Billingham Town v Hartlepool United preview - ticketing info, manager's thoughts

The Pools players returned to training last week and will be raring to get out on the pitch for the first time in the 2019-20 season.

Northern League Division Two Champions Billingham Town will host Craig Hignett’s side at Bedford Terrace (Billingham, County Durham, TS23 4AE) with tickets available on the gate at £6 for adults, £4 for concessions and free for under-16s.

New signings Ben Killip and Gime Toure are set to don a Pools’ shirt for the first time as Hignett is itching to get going after a positive week on the training pitch.

“After the first week of pre-season it can start to drag a little but that’s why it’s great we’re going straight in to our friendlies programme (tonight),” the Hartlepool manager said in his weekly blog.

“Once the games start coming I always feel like pre-season passes that little bit quicker so we’re looking forward to getting them underway.

“The majority of the lads will get 45 minutes and then probably the same again Saturday.

“Then we can step it up to an hour as we go along but over the course of the game schedule I imagine most of the players will have accumulated four games or more before the real stuff starts.”

The National League fixtures are set to be announced at around 1pm on Wednesday afternoon with the National League season set to get underway a month later on August 3.