There are nine games standing between Nottingham Forest and a possible chance of promotion back to the Premier League after an absence of 20 years.
The Championship season gets back underway next weekend with a visit to Sheffield Wednesday for Sabri Lamouchi’s men after an enforced break due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Forest’s last outing prior to the stoppage was a 3-0 home defeat to Millwall which left them in fifth spot, but they’ll restart the campaign in confident mood, knowing exactly what’s required between now and late July to earn at least a play-off berth.
It all gets underway with a clash at Hillsborough, followed by the televised visit of Huddersfield Town before a midweek visit of Bristol City.
In what will probably be the oddest East Midlands derby in history, the Reds travel to face their bitter rivals at Pride Park Stadium on July 4 in front of the Sky Sports cameras.
Three days later, another of the Reds’ play-off rivals, Fulham, visit Trentside for a 5pm kick-off again in front of the nation’s television screens.
A testing trip to Deepdale is up next followed by the visit of Swansea on July 14 in Forest’s penultimate City Ground game of the regular season.
Lamouchi’s charges then make the short trip up the M1 to take on relegation-threatened Barnsley at Oakwell on July 18, with Stoke City’s visit to Nottingham bringing the curtain down on the regular Championship campaign on Wednesday, July 22, though that fixture time is yet to be confirmed.
Dates for the play-off semi-final and final have yet to be confirmed though we do know the final will be held at Wembley Stadium.
Here’s the fixture list in full:
Sheffield Wednesday (A) - Saturday June 20 (kick-off 3pm)
Huddersfield Town (H) - Sunday June 28 (kick-off 2.15pm)
Bristol City (H) - Wednesday July 1 (kick-off 7.45pm)
Derby County (A) - Saturday July 4 (kick-off 12:30pm)
Fulham (H) - Tuesday July 7 (kick-off 5pm)
Preston North End (A) - Saturday July 11 (kick-off 3pm)
Swansea City (H) - Tuesday July 14 (kick-off 6pm)
Barnsley (A) - Saturday July 18 (kick-off 3pm)
Stoke City (H) - Wednesday July 22 (kick-off TBC)
