Saturday sees the Mighty Whites
at home against Gillingham a sober fixture for most Fulham fans. Lets hope that
football is the winner this time.
If we win then wins from Blackburn
and Stockport, who play Bolton and Watford respectively, will see a gap opening
up between us and the rest of the division.
Weekends
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Saturday Sep 23
Birmingham (4) v Tranmere (5)
Joint top scorer Andy Johnson is set to make his first league start of the
season after scoring twice in the Worthington Cup in midweek, but defender David
Burrows is still recovering from a back injury.
Tranmere have three players out through injury - Nick Henry (dead leg), Wayne
Allison (groin) and Dave Challinor (hamstring).
Last season: Tranmere 2 Birmingham 1, Birmingham 3 Tranmere 1
Last five league matches: Birmingham W W W W D, Tranmere L W W L W
Top scorers: Geoff Horsfield, Andrew Johnson (Birmingham) 3
Wayne Allison, Wayne Gill (Tranmere) 3
Ref: A Leake ((Darwen)
other fixtures
source=Sporting Life
Saturday Sep 23
Blackburn (7) v Bolton (3)
Blackburn have three players back in contention - Lee Carsley, Craig Short
and Matt Jansen - for this Lancashire derby but Cameroon defender Lucien Mettomo's
move from St Etienne has not gone through in time.
Bolton will be without Mike Whitlow, Paul Warhurst and Robbie Elliott, but
Simon Charlton and Kevin Nolan are added to the squad.
Last season: Bolton 3 Blackburn 1, Blackburn 3 Bolton 1
Last five league matches: Blackburn W D W L L, Bolton W W W W W
Top scorers: Nathan Blake, David Dunn (Blackburn) 6
Michael Ricketts (Bolton) 6
Ref: A Butler (Sutton-in-Ashfield)
other fixtures
source=Sporting Life
Saturday Sep 23
Crewe (22) v Barnsley (14)
Crewe will be looking to reverse the 4-0 defeat they suffered against Barnsley
in the Worthington Cup in midweek and welcome back Dave Walton and Colin Little.
Sunderland's on-loan Chris Lumsden is in contention after being cup-tied, but
Crewe are without Phil Charnock and Paul Tait.
Chris Morgan returns from suspension for Barnsley and Neil Shipperley is back
in contention after missing Tuesday's encounter.
Last season: Barnsley 0 Crewe 2, Crewe 0 Barnsley 1
Last five league matches: Crewe L W D L L, Barnsley W L L L W
Top scorers: Mark Rivers (Crewe) 3
Mike Sheron (Barnsley) 4
Ref: L Cable (Woking)
other fixtures
source=Sporting Life
Saturday Sep 23
Crystal Palace (16) v Sheff Utd (10)
Crystal Palace look to extend their three-game unbeaten run. Jamie Scott and
Jamie Fullarton are doubtful but Simon Rodger, who played a full 90 minutes
in their midweek Worthington Cup game at Burnley, will feature. On-loan striker
Paul Kitson is set to lead the line up front alongside either Clinton Morrison
or Mikael Forssell.
United will be without the suspended Michael Brown and the injured Bruno Ribeiro,
Keith Curle and Georges Santos.
Last season: Crystal Palace 1 Sheff Utd 1, Sheff Utd 3 Crystal Palace 1
Last five league matches: Crystal Palace L L L W D, Sheff Utd W L L D W
Top scorers: Tommy Black, Mikael Forssell, Clinton Morrison, Neil Ruddock (Crystal
Palace) 2
Marcus Bent (Sheff Utd) 5
Ref: G Poll (Tring)
other fixtures
source=Sporting Life
Saturday Sep 23
Fulham (1) v Gillingham (13)
Fulham bid for their eighth straight league win but defender Rufus Brevett
is out with a broken collarbone, Sean Davis has a thigh injury, but former Scottish
international John Collins returns after a groin injury.
Gillingham should be unchanged for the fourth match in succession and player-manager
Andy Hessenthaler hopes to continue the form which produced a 1-1 draw with
Manchester City in the Worthington Cup.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Fulham W W W W W, Gillingham D W L D W
Top scorers: Louis Saha (Fulham) 10
Carl Asaba (Gillingham) 5
Ref: F Stretton (Nottingham)
other fixtures
source=Sporting Life
Saturday Sep 23
Grimsby (21) v Nottm Forest (11)
Grimsby will be without Steve Livingstone with a calf injury, with Daryl Clare
set to come in. Kevin Donovan is ready to make his first start of the season
after injury and midfielder Alan Pouton is also fit again.
Forest's Norwegian defender Jon Olav Hjelde will be sidelined until Christmas
with a hairline fracture of his hip, but Colin Calderwood returns after five
months out with a broken leg and ankle damage.
