Hartlepool United v Sunderland AFC
Victoria Park
Wednesday 20 July
7.30pm
Following a 10-day training camp in Austria, Sunderland will return to the UK to face Hartlepool United in the first of six pre-season fixtures ahead of the 2016-17 Premier League season.
The Black Cats’ trip to Victoria Park will take place on Thursday 20 July, with games against Rotherham United, FC Stade Nyonnais, Dijon FCO, Montpellier HSC and Borussia Dortmund preceding the season opener against Manchester United.
Pools opened the 2015-16 campaign under the stewardship of Ronnie Moore who guided the club to safety during the 2014-15 season, but he departed by mutual consent in February 2016 with Craig Hignett taking charge.
Upon Hignett’s arrival Pools sat just four points above the relegation zone, and like his predecessor he guided the club to safety with an eventual 16th-place finish seeing 17 points separate the club and the bottom two.
The club also made it to the third round of the FA Cup where they were beaten 2-1 by Championship side Derby County, with former Black Cat Darren Bent striking late on to seal victory for the Rams.
Former Leeds United striker Billy Paynter top scored with 15 goals in 35 appearances, and the 31-year-old is likely to line up against the Lads in July after Hignett exercised a one-year extension in his Pools contract.
Sunderland’s last trip to Victoria Park came in July 2014 and initially it was a close affair, but Carl Lawson’s second-half strike opened the floodgates as Andrew Cartwright’s well-taken double secured a 3-0 win.
SUNDERLAND AFC’S PRE-SEASON SCHEDULE (KOs local time):
Hartlepool United - Wednesday 20th July, 7.30pm, Victoria Park
Rotherham United - Saturday 23rd July, 3pm, AESSEAL New York Stadium
FC Stade Nyonnais - Monday 25th July, 7pm, venue TBC
Dijon FCO - Wednesday 27th July, KO TBC, venue TBC
Montpellier HSC - Saturday 30th July, KO TBC, venue TBC
Borussia Dortmund - Friday 5 August, KO 7pm, Cashpoint Arena, Altach, Austria.