Roundup of the pre-season action across all 24 clubs ahead of 2022-23 Sky Bet Championship season getting underway.
With the new campaign just days away from kicking off, all 24 clubs have spent the last few weeks fine-tuning their squads following the summer break with some looking for improvement on their performances of last season.
Burnley, Norwich and Watford meanwhile looked to reacclimatise to the second-tier level after relegation from the Premier League, whilst Wigan, Rotherham and Sunderland prepared for life back in the Championship after winning promotion from League One at end of last season.
Like every pre-season, there will be changes on and off the pitch which made preparation time all the more crucial if teams are to build momentum heading into the season, with promotion to the Premier League guaranteed for those who fare best across the next 10 months.
Now, here is a full guide to how pre-season action across all 24 clubs unfolded in alphabetical order.
Birmingham City
Scott Hogan netted in Birmingham City’s opening two matches as they beat Walsall then drew against Portimonense S.C., whilst George Hall and Sam Cosgrove netted in a 2-1 away win at Burton Albion.
A pair of 1-0 losses against Cheltenham Town and Solihull Moors followed before their pre-season concluded on a high, as Przemyslaw Placheta and Juninho Bacuna netted in a 2-2 draw at home to Rayo Vallecano.
Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn began life under new manager – Jon Dahl Tomasson with a 1-0 defeat at Accrington Stanley in the first of two 60-minute matches, before Jack Vale and Tyrhys Dolan netted in a 2-0 win in their second clash.
Draws at Dundee and Celtic followed before Vale scored a 79th minute winner away to Hartlepool, who coincidentally will be their First Round opposition in this season’s Carabao Cup next month.
Bradley Dack netted a 46th minute winner as Blackburn snatched a 1-0 win at Lincoln City to conclude their pre-season.
Blackpool
Michael Appleton’s second reign at Blackpool began with a 2-0 win at Southport as Christopher Hamilton and Beryly Lubala netted in the opening 23 minutes.
Defeats against Leeds and Rangers were followed by a 1-0 win at Salford City prior to an entertaining 4-2 loss to Everton in their penultimate friendly at Bloomfield Road.
Appleton’s Tangerines concluded their pre-season with a 2-0 win away at AFC Fylde, as Jerry Yates and Lubala scored either side of the break.
Bristol City
Bristol City began their season with a 2-0 win over Cheltenham Town behind-closed doors but drew 0-0 against Portsmouth, before wins over Plymouth Argyle and Forest Green Rovers followed.
Tommy Conway rescued the Robins a 2-2 draw against Exeter City in their penultimate pre-season friendly, with their preparations for the new season capped off by Chris Martin’s 49th minute penalty winner in a 1-0 victory at Bournemouth.
Burnley
Summer signing, Scott Twine got Vincent Kompany’s reign as Burnley manager off to a strong start with a 13th minute winner against Rochdale.
A 3-0 defeat at Wolves followed before another summer signing, Samuel Bastien led a 3-1 away win at Shrewsbury Town, only for the Clarets to lose their final two matches 9-1 on aggregate against Newcastle United.
Cardiff City
Cardiff began pre-season with home wins over Cambridge United and Newport County which was followed by a comeback 2-1 win at Cheltenham Town, plus a goalless draw at Shrewsbury Town.
Steve Morison’s Bluebirds concluded their pre-season preparations with a 4-2 victory at Swindon Town as Max Watters, Andy Rinomhota, Ryan Wintle and Sheyi Ojo found the net, prior to late replies from Tyrese Shade and Jacob Wakeling for the hosts.
Coventry City
Matty Godden scored three goals in Coventry’s opening two pre-season friendlies which ended in 3-1 wins over Leamington and Nottingham Forest, before Ben Sheaf struck a 11th minute winner against Forest Green Rovers.
A 8-1 away mauling of Wolves’ Under-23s followed in which Martyn Waghorn and Godden scored braces whilst Jonathan Panzo scored twice against Oxford United, as Coventry then finished pre-season unbeaten with wins over Walsall and Portsmouth without conceding.
