MIDDLESBROUGH will play their first competitive fixture since the play-off final at Preston North End after they were handed a trip to Deepdale on the opening weekend of the new Championship season.

Boro travel to Preston on August 8 before hosting Bolton in their opening fixture at the Riverside seven days later.

Their opening midweek fixture sees them travel to Derby County on August 18, with a home game against Bristol City and a trip to Sheffield Wednesday rounding off their August fixtures.

The home game with Leeds United is scheduled for September 26, with Boro travelling to Blackburn Rovers on Boxing Day.

The Teessiders host Sheffield Wednesday on December 28, with another home game against Derby scheduled for January 2.

Their first trip of 2016 takes them to Brentford on January 12, with another long trip to Bristol City coming just four days later.

Boro visit Elland Road on February 13, with their final away game of the season taking them to Birmingham on April 30.

Aitor Karanka's side then finish the campaign with a home game against Brighton on May 7.

Middlesbrough's 2015-16 fixtures:

Aug 8 Preston North End (a)

Aug 15 BOLTON WANDERERS (H)

Aug 18 Derby County (a)

Aug 22 BRISTOL CITY (H)

Aug 29 Sheffield Wednesday (a)

Sep 12 MK DONS (H)

Sep 15 BRENTFORD (H)

Sep 19 Nottingham Forest (a)

Sep 26 LEEDS UNITED (H)

Oct 3 Reading (a)

Oct 17 FULHAM (H)

Oct 20 Cardiff City (a)

Oct 24 Wolves (a)

Oct 31 CHARLTON ATHLETIC (H)

Nov 3 ROTHERHAM (H)

Nov 7 Hull City (a)

Nov 21 QPR (H)

Nov 28 Huddersfield Town (a)

Dec 5 Ipswich Town (a)

Dec 12 BIRMINGHAM CITY (H)

Dec 15 BURNLEY (H)

Dec 19 Brighton (a)

Dec 26 Blackburn Rovers (a)

Dec 28 SHEFF WED (H)

Jan 2 DERBY COUNTY (H)

Jan 12 Brentford (a)

Jan 16 Bristol City (a)

Jan 23 NOTTINGHAM FOREST (H)

Jan 30 MK Dons (a)

Feb 6 BLACKBURN ROVERS (H)

Feb 13 Leeds United (a)

Feb 20 READING (H)

Feb 23 CARDIFF CITY (H)

Feb 27 Fulham (a)

Mar 5 WOLVES (H)

Mar 8 Rotherham United (a)

Mar 12 Charlton Athletic (a)

Mar 19 HULL CITY (H)

Apr 2 QPR (a)

Apr 5 HUDDERSFIELD TOWN

Apr 9 PRESTON (H)

Apr 16 Bolton Wanderers (a)

Apr 19 Burnley (a)

Apr 23 IPSWICH TOWN (H)

Apr 30 Birmingham City (a)

May 7 BRIGHTON (H)