“You would always like to be at home for the first game but away to Bolton will be a good test, we would all love to get off to a winning start and get the first points on the board.

“The first home game against Chelsea is a tough one on a Tuesday night so it’s going to be a bit of a baptism of fire. But these are the kind of games you really look forward to.

“We want to make the Stadium of Light a difficult place to play, so all of our home games are important and last season showed there are no easy games in the Premier League.”

Chairman Niall Quinn shares Bruce’s excitement, although he admits the run of three games in eight days at the start of the season is a “hectic” beginning.

“The holidays are coming to an end now the fixtures are out,” the chairman said. “This is the time when everyone gets giddy about what’s going to happen. Last year is dead and gone and it’s all about bringing it on now.”

Sunderland hope to make further progress bringing in players before the end of this week and have been linked with Middlesbrough defender Matthew Bates, as well as Richard Dunne of Manchester City.

A deal for Tottenham’s Darren Bent is in the offing while Wigan’s Lee Cattermole and Titus Bramble are also on the Black Cats’ radar.

Bruce has substantial funds to bring in players and will hope to move things forward before the end of the week with at least one of his targets – although completing a deal looks unlikely at this stage.