A TRICKY first month awaits Chester FC in their opening few matches of the 2024/25 National League North campaign.

The Blues will aim to be contenders for promotion, after falling short of the play-offs last season with a 10th-placed finish in the table.

Calum McIntyre’s men will begin with a trip to Spennymoor Town, who finished last season in ninth, on August 10 and they will also be away on the final day of the season on April 26 at far-flung King’s Lynn Town.

The Blues’ first home match will be against Brackley Town on August 17. Brackley were third in last season’s table and missed out on promotion in the play-offs.

After that it’s a home game game against newly promoted Radcliffe (August 20), a visit to fifth-last-season Alfreton Town (August 24), home to Scarborough Athletic on Bank Holiday Monday, August 26 and away to Peterborough Sports on August 31.

A change to the fixtures during the holiday seasons means Chester no longer play the same local side home and away over the Christmas and New Year period. The reverse fixtures against the two teams faced during that time instead take place over Easter.

Chester are away to Marine on Boxing Day and home to Southport on January 1, while they are at Southport on Good Friday, April 18, and home to Marine on Easter Monday, April 21.

The Blues head off on tour to the Isle of Man next week and on their return, will have a pre-season friendly at home to a Manchester United XI on Wednesday, July 24 (7.30pm kick-off).