By Charlie Summerbell
June 17 2011

After the relative calm of the close-season, Hartlepool United start the 2011-12 season with six matches in the opening month - three out of the first four at home. The League One fixtures for the season give Pools a start at MK Dons and that is followed by a flurry of activity at the Vic.

Their trip to Mk is on Saturday August 6, and the first home game is on the following Tuesday when Sheffield United again visit the Vic for the first round of the Carling Cup.

Then it’s Walsall at home in League One the following Saturday with Huddersfield the visitors on Tuesday August 16.

Trips to newly promoted Stevenage and Rochdale finish off a hectic month.

With no derby games for Pools nowadays, the League One visits of alleged big clubs like Sheffield Wed (Sat Oct 1) and city neighbours United (Sat Mar 31) will be as attractive as any other fixtures, while Preston (Tue Sept 13) and Charlton (Sat Oct 29) could also be big games.

But it all depends on how Pools are playing … if Nobby Solano lives up to his promise and James Brown and Adam Boyd can get fit, stay fit and score goals, you never know what might happen.

POOLS FIXTURES