Based on pre-season aims and aspirations, Bristol City and Nottingham Forest would not have anticipated this Saturday's clash to be a shootout between the 14th and 15th "best" teams in the Championship.
Both have under-performed dramatically and find themselves in the opposite half of the table to what was forecast and hoped for when the season kicked off in September.
The match will be notable for what could have been for City, in terms of the presence of Forest boss Chris Hughton and the club's decision to appoint Dean Holden over the experienced former Brighton and Newcastle manager.
But, in a more tangible sense, the 90 minutes, whatever the result, will represent a significant slice of EFL history as Sikh brothers Bhupinher and Sunny Singh Gill will become the first British South Asians to officiate in the same Championship match.
The EFL have confirmed the appointment of Bhupinder, 36, as one of two assistants, while Sunny, 37, will be fourth official. Stephen Martin has been named referee for the encounter with Matthew McGrath the other assistant.
While the Berkshire-brothers, who are sons of pioneering official Jarnail Singh - the first turbaned Sikh to referee in the EFL, have worked in the Championship this season, this will be their first match together.
PE teacher Bhupinder started refereeing 20 years ago while prison officer Sunny has been an official since he was 15.
"I'm absolutely thrilled to see the progress that Sunny and Bhups have made in the game. I've had my eye on them for quite some time," former Premier League referee Howard Webb told Sky Sports.
"I go back with their dad for quite some time, we worked in the Football League together. And Jarnail Singh, in addition to being a really, really good referee, is just a wonderful guy. He was always a pleasure to work with.
"They are athletic, they know how to manage people, all these skills that you need to be successful. If you don't have them, you don't survive in the professional game. These guys have done more than survive, they've excelled and I think will continue to do so."
This appointments comes just 24 hours after Rebecca Welch became the first woman to referee an EFL game when she took charge of Port Vale against Harrogate.
"It just shows now in refereeing, there is no barrier to entry," former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher told Sky Sports.
"It also shows now that it is about the person for the job, whether that is a man or a woman. Whoever is the best person for the job gets that job, and that is how it should be."
