Sheffield United's 2024/25 Championship fixtures released as Blades fans discover key dates including Sheffield Wednesday, Leeds United derbies
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00:00Well, happy fixture release there, Chef United fans. The day is finally here when Blades fans can start planning their trips up and down the country next season when the new championship campaign kicks off in early August.
00:13And the breaking news today is that Chef United will play every other championship team home and away next season.
00:20Beginning on August 9th when they travel to Preston North End, travel across to Deepdale for that Sky televised game which will kickstart the EFL season.
00:31Of course after Chef United's relegation from the Premier League last season.
00:36As I said, that game will be on Sky, one of at least 20 games on Sky for Chef United this season after the new Sky deal which replaced the old iFollow system.
00:46So they'll be on at least 20 times this season with a weird and wonderful mix of kick-off times and kick-off days expected.
00:53Saturday night games, Friday night games in that slot against Preston as well.
01:00One welcome change from that is that the EFL and Sky have committed to giving fans five months notice of fixture changes.
01:08The old sort of target was to give five weeks for any changes to allow supporters to plan their away trips.
01:18But I think there's been a sort of shift in that mentality to give fans more time to prepare, to book trains and hotels and make arrangements.
01:27So I think that's a really welcome change in terms of knowing when and where United are going to be on the road this season up until around January time.
01:36So that's one welcome change this season.
01:39What hasn't changed this season is United's excellent run recently of being home on Boxing Day.
01:44Which is obviously good news for Blades fans who like to extend the festivities until the 26th of December.
01:50They're at home again this year, United to Burnley, who of course were relegated alongside them last season from the Premier League.
01:57And we'll look to go back at the first attempt this season.
02:01So United are at home on Boxing Day.
02:04The final day of the season, which of course United hope will be one of celebration, is at home to Blackburn.
02:10They hope that'll be another memorable one.
02:13And then the Derbys of course, their two other Yorkshire rivals staying in the Championship last season at either end of the division.
02:20So Leeds, the Leeds games in October and February.
02:24And then the one that most United fans will be looking forward to when the fixtures came out at 9am this morning, Sheffield Wednesday.
02:31So November 9th at Bramall Lane.
02:34And then the short trip across Sheffield to Hillsborough on March 15th.
02:40Those dates of course is likely to change, especially the Bramall Lane one.
02:45Because Barnsley and Rotherham's Ligue 1 derby is also on the same day.
02:48So you can imagine South Yorkshire Police will be looking to have a say into that one.
02:53As well as the Sky fixture planners.
02:56So that could be moved to any one of the live TV slots.
03:00Or if the police get their way, you know, a timescale where they feel that there may be a bit less trouble.
03:06So yeah, that's the fixture schedule for Sheffield United.
03:11But of course for supporters, much of their focus will remain on the transfer market.
03:15Rather than, you know, the schedule for the new season.
03:19With United still to make, as we speak, their first sign of the window.
03:23There are irons in the fire.
03:25We understand that they are close to a first breakthrough of the summer.
03:29In what Chris Wilder has already described as the most important transfer window for a decade.
03:34In this club's recent history.
03:37With so many players already leaving.
03:39More players expected to leave before the start of the season.
03:42A bunch of low knees to replace as well.
03:45There's a lot of work to be done in the transfer window.
03:48But United, despite their relatively slow start with the takeover talk in the background.
03:53They are working away.
03:56They do have irons in the fire, as I say.
04:00And we understand that a couple of those are close to getting signed, sealed and delivered.
04:05So yeah, as ever, when there is news on that front.
04:10We'll bring it to you of course on thestar.co.uk.