Colchester United will play at home to Blackpool on the opening day of the new 2015-16 season.

The fixtures for the new Football League season were unveiled this morning, a day after the U’s had been drawn at home to Reading in the first round of the Capital One Cup.

The U’s will entertain Blackpool, relegated from the Championship, in a mouth-watering season’s opener (August 8), and they will also end the season with a home fixture against Rochdale.

And Essex rivals Southend United will be the visitors to the Weston Homes Community Stadium on Boxing Day.

The U’s first away fixture of the season will be a short trip to Peterborough United’s London Road on Saturday, August 15.

Manager Tony Humes will take his U’s side to Southend for the return Essex derby on February 6.

And another intriguing fixture will be the U’s first ever trip to newly-promoted Burton Albion, scheduled, for November 28.

In addition to Blackpool, the other two relegated teams from the Championship, Wigan Athletic and Millwall, will visit the Community Stadium on March 12 and April 2 respectively.

The U’s will be away at Coventry City on Easter Monday (March 28), and the new year will begin with a long journey to Oldham Athletic on January 2.