THE SKY Blues will open their 2015/16 League One campaign with a difficult home match against recently relegated Wigan Athletic.
Tony Mowbray’s side host the Latics on August 8 before heading to the capital the following Saturday to face Millwall, who were also relegated from the Championship last season.
It is a tough opening two games for the Sky Blues who will be looking to make a charge for promotion this season but Mowbray is very much looking forward to the challenge ahead.
He said: “It is an exciting start to the season as much as it is a challenging one. There are a lot of expectation on those two sides.
“Wigan have just been relegated and have a young manager in Gary Caldwell, someone I know very well and managed twice at Celtic and Hibernian, and I wish him all the best.
“Like Wigan, I’m sure Millwall will be expecting to bounce straight back to the Championship. It is always a good journey to Millwall and a good atmosphere.
“When a team is relegated, there is often a lot of upheavel in the summer with the players on the bigger salaries leaving so it might be a good time to play them but it can also work the other way.
“I’m sure the fans are excited by the start as even though you’ve got to play all the teams anyways, to get the bigger games earlier can add a bit more excitement.
“It could be a good way of seeing where we are at after pre-season but I think it shows the importance of getting everything right and preparing well.”
The first Midlands derby of the season falls on August 22 when the Sky Blues make the short trip to Walsall.
Mowbray’s side host Port Vale at the Ricoh Arena on Boxing Day and head to Crewe on January 2 for the first match in 2016.
The final home match will be played against Sheffield United on April 30 and a trip to Oldham Athletic on May 8 concludes the 2015/16 campaign.
Mowbray has confirmed he and his staff are currently working on bringing in new recruits but he admits there is a lot of work to do between now and the start of the new season.
He added: “We’ve got to start the season on the right front and there is still a lot of work which needs to be done here.
“I’m saying that the clubs we face need to do a lot of work but if we focus on Coventry City, we’ve got make sure this squad is ready for the season and that is my main focus.”
Coventry City full fixture list:
AUGUST
SAT 08 Wigan Athletic H (3pm)
SAT 15 Millwall A (3pm)
TUE 18 Crewe Alexandra H (7.45)
SAT 22 Walsall A (3pm)
SAT 29 Southend United H (3pm)
SEPTEMBER
SAT 05 Burton Albion A (3pm)
SAT 12 Scunthorpe United A (3pm)
SAT 19 Chesterfield H (3pm)
SAT 26 Bury A (3pm)
TUE 29 Barnsley H (7.45)
OCTOBER
SAT 03 Shrewsbury Town H (3pm)
SAT 10 Fleetwood Town A (3pm)
Fleetwood Town
SAT 17 Blackpool H (3pm)
TUE 20 Rochdale A (7.45pm)
SAT 24 Swindon Town A (3pm)
SAT 31 Peterborough United H (3pm)
NOVEMBER
SAT 14 Colchester United A (3pm)
SAT 21 Gillingham H (3pm)
TUE 24 Bradford City A (7.45)
SAT 28 Doncaster Rovers H (3pm)
DECEMBER
SAT 12 Sheffield United A (3pm)
SAT 19 Oldham Athletic H (3pm)
SAT 26 Port Vale H (3pm)
MON 28 Chesterfield A (3pm)
JANUARY
SAT 02 Crewe Alexandra A (3pm)
SAT 09 Walsall H (3pm)
SAT 16 Burton Albion H (3pm)
SAT 23 Southend United A (3pm)
SAT 30 Scunthorpe United H (3pm)
FEBRUARY
SAT 06 Port Vale A (3pm)
SAT 13 Bury H (3pm)
SAT 20 Shrewsbury Town A (3pm)
SAT 27 Fleetwood Town H 3pm)
MARCH
TUE 01 Barnsley A (7.45pm)
SAT 05 Rochdale H (3pm)
SAT 12 Blackpool (A (3pm)
SAT 19 Swindon Town H (3pm)
SAT 26 Peterborough United A (3pm)
MON 28 Colchester United H (3pm)
APRIL
SAT 02 Gillingham A (3pm)
SAT 09 Wigan Athletic A (3pm)
SAT 16 Millwall H (3pm)
TUE 19 Bradford City H (7.45pm)
SAT 23 Doncaster Rovers A (3pm)
SAT 30 Sheffield United H (3pm)
MAY
SUN 08 Oldham Athletic A (12.30pm)
