Get the latest SAFC updates & transfer news straight to your inbox by signing up to our FREE newsletter Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice It’s EFL fixture release day and Sunderland now know who they will face and when. And while there is still much for new manager Jack Ross to do in terms of dismantling and rebuilding the squad he inherited before the League One campaign kicks off on August 4, it is now possible to cast an eye over some of the key periods of the season and judge the tests that lie ahead as Sunderland look to return to the Championship at the first attempt. Fast start Sunderland MUST hit the ground running in League One. The Black Cats have an appalling early-season record, managing a total of only nine League wins before November spread over the last eight campaigns - and their win at Norwich City last term was their first League win in August since 2010. Last season they won one of their first 18 League games. The year before that, they began the season with a 10-game winless streak in the League. And the year before that it was a nine-game winless start. There must be a major improvement if Sunderland are to stand any chance of a rapid return to the Championship. Jack Ross’ side faces five League games in August, with their first two home games pitting them against last season’s play-off semi-finalists in opening day opponents Charlton Athletic and then Scunthorpe United. An opening day win would be cause for celebration in itself, as it is something that has eluded Sunderland since 2009. Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Play now Sandwiched between those fixtures is what appears, on the face of it, at least, an easier trip to last season’s League Two runners-up Luton Town - and it will be Sunderland’s first visit to Kenilworth Road in the league since Roy Keane’s side sealed the Championship title there on the final day of the 2006-07 season. The Black Cats also face trips to AFC Wimbledon and Gillingham, both of whom finished in the lower reaches, which should present further opportunities to put points on the board before September. Christmas fayre All managers acknowledge the importance of the Christmas period, and Sunderland will play four games in ten days during the holidays - two at home, and two away. Their holiday programme will begin with a testing trip to Portsmouth on December 22, against a Pompey side that finished eighth last term. Boxing Day visitors Bradford City started last season with play-off ambitions but after losing momentum, former Sunderland boss Simon Grayson could not get them going again and they ended up in midtable. Shrewsbury Town are next up on Wearside and they will provide stiff opposition having finished third last season, and then suffering the agony of a play-off final defeat at the hands of Rotherham United at Wembley. And 2019 starts with a trip to the seaside to face Blackpool, with the Lancashire side having finished in midtable last year. Last time the sides met at Bloomfield Road, just seven years ago, this was a Premier League fixture! Run-in Sunderland’s run-in begins on April 6 with a first League trip to Spotland to meet Rochdale, who finished just a single point above the relegation zone last season. From there the Black Cats are scheduled to play back-to-back home games against Coventry City, who won promotion from League Two via the play-offs, and then a Good Friday game against Doncaster Rovers, who finished in lower midtable. Sunderland visit Peterborough, who finished ninth last year, on Easter Monday, before entertaining Portsmouth in their last home game of the season, and then wrapping things up against Southend - who finished 10th last term - at Roots Hall. (Image: Dan Istitene/Getty Images) Five new opponents For those who keep a note of such things, Sunderland will play competitive first team games against five new opponents - Accrington Stanley, AFC Wimbledon, Fleetwood Town, Rochdale, and Wycombe Wanderers. And nine new grounds Aside from Accrington Stanley’s Crown Ground, AFC Wimbledon’s Kingsmeadow, Fleetwood’s Highbury Stadium, Rochdale’s Spotland, and Wycombe’s Adams Park, Sunderland will play competitive first team games at four new grounds. They will visit Doncaster Rovers’ Keepmoat Stadium, Oxford United’s Kassam Stadium, Scunthorpe United’s Glanford Park, and Shrewsbury Town’s New Meadow.<doc-sep>The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Get Chris Errington's exclusive behind-the-scenes take on life at Argyle in his weekly Inside Home Park newsletter Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign me up! Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice On Thursday morning Plymouth Argyle fans joined supporters across the country in planning the next 11 months of their lives. The EFL fixtures were released at 9am with fans scanning the schedule for the best and worst ties. The Pilgrims start the season with an away game against Walsall and finish it with a match against Scunthorpe United at Home Park. (Image: Dave Rowntree) Away trips on December 26 and 29 to AFC Wimbledon and Burton Albion makes Christmas less than ideal. The Green Army also face a mammoth trek to Gillingham on Good Friday, with transport causing problems in previous years. But the fixture that most fans were talking about was Sunderland away. Argyle travel to the Stadium of Light on March 2 and fans have taken to Twitter to reveal they have already booked flights and hotels for the trip.<doc-sep>
Sunderland will kick off the League One season when they host Charlton Athletic on August 4, live on Sky Sports at 12.30pm. Accrington Stanley are at home to Gillingham in their first match in League One after winning League Two. Luton Town face a trip to Portsmouth in their first game back in League One, while fellow newly-promoted side Wycombe Wanderers will host Blackpool. Coventry City are rewarded for their success in last season's League Tow play-offs with a home fixture against Scunthorpe United. Barnsley, who were relegated from the Championship last season, begin life back in League One by hosting Oxford United. Burton Albion, who are the other team dropping down from the Championship, will be at home to Rochdale in their opening game. Opening day fixtures Sunderland v Charlton Athletic - live on Sky Sports Accrington Stanley v Gillingham Barnsley v Oxford United Burton Albion v Rochdale Coventry City v Scunthorpe United Fleetwood Town v A.F.C. Wimbledon Peterborough United v Bristol Rovers Portsmouth v Luton Town Shrewsbury Town v Bradford City Southend United v Doncaster Rovers Walsall v Plymouth Argyle Wycombe Wanderers v Blackpool Final day fixtures Blackpool v Gillingham Bradford City v A.F.C. Wimbledon Bristol Rovers v Barnsley Charlton Athletic v Rochdale Doncaster Rovers v Coventry City Luton Town v Oxford United Peterborough United v Burton Albion Plymouth Argyle v Scunthorpe United Portsmouth v Accrington Stanley Shrewsbury Town v Walsall Southend United v Sunderland Wycombe Wanderers v Fleetwood Town Get Sky Sports' dedicated football channels for over 500 live games next season including exclusively live coverage of the Sky Bet EFL in 2018/19 including all the drama of the Sky Bet Play-Offs. Find out more.