Town’s head groundsman Ben Connell is hoping Town are handed an away game on the first day of the new season – and an away Capital One cup tie. 

The Championship season kicks off on August 3 with a cup game scheduled for the following midweek and Ben is keeping his fingers crossed for an extra week of growing time. 

“We have skimmed off the top of the pitch and mixed in 145 tons of sand into the surface,” Ben explained to the Club website. 

“The pitch has been re-seeded and now we are looking for lots of sunshine to help get as much strength into the grass before the new season starts. 

“We didn’t have much sun to work with last summer and it was a real push to get the pitch ready but hopefully we will be a bit luckier with the weather this time. 

“Ideally for us, we’d like as much growing time as possible and if we are away on the first day of the season and away in the cup, that will give us another week. 

“We have no home friendly this year and that will help as well but if we are at home on day one, then we will be ready.”