TOWN boss Mark Cooper is pleased for the club’s supporters that they get to enjoy a home game on Boxing Day for the first time since 2006.

The new season’s League One fixtures were announced this morning and, for the first time since a 2-1 win against Wycombe Wanderers in 2006, Swindon were allotted a home fixture, against Gillingham.

Though not strictly speaking a derby, the meeting between the two clubs usually carries a bit of needle. Gillingham even threatened to ban Town fans from the Priestfield a few years ago due to policing costs.

Cooper knows Swindon fans will enjoy the prospect of not having to travel to the traditional post-Christmas game, especially given the opposition.

"I know that was a bone of contention with the supporters and they’ll be pleased," he said.

"With it being Gillingham, it will add a bit of extra spice to it as well.”

On the fixtures generally, the County Ground chief is looking forward to kicking off at home to Bradford City, who he believes will challenge at the top of League One this year.

Otherwise Cooper is preparing for a lot of travelling and will have to negate the impact of some long journeys.

"(It's a) good game (to start the season with)," added the Robins chief. "Bradford are obviously a big club in this league, we always have good games against them physically and I’m sure they’ll be one of the favourites to do well this year so, yes, we’re looking forward to that one.

"Obviously you look for Wigan, Sheffield United, Millwall and Coventry - the ones that are perceived as the bigger clubs - you look at them.

“It is a predominantly northern league this year. We’ve got a lot of travelling to do so we’ve got to make sure that we’re ready for the road and those long treks up north."