Pompey start against Chelski away

The day that we all look forward to with much anticipation has arrived - the fixtures for the upcoming season being revealed is here!

Due to the money grabbers that govern the game in this country I am not able to publish the full fixture list for the 2008/09 season but can confirm that we kick off away against Chelski.

At this point in time this is a 3pm kick off on Saturday 16th August, but as we know with the way TV now dictates who plays and when this could and probably will change...

Our first home fixture of the new season is another 'easy one' against Manyoo the following Saturday - I bet this will become a 12.45pm kick off for TV, which would probably mean I have to miss the first home game of the season!

West Ham come to town on Boxing Day, with Arsenal the other festive fixture two days latter - away though. We finish the season against Wigan away, with Sunderland the week before the final home fixture.

We should have a better idea of how our fixtures are looking up until the end of the year within the next 2-3 weeks I would suggest as sky sports and setanta sports should have revealed their TV schedules up until the end of 2008, or close to it by then.

We have to of course remember that with uefa cup football on offer next season, providing we make it into the group stages we will see a large number of games originally scheduled for Saturday switched to a Sunday as a result.

Clearly the Pompey Site can list the complete fixture list, so to see this as it currently stands click here...

This brings us nicely onto a roundup of a recent poll that focused on the opening fixture, and what we wanted. But did we get it...

Anyone at Fratton will do me to kick off the 2008/09 season, not my vote, yours - although these findings from pentonpompey's poll were thoughts that I agreed with.

Last season we started against Derby away, but in the recent seasons prior to that an away day start was a rare occurrence for us.

Yep, when voting on this poll I did not care who we got, so long as we were at Fratton on Saturday 16th August 2008 with a 3pm kick off! With the fixtures now having been released we know that this is going to be Chelski away, so those that wanted 'one of the big four' will be happy...

What the poll asked - As the fixture list is coming out next Monday who would you want Pompey to play as the first game?

How you voted - Don't care as long as we are at home 51%, Some middle table club 20%, One of the big four 13%, Anyone 9%, A team promoted from the Championship 7%

Current Poll - The kits have changed again this season, which is not really anything new these days to be honest is it - does it annoy you though?

With new home and away kits on the market, and a new third kit too will you be dipping into you pocket for some, maybe all of them - this is what pentonpompey wants to know with this - 'With the new kits available for the coming season. How many of us will buy one?' Let the poll do the talking before we do when it finishes.

PLAY UP POMPEY!