Why Sunderland could be asked to play a competitive game in just 19 days' time

The third tier season kicks-off on September 12, with clubs set to discover their fixtures later this month.

But according to Blackpool manager Neil Critchley, League One and League Two clubs could actually begin their season on August 29.

The first round of the Carabao Cup competition is set to take place on the weekend of September 5 – but, should a League One club draw a Championship side in the first round, then the tie could be played on August 29.

That’s because the weekend of September 5 is an international weekend, a weekend which second tier clubs usually have free.

This has left League One clubs preparing to face the ‘unexpected’, as the Blackpool manager explained.

Critchley told the Blackpool Gazette: “We were due to play a game this month on August 29 but if you draw a Championship club in the Carabao Cup then they will play it on that date because it’s before the international break

“You just have to be ready to adapt all the time, but we’ve got our plans in place and we’ve got our games pencilled in.

“But we have to be ready for the unexpected and try to prepare as best as we can.”

No date has yet been set for the first round draw of the Carabao Cup.

A message from the Editor:

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to the Sunderland Echo website and enjoy unlimited access to local news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit here to sign up. You can subscribe to the newspaper with 20% off here. Thank you.