Huddersfield Town
Despite Carlos Corberan’s departure, Huddersfield’s pre-season got off to a winning start as Ben Jackson struck twice in a 3-1 win over Morecambe, although 1-0 defeats against Harrogate Town and Doncaster Rovers followed.
The Terriers concluded pre-season with split squads as Jackson, Brahima Diarra, Jordan Rhodes and Daniel Grant netted in a 4-1 win at Tranmere Rovers, whilst Danny Ward’s effort was cancelled out by Kieran Sadlier in a 1-1 draw at Bolton Wanderers.
Hull City
Having lost their opening pre-season friendly 2-0 against Fenerbahce in Turkey, Hull headed to Marbella, Spain, where they enjoyed wins over Brighton & Hove Albion plus Malaga but lost 4-0 to Leicester on their return to Humberside.
Randell Williams and Tyler Smith netted in a 2-1 away victory at Cambridge United in the Tigers’ penultimate friendly, although their pre-season ultimately ended on a dampener after losing 3-0 at Peterborough.
Luton Town
Despite losing in the Play-Offs last season, Luton produced a strong response with a 3-0 win at Hitchin Town in their opening pre-season friendly, before coming from behind to beat Slovenia’s Bravo 2-1 in a 120 minute match.
Cameron Jerome’s brace then fired the Hatters to a 2-1 home win against Gillingham before they clinched wins over Northampton Town and Peterborough, although their final pre-season fixture ended in a 1-1 draw as Sonny Bradley snatched an injury-time equaliser.
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough began pre-season with wins over Bishop Auckland and York City before heading to Portugal for a training camp, which culminated in a 3-0 loss to Braga.
Upon their return to England, Middlesbrough emerged victorious against Morecambe and Marseille in their final two pre-season friendlies, in which Marcus Tavernier netted in both matches.
Millwall
Gary Rowett’s Lions began pre-season on the receiving end of a nine-goal thriller in which Benik Afobe struck twice in a 5-4 defeat to Crystal Palace, although wins over Bromley, Dartford and Colchester United soon followed.
Millwall eventually concluded pre-season with draws against Hammarby and Ipswich Town at The Den, although the former match was eventually lost 5-3 on penalties.
Norwich City
Newly relegated Norwich began their pre-season preparations with a 4-0 thrashing of Dereham Town in which Jordan Hugill scored twice, which he went on to repeat in wins over Marseille and Cambridge United.
Dean Smith’s Canaries meanwhile fought back twice in a 2-2 draw at Jahn Regensburg in Germany, before defeating King Lynn Town 2-0 in their third friendly, although their pre-season eventually concluded with defeats at Celtic then Hibernian.
Preston North End
Preston began pre-season with a 3-0 win at Bamber Bridge but defeats against Tranmere and Getafe followed, ahead of wins over Accrington Stanley and Hearts.
Ryan Lowe’s Lilywhites eventually concluded their pre-season preparation with a 2-1 home loss to Leicester, as Jamie Vardy and Harvey Barnes struck in the opening 18 minutes for the Foxes who clung on despite Alistair McCann’s 49th minute consolatory goal.
QPR
Michael Beale’s reign as QPR manager got off to a solid start with a win over Uxbridge but victories over Zwickau and Wealdstone sandwiched draws against Crawley Town and Hallescher.
Beale’s Hoops then concluded their pre-season with a 3-0 home loss to Crystal Palace as Eberechi Eze opened the scoring for the Eagles, with Wilfried Zaha’s brace completing the Eagles’ victory.
Reading
Reading opened their pre-season with a 2-0 win over Colchester United in a behind-closed doors friendly but suffered a 2-0 loss to Benfica in their second friendly, before rebounding with wins over Maidenhead United and AFC Wimbledon either side of a 1-1 draw against West Ham.
Paul Ince’s Royals however concluded their pre-season with a 2-1 home loss against Brighton, in which Yakou Meite netted a consolatory 59th minute penalty after Pascal Groβ and Solly March had put the visitors ahead.
