Blustery day by the seaside, where the football has been low-key by comparison.

Goalless as it stands.

Big save from Lee Nicholls for Huddersfield as Luton worked Elijah Adebayo in down the right with an incisive pass.

Adebayo strode away from his marker and went low to the near post but a fine leg stretch stop from Nicholls keeps it goalless.

Best bit of play so far for Bristol City, who see Andi Weimann unleashed down the right.

The Austrian's cross into the box just floats a bit too high over the head of Antoine Semenyo, though.

Image source, Rex Features

Leaders Plymouth are already ahead at home to MK Dons through James Wilson who nips in ahead of the keeper to touch in a free-kick.

Port Vale’s play-off push has been hampered as they have fallen 1-0 behind at struggling Forest Green for whom Kyle McAllister has fired in from the edge of the box early on.

Calvin Andrew
Ex-Rochdale, Mansfield and Port Vale forward on Squad Goals

I know lads that used to have a cheeky drink or see friends, but these days if you’re professional I don’t think most of the lads do anything exciting on New Year’s Eve.

I’d always have a game the next day so for me it used to be 12.05am, ring my mum and Jools Holland.

Two minutes in and Coventry force Bristol City keeper Max O'Leary into his first save of the afternoon.

Former Robins player Kasey Palmer wins the ball on the edge of the area and slips the ball through to Martyn Waghorn, but O'Leary gets his hand on it to send it behind the posts.

Image source, Rex Features

After plenty of clubs pay their respects to Brazil legend Pele, referees' whistles are blowing for kick-off which means we're up and running.

With the BBC unable to stream its local radio commentaries from the EFL on the website because of contractual obligations, your only option of hearing a full game is from stations within your local transition area - on the old school wireless, I'm afraid.

However, all is not lost as the Squad Goals team - with ex-Luton, Bristol City and Palace striker Calvin Andrew this afternoon - bring you a goals update service for the Championship, League One and League Two between 15:00 GMT and 17:00 GMT.

Click or tap the tab above to play.

With the top-three not playing until Monday (that’s tomorrow, for those who have lost track, like me!) Carlisle can close within a point of the promotion places should they win at mid-table Doncaster.

Swindon, in fifth, and sixth-placed Mansfield are also on the road, against struggling Colchester and Walsall respectively while seventh hosts eighth as Bradford entertain Salford.

Just seven points separate fourth from 15th and Stockport will be seeking to continue their climb up the table as they visit Grimsby while there’s more than local pride at stake as Sutton host AFC Wimbledon.

Tranmere, in 14th, could climb as many as six places with a win at home to Crewe while Hartlepool welcome Harrogate in a match with big implications as far as pulling away from the inactive bottom two is concerned.

Image source, Rex Features

Leaders Plymouth are the only top-six side in action today and will be seeking to go seven points clear as they host third-bottom MK Dons – though the visitors were 5-0 winners at Home Park last season.

The winner of the eye-catching clash between Peterborough and Wycombe would gatecrash the top-six, for a day at least, while Port Vale will try to close the gap on the play-off places as they head to second-bottom Forest Green.

Another intriguing game comes at Fratton Park. Portsmouth have won only one of their last 13 games, Charlton have taken just three points from their last eight, neither side have won since 22 October. Will either run end today?

Bristol Rovers host Cheltenham, Oxford welcome Exeter and Shrewsbury entertain Fleetwood in a tightly-congested mid-table pack where just five points separate eight teams.

Burton have hauled themselves out of the relegation zone on goals scored, but rock-bottom hosts Morecambe could pull within a point of them with a result in the division’s other game.

Image source, Getty Images

There will be moments of remembrance throughout the EFL this afternoon for Edson Arantes do Nascimento, otherwise known as Pele, after he died aged 82 on Thursday.

Three-times a World Cup winner, the man known in his Brazil homeland as 'O Rei' or 'The King' scored 1,279 goals in 1,363 games - a Guinness World Record no less although disputed in some quarters.

He even played at unlikely venues such as Home Park in Plymouth and Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough, as his Santos side toured the United Kingdom during the early 1970s.

There are many iconic pictures of Pele, but perhaps the ultimate is of him embracing the England captain Bobby Moore after a 1-0 win at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico.

