Hatters boss Nathan Jones has spoken to lutontown.co.uk after seeing who his team will face on Saturday 5th August and beyond in the 2017-18 Sky Bet League Two campaign as they look to build on last season's play-off qualification.
The Welshman's old club Yeovil provide the opposition for the first opening day home game in our fourth season since returning to the EFL, and the man who spent seven years at Huish Park as player, coach and assistant-manager said: "It'll be a tough game. We always know we have tough games against Yeovil, and they are all tough games in his league.
"That's especially so with the opening fixtures – everyone is always up for it on the opening day. People are fresh, they are ready and raring to go, so it's always a difficult game.
"We are quite content with being at home this year rather than a long trip, like we did last year. We start with two home games including the Ipswich game in the Carabao Cup, so I'm pleased with that."
Last the Town announced the signing of ex-West Ham goalkeeper Marek Stech from Sparta Prague, and the opening day could see the 27-year-old make his Hatters debut against the side he last played for in English football, having played alongside Jones in a loan spell at Huish Park and then for two years after the gaffer had left.
"With Marek coming in as well, there'll be a lot of familiarity," said Jones. "It's always good to see people that you know, and your friends. But the old cliché is that for 90 minutes you forget about that, and it's true."
After a trip to Barnet, August is completed by a home date with Colchester and a trip to Mansfield, both side who were pushing for a play-off place right up until the final day of last term and who are expected by many to be contenders again in 2017-18.
"I don't think you can say which ones will be up there and which won't at this stage," said Jones. "They are strong sides who have strengthened well. Mansfield have strengthened quite a lot.
"Colchester obviously had a good side last year and August looks a a difficult month, but they are all difficult games at this level, as we've found. There is no one you can say 'Well, this is going to be an especially tough game', because they all are.
"Games you think you're supposed to win, you don't. Tougher games we tended to win last year, so we know it's going to be a difficult month, but of course we are looking to start well. By the time the season starts we'll have hoped to have got all our squad ready, and then we'll be raring to go."
The second month of the season sees newly-promoted Lincoln City and relegated Swindon Town, Port Vale and Chesterfield all provide the opposition for Jones' men.
He added: "Again, it's equally as difficult because a lot of sides who have come down will be expected to do well, and obviously Lincoln, who won the league, will have momentum.
"There are difficult games all over, but that's the league. There are no easy games; there are no bankers, no game's a given. So whichever one it's going to be, whether it's a side that's finished last year in the bottom half, a side that's come down or a side that's come up, they are all difficult games at this level.
"We are just looking forward to going again and seeing the fixture list today provides us something to work towards."
LUTON TOWN FIXTURES 2017-18
*Please note, the fixture list below is a draft version and dates of matches are still subject to change.
AUGUST
Sat Aug 5 Yeovil Town H
Tue Aug 8 Ipswich Town (Carabao Cup One)
Sat Aug 12 Barnet A
Sat Aug 19 Colchester United H
Wed Aug 23 Carabao Cup Two
Sat Aug 26 Mansfield Town A
SEPTEMBER
Sat Sep 2 Lincoln City A (International Date)
Sat Sep 9 Swindon Town H
Tue Sep 12 Port Vale H
Sat Sep 16 Wycombe Wanderers A
Wed Sep 20 Carabao Cup Three
Sat Sep 23 Chesterfield H
Tue Sep 26 Morecambe A
Sat Sep 30 Newport County H
OCTOBER
Sat Oct 7 Accrington Stanley A (International Date)
Sat Oct 14 Stevenage H
Tue Oct 17 Exeter City A
Sat Oct 21 Crawley Town A
Wed Oct 25 Carabao Cup Four
Sat Oct 28 Coventry City H
NOVEMBER
Sat Nov 4 Emirates FA Cup 1
Sat Nov 11 Cheltenham Town A (International Date)
Sat Nov 18 Cambridge United H
Tue Nov 21 Carlisle United H
Sat Nov 25 Crewe Alexandra A
DECEMBER
Sat Dec 2 Emirates FA Cup 2
Sat Dec 9 Notts County H
Sat Dec 16 Forest Green Rovers A
Wed Dec 20 Carabao Cup Five
Sat Dec 23 Grimsby Town H
Tue Dec 26 Swindon Town A
Sat Dec 30 Port Vale A
JANUARY
Mon Jan 1 Lincoln City H
Sat Jan 6 Wycombe Wanderers H (Emirates FA Cup 3)
Wed Jan 10 Carabao Cup Semi-Final (1)
Sat Jan 13 Chesterfield A
Sat Jan 20 Morecambe H
Wed Jan 24 Carabao Cup Semi-Final (2)
Sat Jan 27 Grimsby Town A (Emirates FA Cup 4)
FEBRUARY
Sat Feb 3 Exeter City H
Sat Feb 10 Stevenage A
Tue Feb 13 Crawley Town H
Sat Feb 17 Coventry City A (Emirates FA Cup 5)
Sat Feb 24 Cheltenham Town H
Sun Feb 25 Carabao Cup Final
MARCH
Sat Mar 3 Cambridge United A
Sat Mar 10 Accrington Stanley H
Sat Mar 17 Newport County A (Emirates FA Cup 6)
Sat Mar 24 Barnet H (International Date)
Sat Mar 31 Colchester United A
APRIL
Mon Apr 2 Mansfield Town H
Sat Apr 7 Yeovil Town A
Sat Apr 14 Crewe Alexandra H
Sat Apr 21 Carlisle United A (Emirates FA Cup Semi-Final)
Sat Apr 28 Forest Green Rovers H
MAY
Sat May 5 Notts. County A
Sat May 19 Emirates FA Cup Final