Consett AFC can today confirm the club’s full list of pre-season friendlies ahead of our first campaign in The Pitching In Northern Premier League (NPL).

There are eight games in all – five at home and three away – ahead of our NPL Division One East bow on Saturday 13 August.

We will receive our league fixtures at the NPL annual general meeting on Saturday June 11, but in the meantime can confirm the following friendly games:

Chairman Frank Bell said: “We’ve had a couple of late withdrawals, including one in the last 24 hours, which has meant having to find new opponents at short notice.

“But we’re happy to now be able to announce a pre-season programme which we believe will prepare us well as we step up to the Northern Premier League.”

We kick off with our first visit since 2017 to Berwick Rangers, who now play in the Lowland League, and we will also face three Northern League sides.

The first is Birtley Town, which brings a swift reunion with Paul Bryson, pictured below, who helped us to promotion as Andy Coyles’ assistant before recently departing for another of his former clubs.

They are followed by Whitley Bay and West Auckland Town, who are expected to be among the league’s leading sides next season.

We face two regular pre-season opponents in Workington and Morpeth Town, both of which will provide good tests. Workington finished second last season in the NPL Division One West, while Morpeth were 10th in the NPL Premier Division.

The last two opponents will provide very tough tests indeed, particularly as the games are both away from home.

Liversedge were last season’s champions of the NPL division we are joining, while our old Northern League friends Marske were runners-up, and join them in the Premier Division for 2022-23 after securing promotion via the play-offs.

Admission prices for the friendlies, along with matchday charges and season ticket details for our league fixtures, will be announced in due course.