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Town Face Coventry On Opening Day - Ipswich Town News

Town will start the 2009/10 season as they ended the 2008/09 campaign – with a game against Coventry City. However, rather than repeating the final day match at Portman Road, the Blues are off to the Ricoh Arena on August 8th.

It's first time Town have been away on the opening day of the season since travelling to Walsall in 2002/03 when they ran out 2-0 winners. Town won the end of 2008/09 game against the Sky Blues 2-1, having draw 2-2 in the Midlands earlier in the season.

After the Tuesday Carling Cup tie at Shrewsbury, Town's first home game is against Leicester City the following Saturday. August continues with a home match against Crystal Palace on the following Tuesday, a trip to West Brom on Saturday 22nd and ends with a home game against Preston North End.

September starts with a long trip to Middlesbrough on Saturday 12th September with Nottingham Forest at home, Doncaster Rovers away, a visit from Newcastle United and a Tuesday night trip to Sheffield United completing the month.

Norwich's relegation to League One means that games against Peterborough are the nearest we get to derby matches. The Posh are at Portman Road on Tuesday 8th December, while the Blues travel to London Road on Tuesday 16th February.

Aside from the visit to Bramall Lane in September, Town's away midweek programme is somewhat friendlier than in previous years. The Blues will travel to face Jim Magilton's QPR at Loftus Road on Tuesday 9th February, the home game having been on Monday 28th December, and are at Watford on Tuesday 16th March.

Town's longest trip of the season, to Plymouth, comes one day earlier than last season, on Saturday 24th October, while the Blues are at Blackpool on Saturday 6th March and Newcastle's St James' Park on the penultimate day of the season, Saturday 24th April.

The run-in is completed with what looks likely to be a crucial home game with Sheffield United on Sunday 2nd May with April seeing Easter fixtures against Reading at home on the Saturday and Derby County away on the Monday, before a trip to Nottingham Forest, a visit from Doncaster Rovers and then the Newcastle match.

Boxing Day sees Town at Crystal Palace's Selhurst Park, while there is no New Year's Day game with the FA Cup third round on Saturday 2nd January.

As ever the dates of one or two fixtures are likely to change date or kick-off time for Sky and from this season BBC live coverage.

To see the fixtures in full, click here.

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