Nottingham Forest's three-year wait for a return to the Coca-Cola Championship will come to an end on Sunday when they meet Reading at The City Ground (kick-off 1.15pm).
There's been an eager sense of anticipation since the promotion celebrations finally died down and Colin Calderwood and his men are ready for the challenges that lie ahead.
Forest's intention is to be competitive in the Championship and Calderwood insists his players should have no fears about making the step-up.
But they are in for a tough baptism as they go head-to-head with a Reading side relegated from the Premiership on a dramatic final day in May.
Steve Coppell has retained the nucleus of his side - despite losing the services of striker Dave Kitson to Stoke - and they are among the bookies' promotion favourites.

Team news

Colin Calderwood is waiting on Andrew Cole before he finalises his line-up for Sunday's curtain raiser.
The former Manchester United man, one of Forest's five summer signings, has been nursing a calf injury which forced him to miss pre-season friendlies against Sunderland Notts County.
Two more of the club's close season arrivals, Paul Anderson and Joe Garner, will definitely miss the game as they continue their rehabilitation from calf and knee ligament injuries respectively.
Former Reading man Nathan Tyson also misses out with a hamstring injury but Robert Earnshaw and Guy Moussi are expected to make their debuts as The Reds look to mark their return to the Championship in style.
Reading, meanwhile, will be without captain Graeme Murty and former Forest midfielder Brynjar Gunnarsson, while Nicky Shorey, who is being trailed by a host of Premier League clubs, is expected to leave before the weekend.
Coppell expects Michael Duberry to recover from a knock in time to play .

He played for both ...



Forest striker Nathan Tyson, who is currently waging a battle to recover from yet another hamstring problem, would loved to have lined-up against his home-town and former club.
Tyson started his career with Reading as a trainee and went on to make 40 first team appearances for The Royals - although only 11 of those were as a member of the starting line-up.
Tyson made one of his senior appearances for Reading against Forest at The City Ground when the two sides met in a Championship fixture in December, 2002. He joined the action as a 31st minute substitute for Nicky Forster but Forest ran out 2-0 winners.
The 26 year old's career gathered pace at Wycombe, where he scored 43 goals in 76 appearances to earn himself a switch to The City Ground.

Head to head

Forest and Reading have made 25 times previously in league and cup football.
The Reds have the edge having recorded 12 victories, while Reading have won eight times with five games ending in draws.
The Royals most recent win over Forest came in the last meeting between the two sides, in April 2005.
A James Harper goal 16 minutes from time settled the contest at The Madejski Stadium as Forest slid towards relegation from the Championship.
The cruel sending-off of Paul Gerrard was a crucial factor in the defeat. The goalkeeper was shown a red card in the 70th minute after referee Steve Tanner had decided he had handled outside the area.
Colin Doyle, who was on loan from Birmingham at the time, replaced Gerrard in goal with Kris Commons sacrificed and within minutes Harper had fired in what proved to be the winner for play-off hopefuls Reading.

Forest: Gerrard, Louis-Jean, Morgan, Taylor, Melville, Perch, Powell (Harris 74), Evans, Gardner, Commons (Doyle 70), Dobie (Bopp 85). Subs not used: Hjelde, Doig.
Reading: Hahnemann, Murty, Shorey, Keown, Sonko, Newman (Little 51), Sidwell, Harper, Brooker (Ferdinand 66), Kitson (Hughes 84), Forster. Subs not used: Young, Ingimarsson.

Where they finished last season

Forest - 2nd in League One
Reading - 18th in the Premier League

Tickets for Sunday's game are available in person from the Ticket Office at The City Ground; on-line at www.nottinghamforest.co.uk or by calling 0871 226 1980.