Joe Thompson
Former Rochdale and Tranmere midfielder on Squad Goals

Hartlepool’s Dave Challinor-sized hole in the dugout is being filled by Anthony Sweeney at the moment.

The caretaker boss has Pools in 10th place but they should be full of confidence after their FA Cup exploits.

An impressive 1-0 win against League One Wycombe in their first round replay in midweek shows this side can certainly compete at a higher level.

League Two leaders Forest Green have been formidable on the road - they’re unbeaten away in the league this season.

Pools’ great home record suffered after Challinor’s departure but Sweeney has the chance to make his mark in this interesting encounter at Victoria Park.

Here are today's dozen fourth tier fixtures, all 12 will get under way at 15:00 GMT:

• Barrow v Crawley Town
• Bradford City v Northampton Town
• Bristol Rovers v Tranmere Rovers
• Exeter City v Carlisle United
• Harrogate Town v Salford City
• Hartlepool United v Forest Green Rovers
• Leyton Orient v Sutton United
• Mansfield Town v Scunthorpe United
• Newport County v Swindon Town
• Oldham Athletic v Port Vale
• Stevenage v Colchester United
• Walsall v Rochdale

You know the drill by now. Listen to updates from around the EFL on Squad Goals by clicking the play icon at the top of this page.

Sanny Rudravajhala
Presenter, Squad Goals

After wielding the axe with Nigel Adkins last month, the guitar-playing Addicks owner, Thomas Sandgaard has found ‘Johnnie be good’ for his Charlton side. The question we’re all asking though is why is Johnnie Jackson still only the ‘interim’ manager at the Valley?

It’s been a remarkable turnaround since Jackson took charge - unbeaten in four in the league and showing real character to come away with three points at Burton last week, in a fiercely contested game.

Today is a real test for the rookie manager and he’d do well to follow the lead of his opposite number. Ryan Lowe was October’s manager of the month and his Argyle side hasn’t let up since.

A 4-1 hammering of Accrington last time out in League One underlined their strength on the road and beating Sheffield Wednesday 3-0 in the FA Cup last Tuesday shows just how much his players are enjoying donning the green shirt.

I’m expecting goals and a bit of drama - keep your eye on Argyle’s 14-goal duo of Ryan Hardie and Luke Jephcott. Charlton’s backline will have to be at their best!

Should have been a full schedule of 12 games in the third tier today but Wigan's home game against Oxford was called off this morning because of a number of Covid-19 cases in the away team.

Here are the 11 remaining League One games, with all of them scheduled to get under way at 15:00 GMT:

• Accrington Stanley v Sheffield Wednesday
• Charlton Athletic v Plymouth Argyle
• Cheltenham Town v Shrewsbury Town
• Crewe Alexandra v Gillingham
• Doncaster Rovers v Lincoln City
• Fleetwood Town v Morecambe
• Milton Keynes Dons v Burton Albion
• Portsmouth v AFC Wimbledon
• Rotherham United v Cambridge United
• Sunderland v Ipswich Town
• Wigan Athletic P-P Oxford United
• Wycombe Wanderers v Bolton Wanderers

Nigel Pearson is back for Bristol City after missing the Coventry loss through illness - and we wish him all the best health.

His side entertain Tony Mowbray's Blackburn and Ben Brereton-Diaz fresh from leading the line in Chile's win over Paraguay.

Hull City find themselves in the relegation zone despite winning for the first time in six games against Barnsley before the international break. Their opponents this afternoon are Birmingham City - expect goals as there have been 27 in the past six meetings.

Preston North End welcome Cardiff City to Deepdale where they're unbeaten in seven, although the Bluebirds got a first win under Steve Morison before the break.

Gareth Vincent
BBC Sport Wales at the Swansea.com Stadium

It's been a tale of new contracts for these two clubs this week, with Matt Grimes signing a new deal at Swansea City and Neil Critchley agreeing a long-term extension at Blackpool.

Grimes came close to leaving Swansea last summer amid sustained interest from Fulham, but no fee was agree before the transfer deadline and the influential midfielder stayed.

His contract had been due to expire at the end of this season, so news that he has recommitted is a significant boost for Swansea - and a show of faith in the work being done by Russell Martin.

Like Martin, Blackpool boss Critchley is a head coach making a big impression at his club, so his new deal is a major fillip for the Seasiders.

Both these sides, therefore, begin the day with smiles on faces.

Image source, Getty Images

Chris Wilder has a reputable CV as a manager but Middlesbrough fans might not realise he has not won his first game in charge at any of his previous three clubs - be it Northampton, Oxford or boyhood team Sheffield United.

Thankfully for Wilder, management can be a marathon not a sprint and the list of promotions and improvements he has made at those clubs is more telling a value than getting off to a good start.

Wilder takes over from another son of the steel city in Neil Warnock, and inherits the same problem with injuries that the veteran had.

Millwall will be in no mood to lay down before the new boss on his introduction to the Boro faithful, and have lost only two of the last 13 Championship games.

Will the Lions from London feast on a weakened foe on Teesside? Or will Wilder conjure up way to foil those would-be predators? One to keep an eye on.

