Click here for a full list of the fixtures for 2009/2010.

Chris Turner was on the phone to Victoria Park this morning from his holiday venue to get a full run-through of the fixtures for next season.

Despite being out of the country, the Director of Sport had only one thing on his mind this morning - the fixture list.

And although the opening month of fixtures look set to provide a challenge, Turner is looking forward to kicking off,

"I think it is an exciting start to the season.

"Everybody should get a buzz about the fixtures and the clubs that we are playing and the start of the season enforces that.

"I know we're all looking forward to it at the Club.

"I think we will get a gauge of how the season is going to go from the opening spell of games.

"We will have a practically new team out so people can't judge us on last season's performances.

"Everything will be bright and new and fresh and playing these type of clubs will tell us how far we have to go.

"You never know, we might give a few people a few surprises."

Pools face the short trip to Elland Road on Boxing Day much to the relief of Turner,

"When you see Leeds away on Boxing Day and see the distances the fans have to travel this year - that is practically a home game.

"We will need to capitalise on all of the home games over that period.

"But January is a long long way off - we don't know how teams are going to play but if they could be very good fixtures for us if we get good results because that kicks us on for the end of the season."

Looking at the end of the season and Pools face Exeter City at home followed by Brentford away,

"The two teams we're playing at the end of the season could be classed as the so-called minnows of the division when you look at the likes of Charlton and Norwich but you can't count your chickens - this is going to be a very tough league, very testing.

"There are a lot of big names in this division - I think this is the strongest League One in terms of names that there has ever been and for Hartlepool United to be amongst those teams, I think is fantastic."

Pools have been treated kindly in terms of away travelling with only the relatively local opposition scheduled for Tuesday evenings, something which Turner is pleased with.

"Well I think a major factor for us this season is going to be the travelling to away games.

"The supporters will have some distances to travel this season there is no doubt about that - fortunately it seems to have fallen kindly for us in that we don't have any long travels in midweek.

"The release of the fixtures gives the fans something to look forward to; we've got Southampton, Charlton and Norwich City to play and Hartlepool have never played those clubs before in the Football League so that is something new.

"It could be an exciting season ahead and I'm really looking forward to it."