CIRENCESTER TOWN are hoping that Swindon Town boss Kevin Macdonald will unleash the side he intends to play on the opening day of the League One season when the Wiltshire outfit come to the Corinium Stadium for the rearranged pre-season friendly on Tuesday, July 30 (7.30pm kick-off).

Swindon are due to start their league campaign against Peterborough just four days later.

Swindon requested the switch from the original scheduled date next Friday (July 19) because of the prospect of facing three games in four days.

Since the Cirencester Town date was pencilled in their diary, Swindon have scheduled two further warm-up matches that week – with Tottenham Hotspur (Tuesday, July 16) and Birmingham City (Wednesday, July 17).

Swindon are contracted to play Cirencester, having used the Southern League team’s impressive indoor arena throughout the winter.

Cirencester now face back-to-back fixtures at the end of the month as they host Dave Hockaday’s Forest Green Rovers on Wednesday, July 31.

But Cirencester Town chairman Steve Abbley told the Standard before he flew out to Sicily on Wednesday: “I am delighted we have been able to resolve the issue before I went on holiday.

“I fully understand why Swindon did not want to play three games in four days, and if I had been offered the choice of playing Spurs or Swindon Town I know which one I would have taken.

“Swindon wanted to reschedule the game for September but that was never going to work. To host Swindon is our biggest day of the year and we already have sponsors lined up to back the fixture.

“I am satisfied with the new date as it comes four days before Swindon play their opening game against Peterborough and I think their fans can expect to see Kevin Macdonald’s starting line-up in the game.

“We are going to have to move a pre-season friendly scheduled for our new tenants Wootton Bassett and we are playing Forest Green Rovers the following day, but we have a young side so they will cope.”

Cirencester Town boss Brian Hughes expects to use at least 22 players when his side kicks off its pre-season friendly campaign with the visit to Shrivenham on Thursday.

On Saturday, Ciren host League Two side Cheltenham Town at the Corinium Stadium.

Hughes is less than impressed that his side has picked up four away ties in four recently-announced cup fixtures.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Hughes, “we must have upset someone at the FA.”

Cirencester Town face journeys to Slough (FA Cup), Didcot Town (FA Trophy), Cinderford Town (Red Insure Cup) and Bristol Rovers (Gloucestershire Senior Cup).

CIRENCESTER TOWN Academy graduate Matt Green has landed a dream transfer from non-league Mansfield Town to Birmingham City of the Championship.

When he makes his first league start for the Blues, Green will join Chris Zebroski (Plymouth, 2005-6) as the only previous Ciren Academy player to turn out for a Championship side.

Another former graduate James Constable has also enjoyed a successful league career, most recently with Oxford United.

Green was the top scorer in the Conference Premier last season with Mansfield Town.

He found the net minutes after coming off the bench to make his Birmingham debut in a pre-season friendly at Shamrock Rovers this week, but was also stretchered off in the same game.