When the fixtures were released it was announced that the opening weekend fixture would be at Watford away on the Sunday for broadcast on Sky Sports, now two more fixtures have been changed to accommodate the TV companies.

The trip to Watford will now be on Sunday August 16th with a 1.30pm kick off, meaning that Saints, with only two of the other of the weekend's fixtures scheduled afterwards, will have a good idea of where they will be in the League table whatever the result at Vicarage Road.

Now two other fixtures have been changed for TV, the first competitive game of the season will be in the Carabao Cup as they will begin their campaign away to Colchester United in the Carabao Cup first round on Saturday, August 8 and that is now a 5.30pm kick off.

Into September and the first trip in the League to Sincil Bank, home of Lincoln City since 1961, although we have played them a couple of times in the League Cup since, the first a two legged affair that saw Saints go through, the first in 1988/89 when we drew 1-1 at Lincoln and then in 1996/97 when after a 2-2 draw at the Dell, Matt Le Tissier and Ulrich Van Hobbel scoring the goals, we went to Sincil Bank for the replay and won 3-1 with goals from Gordon Watson, Eyal Berkovic & Jim Magilton sending us through.

Our first League visit in 65 years will still be played on Saturday 5th September, but will now have the earlier 12.30pm lunchtime kick off.

However younger supporters will have had the opportunity to see us play Lincoln as we met them in the League Cup in December 2022 when we despatched them 2-1 with Che Adams scoring both.

All Photos Via Reuters