Preston complete pre-season programme with Newcastle friendly

Jordan Hugill goes close against Newcastle in the meeting between the sides at Deepdale last season.

Simon Grayson’s side will host Championship winners Newcastle United at Deepdale on Saturday July 22.

The game is a 3pm kick-off.

North End struggled in their meetings with Rafa Benitez’s Magpies last season, losing 6-0 at St James’ Park in the EFL Cup and 4-1 in the league meeting in the North East as Newcastle sealed promotion back to the top flight at the first time of asking.

The forgettable nights saw both Alan Browne and Paul Gallagher sent off for PNE.

At Deepdale however, the Lilywhites ran Benitez’s men close, North End left to rue some controversial decisions as they went down to a narrow 2-1 defeat back in October.

It represents the final piece in the pre-season jigsaw for Grayson, PNE having settled on seven pre-season friendlies in total.

Preston kick-off the warm-up games with the annual visit to the Sir Tom Finney Stadium to face Bamber Bridge on Friday, July 7, kick-off 7pm.

They go to National League North Stockport County on Saturday July 15 (3pm), then play Tom Barkhuizen’s former club Morecambe at the Globe Arena on Tuesday July 18 (7pm) and another League Two side Accrington Stanley at the Crown Ground the following night (7.30pm).

Burnley come to Deepdale on Tuesday, July 25 (7.45pm), before a trip to League One play-off semi-finalists Fleetwood Town on Friday, July 28 (7.30pm) brings the curtain down on the friendly programme.

North End return for pre-season training after the summer break on Thursday June 29, with the season starting on August 5.

They will find out their opening day opponents when the Championship fixtures are released on Wednesday, June 21.