Peterhead co-manager Ryan Strachan believes a good start to the new season is important as they look to change the mentality around the club.
After the SPFL released the fixtures for the 2023-24 season the Blue Toon discovered they will start their League Two campaign against East Fife at New Bayview on Saturday August 5.
The Buchan side’s first home fixture is the following week against Stenhousemuir, while their first league meeting with SPFL new boys Spartans is at Balmoor on matchday four on August 26.
Their first clash with north rivals Elgin City is at home on September 30.
Last term was a disappointing one for Peterhead who were relegated from League One after winning only three league games out of 36.
Since being appointed in April joint-bosses Strachan and Jordon Brown have reshaped the Blue Toon squad and are keen to shake off what happened last season.
Strachan said: “We’re putting plenty of importance on the start of the league season, although right now we’re eight or nine games away from that with the friendlies and League Cup games we’ve got to play.
“The next six weeks are all about integrating the group and making sure we’re prepared for the start of the league campaign.
SPFL Fixtures 2023/2024.
Peterhead start the opening day away to East Fife.#BlueToon 💙 pic.twitter.com/CwHgthWw5u
— Peterhead FC (@pfcofficial) June 30, 2023
“We’ve still got things to sort out, we’ve still got to work out what our best team is.
“But we’ll be ready for it when we get to the start of the league games.
“We don’t want to dwell on last season, but 40 or 50% of us are still here.
“It’s a mentality thing and something we have to get out of our minds quickly.
“This is a new group and we want to move forward quickly and not dwell on last year.”
A happy dressing room
Strachan and Brown are keen for their new squad to gel both on and off the pitch.
Peterhead are in friendly action again on Sunday when they face Banks o’ Dee at Spain Park (2pm).
Strachan added: “It can be hard to gel quickly when there’s the geographical divide, some of the boys are Glasgow-based, we’ve got one from Edinburgh and the rest of us are Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.
“We’ll have everyone there tomorrow for a wee training session before our game on Sunday, we’ll have a team meal at night and maybe get a few of the new boys up singing.
“We’ll try to do a few things to make the boys happy and part of the group. We think it’s important because if players are happy they should perform for us.
“Every successful team I’ve been involved with has had a good dressing room, a group of happy men on and off the park who have a laugh together and pull together.”
Peterhead’s 2023-24 fixture list
AUGUST
5 – East Fife (a)
12 – Stenhousemuir (h)
19 – Clyde (a)
26 – The Spartans (h)
SEPTEMBER
2 – Stranraer (a)
16 – Bonnyrigg Rose (h)
23 – Dumbarton (a)
30 – Elgin City (h)
OCTOBER
7 – Forfar Athletic (a)
21 – Stenhousemuir (a)
NOVEMBER
4 – East Fife (h)
11 – Stranraer (h)
18 – The Spartans (a)
DECEMBER
2 – Dumbarton (h)
9 – Bonnyrigg Rose (a)
16 – Clyde (h)
23 – Forfar Athletic (h)
30 – Elgin City (a)
JANUARY
6 – The Spartans (h)
13 – Stranraer (a)
20 – East Fife (a)
27 – Stenhousemuir (h)
FEBRUARY
3 – Clyde (a)
10 – Bonnyrigg Rose (h)
17 – Forfar Athletic (a)
24 – Elgin City (h)
MARCH
2 – Dumbarton (a)
9 – Stranraer (h)
16 – East Fife (h)
23 – Stenhousemuir (a)
30 – Clyde (h)
APRIL
6 – Bonnyrigg Rose (a)
13 – Forfar Athletic (h)
20 – Elgin City (a)
27 – The Sparans (a)
MAY
4 – Dumbarton (h)
