in Frazer Richardson after he was released by Leeds at the end of last season and the full-back is also expected to start against the Chairboys.
Parkinson will be forced to named a much changed side from last season with the likes of Darren Ambrose, Mark Hudson, Zheng Zhi and Svetoslav Todorov all leaving the club over the summer.
Dean Sinclair will not feature as he continues his recovery from a knee injury.
Wycombe will be led out by new captain Michael Duberry for the first time as they begin life back in League One with a tricky trip.
Duberry joined Peter Taylor's side in the summer after leaving Reading and will be partnered by fellow new signing Chris Westwood at the heart of the defence.
Elsewhere Stuart Green, Joe Cobb and Lewis Montrose will all also be hoping to make their debuts for the Chairboys against Phil Parkinson's side.
And Spurs defender Adam Smith and former Gillingham and Millwall midfielder Danny Spiller could also feature after arriving on Thursday.
Ian Westlake is out with a hamstring injury while Tommy Doherty is also sidelined with an ankle problem.
Left-back Craig Woodman is available after a thigh injury but Lewis Hunt (foot), Lewwis Spence (foot) and TJ Moncur (groin) are all injured.
MK Dons v Hartlepool
MK Dons boss Paul Ince is set to hand debuts to at least four new signings as he kicks off a second spell in charge against Hartlepool.
The Dons have recruited heavily over the summer and Jermaine Easter, David McCracken, Danny Woodards and Mark Carrington are all expected to start against Pools as stadium:mk welcomes back Ince after a year away.
Forward Aaron Wilbraham remains several weeks away from a return after picking up an ankle injury while midfielder Peter Leven faces another month on the sidelines with a groin injury.
Defender Jude Stirling is also sidelined with a groin problem and joins long-term absentees Danny Swailes (Achilles) and Sean O'Hanlon (knee) in the treatment room.
Forward Jabo Ibehre has been out with a hamstring injury but is back in training while Stephen Gleeson and Jason Puncheon could begin their second spells with the Dons after re-signing over the summer.
Hartlepool will be without versatile duo Ben Clark and Ritchie Humphreys for the trip.
Clark has a hernia problem which requires surgery, while Humphreys is nursing an Achilles injury.
Centre-back Sam Collins is expected to recover from an ankle injury to start, while summer signings Neil Austin and Jon-Andre Fredriksen have returned to training after knocks and are in contention.
Turner has been busy in the transfer market this summer, and fellow new-boys Scott Flinders, Peter Hartley, Leon McSweeney, Denis Behan, Adam Boyd and Steve Haslam could all feature.
Forward James Brown is fit again after a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a cruciate ligament injury but he is unlikely to be risked.
Norwich v Colchester
Danish defender Jens Berthel Askou has received international clearance to feature in the Norwich squad for the visit of Colchester to Carrow Road.
But manager Bryan Gunn is still waiting to get the green light for Goran Maric although he is optimistic of having the Serbian striker available for selection.
Gunn has overseen a revolution in playing staff over the summer following the club's relegation from the Championship and could hand debuts to as many as eight or nine players.
Defender Michael Nelson has recovered from a head wound which forced him to miss the pre-season win over Wigan last Saturday.
Michael Theoklitos looks set to start in goal with only left-back Rhoys Wiggins, a summer recruit from Crystal Palace, sidelined through injury.
The club's first match in the third tier of English football for 49 years will be watched by a crowd of around 25,000 as Gunn hopes to guide the Canaries toward promotion.
Kevin Lisbie will make his second debut for Colchester after he rejoined the Us on a season-long loan from Ipswich and is expected to go straight into the side to face the Canaries.
Ashley Vincent, David Fox, Magnus Okuonghae, Lee Beevers, Ben Williams, Gary Holt and Joel Thomas are also in contention to make their debuts after arriving at the club over the summer.
But defender Paul Reid will play no part as he continues his recovery from knee surgery. Reid has started jogging again, but is not expected to feature for the first team in the near future.
