The fixture list has just been revealed for the 2014/15 season and Newcastle will once again tackle Manchester City on the opening day. In a reverse of our curtain raiser at the Etihad Stadium last term the Magpies will host the Premier League Champions on August 15th at St James' Park with Cheick Tiote hoping he will be allowed to score this time round after his stunning volley was wrongly disallowed last term. More importantly the first Tyne-Wear Derby will take place just FIVE days before Christmas with Sunderland pencilled in to make the short trip to Tyneside on the 20th December with our excursion to the Stadium of Light scheduled for 4th April. The all-important Boxing Day fixture has landed us a trip to Old Trafford to face Louis Van Gaal's Manchester United. Will there be a repeat of the seven-goal thriller from our last festive voyage to the Theatre of Dreams? And we'll close out the season on the 24th May with a visit from former manager 'Big' Sam Allardyce and his West Ham side on the final day. The travelling Toon Army will also be glad to hear they have 600 miles less to travel in 2014/15 with our combined away game road mileage down from 8,744 to 8,180 after we waved goodbye to the relegated trio of Norwich, Fulham and Cardiff. Theyre sure to welcome the shorter journeys to newly-promoted Burnley and Leicester provide, while QPR's victory in the play-off's mean we'll have at least six expensive trips to the Capital next season.
