St Albans City have been handed a couple of money-spinning home matches after the fixtures for the National League South season were released.
City host near neighbours Hemel Hempstead Town on Boxing Day before the return match six days later on New Years Day.
It was a source of much disappointment and annoyance for both clubs and their fans that the rivals weren’t given that opportunity last season.
And they will also have the chance to attract another potentially bumper crowd with a home game on Non-League Day, October 7, when they play Bath City.
That day coincides with an international break when the Premier League and Championship are without fixtures.
Saints’ National League season gets underway on August 5 with a trip to Oxford City.
Their first home game will come three days later against Wealdstone.
That will see former player and manager Jimmy Gray return to Clarence Park; Gray now a member of Gordon Bartlett’s backroom staff.
The third game of the year is the first Saturday home match when Weston-Super-Mare are the visitors.
The final home game of the year is on April 21 against Hampton & Richmond Borough with the final game sending City to Bath a week later.
St Albans begin their FA Cup campaign, which has seen them reach the first round in the last two seasons, on September 16 while the Wembley trail in the FA Trophy starts on November 25.
The City players got back to pre-season training last week and face the first of their pre-season friendlies on Saturday.
Sky Bet League One’s Peterborough United, and former striker Junior Morias, provide the opposition at Clarence Park for a 3pm kick-off.
It is the first of nine pre-season outings for Saints, with a number of them coming at home.
It is followed by the visit of Cambridge United on Tuesday, Billericay Town on July 15 and Luton Town on July 18.
Watford and Dagenham & Redbridge also visit the Park on July 22 and July 26 respectively.
City also head to Harpenden Town, Harlow Town and Chesham United before the season gets underway.
Sat Aug 5 Oxford City A
Tue Aug 8 Wealdstone H
Sat Aug 12 Weston-Super-Mare H
Mon Aug 14 Chelmsford City A
Sat Aug 19 Poole Town A
Sat Aug 26 Concord Rangers H
Mon Aug 28 Braintree Town A
Sat Sep 2 Gloucester City H
Tue Sep 5 East Thurrock United A
Sat Sep 9 Eastbourne Borough H
Tue Sep 12 Havant & Waterlooville H
Sat Sep 16 Emirates FA Cup 2Q
Sat Sep 23 Whitehawk A
Sat Sep 30 Emirates FA Cup 3Q
Sat Oct 7 Bath City H
Sat Oct 14 Hampton & Richmond Borough A Emirates FA Cup 4Q
Sat Oct 21 Hungerford Town FC H
Sat Oct 28 Dartford A
Sat Nov 4 Welling United H Emirates FA Cup 1
Sat Nov 11 Chippenham A
Sat Nov 18 Bognor Regis H
Sat Nov 25 Buildbase FA Trophy Q3
Sat Dec 2 Truro City A Emirates FA Cup 2
Sat Dec 9 Oxford City H
Sat Dec 16 Buildbase FA Trophy 1
Sat Dec 23 Wealdstone A
Tue Dec 26 Hemel Hempstead Town H
Mon Jan 1 Hemel Hempstead Town A
Sat Jan 6 Chelmsford City H Emirates FA Cup 3
Sat Jan 13 Weston-Super-Mare A Buildbase FA Trophy 2
Sat Jan 20 Eastbourne Borough A
Sat Jan 27 East Thurrock United H Emirates FA Cup 4
Sat Feb 3 Dartford H Buildbase FA Trophy 3
Sat Feb 10 Hungerford Town FC A
Sat Feb 17 Welling United A Emirates FA Cup 5
Sat Feb 24 Chippenham H Buildbase FA Trophy 4
Sat Mar 3 Bognor Regis A
Sat Mar 10 Truro City H
Sat Mar 17 Concord Rangers A Emirates FA Cup 6/Buildbase FA Trophy Semi-Final 1
Sat Mar 24 Poole Town H Buildbase FA Trophy Semi-Final 2
Sat Mar 31 Gloucester City A
Mon Apr 2 Braintree Town H
Sat Apr 7 Whitehawk H
Sat Apr 14 Havant & Waterlooville A
Sat Apr 21 Hampton & Richmond Borough H Emirates FA Cup Semi-Final
Sat Apr 28 Bath City A
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