Six games tonight, of course Troy Deeney's maiden game in charge of Forest Green against Gillingham is already up and running as we mentioned just previously.

Elsewhere, there's a tasty dust-up between fifth-placed Crewe and second-placed Barrow at Gresty Road which fits the bill of 'Christmas cracker' quite nicely.

Leaders Stockport play fellow promotion hopefuls Notts County at Edgeley Park, in another heavyweight fourth-tier tussle.

Further down the table, mutual strugglers Colchester and Salford put their losing runs on the table and hope someone comes away with something from their basement-end scrap.

Two sides with eyes on the play-offs in Crawley and Wimbledon both meet down in Sussex, while South Yorkshire meets West Yorkshire as Doncaster host Bradford.

If Exeter City were a child this Christmas, then they'd certainly be getting coal in their stocking. Their run of form has been miserable.

They've not won in 12 League One games, drawing three of them and only scoring for that matter, in three of them with 27 goals conceded across the run.

What hope for them by the River Cam?

Well, Cambridge are just five points above them but under the new management of Neil Harris have taken four points from the past six available.

Those looking for omens can take their pick here. Exeter have lost two of the last three league games away at Cambridge. Conversely, United have lost eight of the last ten league games in total against Exeter.

Stats eh? Manipulate them to your needs...

Sophie Hurcom
BBC Sport at Aston Gate

Bristol City haven't quite had the instant upturn in results the club hierarchy might have wanted when Liam Manning was appointed in place of Nigel Pearson at the start of November.

Manning has been in the job six weeks and his seven games in charge have seen the team so far draw, win, lose, lose, draw, draw and win.

The 1-0 win against Sunderland last weekend therefore might not have been the prettiest but it was definitely much needed and will have given the team a boost ahead of a busy festive period.

If they win again tonight, it will be only the second time this calendar year the Robins have recorded back-to-back victories - the last time coming all the way back in February.

Image source, Rex Features

Ryan Lowe's always been a passionate person, both as a player and now as a boss.

The Preston North End gaffer has released some of his frustrations this week about 'metrics'. Y'know, 'xG' - expected goals and all that modern jazz.

North End have won just once in their past six league games but are eighth and four points off the top six.

When asked by BBC Radio Lancashire about a fan criticising their "lack of identity" Lowe said: "However you do it, you do it. Metrics don't always give you a true reflection.

"[However] I can bet that the bottom three teams would like to swap with me today."

He continued: "The team that are fifth from bottom are playing expansive football and have got the best xG (expected goals) in the league, guess what, they're three points off relegation," he added.

"That's why I've asked who asked the question. If you're sitting here telling me there's an ex-pro who's had all his badges and managed 300 or 400 league games asking about our identity, I've got no problem.

"But what I can't have is someone who doesn't know an identity and just wants kick rush football or no-risk football."

Image source, Getty Images

Swansea's preparations for this game against Preston have not been helped by the uncertainty around the vacant managerial position at the Liberty Stadium.

Caretaker boss Alan Sheehan has been trying to maintain some stability, and has now been told he has a couple more games before an appointment is made, having taken four points from nine.

The Swans had hoped to appoint Tottenham Hotspur's Chris Davies as their new boss before he pulled out of the running last weekend.

"It needs clarifying soon, I think that's fair," Sheehan said.

"But I understand that it's a process to get the right manager. Sometimes you can rush into these things, but I think it's a process of finding who the right man is to lead Swansea City in the right direction."

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

There is much that unites these two cities on either side and at either end of the country.

Bristol is the west country's beating heart, a buzzing formerly industrial city which has bristled with culture from music to art.

Further north and on the east, there is Hull, another place which has had to revamp and revive after the loss of its main industries, and which now has plenty of offer.

Both sides share with a rugby team - Bristol's City with union's Bears and Hull's with league's FC.

At one stage, they were among the two biggest cities in England not to have had a Premier League team. Hull achieved it, coincidentally when the two met at Wembley in the 2008 Championship play-off final.

Older fans will remember the days of Bristol City in the old First Division of course, but there's a sizeable number who won't.

Image source, Getty Images

There will always be a special place in Liam Rosenior's heart for Bristol City, given his dad Leroy played and coached there, and he started his own playing career with the Robins.

Tonight he takes his upwardly mobile Hull City team to the familiar surroundings of Ashton Gate looking to bolster their promotion hopes, and despite the sense of feeling, there will be no sentiment at all.

"I grew up in Bristol, I was a mascot for my dad," Rosenior told BBC Radio Humberside.

"They were unbelievable times for me. I've still got friends there and my dad still lives in Bristol so it'll be good for him to come to the game as well.

"It's a club that means a lot for me but hopefully there's a good memory created there on Friday night."

Image source, Getty Images

Hull City's impressive form has seen them currently nestled in the top six of the Championship.

Not that Bristol City should have too much fear, given their recent habit of wrecking reputations.

There is the requisite respect shown by Robins head coach Liam Manning, who admits he and opposite number Liam Rosenior have had chats before, but also an acknowledgment that his side need not quake in their boots come kick-off.

"They've made strides, Liam [Rosenior] has done a terrific job, if you look at the progress they've made," Manning told BBC Radio Bristol.

"They're in good form and had a clear identity in how they want to play, they're in a good spot, but so were Sunderland and Middlesbrough.

"I think we have to take the positives in how we faced teams that were in good runs of form and stopped them before. Ultimately that's what we're trying to do."

Lots to get through then.

We'll start with the two Championship games tonight but there's still plenty to come in League One and Two, don't worry.

Image source, Rex Features

One game is up and running already by the way, and it's a big night for a familiar face.

It's strictly a technical area job for ex-Premier League striker Troy Deeney tonight in his first game in charge of Forest Green Rovers, having featured 18 times this season as a player.

The ex-Watford and Birmingham forward's bump up to permanent boss status on Wednesday after David Horseman's exit sees him take on Stephen Clemence's Gillingham in the first ever meeting of the two clubs.

Ryan Inniss' header over for the home side is the only real chance of the game so far.

For the next couple of hours you can put all your thoughts of peeling spuds and sprouts, wrapping gifts or even anticipating the arrival of 'much loved' family members to one side, and focus on something a little different.

The final round of fixtures before Christmas arrives on Monday starts here, and two Championship games in Bristol City versus Hull City and Swansea against Preston are our main focus.

There's one lone fixture from League One as Exeter trek cross-country to Cambridge to keep an eye on, while SIX League Two games will also keep us busy.

So, pour yourself something nice, take the weight off your feet and wallow in the delight of some Friday night football.