Leicester hand debut to Summerbee

Leicester handed a full debut to non-contract signing Nicky Summerbee in their opening First Division clash at the new Walkers Stadium against Watford.

Summerbee, currently playing for nothing along with Billy McKinlay because of Leicester’s precarious financial position, had been expected to be named as one of the substitutes.

But he was chosen by manager Micky Adams as the promising Matthew Piper was a late call-off with a stomach upset.

Making his first appearance for 16 months was central defender Gerry Taggart after two knee operations as he resumed his partnership with skipper Matt Elliott.

Watford, under new manager Ray Lewington, welcomed back Tommy Smith after a hip injury.

Leicester v Watford

Leicester: Walker, Sinclair, Taggart, Elliott, Rogers, Summerbee, Izzet, Marshall, Scowcroft, Dickov, Deane. Subs: Flowers, McKinlay, Stevenson, Stewart, Benjamin.

Watford: Chamberlain, Cox, Dyche, Gayle, Doyley, Robinson, Nielsen, Hand, Hyde, Foley, Smith. Subs: Ardley, Glass, McNamee, Norville, Lee.

Referee: A Leake (Lancashire)

Portsmouth v Nottm Forest

Portsmouth: Hislop, Howe, Foxe, De Zeeuw, Taylor, O’Neil, Robinson, Quashie, Merson, Burton, Pericard. Subs: Kawaguchi, Primus, Crowe, Barrett, Burchill.

Nottm Forest: Ward, Louis-Jean, Hjelde, Walker, Brennan, Prutton, Williams, Scimeca, Hall, Thompson, Johnson. Subs: Roche, Lester, Harewood, Reid, Westcarr.

Referee: D Gallagher (Oxfordshire)

Wimbledon v Gillingham

Wimbledon: Davis, Hawkins, Willmott, Williams, Darlington, McAnuff, Francis, Andersen, Nowland, Agyemang, Shipperley. Subs: Heald, Gray, Leigertwood, Gier, Karlsson.

Gillingham: Brown, Hope, Ashby, Smith, Osborn, Nosworthy, Hessenthaler, Shaw, Edge, Ipoua, Sidibe. Subs: Bartram, Patterson, Butters, Saunders, Johnson.

Referee: C Penton (Sussex)

Norwich v Grimsby

Norwich: Green, Nedergaard, Kenton, Fleming, Drury, Rivers, Mulryne, Holt, Easton, Roberts, McVeigh. Subs: Crichton, Notman, Nielsen, Heckingbottom, Russell.

Grimsby: Coyne, McDermott, Chettle, Groves, Gallimore, Cooke, Coldicott, Pouton, Campbell, Livingstone, Robinson. Subs: Hughes, Raven, Ford, Barnard, Rowan.

Referee: P Walton (Northamptonshire)

Preston v Crystal Palace

Preston: Moilanen, Alexander, Edwards, Jackson, Lucketti, Murdock, McKenna, Skora, Rankine, Cresswell, Fuller. Subs: Lucas, Broomes, Healy, Etuhu, Anderson.

Crystal Palace: Clarke, Fleming, Granville, Popovic, Powell, Butterfield, Derry, Mullins, Riihilahti, Johnson, Freedman. Subs: Black, Thomson, Austin, Kolinko, Kabba.

Referee: M Clattenburg (Co Durham)

Sheff Wed v Stoke

Sheff Wed: Pressman, Bromby, Soltvedt, Burrows, Geary, Donnelly, Quinn, Armstrong, Beswetherick, Kuqi, Sibon. Subs: Evans, Haslam, Crane, O’Donnell, Maddix.

Stoke: Cutler, Gunnarsson, Andy Handyside, Sergei Shtaniuk, Clarke, Gudjonsson, O’Connor, Henry, Commons, Goodfellow, Iwelumo. Subs: Viander, Neal, Marteinsson, Wilson, Vandeurzen.

Referee: A Hall (West Midlands)