Five things to watch in EFL - point-less journeys & bouncebackability

No boarding passes required here, and you can leave your flags and face-paint at home.

It might be the international break but we still have 18 games across League One and League Two to look forward to this Saturday although, as you'll see, not every manager is happy to be in action...

A week is a long time in the EFL as a couple of now former managers can attest, but at the end of it the only talking left to be done is on the pitch.

Here are five things to look out for across the EFL weekend.

Vale head back to memory Lane

Port Vale were promoted on AFC Wimbledon's patch last season - can the Dons get revenge on Saturday?

Saturday will mark 165 days since one of the most memorable afternoons in Port Vale's recent history.

Two goals in three second-half minutes on 26 April secured a win over AFC Wimbledon at Plough Lane to book Vale an immediate return to League One.

The victory not only ensured they went up with one game still to play and secured their first automatic promotion in 12 years, it also ended the Dons' hopes of a top-three finish.

AFC Wimbledon, of course, had their own day in the sun exactly a month later, beating Walsall at Wembley to secure their own promotion in the League Two play-off final.

This Saturday they are reunited again in League One as two of the hottest teams in the third tier.

The Wombles have made the better start to the season - after taking just nine points from their opening seven fixtures, they have won the past four straight games to sit fifth.

They have won four of their five home games and have scored twice in eight of their 11 games so far.

After a nightmare start, Vale have recovered to lie just nine points below their hosts in 16th, though they have had some fun in the Carabao Cup and EFL Trophy along the way this season.

Vale began the campaign with just two points, and two goals, from their opening seven games but have turned the corner in style.

Last Saturday's goalless draw at home to Northampton ended a run of three straight wins, but was a third clean sheet in those four matches, while their five defeats this season have all come by a margin of a single goal.

Unstoppable force v immovable object... who are you taking?

Millers seeking to avoid six of the worst

Matt Hamshaw's Rotherham are third-bottom in League One and have yet to pick up a point on the road this season

Rotherham are one of only two sides in the EFL yet to pick up a point away from home this season, and guess what, they are on the road again in League One on Saturday.

The third-bottom Millers head to Northampton in the lone 14:00 BST kick-off, having ended a run of three straight defeats with a battling 2-2 derby draw with table-topping Bradford last time out.

Matt Hamshaw's men have lost all five away games so far, though evergreen Jordan Hugill has at least managed to score in the past two, after the Millers fired blanks in their opening three matches on their travels.

There are plenty of easier places to go to break their duck than Sixfields, however.

The Cobblers sit 14th but have taken 10 points from five home games, won their past three at home, and have conceded only once in front of their own fans all season.

Only Championship side Watford (10 games) are on a longer sequence without an away win than Rotherham, who have gone eight games since their last victory on the road at Bolton on 8 April, but all runs come to an end some time, right?

Tangerines seek to start new era by breaking duck

Stephen Dobbie will be back in the Blackpool dugout in interim charge this weekend looking for three points

The other side in the EFL without a point from five away league games this season is Blackpool.

The Tangerines sacked veteran boss Steve Bruce after a year in charge this week on the back of seven defeats in 11 games which left them second-bottom in a season they were tipped by many to compete for promotion, after finishing ninth last year.

Assistant head coach Steve Agnew and first-team coach Stephen Clemence also left Bloomfield Road with coaches Stephen Dobbie and Steve Banks put in interim charge before Saturday's trip to Stockport (15:00 BST).

Ashley Fletcher's goal 22 minutes into their first away game at Exeter on 9 August is the last Blackpool netted on the road, losing the next four without scoring, the past three of them via a 1-0 scoreline.

The Hatters could jump into the top four with a win and are unlikely to be charitable hosts at Edgeley Park given they have suffered one defeat in seven and scored in all 11 matches so far.

One positive for the visitors might be that County have taken only eight points from five home games, with the past two ending in 1-1 draws.

Royals still in the Hunt despite slow start

Jack Marriott is seeking to score for the fifth straight League One game for Reading

With all due respect to Exeter, you wouldn't have found too many people expecting the Grecians to sit ahead of Reading in the League One table on the second international weekend of the season.

The Royals took the play-off race to the final day last season before falling at the last hurdle and many expected Noel Hunt's men to mount another promotion push this term.

Three straight defeats to start the season, and just one goal scored, put a dampener on the pre-season vibes, but there are signs Hunt has steadied the ship and it might now be heading in the right direction again.

The Royals remain two places and one point above the drop zone before their trip to St James Park (15:00 BST), but have played a game fewer than many of the sides around them, including the Grecians, two places higher in 17th and two points better off.

Summer arrival Jack Marriott has found his scoring boots, netting in four straight games, and Reading have lost just one of their past seven, though they have drawn the past two and collected just 10 points from that run.

City have lost three of their past four at home, only beating the bottom two Blackpool and Peterborough at home so far, and had lost four straight before the eye-catching 1-0 win at Lincoln last time out.

Despite that win, if boss Gary Caldwell had his way, this fixture wouldn't even be taking place.

Will the Royal resurgence continue in Devon?

MK look to step on the Gas in promotion race

Paul Warne is seeking to engineer a third straight win when MK Dons head to Bristol Rovers

Which MK Dons are we going to see this weekend?

The one which battled to a 3-2 win over title-chasing Gillingham last Saturday or the one which went down 2-1 to lowly Accrington in their previous home game?

Promotion hopes were high with Paul Warne coming in and bringing some big talents with him, but MK have been a picture of inconsistency, yet to string more than two results, positive or negative, together so far.

They will face a stiff test at resurgent Bristol Rovers (15:00 BST), who saw a seven-game unbeaten run, during which they had earned 17 points, end with a disappointing defeat at leaders Walsall last time out.

The Gas had led until 21 minutes from time before slipping to a 2-1 loss, though another bright spot was a fourth goal in as many games for Fabrizio Cavegn, the 23-year-old former Switzerland Under-21 forward who joined the club in August.

A win for Rovers could take them into the play-off places, depending on other results, not bad seeing as they began the season under new/old boss Darrell Clarke with three straight league defeats.

You can follow the entire EFL programme as it happens on the BBC Sport website and app, with live text coverage on Saturday, 3 October.

We will have live text commentary on the Championship, League One and League Two campaigns all season on BBC Sport.