Skipper Gareth McAuley says he is looking for a strong start from Town when the new season gets under way at Coventry City on August 8th. The Northern Irishman comes up against his old club Leicester City when the Blues play their first home game a week later.

McAuley told the club site: "It's important to get up and running early and build some momentum and we've got to look to do that from the first day at Coventry.

"We didn't start well last season and lost our first two home games and that puts you on the back foot, so we've got to start the season well at Coventry and then push on from there with the home games against Leicester and Crystal Palace.

"It's going to be a very competitive league next season with some big clubs in there and that makes it even more important that we start well."

The central defender says he's looking forward to facing his old club on August 15th: "I've kept in touch with some of the lads up there and they are a good club.

"I'm pleased they are back in the Championship. They had a good away record last season and will be full of confidence after winning League One, so it will be a difficult game. Our home form let us down last season and we know we have to put that right."

Coventry boss Chris Coleman says his side would have a tricky opening match whoever they were playing: "It's difficult no matter who you get for the first game because this league is so tight in terms of competition and with it being the first game of the season the boys are going to be finding their feet again.

"It doesn't matter if you have Ipswich at home or Newcastle away, the start to the season is always frantic and I still believe four games in the first ten days of a new season needs to be looked at.”

You can see Town's fixtures in full here.

Photo: Action Images

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