Hooray! They are out and we can now plan the next 11 months of our lives. Personally I'm very grateful for the way certain fixtures have fallen with away games on the dates of major family events meaning that for the first time in a long while I should make full use of the season ticket (providing I avoid the swine flu).
Is it me or do some games always seem to be in the same sort of position? Having read Paul Fletcher's excellent article on the BBC website about the fixtures computer I'm sure this is coincidence. But we do always seems to get Sheff U away early on. Forest was our second away match last season. Plymouth away is always on a Tuesday night. Bristol City are traditional Christmas opponents even though its a bloomin' long way down the M4. We are, yet again, Coventry's last home game although this time on the final day.
Donnie at home is a nice opener and ironic considering this was BR's first game in charge too. A pleasant evening trip to Underhill in the Cup follows before the tough one away at Sheff United. Easier looking games then see us going to Forest and hosting Blackpool. A brilliant start would be 9 points from the first 4 games and even 7 would be great. Anything under 4 will cause feelings of foreboding.
Its disappointing we won't see Rodgers walk down the Watford tunnel until April and, as some have already pointed out, he might not be there by then. Either being sacked or tempted away by some other mate of his. However we do get to go to the Madjetski in September and it should surprise no-one if we get Reading as a cup tie at some point.
Its a shame the trips to Boro and Newcastle are fairly close together. I really fancied going to St.James' but it seems much less appealing on a cold dark Saturday in December when we will have only recently done almost 90% of that long journey to the North East. I will definitely go to the Riverside as I've not done so before.
The trips I'm really looking forward to are the more quirky ones. Peterborough and Scunthorpe instantly got ticks as must go's. I'd like to go back up to Donnie partly as it was so friendly and partly 'cos its the easiest ground to park at ever. Cardiff will have their new stadium which tempts me although I don't know why. No doubt it will look like all the other new ones. Barnsley seems notorious as being the coldest ground in the country (although I'd argue its Adams Park) and appeals as being the sort of mad trip people like me make.
When my wife or friends ask why I bother doing a Blackpool or a Doncaster, just like mountaineers I can only give the answer "because it's there". I'd go to them all if I could. But having a family means being selective. That selection process started at 10am this morning and will be ongoing until the beginning of May. Bring it on. I can't wait.