Striker Steven Gillespie is not likely to be risked by boss Geraint Williams as he is struggling with a hamstring problem
Leeds v Exeter
Leeds will be without skipper Richard Naylor for their home clash against Exeter, but summer signings Jason Crowe, Patrick Kisnorbo and Michael Doyle will be included in the squad.
Naylor is working his way back to full fitness after back surgery, so Kisnorbo is expected to partner Rui Marques in central defence, with Lubo Michalik and Paul Huntington hoping to be involved.
Midfielder Neil Kilkenny is struggling with an ankle injury, but Doyle, signed this week on a season-long loan from Coventry, is vying with David Prutton and Bradley Johnson to fill the void left by Fabian Delph.
Former Northampton defender Crowe is likely to start at right-back and Ben Parker on the left, but Alan Sheehan is fit again and teenager Aidan White also in the reckoning.
Exeter have major worries over two of their strikers as they prepare to start life in League One with a trip to Leeds.
Richard Logan (calf) and Adam Stansfield (knee and ankle) both missed out as the Grecians completed their pre-season campaign with a 0-0 draw against Blue Square Premier side Forest Green.
Logan is thought to have a better chance of being passed fit for the clash, but Barry Corr is on standby to start and make his debut if neither are able to line up at Elland Road.
Manager Paul Tisdale will also hand debuts to full-backs Scott Golbourne and Richard Duffy, along with fellow new-boys Joe Burnell and James Dunne as his side embark on a campaign in the third tier just a year after returning to the Football League.
Brighton v Walsall
Brighton boss Russell Slade is monitoring the fitness of summer signing Matt Thornhill ahead of the clash against Walsall.
On-loan Nottingham Forest midfielder Thornhill has been struggling with a thigh problem, but returned to training on Thursday and is hopeful of making his debut for the Seagulls.
Veteran striker Nicky Forster is an injury concern as he is struggling with a knee problem, while Slade will also assess the fitness of Glenn Murray (groin), Craig Davies (knee) and Kevin McLeod.
Long-serving striker Gary Hart will definitely not feature as he is nursing a toe injury.
Slade has been busy in the transfer market and the likes of Gary Dicker, James Tunnicliffe, Mark Wright, Andrew Crofts, Liam Dickinson and Alan Navarro are all vying for a starting berth after arriving at the Withdean over the summer.
Netan Sansara is Walsall's only absentee for their trip.
The Saddlers left-back turned his ankle in a pre-season defeat to Wolves and is expected to be out for a couple of weeks.
On a positive note, central defender Stephen Roberts is finally available having last played a competitive game for the club at the start of December due to knee and back problems.
Young forward Josh Craddock, who had been handed the number 24 shirt for the forthcoming campaign, has opted to leave the Banks's Stadium in order pursue full-time education at university.
Summer signings Mark Hughes, Steve Jones, Sam Parkin, Josh O'Keefe, Peter Till, Jamie Vincent and Matt Richards will all be hoping to make their competitive debuts, with Richards returning to play against the club where he has spent three separate loan spells in the past two seasons.
Carlisle v Brentford
Carlisle manager Greg Abbott will have all of his summer signings at his disposal as the Cumbrians open their campaign at home to Brentford.
That means that Adam Collin, Matty Robson, Lenny Pidgeley and Tom Taiwo are all in line for their competitive debuts as Abbott looks to put last season's disappointments behind him.
Former Chelsea goalkeeper Pidgeley is almost certain to replace Ben Williams as the club's number one stopper, while Robson is another definite starter after impressing in pre-season following his switch from Hartlepool.
Abbott, who is still searching for a new striker to fill the void left by Danny Graham, will be without teenage defender Simon Lakeland (twisted knee) but is expecting to call upon the services of Danny Livesey (knee) and Marc Bridge-Wilkinson (back) who have both trained this week.
Brentford will have nine new signings in their squad when they start life back in League One with an opening-day clash at Carlisle.
Bees boss Andy Scott has been busy over the summer bringing 10 new faces to Griffin Park and only Ben Strevens will definitely not make his debut.
