• See the full fixtures in Thursday’s Shropshire Star.

Bradford were named as the opponents for the history-making first ever Football League clash at the New Meadow on Saturday August 18 as the season’s fixtures were unveiled this morning.

That will be the second game of the League campaign for Gary Peters’ side who face a testing trip to Sincil Bank to take on Lincoln a week earlier.

The Imps were beaten in the play-off by Bristol Rovers last month, while Town face a re-match of their epic semi-final with MK Dons in their second away clash on August 25.

Town fans will have a long wait for their first derby of the season when they travel to Chester on October 6, with the return the final home game of the season on April 26.

Shrewsbury travel to the Racecourse Ground to tackle arch rivals Wrexham on November 3 with the home clash pencilled in for April 12.

The games against Hereford will follow in quick succession – at Edgar Street in January and the New Meadow a month later – while Town end their season with a trip to Rochdale.

A hectic Christmas and New Year period will see Shrewsbury face trips to Accrington and Peteborough and home games with Stockport, on Boxing Day, and Wycombe within an 11-day spell.

Manager Gary Peters said: “It’s a tough start but it always takes teams a little while to settle down.

“We got to the play-off final last season and because of that, a lot of people will think we are one of the favourites.

“It doesn’t always work out like that and I think the fact the fixtures are out shows people how tough the division will be.

“We haven’t gone out and brought in tried and trusted players just for a season to get us up.

“We are all about development and if I take some flak for that then so be it.”

By James Garrison