Rest in peace Pele, as football remembers you today.

After Rotherham’s 2-0 defeat by fellow strugglers Huddersfield on Thursday, boss Matt Taylor said that some of his players are “really low physically, as well as mentally”.

The Millers have won just one of their last 11 games while Taylor – who replaced Paul Warne as head coach in October – has overseen only three victories and eight defeats since taking over.

Added to that, with two wins out of 13 Rotherham have the worst record on the road of any team in the league so far. Their woes are not made any easier by the fact Millwall have been solid at home this season and are unbeaten at The Den in their last seven games.

Gary Rowett’s side might have dropped out of the top six, albeit on goal difference, but a win today could move them straight back into the play-off spots.

Image source, Getty Images

If ever there was an example of the 'sliding doors' nature of the Championship, it's the fortunes of Huddersfield Town and Luton Town since their thrilling two-legged play-off semi-final last season.

Huddersfield won an eventful second game by a single Jordan Rhodes goal to go onto Wembley, where they lost to Nottingham Forest. Carlos Corberan left as head coach, as did key players Harry Toffolo and Lewis O'Brien.

Club legend Danny Schofield wasn't able to pick up the reins to a satisfactory level, prompting his exit, and his replacement Mark Fotheringham has taken time to have an impact with the club third-bottom of the table.

However, the Scot has described the Terriers' recent form as having "smashed down barriers", with back-to-back wins and they're looking up.

Luton regrouped and recharged after last season's disappointment, though even making the play-offs was a superb achievement for Nathan Jones in his second spell in charge given the budget at Kenilworth Road.

Such a fine job on those resources was enough to tempt Southampton to snare his services - but Rob Edwards - formerly of bitter rivals Watford no less - has done well to steady the ship in his absence and they're up there again challenging for the play-offs.

Image source, Rex Features

It’s been a testing few weeks for Bristol City manager Nigel Pearson, whose side have only won once in their past nine matches and are without a win in their last three.

Their 0-0 draw against Millwall on Thursday – while less than thrilling – did at least earn the Robins a point away from home, although they still hover just three points above the bottom three.

They travel to Coventry and face a team who similarly endured a goalless draw in their last outing against Cardiff.

The Sky Blues might have only won one of their five matches in December, but they still sit just two points away from the play-off places, such is the closeness of the Championship this season.

Image source, Getty Images

Michael Appleton will be hoping that the traditional new year saying of 'out with the old, and in with the new' applies to his Blackpool team, as a miserable run of eight games without a win left the Tangerines second-bottom of the Championship at the close of 2022.

For that to be the case, he needs to fix up the leaky defence, with 37 conceded so far the third-worst record in the division - although a crippling injury list hasn't helped with Kevin Stewart, Lewis Fiorini, Keshi Anderson, Theo Corbeanu, Jordan Gabriel and ex-Black Cats midfielder Liam Bridcutt recently joined on the sidelines by Luke Garbutt.

Today's visitors Sunderland might be minded to have fish and chips and an ice cream to make the most of the jaunt across the Pennines, given their excellent record by the coast, with three wins in the last four visits.

There was already plenty of responsibility on the shoulders of top-scorer Ross Stewart, or the 'Loch Ness Drogba' as some wags call him, to supply the goals to maintain their push for the top four.

That has just been amplified further, following Everton's decision to recall Ellis Simms - coincidentally also formerly on loan at Blackpool.

Simms' hold-up play, pace and eye for goal have clearly impressed the Toffees enough to decide he's better off helping them stay in the Premier League than aid Sunderland's attempts to return to it.

As we've alluded to previously, there's already been a result from South Wales this afternoon, as celebrity gossip pages regular Bradley Dack netted the winner for Blackburn against Cardiff in a 1-0 win.

Here's a considered view of the game from BBC Radio Wales' Dafydd Pritchard.

Happy new year and what better way to ring in 2023 than with a bit of action from the EFL?

So while you all indulge in the last of the Christmas chocolate and rest any heads that might still be a bit sore from last night, we've got you covered here.

We have four Championship fixtures to come, following on from Blackburn's win against Cardiff earlier this afternoon, as well as eight matches in League One and League Two.

Sit back, relax and let's get going.

Image source, Rex Features