Saints will need to hit the ground running as they look to justify their tag of 2010/11 League One title favourites.

With the announcement of the fixtures this morning, Saints open with a home game against relegated Plymouth on Saturday, August 7.

But they face a tough opening three months of the campaign with away games against six of their main rivals, starting the following weekend at Milton Keynes Dons.

Following that, Saints travel to Bristol Rovers on August 26 before facing both Swindon and second favourites Sheffield Wednesday away in September and Huddersfield and Notts County in October.

Another tough trip awaits Saints on Boxing Day as they travel to Alan Pardew's former club Charlton, leaving only the likes of Colchester, Brighton, Plymouth and Peterborough to be faced away in the second half of the season.

• Click here to see all of Saints League One fixtures for 2010/11.

Following the trip to Charlton, Saints host Huddersfield on December 28 and then Exeter City, in their first game of 2011 on New Years Day.

Having drawn south coast neighbours Cherries in the Carling Cup first round yesterday, Saints will face Eddie Howe's side in the league for the first time at St Mary's on October 2.

The return game will take place on March 12 at Dean Court.

Saints round off the season with a home game against Walsall on May 7.

Saints' busiest months, league fixture wise, will be January and April with Pardew's men due to play six times in both.

The opener against Plymouth represents one of Saints’ best hopes of a first-day win since the 1999-2000 season, when Egil Ostenstad scored in a 1-0 Premiership win over Coventry.

Since then, Saints have drawn six opening day fixtures and lost the other four, but they are 11-4 favourites to win the league this season and make their first move back towards the promised land.

• Click here to see all Cherries League One fixtures for 2010/11.