When Norwich City walk out at the Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday, it will be their 11th opening day of a Championship season.

They'll obviously be looking to get off to a flying start this time around. Forget all that about it being a marathon, not a sprint. It doesn't apply here. It is a sprint. A long one. Marathon runners pace themselves. In the search for promotion from the Championship. there is no place to take it a little easier, to rest up. It's full pelt all the way.

Opening day results aren't always good indicators of the way the season will pan out... but it's always fun to have a look

It has to be said, City are great 'starters'. In those 10 first games they have picked up 10 points - winning just twice.

City have been promoted from the Championship four times since it came into being in 2004-05...automatically in 2011, via the play-offs in 2015 and as champions on their last two spells in the second tier. In those four campaigns they won only one opening game.

NCFC’s previous opening games in Championship and finishes

2005-06

Opening day: City 1 Coventry 1

Final position: 9th

Dean Ashton opened the scoring, heading in Dean Marney's cross on 21 minutes, but Dele Adebola levelled it with 25 minutes to go.

Nigel Worthington: "A lot of people in this area are thinking it's going to be a cake-walk, but this is a tough league."


2006-07

Opening day: Leeds 1 City 0

Final position: 16th

David Healey - a former Canaries loan player - scored the only goal from the penalty spot after a poor tackle by Lee Croft - it was never his greatest strength.

Nigel Worthington: "I'm very pleased to come to Leeds and put on a display like that."


2007-08

Opening day: Preston 0 Norwich 0

Final position: 17th

Simon Lappin and Dion Dublin had chances, but couldn't break the deadlock. City weren't helped by illness in the camp.

Peter Grant: "We wanted to be able to prepare for a full week with no injuries but then we get the bombshell. It's been very difficult. I think on the day they have battled hard and they have dug in. They have had to do that."


2008-09

Opening day: Coventry 2 City 0

Final position: 22nd

Elliott Ward - a City player a couple of years later - and Leon McKenzie, - a City player a couple of years earlier - scored the goals.

Glenn Roeder: "I've counted seven or eight good chances to score and either poor technique or poor decision to have another touch instead of putting it in the back of the net has cost us."


2010-11

Opening day: City 2 Watford 3

Final position: 2nd

Two down at half-time, City pulled one back through Lee Croft but then conceded another. Michael Nelson's injury-time goal was too little, too late against Malky Mackay's Hornets.

Paul Lambert: "The Championship is new to us, and at this level you tend to get punished when you make mistakes, and that's exactly what happened in the first half. But we'll learn from it."


2014-15

Opening day: Wolves 1 City 0

Final position: 3rd

Dave Edwards got the only goal, four minutes after City had Martin Olsson red-carded for a second yellow - the Swede appeared to push the referee as he protested.

Neil Adams: "I haven't seen the incident between Martin Olsson and referee Simon Hooper and hopefully there is nothing in it. But we will have a look at it and see what it is and if there are any consequences from that."


2016-17

Opening day: Blackburn 1 City 4

Final position: 8th

City returned to the Championship with a bang after relegation. They led 3-0 at the break, after goals from Jacob Murphy (his first for City), Wes Hoolahan and Cameron Jerome, with Stephen Naismith on target just before the hour mark. It was City's first opening-day win for 14 years.

Alex Neil: "We wanted to play in a manner which people are going to sit up and take notice of us and know that we mean business this season, and we did all that, which was really pleasing."


2017-18

Opening day: Fulham 1 City 1

Final position: 14th

Daniel Farke's first game in charge of City. Sub Nelson Oliveira scored two minutes from time after a first-half own goal by Russell Martin. Oliveira produced his famous shirt/torso celebration in front of the new boss. Not a wise thing to do...

Daniel Farke: "Nelson is from Portugal and very emotional. It was really kind of him to show me the shirt. He's a really good guy and has a good character but sometimes emotions burn a little bit in him. But there are no problems."


2018-19

Opening day: Birmingham 2 City 2

Final position: 1st

A stunning finale as City came from a goal down. With seven minutes to go Onel Hernandez levelled, and although the Blues scored again, the Cuban bagged a second four minutes into time added on.

Daniel Farke: "We created a lot of chances and I am a bit disappointed we did not win. But a draw in the first away game is not too bad. We can live with that result."


2020-21

Opening day: Huddersfield 0 City 1

Final position: 1st

Adam Idah scored the only goal, 10 minutes from time. It was tough going against a resolute Terriers side.

Daniel Farke: "Adam Idah will be in the spotlight after his goal and we're delighted for him. I was not happy at all with Adam's training this week. There was an outburst from me. But I wanted to show faith in him."