Colchester United will make the long trip to play Hartlepool United on the opening day of the new League Two season.

The U's will travel to Victoria Park on August 6, after the new Football League fixtures were announced for the 2016-17 campaign.

It is a repeat of Colchester's opening-day fixture of the 2008-09 season, when Steven Gillespie scored twice in a 4-2 defeat against Pools.

Colchester's first home league game on August 13 will see a return for former manager and player Joe Dunne, who is assistant manager at Cambridge United.

That will be followed with another home game against newly-promoted Grimsby Town, on August 16.

John McGreal's side complete the opening month of the season with trips to play Portsmouth (August 20) and rivals Wycombe Wanderers (August 27).

The U's will travel to play Luton Town on Boxing Day and follow that up with games at Stevenage (New Year's Eve) and at home to newly-promoted Cheltenham Town (January 2), over the festive period.

Colchester will finish the season with a home game against Yeovil Town at the Weston Homes Community Stadium, on May 6.

Colchester will discover their first-round opponents in the League Cup this lunchtime.

The U's are unseeded in the draw and could face the likes of Aston Villa, Ipswich Town or Birmingham City in the opening round of the competition.

COLCHESTER UNITED FIXTURES FOR 2016-17 LEAGUE TWO SEASON:

06/08/2016         15:00     Hartlepool United v Colchester United

13/08/2016         15:00     Colchester United v Cambridge United

16/08/2016         19:45     Colchester United v Grimsby Town

20/08/2016         15:00     Portsmouth v Colchester United

27/08/2016         15:00     Wycombe Wanderers v Colchester United

03/09/2016         15:00     Colchester United v Exeter City

10/09/2016         15:00     Colchester United v Blackpool

17/09/2016         15:00     Barnet v Colchester United

24/09/2016         15:00     Colchester United v Accrington Stanley

27/09/2016         19:45     Crawley Town v Colchester United

01/10/2016         15:00     Carlisle United v Colchester United

08/10/2016         15:00     Colchester United v Newport County

15/10/2016         15:00     Doncaster Rovers v Colchester United

22/10/2016         15:00     Colchester United v Morecambe

29/10/2016         15:00     Plymouth Argyle v Colchester United

12/11/2016         15:00     Colchester United v Leyton Orient

19/11/2016         15:00     Yeovil Town v Colchester United

22/11/2016         19:45     Cheltenham Town v Colchester United

26/11/2016         15:00     Colchester United v Crewe Alexandra

10/12/2016         15:00     Mansfield Town v Colchester United

17/12/2016         15:00     Colchester United v Notts. County

26/12/2016         15:00     Luton Town v Colchester United

31/12/2016         15:00     Stevenage v Colchester United

02/01/2017         15:00     Colchester United v Cheltenham Town

07/01/2017         15:00     Colchester United v Carlisle United

14/01/2017         15:00     Newport County v Colchester United

21/01/2017         15:00     Exeter City v Colchester United

28/01/2017         15:00     Colchester United v Wycombe Wanderers

04/02/2017         15:00     Blackpool v Colchester United

11/02/2017         15:00     Colchester United v Barnet

14/02/2017         19:45     Colchester United v Crawley Town

18/02/2017         15:00     Accrington Stanley v Colchester United

25/02/2017         15:00     Colchester United v Hartlepool United

28/02/2017         19:45     Grimsby Town v Colchester United

04/03/2017         15:00     Cambridge United v Colchester United

11/03/2017         15:00     Colchester United v Portsmouth

14/03/2017         19:45     Colchester United v Mansfield Town

18/03/2017         15:00     Crewe Alexandra v Colchester United

25/03/2017         15:00     Colchester United v Luton Town

01/04/2017         15:00     Notts. County v Colchester United

08/04/2017         15:00     Colchester United v Stevenage

15/04/2017         15:00     Colchester United v Doncaster Rovers

17/04/2017         15:00     Morecambe v Colchester United

22/04/2017         15:00     Colchester United v Plymouth Argyle

29/04/2017         15:00     Leyton Orient v Colchester United

06/05/2017         15:00     Colchester United v Yeovil Town