http://www.safc.com/news/20110524/sunderland-confirm-first-pre-season-friendly_2256213_2366132 Sunderland will play York City in their first pre-season friendly of the 2011-12 season. The Black Cats will travel to Bootham Crescent to take on the Conference Premier outfit on Wednesday 13th July, with the game scheduled to kick off at 7.30pm. York, who are managed by former Nottingham Forest midfielder Gary Mills, finished eighth in non-league football's top tier in 2010-11, seven points behind Fleetwood Town in the final play-off spot. The Minstermen just missed out on promotion in 2009-10, reaching the play-off final only to lose to Oxford United at Wembley. Sunderland last faced York in a two-legged League Cup tie in August 1998. Danny Dichio scored both goals in a 2-0 win at Bootham Crescent in the first leg, while Kevin Phillips and Martin Smith both found the net in a 2-1 victory in the second fixture. Ticket information will be confirmed in due course and Sunderland's full pre-season schedule will be revealed in the coming days.
Absolutely. This could be perfect for me. Bring the family over to England to a beautiful city that they don't know AND slot a match in. BRILLIANT!!! And 13th July would have been my dad's 105th birthday so we'll do it for him. (Thanks for having me born in Sunderland, Dad. First - and best? - thing you ever did for me!)
And what a beautiful city it is! Enjoy it, Chatsnoir. Sunderland have always played some pre-seasons to help lower league teams out - Darlington, Hartlepool, Carlisle (but sadly, not Berwick that I can remember). Many years ago, I remember we turned out a full international side (Shackleton, Bingham, Daniel &co) against Spennymoor United! What a pity more Prem clubs don't think of their less well-off neighbours a bit, like Sunderland. I think we ought to be proud of this long-standing habit.
If you want a good lunch The Limehouse does 2 courses for ã9.95 or 3 courses for ã12.95. It is licensed
