Colchester United will make the long trip to play Hartlepool United on the opening day of the new League Two season.
The U's will travel to Victoria Park on August 6, after the new Football League fixtures were announced for the 2016-17 campaign.
It is a repeat of Colchester's opening-day fixture of the 2008-09 season, when Steven Gillespie scored twice in a 4-2 defeat against Pools.
Colchester's first home league game on August 13 will see a return for former manager and player Joe Dunne, who is assistant manager at Cambridge United.
That will be followed with another home game against newly-promoted Grimsby Town, on August 16.
John McGreal's side complete the opening month of the season with trips to play Portsmouth (August 20) and rivals Wycombe Wanderers (August 27).
The U's will travel to play Luton Town on Boxing Day and follow that up with games at Stevenage (New Year's Eve) and at home to newly-promoted Cheltenham Town (January 2), over the festive period.
Colchester will finish the season with a home game against Yeovil Town at the Weston Homes Community Stadium, on May 6.
Colchester will discover their first-round opponents in the League Cup this lunchtime.
The U's are unseeded in the draw and could face the likes of Aston Villa, Ipswich Town or Birmingham City in the opening round of the competition.
COLCHESTER UNITED FIXTURES FOR 2016-17 LEAGUE TWO SEASON:
06/08/2016 15:00 Hartlepool United v Colchester United
13/08/2016 15:00 Colchester United v Cambridge United
16/08/2016 19:45 Colchester United v Grimsby Town
20/08/2016 15:00 Portsmouth v Colchester United
27/08/2016 15:00 Wycombe Wanderers v Colchester United
03/09/2016 15:00 Colchester United v Exeter City
10/09/2016 15:00 Colchester United v Blackpool
17/09/2016 15:00 Barnet v Colchester United
24/09/2016 15:00 Colchester United v Accrington Stanley
27/09/2016 19:45 Crawley Town v Colchester United
01/10/2016 15:00 Carlisle United v Colchester United
08/10/2016 15:00 Colchester United v Newport County
15/10/2016 15:00 Doncaster Rovers v Colchester United
22/10/2016 15:00 Colchester United v Morecambe
29/10/2016 15:00 Plymouth Argyle v Colchester United
12/11/2016 15:00 Colchester United v Leyton Orient
19/11/2016 15:00 Yeovil Town v Colchester United
22/11/2016 19:45 Cheltenham Town v Colchester United
26/11/2016 15:00 Colchester United v Crewe Alexandra
10/12/2016 15:00 Mansfield Town v Colchester United
17/12/2016 15:00 Colchester United v Notts. County
26/12/2016 15:00 Luton Town v Colchester United
31/12/2016 15:00 Stevenage v Colchester United
02/01/2017 15:00 Colchester United v Cheltenham Town
07/01/2017 15:00 Colchester United v Carlisle United
14/01/2017 15:00 Newport County v Colchester United
21/01/2017 15:00 Exeter City v Colchester United
28/01/2017 15:00 Colchester United v Wycombe Wanderers
04/02/2017 15:00 Blackpool v Colchester United
11/02/2017 15:00 Colchester United v Barnet
14/02/2017 19:45 Colchester United v Crawley Town
18/02/2017 15:00 Accrington Stanley v Colchester United
25/02/2017 15:00 Colchester United v Hartlepool United
28/02/2017 19:45 Grimsby Town v Colchester United
04/03/2017 15:00 Cambridge United v Colchester United
11/03/2017 15:00 Colchester United v Portsmouth
14/03/2017 19:45 Colchester United v Mansfield Town
18/03/2017 15:00 Crewe Alexandra v Colchester United
25/03/2017 15:00 Colchester United v Luton Town
01/04/2017 15:00 Notts. County v Colchester United
08/04/2017 15:00 Colchester United v Stevenage
15/04/2017 15:00 Colchester United v Doncaster Rovers
17/04/2017 15:00 Morecambe v Colchester United
22/04/2017 15:00 Colchester United v Plymouth Argyle
29/04/2017 15:00 Leyton Orient v Colchester United
06/05/2017 15:00 Colchester United v Yeovil Town
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel