HUDDERSFIELD TOwn kick-off their first Championship season in 11 years on Saturday, August 18, with one of their longest trips - to Cardiff City.

The club played at the City of Cardiff Stadium last season in the League (Carling) Cup and will return there after playing in the first round of that competition against Preston North End (the previous week).

Simon Grayson's promoted side will then face Nottingham Forest in their first home league game on Tuesday, August 21, before entertaining Burnley in their first Galpharm Saturday fixture on August 25.

The big West Yorkshire derbies against Leeds United come on Saturday, December 1, at the Galpharm and Saturday, March 16, at Elland Road.

And Town have cracking matches over Christmas and at Easter.

Grayson's men play Blackpool at home on Boxing Day (Wednesday, December 26) and entertain fellow promotion side Sheffield Wednesday the following Saturday (December 29) before visiting Leicester City on New Year's Day.

At Easter, Town are at home to Hull City on the Saturday (March 30) before making the short journey to Bolton Wanderers on Easter Monday (April 1).

There could be changes to the draft fixture list because of TV commitments, and Town fans should also expect a few early kick-off matches during the campaign.

Town are also inactive on international weekends, which means they have no matches on Saturday, September 8, or Saturday October 13.

The only long trips in succession are to Peterborough and Millwall at the end of October and Town's Operations Director Ann Hough feels the fixture computer has dealt the club an exciting return to the second tier of English football.

"Everyone is excited for the new season and I don't think it's planned out badly for us," she said.

"It's a tough start with the Capital One Cup at Preston and then the first Championship game at Cardiff, but we've then got the two straight home games against Forest and Burnley when the atmosphere here at the Galpharm will be fantastic.

"We'll have big crowds down here for the first home games and our supporters and players will be really up for it, we know that."

In addition to the international breaks, Town don't play in the FA Cup until the third round on Saturday, January 5.

"The games at Christmas are great for us, with Blackpool here on Boxing Day it will be a tremendous occasion," she added.

"Sheffield Wednesday at home the following match is also one everybody will be looking forward to and then Leicester isn't too far for fans to travel at the start of the New Year, before we enter the FA Cup.

"Easter is also good against Hull City and Bolton and it's nice to finish off the season at home against Barnsley, another Yorkshire derby game.

"We've got some great matches and a brilliant season to look forward to and we really can't wait for it all to come around."

See page two for full fixture list

w/c 13 Aug    Preston North End    A    Capital One Cup Round One
Sat 18 Aug    Cardiff City    A   
Tue 21 Aug    Nottingham Forest    H   
Sat 25 Aug    Burnley    H   
w/c 27 Aug            Capital One Cup Round Two
Sat 1 Sep    Ipswich Town    A   
Sat 15 Sep    Derby County    H   
Tue 18 Sep    Sheffield Wednesday    A   
Sat 22 Sep    Blackpool    A   
w/c 24 Sep            Capital One Cup Round Three
Sat 29 Sep    Watford    H   
Tue 2 Oct    Leicester City    H   
Sat 6 Oct    Birmingham City    A   
Sat 20 Oct    Wolverhampton Wanderers    H   
Tue 23 Oct    Peterborough United    A   
Sat 27 Oct    Millwall    A   
w/c 29 Oct            Capital One Cup Round Four
Sat 3 Nov    Bristol City    H   
Tue 6 Nov    Blackburn Rovers    H   
Sat 10 Nov    Barnsley    A   
Sat 17 Nov    Brighton & Hove Albion    H   
Sat 24 Nov    Charlton Athletic     A   
Tue 27 Nov    Middlesbrough    A   
Sat 1 Dec    Leeds United     H   
Sat 8 Dec    Bolton Wanderers     H   
w/c 10 Dec            Capital One Cup Round Five
Sat 15 Dec    Hull City    A   
Sat 22 Dec    Crystal Palace    A   
Wed 26 Dec    Blackpool    H   
Sat 29 Dec    Sheffield Wednesday    H   
Tue 1 Jan    Leicester City    A   
Sat 5 Jan            FA Cup Round Three
w/c 7 Jan            Capital One Cup Semi-Final (1)
Sat 12 Jan    Birmingham City    H   
Sat 19 Jan    Watford    A   
w/c 21 Jan            Capital One Cup Semi-Final (2)
Sat 26 Jan    Crystal Palace    H    Or FA Cup Round Four
Sat 2 Feb    Derby County    A   
Sat 9 Feb    Cardiff City    H   
Sat 16 Feb    Burnley    A    Or FA Cup Round Five
Tue 19 Feb    Nottingham Forest    A   
Sat 23 Feb    Ipswich Town    H   
Sun 24 Feb            Capital One Cup Final
Sat 2 Mar    Brighton & Hove Albion    A   
Tue 5 Mar    Middlesbrough    H   
Sat 9 Mar    Charlton Athletic    H    Or FA Cup Round Six
Sat 16 Mar    Leeds United    A   
Sat 30 Mar    Hull City    H   
Mon 1 Apr    Bolton Wanderers     A   
Sat 6 Apr    Peterborough United    H   
Sat 13 Apr    Wolverhampton Wanderers    A    Or FA Cup Semi-Final
Wed 17 Apr    Blackburn Rovers    A   
Sat 20 Apr    Millwall    H   
Sat 27 Apr    Bristol City    A   
Sat 4 May    Barnsley    H   
Sat 11 May            FA Cup Final

"Copyright 2012 Football DataCo Ltd, The Football Association Premier League Ltd / The Football League Ltd / The Scottish Premier League Ltd / The Scottish Football League. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any way or by any means, (including photocopying, recording or storing it in any medium by electronic means), without the written permission of the copyright/database copyright owner. Applications for written permission should be addressed c/o Football DataCo Ltd, 30 Gloucester Place, London, W1U 8PL."