Nigel Clough is glad to be back at home for Burton Albion's first game of the League One season - but he knows the run-in could be a tough one.
The Brewers open their 2018-19 campaign against Rochdale at the Pirelli Stadium on Saturday August 4, making it the third time in four years they have begun a season on home soil.
They beat Scunthorpe United 2-1 at the Pirelli in the third tier in 2015-16 and were beaten by Kenneth Zohore's late goal for Cardiff City last August.
At the other end of the campaign, the Brewers face four of last season's top 10 among their final seven opponents of the season, as well as Sunderland and Barnsley, who were relegated alongside the Brewers from the Championship.
Those fixtures give some insight into the challenges League One will pose Clough's side.
The Brewers boss has also had his say on Albion's back-to-back trips to Plymouth Argyle and Portsmouth in October, with 840 miles involved in those journeys in the space of four days.
"It's good to be at home on the opening day of the season," Clough told the club's website.
"We still have a few relatively close games spread out over the season, looking at the likes of Walsall, Coventry City and Shrewsbury, and looking at the list, the Christmas fixtures are good for our fans in terms of travelling (Albion are at home to Wycombe Wanderers and Plymouth Argyle on December 26 and December 29).
Burton Albion catch-up
"But that balances out with the prospect of Portsmouth and Plymouth away within the space of four days in October.
"Obviously as a club we're disappointed for the supporters with those particular fixtures.
"We know following your team up and down the country is expensive over a season, and it's really tough to expect fans to travel more than 800 miles in three days.
"It looks a tough run-in as well, and just looking at the clubs in League One shows how tough it will be."
