Yes!, it is back, after just a short break for the World Cup, the new 2018-19 Championship season gets underway this evening as Derby County travel to the Madejski Stadium, home of Reading FC.
The Rams will face their former manager in Paul Clement and of course, it is the management debut in the Championship of Frank Lampard.
Intense media interest has meant that the Rams will be on Sky Sports TV and Lampard hopes to have a winning, or good start to his managerial career tonight.
Derby, of course, have lost a few of last season’s players. Andreas Weimann has moved to Bristol City and Darren Bent, Jason Shackell and Chris Baird have been released from the Club. Coming into the new look Derby squad are 5 new signings.
Jack Marriott, hoping to score more goals at a higher level with the Rams
George Evans will be hoping he can play against his former employers, the midfielder signing this week for the Rams from Reading. Golden Boot winner in league one, Jack Marriott is hoping to step up a division and Florian Jozefzoon will be looking to give width to the Rams attack.
The double swoop for Mason Mount from Chelsea and Harry Wilson from Liverpool is an attempt to add fresh youthful legs to the Squad by Lampard and they don’t get much better than these two.
Derby also have Matej Vydra after transfer talks fell through last week the Championship golden boot winner is still a Rams player and the ongoing transfer talks still don’t give a good indication of where or if Vydra will be transferred to. With just five more days of the transfer window, it looks increasingly like Vydra will remain a Ram, or go out on loan.
Reading have also been quite busy in the buying market, having signed 7 new players for the season. They picked up former Manchester United and Sunderland defender John O’Shea on a free transfer, along with Andy Yiadom and Sam Walker. David Meyer was picked up for £1 from Hull Darren Sidoel is another free transfer this time from Ajax. Sam Baldock and Marc McNulty make up the rest of the Reading incoming players
