THE 2010-11 season will certainly begin with a 'home sweet home' feel for the Canaries, as Paul Lambert's League One champions kick-off the new campaign with a host of matches on home soil.
The Canaries end their pre-season preparations with two highly attractive Carrow Road dates against Premier League opposition in the shape of Newcastle United on Saturday, July 24 (3pm) and Everton on Saturday, July 31 (3pm) - tickets are available for purchase.
After yesterday's Carling Cup draw handed City a home tie with League Two club Gillingham in the first round, to be played on Tuesday, August 10 (kick-off 7.45pm), today's release of the 2010-11 npower Championship fixtures presented City with an opening day Carrow Road date with Watford. The August 7 meeting with the Hornets is followed with a first away trip of the season which sees City head to Scunthorpe United's Glanford Park before returning to Carrow Road to take on Swansea City on August 21.
The opening day match with Watford will see former City favourite Malky Mackay return to Carrow Road for the first time as a manager and the fact that he and City boss Paul Lambert are former Celtic team-mates adds another angle to what is sure to be an entertaining affair.
As City fans begin to digest the fixture programme, seeking dates for the eagerly-awaited East Anglian derby clashes with arch rivals Ipswich Town are likely to be high on their priority list. Carrow Road will host the first meeting of the two clubs. The game has been scheduled for Saturday, November 27 but if previous season's are anything to go by the fixture is liable to change. The Portman Road return is originally scheduled for Saturday, April 23.
Saturday, October 30 is going to be a date placed in the diary of the 'new ground' enthusiasts as City head off to South Wales for their first ever match at Cardiff City's new home - the Cardiff City stadium.
November certainly looks like being an exciting month with City's five games seeing them host former Premier League side Burnley and then facing trips to Millwall and Reading before facing Leeds United and Ipswich Town at home.
The Christmas and new year period sees City made their almost annual Boxing Day trip to face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. Lambert's men will then end 2010 by taking on Sheffield United on Tuesday, December 28 at Carrow Road. City will kick-off 2011 with a New Year's Day game at home to Queens Park Rangers. The first away game of 2011 is the long haul to Middlesbrough's Riverside on Monday, January 3. The FA Cup Third Round is scheduled for the weekend of Saturday, January 8.
City are set to end the season with a Carrow Road date with Coventry City on Sunday, May 8.
Club's have until noon on June 25 to make revisions to this list. SKY/BBC will make their early season selections within that period and it is possible that clubs will seek to make minor alterations, hence our confirmed fixture list will become available as from June 25.
