Summary

  • Football League/Scottish seasons start this weekend

  • Blackburn and Cardiff kick off the domestic season later (19:45 BST)

  • Celtic back in Champions League as Legia Warsaw are thrown out

  • Arsenal face Besiktas, Celtic to play Maribor in play-offs

  • Europa League play-offs: Spurs face Limassol of Cyprus, Hull away to Lokeren

  • GET INVOLVED: Who is your club's one to watch? #myclubshiddengems

  1. England looking to dominatepublished at 08:55 British Summer Time 8 August 2014

    Day two of the fourth Test begins at Old Trafford in just over two hours. The weather is currently dry, if rather overcast, and England will resume 39 runs behind at 113-3.

    Former England captain Michael Vaughan told BBC Breakfast: "Only the Manchester weather this week will stop England going 2-1 up in the series." He added that "the bowling partnership of Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson will go down as one of England's greatest".

    Commentary on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra from 10:25 BST

  2. Get involvedpublished at 08:46 British Summer Time 8 August 2014

    We're asking for the players from your club you think will make an impact in the Premier League and Championship this term. Please keep them coming in to #myclubshiddengems

    Liam Christopher: Diego De Girolamo of Sheff Utd. The lad has talent and will perform this season after injuries last season.

    Sinead: I support Crewe. We have an entire youth set up full of them. Eyes on George Cooper and Callum Saunders.

  3. Beefcake Balepublished at 08:40 British Summer Time 8 August 2014

    A bulked-up Gareth Bale in training with Real MadridImage source, AFP

    Here's a man unlikely to figure in the Championship any time soon. Gareth Bale appears to have been doing plenty of good work in the gym during the close season judging by these training shots at Real Madrid.

  4. Football League Focuspublished at 08:35 British Summer Time 8 August 2014

    One of the more remarkable stories in recent years has been the ongoing saga at Blackpool, who 13 days before their opening game of the season had a squad of only eight players. Such are the harsh realities of modern-day sport that the former Premier League side have been made the bookies' favourites for relegation.

  5. Football League Focuspublished at 08:27 British Summer Time 8 August 2014

    Steve McClarenImage source, PA

    Also in our 10 key points, we look at the favourites for promotion into the promised land of the Premier League.

    In a division notoriously hard to call, most of the bookmakers are offering the shortest odds on Derby County. Boss Steve McClaren has won 24 of his 41 matches since taking charge last September, albeit failing in the one which mattered most - May's play-off final against QPR.

    However, the Rams managed to keep the bulk of their squad, including teenage midfielder Will Hughes, plus the eye-catching addition of Real Madrid midfielder Omar Mascarell, 21, on a season-long loan.

  6. Get involvedpublished at 08:22 British Summer Time 8 August 2014

    So while hopes are high, we want you to tell everyone who you think could make the headlines - of the right sort - this season. Perhaps a lesser-known player who you think can impress this term.

    Please use the hashtag #myclubshiddengems

  7. Football League Focuspublished at 08:22 British Summer Time 8 August 2014

    BBC Sport has outlined 10 key points as we begin the nine-month marathon that is the Championship campaign, including how relegated Fulham chose to utilise experience in the division with the signing of Leeds United captain Ross McCormack, the league's top scorer last season with 29 goals, for a reported £11m.

  8. Swimmingpublished at 08:15 British Summer Time 8 August 2014

    BBC Sport's Elizabeth Hudson at the IPC Swimming European Championships in Eindhoven:

    "Norwich swimmer Jessica Jane Applegate is already the Paralympic and world champion in the S14 200m freestyle and this morning the 17-year-old starts her campaign to win the European title.

    "Applegate, who has Asperger's syndrome, goes into this morning's heats as the fastest in the world this year and will be joined by team-mate Chloe Davies.

    "In the men's S14 200m, Commonwealth Games silver medallist Tom Hamer from Burnley and Welsh bronze medallist Jack Thomas will be hoping for more medals in this morning's final, but the favourite for gold will be Iceland's Jon Margeir Sverrisson - the only man on his nation's four-strong team here."

  9. Packed programmepublished at 08:11 British Summer Time 8 August 2014

    There will also be updates from day two of the fourth Test between England and India at Old Trafford, where at the time of writing early sunshine has given way to cloud, and we have the draw for the Champions League play-offs, followed by the Europa League draw.

    Luis Suarez has his appeal against a four-month ban for biting heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, we look ahead to the Challenge Cup rugby league semi-finals, there is US PGA golf and disability swimming updates from our own Elizabeth Hudson at the European Championships in Eindhoven.

  10. Football League Focuspublished at 08:05 British Summer Time 8 August 2014

    We will have club-by-club guides by BBC radio commentators from each of the 24 Championship teams, analysing transfers, expectations for the season and players to watch. You can have your say in a series of votes during the day. We'll have the best of the day's news conferences and we will look at League One and Two as well. There will also be a club-by-club guide to the Scottish Premier League and a rundown of the Scottish leagues too.

  11. Postpublished at 08:00 British Summer Time 8 August 2014

    Hello and welcome along. A new Football League season has dawned, bringing its usual gamut of emotions for fans up and down the country. Everyone starts on an optimistic note and we will have news from around the clubs throughout the day as we build up to tonight's opening Championship fixture at Ewood Park between Blackburn and Cardiff, which you can hear live on BBC Radio 5 live from 19:45 BST.