Away days are here again

The fixture list for the forthcoming season was released today, and once again ours makes for familiar reading.

First match of the season? Away (to West Brom, my tip for the title).

Boxing Day? Away (to Sheffield Wednesday).

Last match of the season? Away (to QPR).

So, no home comforts when we might want them most. Still, at least the computer hasn't made us go to Plymouth's Home Park on a Tuesday night - though all fixtures are still subject to TV scheduling...

I must confess to two emotions on glancing over the list:

1. a sense of trepidation - there are actually a lot of decent teams lying in wait for us in the Championship, aren't there, and we're going to have a very tough job just to come close to making it out of the division

2. a slight, vague but undeniable frisson of excitement - yes, like battered wives, how soon we forget the damage inflicted on us and come crawling back black-eyed and bruised to stand by our men, who deserve locking up...