The former Dagenham striker suffered a broken fibula in a pre-season friendly against Hayes and Yeading and looks set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Veteran striker Carl Cort is in contention to makes his bow for the Bees along with Steve Kabba, who joined on a free transfer following his released by Watford.
Goalkeeper Lewis Price is expected to start following his loan move from Championship side Derby, with Sam Saunders and Myles Weston also hoping to make their debuts, while Alan Bennett will start after returning to the club permanently from Reading.
Oldham v Stockport
New Oldham boss Dave Penney will hand debuts to a host of players when his side host neighbours Stockport
Penney has enjoyed a remarkable recruitment drive this summer which has taken the number of new faces at Boundary Park well into double figures.
Midfielder Rob Purdie joined on a free transfer from Darlington but remains sidelined due to a stomach injury which has required surgery.
Joe Jacobson arrived on a free transfer from Bristol Rovers but is currently troubled by a hernia and will similarly play no part.
However, the likes of Jon Worthington, Pawel Abbott, Dean Furman, Dean Brill, Andy Holdsworth, Keigan Parker, Rene Steer are Phil Ojapah are available.
Alex Marrow this week joined on loan from Blackburn and striker Darren Byfield, left-back Peter Gilbert and goalkeeper Przemyslaw Kazimierczak penned short-term deals.
Stockport boss Gary Ablett is expected to name goalkeeping coach Paul Gerrard on the bench.
The 36-year-old former Latics favourite joined Ablett's coaching staff earlier this summer and will also act as understudy to Owain fon Williams.
Gerrard, whose last club was Sheffield United, made his Premier League debut for Oldham at the age of 19 and moved to Everton for £1 million in 1996.
He has made over 350 career appearances and his availability is a welcome boost to Ablett after no new signings were made this summer.
Ablett has no injury or suspension concerns but he admits highly-rated defender Josh Thompson, 18, could be heading to Celtic, saying: "He's got a massive decision to make."
Bristol Rovers v Leyton Orient
Bristol Rovers will go into the game against Leyton Orient without the services of Steve Elliott.
The defender picked up a thigh strain in training during the week and will be unavailable to first-team coach Paul Trollope, with the 20-year-old not expected to be considered for selection until next weekend's trip to Stockport.
Trollope will also wait to check on the fitness of new signing Dominic Blizzard ahead of the clash at the Memorial Ground. The midfielder has been suffering with a virus since joining the Pirates from Stockport but played 45 minutes for the reserves on Tuesday to boost his chances of being included.
Rovers' only other summer recruit, Carl Regan, is poised to make his debut as Trollope looks to improve on last season's 11th-place finish.
Orient boss Geraint Williams is likely to field a new-look strike-force. Scott McGleish, Adrian Patulea and James Scowcroft will be vying for starting berths after arriving at the club on free transfers over the summer.
Former Wycombe striker McGleish arrived at Brisbane Road after a successful loan spell last season, while Romanian frontman Patulea was signed from Lincoln and the experienced Scowcroft from Crystal Palace.
England U19 winger Andros Townsend is also expected to feature after joining the Os on a month's loan from Tottenham on Thursday.
Ben Chorley and Jimmy Smith also joined Orient in the summer and will be included in the squad, but Adam Chambers will play no part due to a calf injury.
Southend v Huddersfield
Southend will be without midfielder Lee Sawyer for the opening fixture against Huddersfield.
The on-loan Chelsea man has fractured a rib but after consultation with the Stamford Bridge club the 19-year-old could return next weekend.
Captain Adam Barrett is set to start after a fortnight out with a knee injury after returning to training unscathed.
Winger Damian Scannell has been sidelined with swine flu but is healthy enough to return to training. However, he has now picked up an ankle injury and could be out for around six further weeks.
Colchester defenders Matt Heath and John White have joined the Shrimpers on loan and will be hoping to make their debuts while veteran striker Dougie Freedman is a doubt after an ankle injury.
Huddersfield will be without midfielder Jim Goodwin but manager Lee Clark could hand debuts to six summer signings.
Midfielder Goodwin is still recovering from an exploratory knee operation and is expected to be the only player unavailable in Clark's new-look squad.
