Claridge's debut goal kickstarts fine return

Millwall made a dream return to the First Division by destroying Norwich 4-0 at The New Den. Steve Claridge, who sealed his move from Portsmouth this week, took 12 minutes to score on his debut before Steven Reid added a second for last season's Division Two champions.

Further goals, from Tim Cahill and Lucas Neill, on 66 and 90 minutes respectively, sealed the Lions' impressive beginning to their campaign.

Ashley Ward tormented his former club Barnsley, as Bradford City made a storming start to life back in the First Division. Ward proved the hero of the day at the revamp 25,000-seater Valley Parade, scoring twice from the penalty spot and setting up the other two goals for Eoin Jess and Benito Carbone.

Comeback of the day belonged to Crystal Palace. Rotherham, who started well and produced two goals in just three minutes, then needlessly conceded a penalty that let Palace back in before the break. Two further strikes by Aki Riihilahti and Jamie Smith provided the Eagles new manager, Steve Bruce, with a winning start.

Another summer appointment, Paul Hart of Nottingham Forest, almost got off to the best possible start as a Marlon Harewood goal looked to have given his side a 1-0 win against Sheffield United, until Paul Devlin levelled in the 88th minute.

In the Second Division, most of the title favourites, including Reading, Huddersfield and Queen's Park Rangers, secured opening day wins. Only Tranmere Rovers suffered a shock 2-1 home defeat at the hands of Bury.

In the Division Three, Joe Kinnear's Luton Town made an impressive start to the campaign with a 2-0 win at Carlisle. Mark Wright had a sad debut as manager of his first club, when Oxford United were defeated 2-1 by Rochdale at their new home.

Newcastle United celebrated a decade of service from the 35-year-old midfielder Robert Lee, with a 1-0 defeat by Athletic Bilbao. The Magpies were disappointed to lose to Julen Guerrero's deflected 64th-minute strike, but will have been heartened by Laurent Robert's showing. The Frenchman, a £10m signing from Paris, stole the show.

Southampton marked the official opening of their new £30m stadium at St Mary's in the worse possible manner, with a 4-3 defeat by Español. The Saints conceded four goals in the first 40 minutes and were booed off at half-time, but rallied in the second.

Beaten Uefa Cup finalists Alaves, who defeated Bolton 2-0 on Tuesday, saw Fulham off with a Ruben Navarro shot, which left new-boy Edwin van der Sar no chance.

The first strike of the new Nationwide season was scored by Bury's John Newby at Tranmere after three minutes and 55 seconds.