AYCLIFFE CONFIRM BLACK CATS FRIENDLY!

By Martin Walker

Newton Aycliffe FC have confirmed a huge pre-season friendly with North-East Premier League giants Sunderland!

Aycliffe will welcome a Black Cats XI to Moore Lane Park on Friday 20th July – kick-off 7.30pm.

The Newtonians, who finished ninth in their first Northern League top-flight campaign last season after winning the second division title last summer, are now preparing for what will be the biggest fixture ever played at their new ground.

Delighted manager Allan Oliver said: “This is a major, major coup for the club and we’re delighted to announce such a high-profile fixture.

“Yet again, this game shows just how far this club has come in the last few years.

“We were playing against the Dog and Duck four years ago, now we have a magnificent new ground, we’re holding our own in the Northern League first division, we’ve welcomed FA Cup and FA Vase football to Moore Lane Park in the last 12 months and we have some of biggest average attendances for this level of football in the country.

“We’re notching things up a level again with a pre-season friendly against Sunderland, one of our two North-East Premier League neighbours, and it promises to be a huge game for the club and a special occasion for the town.”

Aycliffe’s biggest games previously have been pre-season friendlies with Darlington, which attracted 1,307 two years ago and 822 last summer.

A second division tie against Darlington RA in March last year fetched 567, while 379 watched an FA Vase tie at home to Shildon last September.

Aycliffe will announce more details about the Sunderland friendly, such as admission prices and parking provisions, in due course.

Further pre-season friendlies will also be announced as soon as possible.