EFL LEAGUE ONE SEASON 20/21 FIXTURES AND START DATE

At long last we have the new fixtures for the 2020-21 English Football League (EFL) season released today [21st August] with the Championship, League One and League Two also all scheduled to start on 12th September 2020. Focusing on my team AFC Wimbledon we will get underway against Northampton Town (Away) and due to complete the season against Lincoln City (Away). With the new stadium at Plough Lane still under construction and unlikely to be available until October our home games might get switched until it's ready, subject to agreement from the EFL. Since all games are still due to be behind closed doors it's sad that we'll not have that first game buzz but hopefully soon we'll be allowed back and the games in the new stadium will be great.

The Premier League season is also due to start on 12th September, with the final round of matches on 23 May 2021. Additionally the FA have confirmed that there will be no FA Cup replays during the 2020-21 season to "ease pressure" on the football calendar.  The competition will start with the extra preliminary around on 1st September and the final is due to be played at Wembley Stadium on 15th May 2021.  The EFL 2020/21 Season will get underway across the Sky Bet Championship, League One and League Two on the weekend of 12th September. The 2020/21 season will conclude on the 8th / 9th May 2021, with the Sky Bet Play-Off Finals reverting back to the Spring Bank Holiday weekend at the end of May.

Carabao Cup 1st Round
This morning's live draw on Sky Sports News paired Wimbledon with last season's beaten League One play-off finalists Oxford United. The tie at the Kassam Stadium is scheduled to be played over the weekend of 5/6 September 2020, a week before the League One season gets underway.

AFC Wimbledon first 6 fixtures for the new season.
1st Sept - vs Charlton Athletic (Home*) EFL Trophy
5th Sept - vs Oxford United (Away) Carabao Cup 1st Round.
12th Sept - vs Northampton Town (Away) League One.
19th Sept - vs Plymouth Argyle (Home*) League One.
26th Sept - vs Fleetwood Town (Away) League One.
3rd Oct - vs Accrington Stanley (Home*) League One.
(*) Our "home" games are at QPR Loftus Road until NPL Stadium is finished. 

AFC Wimbledon new signings this summer
Glyn has been busy during the summer with six new signings hopefully filling the gaps in the squad, still possible that we'll see a couple more soon but I like the mix of youth and experience and they appear to be blending well with the few pre season games. 

Goalkeeper - Connal Trueman on season long loan from Birmingham City.

Right Back - Cheye Alexander (Barnet)

Midfielder - Alex Woodyard (ex - Peterborough)
Midfielder - Ethan Chislett signed as free agent (ex - Aldershot Town)
Midfielder - Jaakko Oksanen from Brentford (loan)

Striker - Ollie Palmer (ex - Crawley Town)

Be good to see if Ollie Palmer and Joe Pigott can form a partnership up front and maybe (just maybe) we won't be having another relegation threatened season this year, nice comfortable mid table effort will be fine with the thrill of the new stadium offering plenty of inspiration to the new and old alike. Still plenty of rumours, or wishful thinking, that Marcus Forss (Brentford) might return for another loan after his initial success before his hamstring injury. However I fear that door is closed now and it was good to have his service while we did. Come on you Dons. 

UPDATE 25/08
AFC Wimbledon will start the season by playing home fixtures at QPR’s Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium. A deal has been made with the West London club to make use of their 18,000 seater stadium in W12 which will now host the club’s first league and cup matches of the 20/21 season whilst construction continues at Plough Lane. With completion still on schedule for 25th October, the club is targeting a first match at it’s new home shortly afterwards. The club has shared its appreciation to the owners of QPR, and the EFL for allowing this temporary solution during the Covid-19 period which clearly hasn't helped with the stadium delays.