It’s fixture release day on Thursday and manager Neil Harris is as excited as the fans.

A busy summer on and off the pitch has got the Gills well prepared for a challenge at the top end of League 2 and with more than 3,000 season tickets sold - a 10-year high - the club will be well backed from the stands.

More: Harris speaks out about striker interest

Fans will be eager to see who the Gills kick off their season against, with League 2 getting under way on August 5.

“I very much get excited by it too,” said Harris. “First game of the season is key, first home game is key, Boxing Day is key, Swindon home and away, vital.

“It’s just an opportunity to start planning but I do get excited by the fixtures.

“Ideally, I’d love to be at home first game of the season, at home with the feelgood factor. But if we are away first game, when we come back here on the following Saturday so be it.”

Gillingham will also find out their opponents in the Carabao Cup and EFL Trophy on Thursday.

All 72 EFL clubs enter at the first-round stage, with the 12 Premier League sides not involved in Europe taking part in round two. The eight sides in European competitions enter at round three.

Gillingham enjoyed a great ride in the Carabao Cup last season with a win over Premier League side Brentford and an evening out at top-flight side Wolves. Round one games this season take place on the week commencing August 7.

The EFL Trophy will once again start with a group stage of four teams, including one of 16 invited under-21 teams. The Gills will play two games at home, starting in early September.

Gillingham will be in Group E (South) and have been handed a tough draw on Wednesday, paired with League 1 sides Portsmouth and Leyton Orient. An invited under-21 team will be added on Thursday.

The invited teams in the south section are under-21 sides from Arsenal, Aston Villa, Brighton, Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Fulham, Tottenham and West Ham. The Gills will play one of those sides at Priestfield in the group section.

One date worth noting in the diary is the League 2 play-off Final, which takes place on Sunday, May 19, although owner Brad Galinson has already said Gills’ target is automatic promotion rather than a trip to Wembley.