Hartlepool United to face Middlesbrough and Sunderland in pre-season campaign

Hartlepool have confirmed five pre-season fixtures ahead of their return to the National League with a number of North East opponents lined up to face John Askey’s side as well as League Two outfit Harrogate Town.

Pools return for pre-season duty early in July ahead of their first fixture against Michael Carrick’s Middlesbrough at the Suit Direct Stadium.

Boro narrowly missed out on promotion to the Premier League in the Championship play-off semi-finals against Coventry City and will arrive at the Suit Direct Stadium on Friday, July 14 for a 7pm kick-off.

Askey’s side will then travel to take on National League North side Blyth Spartans eight days later with kick-off at Croft Park at 3pm on Saturday, July 22.

The trip to face Spartans is the first of a non-league double before travelling to Green Lane to take on Northern League side Redcar Athletic.

The fixture with the Steelmen will kick-off at 7.30pm on Tuesday, July 25.

Pools will then wrap up their pre-season campaign with a double-header at the Suit Direct Stadium against Harrogate on Friday, July 28 with kick-off at 7.30pm before Sunderland’s visit on Tuesday, August 1 at 7.30pm.

The Black Cats made the trip to the Suit Direct Stadium as part of last year’s pre-season schedule, a fixture which ended in a 1-1 draw, with Tony Mowbray’s side set to do so again ahead of the 2023-24 campaign.

Askey, it’s understood, is still set to take his side on a training camp in Scotland ahead of the club’s pre-season fixture programme.

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