Citizens meet Coleraine in a Euro warm-up

BANGOR City’s preparations for a return to European competition continue this Saturday with a visit to Northern Ireland.

The opposition will be Northern Ireland Premiership side Coleraine, who like the Citizens have qualified for the 2017/18 Europa League.

The Bannsiders, who have won the Irish League just once and the Irish Cup on five occasions, made their European debut back in 1965/66.

Coleraine last played in Europe in 2003/04 and their overall record is 36 matches, four wins, six draws and 26 defeats. Bangor’s European stats are very similar: played 35, won three, drawn four, lost 28.

City finished fourth in the Welsh Premier League last season and progressed into Europe by winning the play-off final. Coleraine ended up third in their league last term behind champions Linfield and second-placed Crusaders.

This Saturday’s friendly at The Showgrounds kicks off at 1pm.

Bangor’s Europa League preparations began last week with a game against Jamie Vardy’s V9 Academy at Manchester City’s Etihad Campus.

The V9 squad is the brainchild of Leicester City and England striker Vardy and comprises the cream of non-league talent.

The Citizens management team of Kevin Nicholson, Gary Taylor-Fletcher and Stephen Vaughan Jr. were able to run the rule over several trialists who appeared alongside some more familiar members of City’s first-team squad. The game ended 3-0 to the V9 Academy. City will discover their opponents in the first qualifying round of the Europa League when the draw takes place next Monday (June 19).