PLYMOUTH Argyle will start the 2009/10 Championship campaign with an away game against Crystal Palace on Saturday, August 8.

The Pilgrims will also be on their travels on the week commencing August 10, when they play newly-promoted League One club Gillingham in the Carling Cup first round.

So their first match at Home Park of the new season will not be until Saturday, August 15 when Queens Park Rangers are the visitors.

That will be followed by another home game, against Cardiff City on Tuesday, August 18, and an away trip to Derby County four days later.

Argyle will host Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday, August 29, before there is a two-week international break.

Newcastle United are set to be the biggest draw in the Championship next season, following their relegation from the Premier League.

Argyle will travel to St James’ Park on Saturday, September 19, with the Toon Army not coming to Home Park until Saturday, April 17.

That will be the Pilgrims’ penultimate home match of the season.

Argyle’s clashes against Blackpool next season will also be eagerly-awaited after the Seasiders recently appointed former Pilgrims’ boss Ian Holloway as their new manager.

The two teams will meet at Bloomfield Road on Saturday, October 17, with the return match taking place at Home Park on Saturday, March 27.

All four of Argyle’s games against Bristol City and Swansea City – home and away – will take place on Tuesday nights.

There will be the Pilgrims’ traditional festive period trip to Cardiff. They will visit the Bluebirds’ new 30,000-seat stadium for the first time on Boxing Day.

Argyle will then face Reading at Home Park on Saturday, December 28.

There is no fixture on New Year’s Day because the FA Cup third round will take place on Saturday, January 2.

Argyle are set to have 10 Tuesday night fixtures in the Championship next season – five at home and five away.

They will have to make long midweek trips to Peterborough United (September 29) and Ipswich Town (March 23), as well as visiting Bristol City (October 20), Swansea (December 8) and Reading (February 9).

Argyle will finish the season on Sunday, May 2 with a clash against Peterborough at Home Park.

The Pilgrims’ season-opener against Palace will be of special significance to midfielder Carl Fletcher.

The Wales international recently signed a two-year contract with Argyle after being released by the south London club.

Fletcher, 29, had impressed during a loan spell with the Pilgrims at the end of last season.

Argyle manager Paul Sturrock has also been strongly linked with a move for Palace’s out-of-contract striker James Scowcroft.

The last time the Pilgrims played Palace at Selhurst Park was on September 20, 2008, when they won 2-1.

On-loan Blackburn Rovers striker Paul Gallagher netted both goals for Argyle.

But Palace gained their revenge for that defeat when they beat the Pilgrims 3-1 at Home Park in February.

FULL LIST OF ARGYLE'S 2009-10 FIXTURES

AUGUST

8 Crystal Palace (A)

15 QPR (H)

18 CARDIFF (H)

22 Derby (A)

29 SHEFF WED (H)

SEPTEMBER

12 West Brom (A)

15 WATFORD (H)

19 Newcastle (A)

26 NOTTM FOREST (H)

29 Peterborough (A)

OCTOBER

3 SCUNTHORPE (H)

17 Blackpool (A)

20 Bristol City (A)

24 IPSWICH (H)

31 Middlesbrough (A)

NOVEMBER

7 DONCASTER (H)

21 Leicester (A)

28 BARNSLEY (H)

DECEMBER

5 SHEFF UTD (H)

8 Swansea (A)

12 Preston (A)

19 COVENTRY (H)

26 Cardiff (A)

28 READING (H)

JANUARY

9 QPR (A)

16 CRYSTAL PALACE (H)

26 DERBY (H)

30 Sheff Wed (A)

FEBRUARY

6 WEST BROM (H)

9 Reading (A)

13 Barnsley (A)

16 SWANSEA (H)

20 LEICESTER (H)

27 Sheff Utd (A)

MARCH

6 PRESTON (H)

13 Coventry (A)

16 BRISTOL CITY (H)

20 Scunthorpe (A)

23 IPSWICH (A)

27 Blackpool (H)

APRIL

3 Doncaster (A)

5 MIDDLESBROUGH (H)

10 Watford (A)

17 NEWCASTLE (H)

24 Nottm Forest (A)

MAY

2 PETERBOROUGH (H)

Copyright © and Database Right 2009[/10] The Football League Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any way or by any means,(including photocopying, recording or storing it in any medium by electronic means), without the written permission of the copyright/database right owner. Applications for written permission should be addressed c/o Football DataCo Ltd, 30 Gloucester Place, London W1U 8PL.

NEWMEDIA/PLYEVEHER/18577b