Bolton Away it is then!

A trip to the Reebok awaits Steve Bruce in his first competitive game in charge of Sunderland.

Home ties against Chelsea and Blackburn quickly follow as the season starts with a bang. However, for the first time in a couple of years, the first fixture that every Mackem would look for is not on the list after Newcastle`s relegation to the Championship. Nonetheless, Chairman Niall Quinn is excited by the dawning of the Steve Bruce era:

‘The holidays are coming to an end now the fixtures are out.” Quinn told the club`s official website

‘This is the time when everyone gets giddy about what’s going to happen. Last year is dead and gone and it’s all about bringing it on now.

‘We are all very excited and, with three games in eight days, the start of the season will be hectic, but we will relish it.

‘This is what staying in the Barclays Premier League was all about and it’s great to be involved.’

Due to legal reasons, we cannot publish the fixture list here at Vital Sunderland.