COWDENBEATH fans will get a chance to run their eyes over the developing squad for the new season this Saturday when Queen of the South come to Central Park with a 2pm kick-off in the Blues' first public friendly.

Admission will be £7 for adults and £3 concessions for this fixture with a team which finished in the middle of the Championship last season.

While the main July focus will be on the Betfred League Cup competition, which starts on Saturday July 15 when Buckie Thistle come to Central Park, the SPFL Ladbrokes League 2 fixtures were released on Friday and revealed Cowden will start the 2017-2018 campaign where they ended last term, at Elgin.

That fixture will be on Saturday August 5 and they follow that one with a home game against Edinburgh City on August 12.

They complete August with an away game at Montrose and then a home fixture with Berwick Rangers.

The holiday fixtures at Christmas and New Year will see Saturday games on December 23 at Peterhead; Annan Athletic at home on the 30th then Montrose away on January 2.

Elgin were one of the leading sides at the start of last season although they ran out of steam in the closing stages, so it will not be an easy start for Gary Locke and his lads.

However, the manager is keen to see his men get games under their belt so they are ready for the league kick-off in August.

He said: "The Betfred Cup is an interesting competition but clearly having sides of the quality of Dundee and Dundee United in it means that it will be very difficult for us to qualify for the knock-out stages.

"But games against that quality of opposition will be a real test and will give the players a chance to find out how they are developing as an effective unit.

"Ideally, we want to be fully ready for the start of the league programme to look to make the best possible opening to the campaign."

Looking at the fixtures he added: "Elgin will be no easy task but we equipped ourselves well in the closing game of last season so we want to build on that and a Central Park game with Edinburgh City the following week will provide a chance to get a home win on the board.

"Our home form was not good last season and we want that to be sorted out quickly."

The manager will have new front man Josh Morris in Saturday's line-up and will have Dave McGurn in goal with Jamie Sneddon moving to Partick Thistle.

There will be chances for some of the younger element to stake a claim for a place with Cammy Muirhead and Harvey Swann leading the way.