MARINERS REEL IN THE BIG GUNS
SOUTH SHIELDS are to host a prestigious pre-season tournament as they prepare for the new EvoStik Northern Premier League season.
European giants Marseille and Celtic and Premier League club Southampton will all take part in the South Shields FC International Tournament that will take place at Mariners Park on the last weekend of July.
The announcement marks another step in the club’s remarkable rise from struggling in the Ebac Northern League’s Second Division to one of the most forward-thinking clubs on the Non-League scene.
All three clubs will take their Under-23s sides to South Tyneside, with Celtic facing Marseille in the tournament’s opening-game on Friday July 27.
The Mariners will then face Southampton the following day with the third and fourth-placed play-off and the final taking place on Sunday.
Mariners Chairman Geoff Thompson believes the tournament is a “massive coup” for the club.
He said: “We are delighted to reveal details of the South Shields FC International Tournament.
Stature
“To attract clubs of the size of Celtic, Marseille and Southampton to Mariners Park is a massive coup for the club and I’m sure it will generate a lot of excitement with our supporters.
“It promises to be a festival of football as we make new friends from clubs we would once never have even dreamt of coming up against.
“We also look forward to welcoming supporters of each of the three clubs to Mariners Park, where there is sure to be a friendly atmosphere which all of the family will enjoy.
“It’s not every day that clubs of this stature come to Mariners Park so we're sure our own fans will also make the most of it.
“We’re confident it will a memorable weekend for all connected with the club.”
Joint-manager Lee Picton believes the tournament will provide his side with a true test of their readiness for the new campaign.
Speaking to the club’s website he said: “The tournament at Mariners Park will provide a really high level of tactical and physical test for the squad, which will be vital in order to prepare us for the challenges that lie ahead next season.
Challenges
“We will be looking at quite a high number of new players within our squad and it will be really interesting for myself and Graham (Fenton) to see how they, along with our returning players of course, deal with those challenges.”
Tickets for the matches on the Friday and Saturday will cost £10 for adults, £8 for concessions and £3 for under-16s.
Family tickets – which will admit two adults and two under-16s – for each of those days will be priced at £22.
Tickets for the final day of the tournament, which will gain supporters entry to both the third place playoff and final, will be £15 for adults, £12 for concessions and £5 for under-16s.
A family ticket for the Sunday – again admitting two adults and two under16s – will cost £33.
A weekend ticket, which will provide access to all four matches across the three days, will be available at a cost of £30 for adults, £24 for concessions and £9 for under-16s.
The Mariners have also confirmed details of two more pre-season fixtures.
National League North club Blyth Spartans will visit Mariners Park on Saturday July 21 and South Shields’ 2017 FA Vase Final opponents Cleethorpes Town will entertain the Mariners on August 11.