Aston Villa fixtures 2017/18: Steve Bruce starts at home to former club Hull as Villans hunt Premier League return

ASTON VILLA will face relegated Hull City on the opening day of the season as they look to finally secure promotion back to the Premier League.

Steve Bruce comes up against his former club at Villa Park in one of the stand-out fixtures of the first day of the new EFL season on August 5.

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Villa have been handed a tough opening run of games with trips to Cardiff and Reading to follow, before they then entertain Norwich on August 19.

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The first midlands derby against Birmingham will take place at St Andrews on October 28, with the home match against Blues on February 10.

Despite the Villains spending big on the likes of Jonathan Kodjia last season, they failed to light up the league, and finished down in 13th spot

But Steve Bruce knew he had a massive rebuilding job when he took over at Villa Park in October last year following the Premier League relegation.

With rumours Bruce has even targeted John Terry as a summer addition, hopes will once again be high among the club’s long-suffering supporters.

Aston Villa fixtures 2017/18

August

5 Hull (h)

12 Cardiff (a)

15 Reading (a)

19 Norwich (h)

26 Bristol City (a)

September

9 Brentford (h)

12 Middlesbrough (h)

16 Barnsley (a)

23 Nottm Forest (h)

26 Burton Albion (a)

30 Bolton (h)

October

14 Wolves (a)

21 Fulham (h)

28 Birmingham (a)

31 Preston (a)

November

4 Sheff Wed (h)

18 QPR (a)

21 Sunderland (h)

25 Ipswich (h)

December

2 Leeds (a)

9 Millwall (h)

16 Derby (a)

23 Sheff Utd (h)

26 Brentford (a)

30 Middlesbrough (a)

January

1 Bristol City (h)

13 Nottm Forest (a)

20 Barnsley (h)

27 Sheff Utd (a

February

3 Burton Albion (h)

10 Birmingham (h)

17 Fulham (a)

20 Preston (h)

24 Sheff Wed (a)

March

3 QPR (h)

6 Sunderland (a)

10 Wolves (h)

17 Bolton (a)

31 Hull (a)

April

2 Reading (h)

7 Norwich (a)

10 Cardiff (h)

14 Leeds (h)

21 Ipswich (a)

28 Derby (h)

May

6 Millwall (a)

PA:Press Association

When does the 2017/18 EFL season start and finish?

The EFL season will start on Saturday, August 5, although there may be a TV game on Friday 4.

Exactly nine months later, the season will conclude on the weekend of May 5.

The play-off finals will be held from May 26-28.