BEN Garner will be hoping his Colchester United side can get the new campaign off to a flyer and see off one of his former clubs when they take on Swindon Town, in their League Two curtain-raiser on August 5.

And U’s fans will no doubt be putting a positive spin on their opening-day record over the past decade, following today’s release of the 2023-24 League Two fixture list.

Research from OLBG shows that Colchester have lost just two of their ten opening-day games, since 2013.

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And on both of those occasions, they were beaten by sides that went on to gain promotion in Northampton Town (2022) and Accrington Stanley (2017).

Gazette:

Colchester have been away on all but three of their last ten opening-day fixtures.

Indeed, their home clash with Swindon Town on August 5 will be the first time that they have started the new league season at the JobServe Community Stadium since 2019, when they drew 1-1 with Port Vale.

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But on the flip side, Colchester’s 1-0 win at Gillingham back in 2013 is their last victory on the opening day, of the last ten years.

And their opponents Swindon have won eight of their past ten opening-day fixtures.

Gazette:

Nevertheless, Colchester boast a good recent record against the Robins.

The U’s have not lost at home to Swindon since February, 2016 and have been beaten in just two of the last 12 meetings, between the two clubs, in all competitions.

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That includes a 1-0 win over the Wiltshire side last January and an unlikely 1-1 draw against the same opponents in the 2021-22 campaign, when nine-man U's rescued a draw thanks to a late Emyr Huws goal.

Garner - and Colchester - will be hoping that positive record continues when they kick off the season, in six weeks' time.