BURY have been handed two local derbies in the opening month of the new League One season.

Lee Clark’s side kick off their promotion-chasing campaign at home to Walsall and their first match on the road takes them to recently-relegated Wigan.

August is completed by hosting Bristol Rovers before travelling to neighbours Rochdale.

Shakers fans will be treated to four home matches in September – a bumper month that contains seven fixtures, before cup games are added.

After a 37-year wait, Bury will welcome Blackburn Rovers in November, with their return fixture at Ewood Park under the floodlights in February midweek.

Midweek games are favourable before Christmas with visits to Fleetwood and Blackpool the only ones on the road.

Two days before Christmas Bury make a 300-mile round trip to Peterborough, but home matches on Boxing Day to Rotherham and Fleetwood on December 30 follow.

New Years Day means Scunthorpe away, five days before Shakers fans will complete their longest trip on the season – a 596-mile round trek to Plymouth.

Over the Easter period Bury travel to Bristol Rovers on Good Friday and host rivals Rochdale on Easter Monday.

The final home game of the campaign sees the visit of Portsmouth on April 28.

The season will conclude away to Wimbledon – where the Shakers suffered their heaviest defeat of last season 5-1.

Fixtures 2017/18

AUGUST

5 Walsall (H)

12 Wigan (A)

19 Bristol Rovers (H)

26 Rochdale (A)

SEPTEMBER

2 Scunthorpe (H)

9 Rotherham (A)

12 Fleetwood (A)

16 Plymouth (H)

23 Charlton (A)

26 Oxford Utd (H)

30 MK Dons (H)

OCTOBER

7 Oldham (A)

14 Bradford (H)

17 Blackpool (A)

21 Southend (A)

28 Doncaster (H)

NOVEMBER

11 Gillingham (A)

18 Blackburn (H)

21 Shrewsbury (H)

25 Northampton (A)

DECEMBER

9 AFC Wimbledon (H)

16 Portsmouth (A)

23 Peterborough (A)

26 Rotherham (H)

30 Fleetwood (H)

JANUARY

1 Scunthorpe (A)

6 Plymouth (A)

13 Charlton (H)

20 Oxford Utd (A)

27 Peterborough (H)

FEBRUARY

3 Blackpool (H)

10 Bradford (A)

13 Southend (H)

17 Blackburn (A)

24 Gillingham (H)

MARCH

3 Doncaster (A)

10 Oldham (H)

17 MK Dons (A)

24 Wigan (H)

31 Bristol Rovers (A)

APRIL

2 Rochdale (H)

7 Walsall (A)

14 Northampton (H)

21 Shrewsbury (A)

28 Portsmouth (H)

MAY

5 AFC Wimbledon (A)