City have been handed one of the toughest possible starts to League One with a trip to Bristol City.

Sean O’Driscoll’s side were relegated after finishing bottom of the Championship and are strongly tipped by the bookies as third-favourites to bounce straight back.

But history is on the side of the Bantams, who are unbeaten in their last eight meetings - including a 3-2 win at Ashton Gate in March 2007.

Greg Abbott returns to Valley Parade with Carlisle for City’s first home game in the third tier since that season. There is also a tasty Yorkshire derby against Sheffield United in the opening month.

Wolves visit Valley Parade on October 26 but the stand-out fixture is the Boxing Day clash with bitter foes Rotherham. City are also at home to Swindon over the Christmas period.

The much-anticipated trip to Molineux is on February 1 and Crawley provide the opposition for City’s final home game. They round off the season away to Tranmere.

AUGUST

Sat 3 Bristol City A

Sat 10 CARLISLE H

Sat 17 Port Vale A

Sat 24 SHEFF UTD H

Sat 31 Stevenage A

SEPTEMBER

Sat 7 BRENTFORD H

Sat 14 COLCHESTER H

Sat 21 Gillingham A

Sat 28 SHREWSBURY H

OCTOBER

Sat 5 Walsall A

Sat 12 TRANMERE H

Sat 19 Crawley A

Tue 22 Preston A

Sat 26 WOLVES H

NOVEMBER

Sat 2 Crewe A

Sat 16 COVENTRY H

Sat 23 MK Dons A

Tue 26 NOTTS COUNTY H

Sat 30 Oldham A

DECEMBER

Sat 14 LEYTON ORIENT H

Sat 21 Peterborough A

Thur 26 ROTHERHAM H

Sun 29 SWINDON H

JANUARY

Wed 1 Notts County A

Sat 4 Carlisle A

Sat 11 BRISTOL CITY H

Sat 18 Sheff Utd A

Sat 25 PORT VALE H

Tue 28 PRESTON H

FEBRUARY

Sat 1 Wolves A

Sat 8 CREWE H

Sat 15 Coventry A

Sat 22 MK DONS H

MARCH

Sat 1 STEVENAGE H

Sat 8 Brentford A

Tue 11 Colchester A

Sat 15 GILLINGHAM H

Sat 22 Shrewsbury A

Tue 25 WALSALL H

Sat 29 Leyton Orient A

APRIL

Sat 5 OLDHAM H

Sat 12 Rotherham A

Sat 19 PETERBOROUGH H

Mon 21 Swindon A

Sat 26 CRAWLEY H

MAY

Sat 3 Tranmere A

Full fixtures section at: telegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbcfc/bantams_fixtures_1314/