Rotherham United
Georgie Kelly scored three goals in Rotherham’s opening two pre-season victories against Parkgate and Fleetwood Town, which was followed by a 3-0 win at Harrogate in which Hakeem Odoffin, Daniel Barlaser and Ciaran McGuckin all scored.
Joshua Kayode then scored in 1-1 draws at Salford City and Mansfield before Odoffin and Kelly netted in a comeback 2-2 draw at Doncaster Rovers.
Paul Warne’s Millers then triumphed in their final pre-season friendly in a 2-1 win at Crewe Alexandra as Conor Washington put them ahead in the first minute, with Kelly wrapping up victory in the 39th minute despite Daniel Agyei netting for the hosts a minute later.
Sheffield United
Sander Berge struck in opening wins against Casa Pia and Lincoln City as last season’s play-off semi-finalists got their pre-season off to a winning start, although defeats against Scunthorpe United and Mansfield followed ahead of a 3-0 win in their penultimate friendly at Burton Albion.
Paul Heckingbottom’s Blades eventually lost their final pre-season friendly 2-1 at Barnsley, after having led through Robbie Cundy’s own goal.
Stoke City
Stoke got their pre-season off to a winning start with a 2-0 win away to Cork City as D’Margio Wright-Phillips and Jacob Brown scored against the Irish opposition.
Michael O’Neill Potter’s however went on to concede twice in defeats against Accrington Stanley, Bristol Rovers and Hearts, of which Tyrese Campbell scored against the latter as well as in a 1-1 draw at home to Fleetwood Town.
Sunderland
Ahead of their first season back in the Championship after four seasons in League One, Sunderland began pre-season with comfortable wins over North-East rivals, Blyth Spartans and Gateshead at the Academy of Light.
The Black Cats’ pre-season friendly against Rangers in Albufeira, Portugal was abandoned due to a power failure, with their foreign training camp then ending in a 2-0 defeat to AS Roma prior to a win by the same result at Dundee through Trai Hume and Charlie Mulgrew’s own goal.
Away defeats to Bradford City and Accrington Stanley followed as the Mackems eventually concluded their pre-season with a comeback 1-1 draw at Hartlepool United, as Elliot Embleton’s penalty cancelled out Jake Hastie’s third minute opener.
Swansea City
Joel Piroe produced a hat-trick as Swansea thrashed Haverfordwest County 7-0 in their opening pre-season friendly, which was followed by a 2-0 loss to Colchester United in the first of two friendly meetings as the Swans won the second clash by a 1-0 result.
Liam Cullen then netted in 3-2 victories over Forest Green Rovers and Bristol Rovers either side of a 1-1 draw at Plymouth Argyle, in which Joel Piroe’s sixth minute goal was cancelled out by an 89th minute equaliser from Ryan Hardie.
Piroe and Ryan Manning completed a 2-1 comeback win in Swansea’s final pre-season friendly at Charlton, after the Addicks had taken a fourth minute lead through Harry Darling’s fourth minute own goal.
Watford
Watford began their pre-season plans with defeats against Cambridge United and Bolton either side of a goalless draw against Panathinaikos on neutral territory in Austria.
Ismaila Sarr then scored twice in a 4-1 win over Wycombe in a behind-closed-doors friendly, although the Hornets eventually held Southampton to a goalless draw in their final pre-season friendly.
West Bromwich Albion
Steve Bruce’s Baggies began pre-season with a 2-1 win over Leyton Orient but fell to a 2-0 loss at Stevenage in their second friendly, although wins over Northampton Town, Oxford United and Hertha BSC followed on top of a 1-1 draw against Crewe Alexandra.
Wigan Athletic
Callum Lang’s brace fired Wigan’s pre-season off to a flier in a 5-1 away beating of Bamber Bridge, before Charlie Wyke’s 33rd minute penalty defeated Bolton in their second pre-season friendly.
Lang then scored in wins over Liverpool Reserves and Oldham prior to a goalless draw at Accrington Stanley in their penultimate pre-season fixture.
James McClean, Tom Naylor, Josh Magennis and Thelo Aasgaard meanwhile all scored in a 4-1 friendly win over Sheffield Wednesday, as the Latics ended pre-season unbeaten.
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