Bolton Wanderers host Leeds United in the Sunday fixture on the opening weekend of the 2017/18 Championship season, with both clubs looking to get off to a winning start in what is sure to be a long year for both sides.
Bolton bounced back to the division at the first time of asking following relegation in 2016, but were a long way off title winners Sheffield United, who waltzed to the title with incredible ease.
Phil Parkinson’s men were the best of the rest however, and the former Bradford gaffer has made moves already this summer to prepare his squad for the higher level.
Will Buckley, Mark Little and Andrew Taylor are new faces at the Macron Stadium, and Adam Le Fondre has joined the club on a permanent deal following a successful loan spell in the north west from Cardiff.
Buckley is an impressive signing for the Trotters, with the former Sunderland man opting for Bolton despite attracting attention from other clubs in the second tier.
Bolton have serious financial problems off the pitch, and free agency will be their best way of strengthening the squad this summer, and this is something that could sadly thrust them into a relegation dogfight.
Leeds are in a state of transition, having parted ways with Garry Monk after missing out on the play offs, and replacing him with the relatively unknown Thomas Christiansen.
The former Danish born, Spanish international joined Leeds in the middle of June, and has added Mateusz Klich from FC Twente, as well as Felix Wiedwald from German side Werder Bremen.
Christiansen also looks to have fended off suitors for star striker Chris Wood, and keeping hold of last season’s Championship top scorer would be a real coup for the manager.
Wood is central to everything the Whites hope to achieve, and keeping him at Elland Road is deemed essential in any promotion push Leeds might launch.
Leeds have retained most of the squad that put them so close to the top six last season, and a few more additions will fire the Leeds into the play off spots.
Bolton will sadly struggle next year at the higher level, with the division set to be extremely competitive.
At this stage of the summer with the squads available to them, I would expect a Leeds victory on the opening weekend of the campaign.