EFL: Bad first impressions, a veteran strikeforce and unwanted Bolton records

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Steve Cotterill (left)Image source, Rex Features
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"Now, about this two-and-half-year deal I signed..."

Making a woefully bad first impression, rolling back the years in style with the oldest strikeforce in England, and local rivals coming together in tragic circumstance.

It's been another hectic day in the Football League. BBC Sport takes you through five things you may have missed from Saturday's action.

How legally binding is this contract?

The ink is barely dry on the contract, but Steve Cotterill may be having second thoughts about taking on the Birmingham City job.

Cotterill, who was appointed on Friday, watched from the stands with members of the club's board as Blues - with Lee Carsley in caretaker-charge for the final time - were battered 6-1 by Hull City.

The former Burnley, Notts County, Portsmouth and Nottingham Forest manager, is taking over a side third from bottom in the Championship, who have conceded 19 goals in 11 games and scored just seven.

Cotterill visited the players at full-time, with Carsley saying the new boss told the players that "the season starts on Monday".

"If I'm sat there as a player that's what I want to hear," Carsley said. "I want to hear that there's a fresh start, There's still 30-odd games so our season isn't going to be defined by the result."

The new manager ill-effect

Cotterill's loitering and looking on from afar did not spur on his side, and the often-quoted new manager effect - in whatever form it takes - had very limited success across the divisions.

A new man at the helm at League Two Chesterfield could not inspire them, the Spireites losing 2-0 at home to Cheltenham in Jack Lester's first game in charge.

Port Vale, who are biding their time in finding a replacement for Michael Brown, fared no better, going down 2-0 at Stevenage in the same division.

But at least League One Oldham Athletic bucked the trend, Eoin Doyle scoring twice against his old club Portsmouth in a shock 2-1 victory at Fratton Park.

Image source, Getty Images
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Seedorf managed his former club AC Milan in 2014

Talk was rife that the Latics, managerless after parting company with John Sheridan, were going down the Total Football route by way of looking to appoint Clarence Seedorf.

But Seedorf is not Boundary Park-bound. The Dutch midfield maestro is just good friends with the Oldham owners, and it is understood he is not interested in a job below the second tier of English football.

The mere prospect seemed to inspire Oldham, who are now out of the relegation zone. Who is going to kickstart rumours that Marco van Basten is coming for next week's pick-me-up?

Local rivals come together for Matt Salmon

Image source, Dan Westwell
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Friends and family of Matt Salmon were guests of honour at the One-Call Stadium

While local derbies are often frantic and feisty and the emotion can take over, there was raw emotion for a different reason for those attending Mansfield Town's League Two game against Nottinghamshire rivals Notts County.

Mansfield physiotherapist Matt Salmon died in May at the age of just 25 following a long battle with lung cancer, so the clubs played for a trophy named in his honour.

Fans from both teams stood to applaud to in the 25th minute of the match, and Salmon's friends and family were special guests of chairman John Radford.

Salmon started his career at Notts and spent three-and-a-half years working for the Stags, who won the game 3-1 against their top-of-the-table neighbours.

Image source, Owen Phillips
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Matt Salmon was described as an inspiration by Mansfield youth directors Mark Hawkins and Steve Hymas

Bolton's worst start since 1902

What is that about a good beginning being key to a good season? It sets the tone, builds confidence and the positivity can take over.

So making their poorest start to a season in 115 years does not bode well for Bolton Wanderers. Saturday's 1-0 defeat against Aston Villa at Villa Park means the Trotters have lost eight Championship games in a row and are winless in their opening 11 league matches.

They have also failed to score in their last seven fixtures.

The Trotters are bottom of the table, already seven points from safety and they have not won away from home in 31 games in the second tier, taking into account their last Championship season in 2014-15 .

Image source, Rex Features
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Phil Parkinson has not had a great deal to smile about lately following a run of eight consecutive league defeats

Tellingly, manager Phil Parkinson praised the effort his players are making and said they can do little more than they are already doing.

"We are working our socks off," Parkinson said. "There is great honesty among the players. They are hurting but all we can do is play to the best of our ability."

Age before before beauty... and the Beast

Wycombe's forward line definitely falls into the collective grouping of veteran status. And that is being kind.

But you cannot argue with "experience". And although Adebayo Akinfenwa, Nathan Tyson and Craig Mackail-Smith have 103 years between them, they also now have 10 goals from a fine start to the club's League Two campaign.

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Adebayo Akinfenwa has scored 184 goals during his career

Akinfenwa, everyone's favourite burly striker, was in full 'Beast' mode again, grabbing his sixth goal of the season in the 3-1 win over Barnet.

It was their third victory in a week, and means they are seventh in the table with six wins and three draws from their 11 games.

Akinfenwa, 35, has six in nine league matches. Tyson, 35, has two in four starts, and Scotland international Mackail-Smith - the baby of the bunch at 33 - has two in seven starts. But there might be some careful squad rotation as the season goes on.

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