STOKE, PORT VALE AND CREWE KICK-OFF NEW SEASON

STOKE City open their new season with the visit of Coventry City to the BET365 Stadium in the Championship on Saturday afternoon, 12.30pm.

Stoke finished in seventeenth place in the Championship while Coventry finished in ninth with Coventry taking the points with a 1-0 win in the Potteries last season although the Potters finished on a high at home going unbeaten in their last four home matches winning the last two.

PORT Vale travel to Peninsula Stadium to face Salford on their return to league two.

The Valiants were relegated from league one last season after they finished twenty-third in the table, while Salford had a disappointing campaign last season as they finished twentieth in league two.

The last time the two sides met at the Peninsula Stadium was in 2022 when Salford took a 1-0 victory. Kick-off 3pm.

CREWE Alexandra will be hoping they do not suffer from the hangover of play-off defeat after they suffered heart-break in the final last season and they will be looking to get off to a flying start as they travel to Holker Street to face Barrow.

The Alex finished fourth in league two last season while Barrow after starting last season well finished in a lowly eighteenth place.

Last season the railwaymen came from behind to win 3-1 at Holker Street with goals from Nevitt, Billington and Baker-Richardson and will be looking for a similar score to start their 2024-25 season. Kick-off 3pm.