Less than two months after the 2023/24 football season finished, the region's sides are back in training and have arranged plenty of pre-season friendlies over the next few weeks.

Prudhoe YC Seniors begin their third season in Ebac Northern League Division Two away to league newcomers Grangetown Boys Club on Saturday 27th July before travelling to Chester-le-Street United on Tuesday 30th July. Their first home game at Essity Park is against Washington on Saturday 3rd August.

Their pre-season schedule is as follows: July 6-Gateshead Leam Rangers (A), July 13-Wallington (A), July 17-Newcastle East End (A), July 20-Percy Main AFC (H), July 23-West Allotment Celtic (H).

Local rivals Ryton & Crawcrook Albion kick off their Ebac Northern League Division Two campaign at home to Yarm & Eaglescliffe on Saturday 27th July before making the short trip to Essity Park to face Newcastle University on Thursday 1st August.

Their pre-season fixures are: July 6-Newcastle Benfield (A), July 12-Newcastle Blue Star (A), July 19-Whickham (H), July 22-AFC Newbiggin (A). 

In addition, Prudhoe YC Seniors and Ryton & Crawcrook Albion will again play in the prestigious FA Vase next season with the draw for the first qualifying round taking place on July 5.

The region is well represented in three of the four divisions of the Northern Football Alliance with Haltwhistle Jubilee, Ponteland United and Wallington in the Premier Division, Hexham in the Second Division, while Heddon United and Prudhoe YC Seniors Reserves are joined by league newcomers Ovingham in the Third Division. The league programme kicks off on Saturday 3rd August.

Following the most successful season in the club's 147-year history, winning the Premier Division and Northumberland FA Benevolent Bowl, Wallington's pre-season fixtures are: July 6-Whickham (H), July 13-Prudhoe YC Seniors (H), July 17-Newcastle University (A), July 20-Rothbury (A).

Experienced striker Jordan Nellis was top-scorer last season with 32 league goals, his second biggest haul for the club after bagging 36 goals back in the 2012/13 campaign. His overall tally was 45 goals in all competitions, taking his career total for the club to 233 in just over 250 appearances.

Haltwhistle Jubilee more than held their own in their third season in the Premier Division, winning eight of their fifteen home games and picking up more points on the road than the previous campaign. Their pre-season fixtures are: July 20-Heaton Stannington A (H), July 27-UniSun Athletic (H), July 31-Haltwhistle Jubilee Development (H).

Ponteland United's lack of a goal threat proved costly at times and they finished the campaign as the second lowest scorers in the Premier Division. They lost eleven of the first sixteen league games before improving from mid-January and lost only five of the last fourteen games. In addition, they reached the George Dobbins League Cup Final in which they were a shade unlucky to lose 1-0 to Alnwick Town AFC who have subsequently been promoted to Ebac Northern League Division Two after finishing runners-up to Wallington.

Their pre-season fixtures are: July 6-Jarrow (H), July 10-Willington Quay Saints (A), July 20-Wideopen (A), July 24-Winlaton Community (H).

Supporters should be aware that pre-season friendlies can be changed at short notice and it is advisable to check each club's social media pages before travelling to a game.