Town will play the MK Dons away in a friendly on Tuesday 24th July (KO 7.45pm). The Dons were relegated to League Two at the end of 2017/18.

The game is the first pre-season match to be announced with the Blues’ programme following the pattern which became familiar under former boss Mick McCarthy.

The squad will spend a week training at the Carton House Hotel in Co Kildare before playing one Ireland-based friendly which is still to be confirmed, although is understood to be at last year’s opponents Drogheda United.

Further matches away against relatively local League One and League Two clubs in addition to the MK Dons game, almost certainly including Colchester United, will be confirmed in the weeks to come with the Blues expected to play their final friendly at home, as had been the tradition up to the last couple of seasons.

Speaking ahead of the last match of the season against Middlesbrough, caretaker-manager Bryan Klug said: “Andy Liddell [has organised pre-season], that’s slotted into place.

"Obviously the new manager might want to do something completely different, so we’ve got to be adaptable on that. We have a plan and whoever comes in it’ll be his plan then.

“But there’s certain things you have to book up, you have to book up games now and stuff like that, so we’ll do as much of that as we can but I would expect a new manager might want to put his stamp on it.”

The MK Dons trip will see defender Jordan Spence face his former club.

Photo: Action Images

12th_Man added 16:45 - May 16 Oh how exciting just wait for the Colchester Cambridge and Peterborough games next
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runningout added 16:58 - May 16 This is desperate already!!! Can't help but be negative with this pre season game. This is a bad omen for upcoming year ahead at our once we'll run club
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runningout added 16:59 - May 16 ‘Well'
0

itsonlyme added 17:02 - May 16 Why the moaning about these fixtures? Makes sense to make them reasonably local.
9

joff80 added 17:09 - May 16 Is there anything people won't moan about? It's pre season, so what! I finished my first marathon here last week and thought it looked like a nice place to go watch a game. It's also end of term for my daughter and not too far to go so I can take her to her first away match! Good times!
5

BlueandTruesince82 added 17:10 - May 16 Jesus. It's off season can we leave the moaning to pre-season? England have got a world cup for everyone to whinge through first
11

jpring89 added 17:20 - May 16 They would moan if we played Barca, Real, Juve, PSG, Bayern in pre season.
2

rollercoastertown added 17:20 - May 16 So when will we announce the friendly with St Mirren?
5

wellingtonboot added 17:31 - May 16 About the same time as the Inter Milan friendly, rollercoastertown
5

MickMillsTash added 17:37 - May 16 We should not play this club unless absolutely necessary.
6

Kropotkin123 added 17:38 - May 16 MK Dons still don't sit well with me... due to it being a stolen club
3

SpruceMoose added 17:38 - May 16 Makes a change from Ireland.
1

BlueBlood90 added 17:50 - May 16 I can't wait for the Lazio game!
8

Cakeman added 17:56 - May 16 I agree with you itsonlyme, local fixtures are good. These are about warming up hopefully with no injuries so it matters little who we play. Local games will at least have more spectators than games at far away places. Wait until the manager is announced and then there will no doubt be plenty of moaning before anyone has even stepped into the stadium.
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TheTrueBlue1878 added 18:07 - May 16 We are not even playing football and people are moaning. On what planet would it be a good idea to be carting the players to each end of the country for a pre season game, they do enough of that during the main season. Keep it local, keep them fresh, let the manager go up against 'lesser' opposition to implement their philosophy first.
2

ajs83 added 18:25 - May 16 Who were you expecting us to play? Real Madrid?
2

Campag_Velocet added 18:53 - May 16 Would rather we played anyone else but the club thieves.
2

midastouch added 18:59 - May 16 Hope it goes better than it did against Charlton last season!?
2

marco007 added 19:37 - May 16 I am happy as i can walk to the stadium from my office 😀
1

12th_Man added 20:00 - May 16 We are still doing Ireland aswell SpruceMoise
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tractorboybig added 20:35 - May 16 all preseason should be local games.
1

bluerthanthou added 20:52 - May 16 The Franchise being relegated while AFC Wimbledon stayed in Division 1 was a highlight of last season.
2

fergalsharkey added 21:19 - May 16 We should take at least 29000
0

blueblood_soldier added 06:36 - May 17 I think there should be a mix... local is easier for majority of fans but as one of the 600+ that went to Fortuna Düsseldorf couple of years back, I think we should spread our wings for a couple of games!
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