McCall gets down to work as fixtures released

5:56pm Monday 16th June 2008

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Stuart McCall spent this afternoon watching DVDs of last season's games against Notts County and Macclesfield.

Just hours after seeing the new fixtures, the City boss wasted no time in doing some homework.

He explained: "It gets you in the mindset for the season. I know they will have brought in some new players - and Notts County have just got Jamie Forrester from Lincoln - but it's useful to have a look at how they played before and how we did."

City would certainly settle for a repeat of last season's encounters with Notts County when the Magpies roll up at Valley Parade for the curtain-raiser on Saturday, August 9.

A Peter Thorne hat-trick despatched them 3-0 in January, before three second-half goals sealed a come-from-behind double in the return fixture a month later.

Like most managers, McCall is happy to be handed a home start. It will bring back memories of his managerial debut last August, when Macclesfield interrupted his homecoming by forcing a 1-1 draw.

McCall said: "Funnily enough, I had the Macclesfield game out the other day and it was a great occasion coming back. But you hope for a home game to start off with, so we've got our wish.

"Notts County was probably our best performance at Valley Parade last season and we also played very well down there to come back from a goal down and win."

The Notts County fixture will be followed three days later by the much-anticipated Carling Cup derby clash with Huddersfield at the Galpharm.

"We couldn't have got any harder draw last year than Wolves away and this is a great one for us," said McCall.

"It does get the excitement going because of the rivalry between the two clubs and we will want to put in a better performance than last time (lost 2-0).

"Huddersfield are going to have a bit of money behind them and, with Stan Ternent's shrewdness, they will fancy themselves to do well next season."

Lincoln once again provide the Boxing Day opposition for City, although this time the game is at Sincil Bank.

There is no New Year's Day fixture because January 1 falls on a Thursday and the Football League decided that was too close to the FA Cup third-round ties the following weekend.

AUGUST

Sat 9 NOTTS COUNTY H

Tue 12 Huddersfield (CC1) A

Sat 16 Macclesfield A

Sat 23 ROCHDALE H

Sat 30 Aldershot A

SEPTEMBER

Sat 6 Port Vale A

Sat 13 EXETER H

Sat 20 BOURNEMOUTH H

Sat 27 Shrewsbury A

OCTOBER

Sat 4 LUTON H

Sat 11 Accrington A

Sat 18 GILLINGHAM H

Tue 21 Darlington A

Sat 25 Grimsby A

Tue 28 BURY H

NOVEMBER

Sat 1 BARNET H

Sat 8 FA CUP 1

Sat 15 Wycombe A

Sat 22 Rotherham A

Tue 25 CHESTERFIELD H

Sat 29 FA CUP 2

DECEMBER

Sat 6 DAGENHAM H

Sat 13 Brentford A

Sat 20 CHESTER H

Fri 26 Lincoln A

Sun 28 MORECAMBE H

JANUARY

Sat 3 SHREWSBURY H

Sat 10 Bournemouth A

Sat 17 ACCRINGTON H

Sat 24 Luton A

Tue 27 Bury A

Sat 31 GRIMSBY H

FEBRUARY

Tue 3 DARLINGTON H

Sat 7 Gillingham A

Sat 14 WYCOMBE H

Sat 21 Barnet A

Sat 28 Notts County A

MARCH

Tue 3 MACCLESFIELD H

Sat 7 ALDERSHOT H

Tue 10 Rochdale A

Sat 14 Exeter A

Sat 21 PORT VALE H

Sat 28 Chester A

APRIL

Sat 4 BRENTFORD H

Sat 11 Morecambe A

Mon 13 LINCOLN H

Sat 18 Dagenham A

Sat 25 ROTHERHAM H

MAY

Sat 2 Chesterfield A

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