Last season: Grimsby 4 Nottm Forest 3, Nottm Forest 2 Grimsby 1
Last five league matches: Grimsby L L W L D, Nottm Forest L W L W L
Top scorers: Bradley Allen, Steve Livingstone (Grimsby) 2
Chris Bart-Williams (Nottm Forest) 2
Ref: M Ryan (Preston)
other fixtures
source=Sporting Life
Saturday Sep 23
Huddersfield (24) v Burnley (12)
Huddersfield defender Ken Monkou is out with a hamstring injury and Clyde Wijnhard
is still recovering from the injuries he sustained in a car crash. Kevin Gray
and Steve Jenkins could be back in contention for first-team places.
Burnley midfielder Paul Weller is a major doubt with a groin strain but there
is better news over star winger Glen Little who has recovered form a shoulder
problem.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Huddersfield L D L L L, Burnley L D W L D
Top scorers: Martin Smith (Huddersfield) 3
Andy Payton (Burnley) 5
Ref: U Rennie (Sheffield)
other fixtures
source=Sporting Life
Saturday Sep 23
Portsmouth (15) v West Brom (8)
Defenders Adrian Whitbread and Andy Awford remain long-term absentees and Linvoy
Primus is also doubtful for Portsmouth because of a thigh injury. Tom Curtis,
Kevin Harper and Rory Allen are all out but on-loan Chelsea star Bernard Lambourde,
who missed the Worthington Cup clash with Blackburn, is in contention.
West Brom's Northern Ireland international James Quinn scored a hat-trick in
the reserves' 4-1 victory over Burnley and is in line for a possible first team
recall.
Last season: Portsmouth 2 West Brom 0, West Brom 3 Portsmouth 2
Last five league matches: Portsmouth W L L W L, West Brom W W D W D
Top scorers: Steve Claridge (Portsmouth) 3
Lee Hughes (West Brom) 3
Ref: D Crick (Worcester Park)
other fixtures
source=Sporting Life
Saturday Sep 23
QPR (17) v Wimbledon (9)
QPR could welcome back midfielder Paul Murray but will be without defenders
Ian Baraclough, Chris Plummer, Danny Maddix and Karl Ready, strikers Rob Steiner
and Paul Furlong and midfielder Gavin Peacock.
Midfielder Jonathan Hunt could make his Wimbledon debut after impressing in
a trial as Neal Ardley and Marcus Gayle are injured. Striker Jason Euell could
return. Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: QPR W L D D L, Wimbledon D D W W D
Top scorers: Chris Kiwomya (QPR) 6
John Hartson (Wimbledon) 5
Ref: P Danson (Leicester)
other fixtures
source=Sporting Life
Saturday Sep 23
Sheff Wed (23) v Preston (6)
Terry Cooke will make his debut for Sheffield Wednesday, with teenager Matt
Hamshaw relegated to the bench, after successfully completing a loan spell with
a move from Manchester City.
Preston boss Dave Moyes has Iain Anderson and Ryan Kidd back in contention
after playing well in the reserves. Moyes has also been impressed with young
trio Mark Wright, Ronnie Wright and Joe O'Neil and they could soon be pushing
for first team places.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Sheff Wed W D L L L, Preston D W D L D
Top scorers: Andy Booth, Ashley Westwood (Sheff Wed) 2
Jonathon Macken ((Preston) 6
Ref: G Frankland (Middlesbrough)
other fixtures
source=Sporting Life
Saturday Sep 23
Stockport (19) v Watford (2)
Stockport boss Andy Kilner has injury problems and will be without midfielder
Tony Dinning who has joined Wolves in a £600,000 move. Shane Nicholson
(toe), Carlo Nash (thumb) and Fredrik Bryngelsson (tendinitis) are all out.
Aaron Wilbraham and Ian Lawson could return and if Karim Fradin shakes off a
calf injury he will replace Dinning.
Goalkeeper Espen Baardsen is almost certainly out for Watford with a sprained
ankle, with veteran Alec Chamberlain his replacement. Micah Hyde and Heidar
Helguson are also doubtful.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Stockport D L D L D, Watford D W W W W
Top scorers: Ian Moore (Stockport) 6
Tommy Mooney (Watford) 5
Ref: E Wolstenholme)
other fixtures
source=Sporting Life
Sunday Sept 24
Wolverhampton (18) v Norwich (20)
Wolves' new signing from Stockport, Tony Dinning, will start in midfield. Robert
Taylor and Temuri Ketsbaia have returned to training and may be available.
Norwich manager Bryan Hamilton takes his in-form Canaries to Molineux without
Jean Yves De Blassiis who has a fractured cheekbone.
Last season: Norwich 1 Wolverhampton 0, Wolverhampton 1 Norwich 0
Last five league matches: Wolverhampton L L L D D, Norwich L L D W D
Top scorers: Temuri Ketsbaia, Carl Robinson (Wolverhampton) 2
Iwan Roberts (Norwich) 4
Ref: S Mathieson (Stockport)
other fixtures
source=Sporting Life