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Nottingham Forest have one of the easiest starts to the season of any Championship side - on paper at least.

Forest’s opening six opponents next season had an average finishing league position of 14.0 in 2017/18.

Only five other Championship teams are starting their campaign against sides with a lower average.

Aitor Karanka’s side kick things off with a trip to Ashton Gate to take on Lee Johnson's Robins, who finished 11th last season.

However, that’s followed by games against recently-relegated West Brom, Reading (20th), newly-promoted Wigan, Birmingham City (19th) and Brentford (ninth).

That works out at an average finishing league position of 14.0 if we assign the recently-relegated teams - Swansea, Stoke and West Brom - first, second and third respectively, and the newly-promoted sides - Wigan, Blackburn and Rotherham - 22nd, 23rd and 24th.

Of course, by the time the season comes around there will be other factors that will make each of Forest’s games either more or less daunting, such as injuries and new signings.

But at the moment, it gives us some idea of how straightforward a start the Reds appear to have compared to other teams.

Leeds United, for example, start with games against Stoke, Derby (sixth) Rotherham, Swansea, Norwich (12th) and Middlesbrough (fifth).



That opening set of fixtures works out at an average finishing league position of 8.7 - the highest in the division.

(Image: Getty Images Europe)

Aston Villa have the easiest set of opening fixtures, on paper. The Birmingham club’s first six opponents had an average finishing league position of 15.2 last season.

They’re followed by Sheffield Wednesday (14.8), Reading (14.3) and

Norwich (also 14.3).



Team: Average position of first six opponents



Aston Villa: 15.2

Sheffield Wednesday: 14.8

Reading: 14.3

Ipswich Town: 14.3

Brentford: 14.2

Nottingham Forest: 14.0

Bristol City: 13.8

Rotherham United: 13.7

Wigan Athletic: 13.0

Derby County: 13.0

Blackburn Rovers: 13.0

West Bromwich Albion: 12.5

Millwall: 12.3

Hull City: 12.3

Birmingham City: 12.3

Stoke City: 12.0

Queens Park Rangers: 12.0

Bolton Wanderers: 11.7

Swansea City: 11.3

Norwich City: 10.7

Middlesbrough: 10.7

Sheffield United: 10.2

Preston North End: 10.0

Leeds United: 8.7