EFL 2016-17: Five things you may have missed
- Published
We are into the second week of the new EFL season and only five teams have started with 100% records.
Fans of Bristol City, Gillingham and Luton will all enjoy the look of the league tables tonight, even if it is still early days.
Here, BBC Sport rounds up all the other stories you may have missed from Saturday's EFL games.
Six long months
A first win of the season. A first win for the new manager. And a first home win in six months.
Not a bad afternoon for Aston Villa fans, who suffered a miserable relegation campaign that saw them win just twice in the Premier League at Villa Park last season.
Two goals from Rudy Gestede and Jack Grealish's second-ever Villa goal against Rotherham gave them their first three points on Trinity Road since they beat Norwich 2-0 on 6 February.
"I wouldn't say it is a big relief, but we are pleased," boss Roberto di Matteo told BBC WM. "We wanted to start our season at home with a positive result.
"I have to say the supporters were fantastic today, they got behind the team and we gave them something back as well."
Nearly 500 days
Speaking of runs ending, Bolton Wanderers got a monkey of their own off their backs on Saturday.
Wanderers' travelling support went the entire 2015-16 season without seeing a win on the road as they suffered relegation from the Championship.
New boss Phil Parkinson, however, has ended a run of 495 days without an away victory thanks to a Liam Trotter-inspired 2-1 win at AFC Wimbledon.
"I was aware of the record." Parkinson told BBC Radio Manchester after his side's second successive victory in League One.
"We had a meeting in the hotel last night and we went through the requirements we felt were needed - we asked the lads what they felt and we said 'no excuses.' You could feel the release of tension when the whistle went from all of our supporters."
'Your defence is terrified...'
Euro 2016 had many memorable moments - but the viral spread of the 'Will Grigg's on fire' chant for the Northern Ireland striker was one of the sounds of the summer.
Wigan fan Sean Kennedy is credited with popularising the chant using Gala's 1996 song 'Freed From Desire', and even earned a free season ticket for his efforts.
Despite the success of the song, of which a dance version reached the top 10 in the downloads chart, Grigg did not enjoy the best of summers as he did not play for his country in France. However...
He has since picked up from where he left off with his 28 goals in Wigan's League One title-winning season last season, scoring his first league goal this term in a 3-0 win against Blackburn on Saturday.
Grigg now has 13 goals in his last 13 games for the Latics, or 21 in 23 if you want to go back a little further. Not a bad record.
Nick Powell, who rejoined Wigan from Manchester United in the summer, also scored in the game - his first goal since March 2014.
Walter, give us a wave
Sticking with the chants theme, Wolves' new boss Walter Zenga has been getting to grips with the Molineux faithful.
The former Italy goalkeeper replaced Kenny Jackett at the beginning of the season and has yet to taste defeat, guiding his team to a 2-0 win over Reading on Saturday.
On his first job in England, the 56-year-old has quickly endeared himself to fans by calling Wolves the biggest team in Italy, before telling his players he wanted to make their home stadium a fortress.
He has also today learned of the power of a wave...
Police escort saves the day
We've all been stuck behind traffic on the way to a game, right?
Frustrating, yes, but worrying if you are actually working at the game you are travelling to. And, by working, I mean kicking the ball and being in charge of the team.
Notts County manager John Sheridan and four of his squad were caught in traffic on the M1 ahead of their 1-1 draw at Meadow Lane against Stevenage.
However, the local police got wind of the situation and gave the Magpies boss and his players, including goalscorer Jon Stead and striker partner Jonathan Forte, a lift to prevent the game being delayed.
The point means Sheridan's side are still yet to pick up a win in their first three games of the season and they sit 22nd in League Two.
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- Published4 August 2016
- Published4 August 2016
- Published8 August 2017