New signing from Ipswich, teenager Jordan Rhodes, is among those hoping to make an instant impression on the Terriers travelling fans, while defender Lee Peltier has shaken off a slight groin problem and is poised to make his bow for the Terriers.
Fellow summer signings Antony Kay, Peter Clarke, Robbie Simpson and Theo Robinson could all feature and leave manager Clark with a series of selection dilemmas at the start of his first full season in charge.
Gillingham v Swindon
Gillingham manager Mark Stimson has a number of absentees as his side begin life back in League One at home to Swindon.
Stimson is definitely without key centre-back Simon King and midfielder Stuart Lewis who both have ruptured ankle ligaments, while forward Dennis Oli is also out with a knee problem.
Midfielder Kevin Maher is rated as 50-50 to make his second Gills debut after suffering a dead leg in the friendly defeat to Crystal Palace last weekend.
Alan Julian seems certain to get the nod to start in goal, while the rest of Stimson`s team virtually picks itself as he is so short on numbers.
On-loan Josh Gowling will make his debut at the heart of defence alongside Garry Richards in the absence of King, while fellow new signing Chris Palmer is likely to start on the wing.
Stimson must choose between another new-boy - Rashid Yussuff - or youngster Jack Payne to fill in if Maher misses out, while his other new signing Jacob Erskine is likely to be on the bench, where he will be joined by youngsters Tom Wynter and Luke Rooney.
Danny Wilson is expected to send out an almost unrecognisable Swindon XI to the one that ended last season.
Wilson has undertaken a summer of change with a host of players coming and going through the revolving doors at the County Ground.
Goalkeeper David Lucas, midfielder Jonathan Douglas and winger Alan O'Brien are all expected to make their competitive debuts for the club, while captain Gordon Greer will line up for the first time since turning last season's loan deal into a permanent switch.
The biggest concern, however, will be Town's lightweight attacking options, with Billy Paynter the club's only fit recognised striker.
Wilson's only other forward, Lee Peacock, continues to suffer with a back problem, leaving the Robins boss short of options following the departures of Simon Cox, Barry Corr, Blair Sturrock and Ben Joyce.
Summer arrival Scott Cuthbert continues his rehabilitation from a hernia operation but the clash is expected to come soon for him to start, while fellow defender Hasney Aljofree is definitely ruled out with a knee injury.
Yeovil v Tranmere
Yeovil wait on the fitness of right-back Craig Alcock and midfielder Kieran Murtagh ahead of their game against Tranmere.
Alcock is a doubt with a groin injury which force him to sit out the 3-0 win over Tiverton last weekend in the Glovers` final pre-season friendly, so Terrell Forbes could start on the right of defence.
Murtagh also missed out against the non-league side last weekend and his ankle injury will be assessed before kick-off at Huish Park.
Winger Scott Murray did feature last weekend after a knee injury and he should be fit to make his first appearance since his permanent move to the club from Bristol City this summer.
Manager Terry Skiverton will also hand debuts to fellow summer signings Danny Hutchins, Stefan Stam, Alex McCarthy, Dean Bowditch and Sam Williams.
New Tranmere boss John Barnes could hand debuts to several players when his side begin their campaign at Yeovil.
Midfielders Alan Mahon and Paul McLaren have returned to Prenton Park from Burnley and Bradford respectively and former Liverpool trainee John Welsh has been recruited from Hull.
All three men are in line to feature along with a trio of loan players.
Manchester City full-back Shaleum Logan and West Brom goalkeeper Luke Daniels will be spending the whole of the League One campaign with Rovers.
Blackburn centre-back Gavin Gunning, 18, has penned on a one-month loan deal but Ian Goodison serves the last game of a four-match ban carried over from last season and utility-man Gareth Edds serves a one-game suspension.
Striker Bas Savage is not expected to play until the New Year because of a ruptured Achilles tendon injury, which he sustained towards the end of last season.
Comment 1 - 2 of 2
hey hoe, such is life....
Hopefully super saints end tomorrow only -7
COYR
Its sounds like all good news -- COME ON YOU SAINTS
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