Aston Villa fixtures 2017/18: Steve Bruce to get Hull City reunion on opening day

The fixture list has handed Bruce a reunion with the club he managed between 2012 and 2016 at Villa Park on Saturday August 5 – with the game being broadcast live on TV as a 5.30pm kick-off.

Click here for the full Aston Villa fixture list

It is the first time Villa will begin the season with a home fixture since 2010. The Tigers, relegated from the Premier League last season, are now managed by former Russia boss Leonid Slutsky.

Villa’s first away league fixture of the campaign is at Cardiff on Saturday August 12 and is followed by a trip to last season’s beaten play-off finalists Reading on Tuesday August 15.

The opening month is rounded off with a home fixture against Norwich on Saturday August 19 and a trip to Bristol City on Saturday August 26.

The first Second City Derby of the season has been scheduled for St Andrew’s on Saturday October 28, though the fixture is typically moved to a Sunday on police advice. The return at Villa Park is scheduled for the weekend of Saturday February 10.

Villa face Wolves at Molineux on Saturday October 14 and then host their West Midlands rivals in the return on Saturday March 10.

A hectic Christmas schedule in the Championship will meanwhile see clubs play four games in the space of ten days.

Villa begin the festive season by hosting Sheffield United on Saturday December 23 and follow it with away games at Brentford on Boxing Day and Middlesbrough on Saturday December 30. They then return to Villa Park to host Bristol City on New Year’s Day.

Villa’s final home game of the season sees them host Derby on Saturday April 28, before they round off the campaign with a trip to Millwall on Sunday May 6.