So for the first time since 2004 (a 1-1 draw with Morecambe) Exeter City will kick off the season at St James' Park with Colchester United, under new boss John Ward, becoming the first npower League 1 side to play on the new turf.
Roy Keane's Ipswich Town visit in the Carling Cup three days later before a trip along the district line to newly promoted Dagenham on the Saturday.
Many of the local derbies, especially at home, are on Saturdays this season including Bristol Rovers who make the short trip to The Park on August 21st.
After the second trip to the capital in August to play Leyton Orient (28th) losing Play Off Semi Finalists Charlton Athletic come to town. (4th Sept)
The long trip to Hartlepool (11th Sept) precedes a home match against Peterborough United before the short trips to Yeovil (Saturday Sept 25th) and Bournemouth. (Tues 28th)
Rochdale left the fourth tier of English football for the first time since 1969 and they will be the first of three homes games in October (Oct 2nd) along with Carlisle (16th) and Brentford. (30th)
November sees the first round of the FA Cup, a home match with Notts County (Nov 13th) then the petrol-sapping treks to Huddersfield (20th) and Oldham (23rd) on the Tuesday night before hopefully another Cup tie.
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It is a long way to Oldham on a Tuesday night! |
Tranmere Rovers' visit to Devon on 4th December precedes arguably the biggest match of 2010, the away trip to Home Park on December 11th, THE match I'm sure many fans looked for on their first sighting of the fixture list.
The December/Christmas period is looking very tasty and very busy with the Grecians hosting Sheffield Wednesday, (18th) Swindon (Boxing Day) and Brighton (3rd Jan)and making away trips to Carlisle (28th) and Southampton. (New Years Day)
The fixtures continue to come thick and fast into January with the MK Dons in Devon on 8th and Walsall on 22nd while there are two away games sure to see a big travelling support in the second half of the month at Brentford (15th) and Swindon. (29th)
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The away fans will travel in their numbers yet again next season |
Southampton are one of the pre-season favourites to clinch promotion back to the Championship and fans will get to see whether the Grecians can pull off a shock home win on 1st February.
Huddersfield at home is a game that will live long in the memory and Paul Tisdale will be hoping for a similar result in the 2010/11 season when his side host Town just four days later.
Away days at Meadow Lane (Feb 12th) and The Valley (Feb 19th) are next up then a home match with Hartlepool awaits as February draws to a close. (26th)
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Another trip to The Valley awaits |
As the season and weather starts to heat up in March City fans will be on the road for three lengthy trips to Peterborough, Rochdale and Colchester broken up with home matches against Bournemouth (8th) and Yeovil. (19th)
After a visit from Dagenham (2nd April) the City squad travel to Bristol Rovers seven days later before a Park double-header against Leyton Orient (16th) and Oldham. (23rd)
Just like last season an April trip to Tranmere is on the cards before the huge finale: Plymouth at home on April 30th then it's Hillsborough for Sheffield Wednesday vs Exeter City to complete a hopefully memorable campaign.
(Then it's the FA Cup final on May 14th. We can dream cant we?!)
- Tom Fowles correctly predicted that we would face Colchester on Day One and a City goodybag is on its way to him!
