By David Dubas-Fisher
Huddersfield Town have one of the toughest starts to the Championship season of any side in the division.
The Terriers’ opponents finished higher up in the league last season on average than all but three other sides.
Their opening five opponents - Brentford, Newcastle, Aston Villa, Barnsley and Wolves - had an average relative league position of 10.2.
The Examiner have calculated the relative league position as first being the highest placed relegated Premier League side, Newcastle, and 24th being the lowest placed side to come up from League One, Barnsley, with everyone else ranked accordingly in between.
Reading have the toughest opening run-in - Preston, Wolves, Newcastle, Brighton and Cardiff - with an average of 7.6.
Fulham have the next toughest opening five games - Newcastle, Preston, Leeds, Cardiff and Blackburn - with an average relative league position of 9.6. That’s followed by Sheffield Wednesday (10.0), Bristol City (10.2), Huddersfield (10.2) and Rotherham (10.8).
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By contrast both QPR and Newcastle’s opening five opponents have an average relative league position of 15.6, the joint lowest in the league.
The Magpies open with games against Fulham, Huddersfield, Reading, Bristol City and Brighton, while the Hoops open up with games against Leeds, Cardiff, Barnsley, Preston and Wigan.
Blackburn’s opponents have an average of 15.0 while Wolves’ and Cardiff’s both have an average of 14.8.
Team: Relative league position
Reading: 7.6
Fulham: 9.6
Sheff Wed: 10
Bristol City: 10.2
Huddersfield: 10.2
Rotherham: 10.8
Norwich: 11.2
Birmingham: 11.8
Brighton: 12
Burton: 12
Ipswich: 12
Preston: 12.2
Barnsley: 12.8
Leeds: 12.8
Derby: 13
Aston Villa: 13.8
Brentford: 13.8
Nottingham: 14.2
Wigan: 14.2
Cardiff City: 14.8
Wolves: 14.8
Blackburn: 15
Newcastle: 15.6
QPR: 15.6
