Trotters for starters

Today saw the launch of next season's fixture list and sod's law dictates that we open with a trip to Bolton, with Allardyce returning to his old stamping ground, to take on his tiny successor. Let's hope the old adage that a good big 'un will always beat a good little 'un holds true.

Other fixtures of note see us entertain Chelsea for our last home game of the season again, and we spend Boxing Day at Wigan, before entertaining Everton on New Year's Day.

Six easy points should be garnered on 10 November and 19 April when we face Roy Keane's inbreds away and home respectively.

The full list of fixtures is available here, although with both Sky and Setanta having broadcast rights expect some of the fixtures (and particularly their kick off times) to change.