Image source, Getty Images

Michael O'Neill spent his international break pondering two years in charge at Stoke, having swapped the pressures of coaching his native Northern Ireland for the day in, day out challenge of club management.

And, the Potters are starting to see the results of such planning, prospering under their Portadown-born gaffer - with the progression of new Scotland cap Jacob Brown one such example.

While the majority of those making their way up the hill to the Bet365 Stadium will be dreaming of the play-offs and beyond even at this stage, the smaller knot of away fans braving the open corner of the venue have a different cause for concern.

Darren Ferguson's Peterborough grafted their way back into the Championship on a surge of exciting attacking football, but the tougher challenge of the second-tier has seen them struggle to replicate such results.

They have talent though, take the livewire Siriki Dembele and Jonson Clarke-Harris, but away form continues to undermine their efforts with seven defeats from eight on the road.

Image source, Getty Images

Reading are the latest club to feel the hit of sporting sanctions for financial rule breaches - punished with a six-point deduction for making a £57.8m loss between 2017 and 2021 which was beyond the allotted £39m.

The Royals have tumbled down the Championship on the back of it, but given the stresses and strains being felt at Derby, it could be a lot worse for Veljko Paunovic and his team as they sit four points above the bottom three.

Nottingham Forest had to let the likes of Matty Cash and Arvin Appiah leave as they sought to consolidate their own position around financial fair play a few years back.

Steve Cooper has had to work with what he inherited after Chris Hughton's exit, and he has dragged the Reds to 13th, from 23rd. Ominously though, Forest have an appalling record in Royal Berkshire, with five defeats in six without a win.

Image source, Getty Images

Karlan Grant’s return to Huddersfield Town with West Bromwich Albion could be a reunion to forget for Terriers boss Carlos Corberan.

Corberan’s arrival coincided with a swift exit for the striker, who was attracting the attentions of the Baggies and was never included in the squad by the Spaniard either.

It was perhaps an inevitable departure but Huddersfield would love to have a scorer in as good form as Grant right now. The former Charlton forward has eight in 17 for Valerien Ismael’s promotion chasers, seven of which has come in the last nine matches.

He might get a rather unwelcome reception from the Cowshed, who have made the ground an intimidating venue. And, to Corberan’s credit, he’s fashioned a side on the cusp of the play-offs.

An intriguing fixture this, as despite Grant’s goals, West Brom’s away form isn’t hot – losing the past three – but they remain third.

Gab Sutton
Squad Goals

Image source, Getty Images

I wonder what Poya Asbaghi’s feelings really are if you ask him whether he wanted his first game in charge of relegation strugglers Barnsley to be at Fulham.

The easy option of watching from the stands would have been there for the 36-year-old but it’ll be a baptism of fire for the Swede.

The Whites have scored 44 league goals already. They’re second in the table, on a five-game winning streak and have, by a country mile, the division’s best centre-forward in Aleksandar Mitrovic.

On paper this result looks a done deal but Asbaghi is a talented coach. He worked wonders with IFK Göteborg and Sweden Under-21s and he’ll be keen to get his hands dirty – but there is no doubting the scale of the task in the capital.

If the Tykes are to add to their points tally at Craven Cottage, they will need a hugely spirited, organised and courageous display as well as a goalkeeping wonder show from the highly-rated Brad Collins – and even that may not suffice.

Image source, Getty Images

If there is any stat that highlights the difference between Fulham and Barnsley’s fortunes this season, then it is that the Cottagers’ Serbian goal-machine Aleksandar Mitrovic has more goals to his name alone – 20 – than the Tykes do as a team with 12.

Mitro has been talismanic, leading the attack with his muscular presence and cashing in on the service provided by Harry Wilson, Neeskens Kebano and Bobby Decordova-Reid – and six straight wins between international breaks propelled Marco Silva’s side right among the big hitters.

Oh how Barnsley could do with such a forward. Aaron Leya Iseka has found some form with three goals in his last four games, but he and Cauley Woodrow could do with some help in that department.

The task of restoring a bit of Oakwell order falls to new boss Poya Asbaghi, who will need some ‘new manager bounce’ to turn around a run of one win in 15.

Right then, one game down, nine to go in the Championship, as well as a feast of action across Leagues One and Two.

Time to preview our 15:00 GMT matches...

Image source, Rex Features

No goals but no shortage of entertainment.

The away side had the better of it in the first half but the Blades improved as it went on and, even though it took them 82 minutes to register a shot on target, will feel they should have won it.

Former Sheffield United goalkeeper Simon Moore preserved the point for the Sky Blues with a brilliant late save from Morgan Gibbs-White's deflected effort.

Kyle McFadzean gets another block in as the away side are living on their nerves and then Conor Hourihane sweeps a low effort wide.

That'll be that.

Brilliant block from Kyle McFadzean as Morgan Gibbs-White looked set to score and win it for the hosts!

We're into three minutes of time added on.

Looks like it's going to end goalless.

What a save this is from Coventry goalkeeper Simon Moore!

He's had nothing to do all game and then he pulls off a superb stop to deny Morgan Gibbs-White's deflected effort.

He's going to his right and then manages to readjust and keep it out as it swings back to his left.

Excellent.

Late change for the home side as Ben Osborn enters the fray and Enda Stevens exits it.