Terry Brown reckons AFC Wimbledon have hit the big time after the Dons were given an opening day glamour clash with Luton Town when the Blue Square Premier fixtures were released on Friday.

Brown’s men will face the Hatters, who were relegated from League Two last season, on August 8 at Kingsmeadow as the campaign gets off with a bang.

And the Dons boss is relishing the prospect of crossing swords with Mick Harford’s Luton side.

Brown said: “It is absolutely fantastic news.

“To get the biggest team in the league at home in your first game - how exciting is that?

“These are the type of games that we are in this league for.

“This is where we want to be - we are back in the big time.

“When you get the fixtures it really puts the meat on the bones and if the players needed any motivation for the coming season they just got it.”

The Dons will take an enviable record into the Luton clash, having never lost an opening day fixture since their formation in 2002.

But Brown admits that feat will be sternly put to the test.

He added: “We are proud of that record, but it will be tough to keep that run going.

“But having said that when we got Newport County away on the first game of last season I thought that was difficult and we went and won 4-1.

“In a way the pressure will be taken off us as we will not be expected to win.

“To be honest I would have preferred a smaller club in the opening game as there is no doubt it will be a sell-out - if we had got Rag-Arse Rovers at home I would have been delighted.

“But it will be a fantastic occasion, and I think tickets will be like gold-dust!”

Wimbledon are quickly back in action as they face Eastbourne Borough on the road on August 11, before a trip to Kettering Town on August 15.

Other highlights see Hayes & Yeading provide the Boxing Day/New Year’s Day opposition, with a trek to Gateshead wrapping up the season on April 24.

Brown added: “Hayes & Yeading over Christmas is perfect for us as that was a fixture both of us wanted.

“There are some real trips in there and that is something we have had to factor into our preparations.

“Gateshead will definitely be one - I have heard people talking about it being a promotion decider, but first we have to make sure it is not a relegation decider!”