Sunderland have now confirmed the bulk of their pre-season programme with some early ticket information released
Sunderland have now confirmed the bulk of their pre-season programme as the prepare for a return to the Premier League following an eight-year absence.
The Black Cats confirmed this morning that the players will return to the Academy of Light in ten days (Friday July 4th), going through the traditional testing before the hard work starts in earnest. Sunderland's first week of pre-season training will then end with the now traditional double header against Gateshead and South Shields, where Régis Le Bris will split his first-team squad across the two games. A number of the club's academy prospects will also be involved across the two games.
The team will then head to Portugal for a week of intense training before high-profile fixtures against Sevilla and Sporting Lisbon. Three UK fixtures follow and there is still at this stage expected to be one further friendly confirmed for the weekend of August 9th, which will be the final fixture before the Premier League campaign begins. The opponent and location for that game are still to be revealed.
Here's everything you need to know about following Sunderland in pre-season, with all the key details as we have it...
12/07 – Gateshead, Gateshead International Stadium (12:30)
The first game of the double header will take place at Gateshead, who have recently announced former Blyth Spartans and Darlington boss Alun Armstrong as their new manager. The Black Cats could come up against a couple of former players in the game, with goalkeeper Harrison Bond and defender Kenton Richardson currently on the club's books.
Tickets are available to Sunderland fans through Gateshead's online platform, priced at £20 for adults with concessions available. Sunderland will be housed in the East Stand, with the South Stand set to be opened if capacity is reached.
12/07 – South Shields, 1st Cloud Arena (16:00)
Sunderland have been given an allocation of 1,000 tickets for the second game of the double header, available now through South Shields's online platform. There will be no segregation at the fixture. Standing tickets are available at £15 for adults, and seated tickets at £20. Concessions are available.
Following the departure of former Sunderland U23s boss Elliott Dickman at the end of last season, South Shields are now managed by former Gateshead assistant boss Ian Watson. On Monday evening they confirmed the arrival of former Sunderland youngster Caden Kelly, who was released earlier this summer.
19/07 – Sevilla FC, Estádio Algarve (20:00)
Tickets have not yet gone on sale for the first game of Sunderland's pre-season tour of Portugal. The games will played at Estádio Algarve, an arena that was purpose built for the Euro 2004 Championships near the city of Faro. The ground has a capacity of around 30,000. Tickets are expected to go on sale in the near future.
Sunderland fans can also get tickets as part of the club's partnership with Sportsbreaks.com.
A statement from the club website reads: "Packages are available at £819 per person, including a minimum four-night stay in a four-star hotel, with airport and matchday transfers included. Fans will also receive two match tickets, exclusive access to Club events featuring first-team players and staff, and access to limited-edition merchandise.
"Please note, flights are not included and must be booked separately."
21/07 – Sporting CP, Estádio Algarve (20:00)
Tickets for the second game of Sunderland's pre-season tour are now on sale, with prices ranging between €20 and €30. Tickets will also be available at the stadium’s ticket office on match day, starting from 16:00 BST. The club have advised that children under the age of three are not allowed in the stadium. Tickets are now available from this site.
26/07 – Heart of Midlothian, Tynecastle Park (15:00)
Sunderland will travel to Edinburgh to take on Hearts for Craig Gordon's testimonial game. The club confirmed this morning that they have been handed an allocation of 3,185. Adult tickets are priced at £20, with concessions available. Tickets are now on sale to season ticket holders with over 35 loyalty points. The three phases of sales are as follows...
Phase 1: Season Ticket Holders with 35+ BCP: Supporters in this phase are guaranteed a ticket. This phase will run from 10am Tuesday 24th June until 10am 25th June.
Phase 2: Season Ticket Holders with 20+BCP: (Subject to availability). This phase will run from 10am Wednesday 25th June until 10am 26th June.
Phase 3: Season Ticket Holders with 5+ BCP: This phase will run from 10am Thursday 26th June.
29/07 – Hull City, MKM Stadium (19:45)
Having sacked Ruben Selles at the end of last season, after avoiding Championship relegation on goal difference, the Tigers are now managed by Sergej Jakirović. Ticket details for this game are still to be confirmed.
02/08 – Real Betis, Stadium of Light (15:00)
The La Liga side reached the Conference League final last year before being beaten by Chelsea, and are managed by former Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini. Ticket details for this game are still to be confirmed.
Will the games be available to stream?
Streaming details have not yet been confirmed, but the club have previously streamed games from their pre-season programme through their digital platforms for a fee. The Sunderland Echo will have coverage from all of the games, including match reports, player ratings and reaction.
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