Burnley and West Ham to meet on first Championship weekend

Burnley and West Ham to meet on first Championship weekendImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Nuno Espirito Santo will look to lead West Ham to promotion to the Premier League in their first season in the EFL since 2011-12ByIan WoodcockBBC Sport EnglandPublished1 minute agoCommentsRelegated Burnley and West Ham will meet on the opening weekend of the Championship season on Sunday, 16 August.The Clarets, whose bid to appoint Wales manager Craig Bellamy as boss looks to have fallen through, finished 19th in the top flight last season and will host the the Hammers, who went down on the final day.Fellow relegated side Wolves will play the league's curtain-raiser against Blackburn at Molineux on Friday, 14 August.Elsewhere, Southampton, who will start the season on minus four points after the Spygate scandal, travel to Watford on the opening weekend and promoted Cardiff welcome Welsh rivals Wrexham on Monday, 17 August.League One champions Lincoln start the season at beaten play-off finalists Middlesbrough on Saturday, 15 August and third tier play-off final winners Bolton begin the campaign with a home game against Preston on the same day.The Championship season starts a week after clubs play their first competitive fixture in the first round of the Carabao Cup and one week before the Premier League gets under way.Championship first round fixtures in fullFriday, 14 AugustWolverhampton Wanderers v Blackburn Rovers (20:00)Saturday 15 AugustBolton Wanderers v Preston North End (12:30)Bristol City v Millwall (15:00)Charlton Athletic v Derby County (15:00)Middlesbrough v Lincoln City (15:00)Norwich City v West Bromwich Albion (15:00)Portsmouth v Queens Park Rangers (15:00)Sheffield United v Birmingham City (15:00)Stoke City v Swansea City (15:00)Sunday, 16 AugustWatford v Southampton (13:30)Burnley v West Ham United (16:00)Monday, 17 August Cardiff City v Wrexham (20:00)All times BSTCan relegated Premier League sides bounce back?Burnley, West Ham and Wolves will al...