Darlo friendly confirmed as pre-season details firmed up

Sunderland’s full pre-season schedule is yet to be announced, but one friendly fixture has been confirmed.

New Sunderland boss Jack Ross will take his squad to Blackwell Meadows to face National League North club Darlington on Wednesday, July 11 (KO 7.30pm).

The sides last played each other in 2015 at Heritage Park. Darlington have announced the friendly fixture and say Sunderland “will be sending their first team.”

The Sunderland squad returns to training at the Academy of Light on June 22 and the rest of the pre-season friendly schedule is close to being finalised.

Sunderland have scheduled in a week’s training in Portugal at the start of July and the club is trying to organise a friendly while they are over there. Boss Jack Ross has been making some adjustments to the initial pre-season plans that had been in place.

Sunderland fans living overseas can follow the 201819 League One campaign via a new live streaming service.

Every non-televised league game will be available for overseas supporters to view live, on a special platform on the club’s official website.

A club statement said: “Fans can sign up for a full season of league games or on a game-by-game basis.

“As the club is not part of the EFL digital collective, it can provide its own bespoke streaming service, similar the iFollow initiative. The SAFC service will be delivered by club partner StreamAMG.

“StreamAMG has worked with Sunderland AFC to provide the technology behind the club’s online TV channel, SAFSee, since 2012.”