Leicester City kick off new season with home clash

Leicester City have a home start for their return to the Coca-Cola Championship.

Nigel Pearson’s men will face Swansea at the Walkers Stadium on the opening day of the 2009-10 season, Saturday, August 8.

The Welsh club will provide City with an immediate guide to what is needed at Championship level because they missed they play-offs by just two places last season.

The first draft of the fixtures, released today and subject to change, shows that City have two huge away trips in the opening month of the season.

They travel to Sheffield United, who just missed out on automatic promotion to the Premier League at the end of the last campaign, on Tuesday, August 18.

Then, on Saturday, August 29, they go to St James’ Park to take on Newcastle, who were relegated from the top flight last term.

The Blue Army will not have to wait long to welcome former City manager Ian Holloway back to the Walkers Stadium.

Holloway, who was at the helm when City were relegated at the end of the 2007-08 season, brings his new club, Blackpool, to the Walkers Stadium on Saturday, September 12.

And there is another early clash with a relegated side when City travel to Middlesbrough on Tuesday, September 29.

The Blue Army will welcome a home fixture on Boxing Day when Sheffield United are the visitors.

This is the first draft of the fixtures and they are subject to changes for policing and television reasons. Match tickets go on sale from Saturday, July 4, with pricing structure to be released tomorrow morning.

In addition, some games may be moved if there are clashes with Leicester Tigers' home matches.

August

Sat 8 Swansea (h)

Sat 15 Ipswich (a)

Tue 18 Sheffield United (a)

Sat 22 Barnsley (h)

Sat 29 Newcastle (a)

September

Sat 12 Blackpool (h)

Tue 15 Peterborough (h)

Sat 19 Watford (a)

Sat 26 Preston (h)

Tue 29 Middlesbrough (a)

October

Sat 3 Coventry (a)

Sat 17 Derby (h)

Tue 20 Crystal Palace (h)

Sat 24 Reading (a)

Sat 31 QPR (a)

November

Sat 7 West Brom (h)

Sat 21 Plymouth (h)

Sat 28 Scunthorpe (a)

December

Sat 5 Nottingham Forest (a)

Tue 8 Bristol City (h)

Sat 12 Sheffield Wednesday (h)

Sat 19 Cardiff (a)

Sat 26 Sheffield United (h)

Mon 28 Doncaster (a)

January 2010

Sat 9 Ipswich (h)

Sat 16 Swansea (a)

Tue 26 Barnsley (a)

Sat 30 Newcastle (h)

February

Sat 6 Blackpool (a)

Tue 9 Doncaster (h)

Sat 13 Scunthorpe (h)

Tue 16 Bristol City (a)

Sat 20 Plymouth (a)

Sat 27 Nottingham Forest (h)

March

Sat 6 Sheffield Wednesday (a)

Sat 13 Cardiff (h)

Tue 16 Crystal Palace (a)

Sat 20 Coventry (h)

Tue 23 Reading (h)

Sat 27 Derby (a)

April

Sat 3 West Brom (a)

Mon 5 QPR (h)

Sat 10 Peterborough (a)

Sat 17 Watford (h)

Sat 24 Preston (a)

May

Sun 2 Middlesbrough (h)

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