This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

FLW’s Burnley fan pundit Joe Skinner has issued his prediction for the club’s opening fixture of the Championship season.

The Clarets take on Huddersfield Town on Friday night in Vincent Kompany’s first competitive game in charge of the squad.

Skinner has claimed he will accept a draw from this opening clash due to the amount of upheaval that has taken place at Turf Moor this summer.

Not only has Kompany been confirmed as the club’s latest permanent manager, 10 years after the previous appointment was made, but several ins and outs have taken place in the transfer market.

This supporter believes that it may take time for the team to really gel as a result, giving the Belgian a leeway during the opening 10 games of the campaign.

As long as the team is competitive at the top of the table throughout the term, the fan pundit will be content with the team’s progress under Kompany.

“You know what, I’ll take a draw,” Skinner told Football League World.

“Just to ease our way back in because it’s an uncertain time with a new squad and it takes time to blend in.

“The Championship’s an unforgiving league. I expect quite a rocky or murky sort of period for the first couple of games or first 10 games or so.

“But then we’ll go from there. I think I’d be quite happy with us knocking in and around the play-offs with like four points between top seven or top two for the majority of the season really.

“Because the Championship is a marathon not a sprint.”

 

 

In a 46-game campaign, the first game rarely is too important in the grand scheme of things.

But getting off to a good start under the new regime will be massive for Kompany and a win could do wonders with getting fan support on board.

Huddersfield have had their own difficulties this summer, so this game could end up being a marker for their teams’ season ahead.

The Verdict

As far as opening games of the season go, this one is quite a big clash.

Both teams will want to lay down a marker for the year ahead as both will want to compete at the top of the table.

It is also the first time both managers will take charge of a competitive game with the team, meaning it is a first impression being made to supporters.

Burnley have the leeway of being away from home, which will lower expectations but a good result could be massive for their start to the campaign.