CITY have been handed an opening-day trip to Shrewsbury in a tough first month of the season, after the new League One fixtures were published this morning.

Michael Collins will begin life as the Bantams head coach away to the losing play-off finalists.

His first game in charge at Valley Parade will be a tasty Yorkshire derby against relegated Barnsley.

City then travel to Southend before hosting Burton, another side who came down from the Championship.

Promoted Wycombe’s visit to Valley Parade rounds off a challenging start for the new coaching team.

Sunderland come to West Yorkshire on October 6 before the sides renew their Boxing Day rivalry at the Stadium of Light. The clubs met three times in six years on December 26 between 1997 and 2003.

City are at home on New Year’s Day against Accrington as well as on the final day when Wimbledon are the visitors.

AUGUST

Sat 4 Shrewsbury A

Sat 11 BARNSLEY H

Sat 18 Southend A

Tue 21 BURTON H

Sat 25 WYCOMBE H

SEPTEMBER

Sat 1 Fleetwood A

Sat 8 Blackpool A

Sat 15 CHARLTON H

Sat 22 Doncaster A

Sat 29 BRISTOL ROVERS H

OCTOBER

Tue 2 Wimbledon A

Sat 6 SUNDERLAND H

Sat 13 Accrington A

Sat 20 ROCHDALE H

Tue 23 COVENTRY H

Sat 27 Gillingham A

NOVEMBER

Sat 3 PORTSMOUTH H

Sat 10 FA CUP 1

Sat 17 Peterborough A

Sat 24 OXFORD H

Tue 27 Luton A

DECEMBER

Sat 1 FA CUP 2

Sat 8 Plymouth A

Sat 15 WALSALL H

Sat 22 SCUNTHORPE H

Wed 26 Sunderland A

Sat 29 Rochdale A

JANUARY

Tue 1 ACCRINGTON H

Sat 5 SHREWSBURY H

Sat 12 Barnsley A

Sat 19 SOUTHEND H

Sat 26 Burton A

FEBRUARY

Sat 2 Wycombe A

Sat 9 FLEETWOOD H

Sat 16 PLYMOUTH H

Sat 23 Walsall A

MARCH

Sat 2 Portsmouth A

Sat 9 PETERBOROUGH H

Tue 12 LUTON H

Sat 16 Oxford A

Sat 23 BLACKPOOL H

Sat 30 Charlton A

APRIL

Sat 6 DONCASTER H

Sat 13 Bristol Rovers A

Fri 19 Coventry A

Mon 22 GILLINGHAM H

Sat 27 Scunthorpe A

MAY

Sat 4 WIMBLEDON H