BLACKBURN Rovers boss Gary Bowyer is relishing the start of the new Championship season after the release of the 2015-16 fixtures.

Rovers will kick-off the campaign on Saturday, August 8 at home to Wolves before travelling to Huddersfield Town on Saturday, August 15 for their first away game of a season which will see them renew rivalries with Burnley and Preston North End.

Bowyer, whose side finished two places below promoted Wolves in ninth last time out, and lost both encounters between the clubs, said: “It’s great that the fixtures are out because it means we are getting closer to the start of the season.

“Wolves is a difficult one to open, but it’s at home, and all the fixtures in the Championship are going to be difficult again this season.

“They had a fabulous season under Kenny Jackett, he did brilliantly, and no doubt with the resources that are available to him, he’ll be strengthening again in the summer.

“But it’s up to us to get prepared and ready for them. We can’t wait now.”

Rovers’ first East Lancashire derby of the campaign, against newly relegated Burnley, will take place at Ewood Park on Saturday, October 24, with the reverse clash at Turf Moor following on Saturday, March 5.
Rovers will make the short journey to Preston North End on Saturday, November 21, with the reverse encounter coming on Saturday, April 2 after the final international break of the season.

It will be the first meetings of the sides since Rovers sealed promotion to the top-flight with a 1-0 win at Deepdale in May 2001.

And Bowyer said: “We’ve lost Blackpool and Wigan Athletic so the fact that we’ve gained Preston and Burnley is very good for us because you always love your local derbies.

“I’m sure they were the first fixtures the supporters were looking for.”

But Bowyer is more pleased that Rovers, who will round off their campaign at home to Reading on Saturday, May 7, have been handed only one long midweek trip, to QPR on Tuesday, September 15.

He said: “It’s been a lot kinder to us and that helps our supporters massively on the away trips.

“The following we’ve received in both seasons I’ve been in charge has been magnificent so I’m glad the way it has been set up will make it easier for them.”

Rovers, who will host Middlesbrough and travel to Bolton Wanderers and Cardiff City over the festive period, have yet to announce the exact date of their Capital One Cup tie at home to Shrewsbury Town.

The newly promoted Shrews will attempt to become the third League One outfit in as many years to knock Rovers out of the first round of the competition.

And Bowyer has hinted that, unlike in the shock losses to Scunthorpe United and Carlisle United, he will not rotate his squad.

 “It’s going to be a tough game because Shrewsbury got promoted and Micky Mellon has done a fantastic job,” Bowyer said of the tie, which will take place in the week beginning August 10.

“But we’ll have a look at it and see what we’re going to do with that.

“Last year we gave quite a few of the youngsters a game, and mixed it up, and we suffered because we got knocked out by Scunthorpe.

“That’s two years on the trot and that’s not something we’ll want to repeat this time.”