We sat the team down to hear which games they are most excited about this year.
Ben James
Crystal Palace away.
Obviously the Prem is full of big clubs and big names but I can’t help but be excited by a trip to Crystal Palace. Some might cringe at their ultras but they generate a great atmosphere and have a great sense of humour about them. And Selhurst Park is a great, old-school football ground. Tucked away in South London, it’s a mish mash of stands and the fans are right on top of the pitch. Coupled with Warnock making a return to Palace, it’s set to be a firecracker of a fixture.
Ben Isaacs
Spurs away
Aah, you just can’t beat that ‘new stadium’ smell. Living in London, it’s been hard to escape the drama surrounding the replacement for White Hart Lane. From the cheese room to the NFL locker rooms, it’s been a bizarre project that sums up the elite end of modern football perfectly. The idea of Warnock waltzing in to take advantage of a stadium where every away team will feel pampered, is simply mouthwatering. If the stadium is finished before we get there of course…
Scott Salter
Arsenal Home
I’m looking forward to every single fixture. As a newly promoted club, you ofter dread the games against the teams you were promoted with, but even those will be a bit fiery this year. I’m looking forward to Arsenal at home, which will be Unai Emery’s fourth game as Arsenal manager. Can you imagine the scenes? Long balls pumped forward, bullet long throws from Gunnar, Zohore bullying their centre-backs. Lovely. Welcome to Warnock-ball.
Paul Gronow
Tottenham home
From the moment Cardiff City were promoted and Swansea City were relegated there was one fixture I was looking forward to more than all of the others, that fixture is Tottenham Hotspur at home and there are two reasons why. Cardiff City are regularly accused of being ‘anti-football’ and hoof-ball merchants whereas Spurs are lauded for their exciting play so it will be fascinating to see the two worlds collide. Secondly and more importantly, ever since the 22nd September 2013 we have had unfinished business against Spurs when they stole 3 points against us in extra-time (albeit it with a moment of genius), bring it on I say!
Scott Johnson
Hard to pick just one…
Upon clapping eyes on the new fixtures, I was encouraged by a relatively gentle start, but then I got to September and now I want someone to hold me! I guess it will be good to get a chunk of hard games out of the way nice and early, providing it doesn’t prove too damaging. As far as the game I’m most looking forward to, it changes by the minute. Bournemouth away on the first day in their dinky little ground will be amazing. It will be cool to visit Tottenham’s new ground in October. Manchester United at home just before Christmas and away on the last day of the season. Fulham away is always a lovely trip, but I imagine it will be extra spicy three games from the end of the season. How can you choose one? It’s all so exciting.
Paul Stollery
Bournemouth, Newcastle, Huddersfield
Crikey. Last season’s top seven pretty much back-to-back in months two and three? We couldn’t have asked for an easier start, playing Bournemouth, Newcastle and Huddersfield in August. All three games are tough but winnable, but if we don’t come out them with a decent point haul, we could be looking at a rather bleak October and September.
Nathan Walker
Bournemouth away
Beers, beaches and Bournemouth. If there’s a game you would want to start a Premier League season in the August sunshine, it would be a trip to the South coast and that’s exactly what City have got. Now, as important as sampling the local seaside pubs is to the footballing day, there is a match to be played. Eddie Howe has done a brilliant job at the Cherries, finishing comfortably in mid-table in the past two seasons whilst maintaining an attractive playing style. But, plaudits aside, they’re not one of the ‘big boys’, and it presents Cardiff with a huge opportunity to kick off their campaign in the right way. If you’re very quiet, you can already hear the sound of thousands of City fans clambering for tickets for the 1500-capacity away end.
Feature image: Jon Candy