BLACKBURN Rovers will begin their League One campaign with an away trip to Southend United.

Rovers will be a third division side for the first time in 37 years next season following relegation from the Championship last term.

And Tony Mowbray’s men will kick-off their season at Roots Hall on the August 5 opener.

Phil Brown’s side narrowly missed out on a play-off spot last season, and it will be Rovers’ first trip to Southend since 1991.

It is the first time in four years that Rovers will start their league campaign on the road after three consecutive home games on the opening days in 2014, 2015 and 2016.

And they will be hoping to end their long wait for a win in their opening fixture, having not done so since 2010, with their last win on the road coming in 2008.

The first home game will see Rovers host newly promoted Doncaster Rovers on Saturday, August 12.

The opening month also includes a trip to Bradford City (Saturday, August 19) and a home game with MK Dons (Saturday, August 26).

The Boxing Day fixture sees Rovers host Rochdale, while they will end the calendar year with a home game against Scunthorpe United on Saturday, August 30.

They start 2017 with a trip to Rotherham United on New Year’s Day before ending the season with a home game against Oxford United (Saturday, May 5) which will kick-off at 5.30pm.

There are currently just five midweek games planned, with a trip to Scunthorpe on September 12 the first, followed by home games against Rotherham United (September 26) and Plymouth Argyle (October 17).

The final two will see Rovers head to Oxford United (November 21) and then Portsmouth on February 13.

Rovers 2017/18 fixtures in full.

August 5          15:00     Southend United v Blackburn Rovers

August 12        15:00     Blackburn Rovers v Doncaster Rovers

August 19        15:00     Bradford City v Blackburn Rovers

August 26        15:00     Blackburn Rovers v Milton Keynes Dons

September 2    15:00     Blackburn Rovers v Fleetwood Town

September 9    15:00     Rochdale v Blackburn Rovers

September 12  19:45     Scunthorpe United v Blackburn Rovers

September 16  15:00     Blackburn Rovers v A.F.C. Wimbledon

September 23  15:00     Shrewsbury Town v Blackburn Rovers

September 26  19:45     Blackburn Rovers v Rotherham United

September 30  15:00     Blackburn Rovers v Gillingham

October 7        15:00     Blackpool v Blackburn Rovers

October 14      15:00     Oldham Athletic v Blackburn Rovers

October 17      19:45     Blackburn Rovers v Plymouth Argyle

October 21      15:00     Blackburn Rovers v Portsmouth

October 28      15:00     Wigan Athletic v Blackburn Rovers

November 11   15:00     Blackburn Rovers v Walsall

November 18   15:00     Bury v Blackburn Rovers

November 21   19:45     Oxford United v Blackburn Rovers

November 25   15:00     Blackburn Rovers v Bristol Rovers

December 9     15:00     Peterborough United v Blackburn Rovers

December 16   15:00     Blackburn Rovers v Charlton Athletic

December 23   15:00     Northampton Town v Blackburn Rovers

December 26   15:00     Blackburn Rovers v Rochdale

December 30   15:00     Blackburn Rovers v Scunthorpe United

January 1        15:00     Rotherham United v Blackburn Rovers

January 6        15:00     A.F.C. Wimbledon v Blackburn Rovers

January 13      15:00     Blackburn Rovers v Shrewsbury Town

January 20      15:00     Fleetwood Town v Blackburn Rovers

January 27      15:00     Blackburn Rovers v Northampton Town

February 3      15:00     Plymouth Argyle v Blackburn Rovers

February 10     15:00     Blackburn Rovers v Oldham Athletic

February 13     19:45     Portsmouth v Blackburn Rovers

February 17     15:00     Blackburn Rovers v Bury

February 24     15:00     Walsall v Blackburn Rovers

March 3           15:00     Blackburn Rovers v Wigan Athletic

March 10         15:00     Blackburn Rovers v Blackpool

March 17         15:00     Gillingham v Blackburn Rovers

March 24         15:00     Doncaster Rovers v Blackburn Rovers

March 31         15:00     Blackburn Rovers v Bradford City

April 2             15:00     Milton Keynes Dons v Blackburn Rovers

April 7             15:00     Blackburn Rovers v Southend United

April 14           15:00     Bristol Rovers v Blackburn Rovers

April 21           15:00     Blackburn Rovers v Peterborough United

April 28           15:00     Charlton Athletic v Blackburn Rovers

May 5              17:30     Blackburn Rovers v Oxford United