Colchester United will travel to Hartlepool United on the opening day of the 2016-17 season.

The Football League published the new fixtures this morning, and the U’s have been given a long away trip to the north-east, to face Hartlepool on August 6.

The following weekend, John McGreal’s men have their first home match against Cambridge United (August 13), followed three days later by another home fixture, against newly-promoted Grimsby Town.

Over the festive period, the U’s have a short journey to Luton Town on Boxing Day, and they will be away at Stevenage on New Year’s Eve.

October will be a particularly taxing month, on the road, beginning with a trip to Carlisle on October 1, and ending with a daunting journey to Plymouth on October 29.

Other long trips include a visit to Exeter City on January 21, followed two weeks later by a jaunt to the north-west coast at Blackpool.

The U’s will pay their first visit to Morecambe on Easter Monday, April 17, and their season will end with a home match against Yeovil on May 6.

Following relegation from League One last season, this will be the first time that the U’s have played in the fourth tier for 18 years, ever since Steve Wignall’s side clinched promotion via the play-offs in 1998.