Match Preview: York City v Sunderland — Everyone Ready To Get Started Again?!

[ASFN Admin]

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SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - JULY 14: Sunderland players run during a training session at Academy of Light on July 14, 2026 in Sunderland, United Kingdom. (Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images) | Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

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Saturday 18th May 2026​

York City v Sunderland – Friendly​

LNER Community Stadium – Kick-Off: 15:00​

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Tickets & Match Coverage​

Tickets: Tickets are sold out.

TV/Stream: Full live match coverage is available via safc.com.

Radio: Full live match commentary available via BBC Radio Newcastle (not online)

Don’t forget to follow the blow-by-blow account of the game on the Roker Report Twitter feed (@RokerReport) and check out the player ratings after the full-time whistle at www.RokerReport.sbnation.com!

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The build-up…​

“Oh, it’s the most wonderful tiiimmmee… of the yeeearrr!” – no, I haven’t copied an old template from the festive period; it is, of course, when the Lads get going again in pre-season!

The excitement of what’s ahead, the anticipation, the optimism, and we’ve still got five weeks until it all gets going for real against Ipswich Town, and then another ten days or so after that until the window closes.

The World Cup is great, and all that, but watching people chuck beer about in fan zones just fills the void until the Lads get back to it.

In recent years we kicked off with a double header against South Shields and Gateshead, but this year we’re travelling a little further afield down the A19 to visit newly-promoted York City – as they celebrate a return to the Football League after years in the wilderness of non-league.

The double-headers in previous years usually saw the squad split in various ways across the two games, but this one should provide a bit of early fitness and a chance to impress for those who didn’t travel to the US of A and take part in the World Cup.

Which doesn’t leave all that many…

But there’s a week between this fixture and the start of our tour of… wait a sec… ah yes… the US of A. Which will be familiar surroundings for those who took part in the greatest show on Earth (according to Infantino & his best mate…), as we kick off in Nashville in the first game across the pond a week today against Liverpool.

So, today it’s all about the smell of freshly cut grass, fitness for the Lads who had a break and beer gardens for the fans before and after the game – ah, it’s good to be back.

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Head to head…at York​

(All competitions)

• Sunderland wins: 4
• Draws: 2
• York City wins: 1
• Sunderland goals: 11
• York City goals: 4

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Last time we met… at York​

(Competitive games)

Tuesday 11th August 1998​

League Cup 1st Round – 1st Leg​

York City 0-2 Sunderland​

[Dichio 14’, 29’]

Sunderland: Sorensen, Gray, Craddock, Melville, Scott, Summerbee (Wainwright), Williams, Ball (Mullin), Johnston, Dichio, Phillips Substitutes not used: Butler, Harrison, Bridges

York City: Warrington, McMillan, Hall, Tinkler, Jones, Thompson, Connelly, Pouton, Cresswell, Rowe, Garratt (Prendergast)Substitutes not used: Nurse, Rennison, Reed, Woods

Attendance: 6,277

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