Leeds United, Bradford City, Doncaster Rovers and Harrogate Town have had festive anticipation built by World Cup and frozen pitches but important games for Sheffield United, Sheffield Wednesday, Rotherham United, Huddersfield Town, Barnsley and Hull City too

By Stuart Rayner
Published 25th Dec 2022, 12:01 BST
For football fans, it's the most wonderful time of the year.

For supporters at either end of the league ladder, it has been an unusual build-up to Boxing Day, but that might be no bad thing.

Presents, relatives and parties are fine, but as Doncaster Rovers’ Adam Clayton put it in Saturday's Yorkshire Post, "football is Christmas, Christmas is football".

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

At a time when those looking to make money from it start Christmas so early some are worn out by it by December 25, anticipation for football has been built up.

SHOWCASE: The World Cup Argentina's Lionel Messi stole the show at has kept the juices flowing for those fans whose clubs have not been playing because of itSHOWCASE: The World Cup Argentina's Lionel Messi stole the show at has kept the juices flowing for those fans whose clubs have not been playing because of it
SHOWCASE: The World Cup Argentina's Lionel Messi stole the show at has kept the juices flowing for those fans whose clubs have not been playing because of it

The Premier League has been on hold since mid-November but a World Cup of shocks capped off with a final for the ages kept the juices flowing via our televisions.

Boxing Day is so intrinsic to English football culture the top division has rushed back for it, even if some of Argentina's World Cup winners are probably still a good few days from sobering up after the post-Qatar celebrations.

It is a pity Leeds United have to wait two more days before the Elland Road turnstiles open. That Manchester City are visitors adds foreboding but if ever there was a good time to face a squad with 16 players in Qatar – spoiler alert, there is not – this is it.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

There was no World Cup rest for Leagues One and Two, so the weather provided one. Bradford City and Harrogate Town play for the first time since December 3, Doncaster the 10th. Fans can watch each on football's special day for the first time since 2019.

INCATIVE: Leeds United have not had a competitive game since their November 12 trip to the Tottenham Hotspur StadiumINCATIVE: Leeds United have not had a competitive game since their November 12 trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
INCATIVE: Leeds United have not had a competitive game since their November 12 trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

The occasion is great, but there are matches of importance too.

Having won both games since the Championship resumed, Sheffield United are on a roll, three points behind leaders Burnley. In League One, Sheffield Wednesday and Barnsley are looking up too.

Huddersfield Town, Hull City and Rotherham United need points for more prosaic reasons – dropping into a third tier is a real possibility.