The club today confirmed that they will play three pre-season matches in the USA this summer. All three matches will be played on the east coast in North and South Carolina and will take place in mid July.
Mick McCarthy said: “ It’s always nice to get away for pre-season. We spend 10 months of the year training hard at the Academy in Whitburn so a change of scenery is good for everyone. It will be a very different environment in the US in July and the climate will be hot.
“ I am really looking forward to the games and visiting the three clubs. It will also hopefully be an important opportunity for us all to get to know new players and build a great spirit again before we start the new season.”
The first of the three matches will be played at Raleigh, which is the state capital of North Carolina on Wednesday 14th July. The Raleigh-Durham area is located in the North Central region of the state.
In Raleigh the Black Cats will play a Carolina USL (United Soccer Leagues) All Star XI at the 7000 capacity state capital SAS Soccer Park. The USL is comprised of teams encompassing the A-League, Pro Select League, and Premier Development teams. The area is famed for its sporting excellence through baseball side the Durham Bulls and a trio of college basketball teams in Duke, UNC and North Carolina State.
The USA national squad (which included Claudio Reyna then of Sunderland) used Raleigh as their base prior to departing for the 2002 World Cup Finals.
The second stop of Sunderland’s pre-season tour will take the team to the historic and colonial city of Charleston in South Carolina on Saturday 17th July.
The highest ranking of the sides Sunderland will face, Charleston Battery were 2003 ‘A’ League Champions having beaten Minnesota Thunder 3-0 in the Final. A year earlier they won the South East Division title and are currently third in the Eastern Conference.
Coached by Chris Ramsey who played for Brighton in the 1983 FA Cup Final against Manchester United, Charleston’s Blackbaud Stadium, which has 5100 seats is the first privately funded soccer specific stadium in the United States. The English influence at the club extends to an on site English themed pub named ‘The Three Lions.’
The third and final stop on the club’s tour is in Wilmington on the Atlantic and Cape Fear coast of North Carolina on Wednesday 21st July.
Wilmington Hammerheads are in their ninth season coming off their most successful year. In 2003 the Hammerheads won their first Pro Soccer League National Championship (third division title) beating the Westchester Flames 2-1 in overtime (extra-time). Last year also saw the Hammerheads reach the quarter-final of the U.S. Open Cup (similar to the F.A. Cup) beating MLS Dallas Burn 4-1 and only losing 1-0 to another MLS powerhouse D.C. United.
The Hammerheads include ex Walsall player Adam Smith and Joe and Neil McNab, twin sons of former Manchester City player Neil McNab. More English players include Mark Draycott from Swindon Town and team captain George Corrie in his sixth season from Workington.
Coach David Irving played for Everton, Sheffield United and Oldham before going abroad. In the States he played for Fort Lauderdale Strikers, Tulsa Roughnecks, San Jose Earthquakes and the Atlanta Chiefs playing alongside the likes of George Best, Gerd Muller and Gordon Banks and against all time greats Franz Beckenbauer and the one and only Pele.
Further Tour Information
Raleigh
Website: www.sassoccer.com (live from 29 May 2004)
Match Tickets
The SAFC ticket office has 100 advance tickets for visiting Sunderland fans, which are available at a 30% discount. Tickets purchased in the USA will cost $15 & $12 for general admission. Advance tickets purchased from the SAFC ticket office will cost £5.50 per person.
Hotel
For special hotel rates in the area contact [email protected]
Wilmington Hammerheads
Website: www.wilmingtonhammerheads.com
Match Tickets
The SAFC ticket office has 100 advance tickets for visiting Sunderland fans, which are available at a 30% discount. Tickets purchased in the USA will cost $20 for general admission. Advance tickets purchased from the SAFC ticket office will cost £8 per person.
Hotel
Wilmington Hammerheads have negotiated a specially reduced rate at a hotel near the stadium for visiting supporters / media. The Hampton Inn in Wilmington, NC is a first-class hotel, centrally located 4 miles from the New Hanover / Wilmington International Airport and 3 miles from downtown Wilmington.
Their reduced rate is $89 + tax (13%) per night for a double occupancy room (two queen size beds). For a king size suite it is $109 + tax.
For reservation enquiries please contact is Amanda Stanton on 001 (910) 796-8881 or visit their website www.hamptoninn-medicalpark.com
Charleston Battery
Website : www.charlestonbattery.com
Tickets
The SAFC ticket office has 100 advance tickets for visiting Sunderland fans, which are available at a 30% discount. Tickets purchased in the USA will cost $20 for general admission. Advance tickets purchased from the SAFC ticket office will cost £8 per person.
Hotel
Charleston Battery have arranged a discounted rate for Sunderland supporters at the Howard Johnson Hotel, Charleston
For further information contact the hotel direct on: 001-843-722-4000 or fax: 001-843-723-2573
250 Spring Street Charleston, SC 29403, USA
The hotel is offering $59.00 rate for rooms with one queen size bed and $79.00 for the oversize rooms with two queen size beds.
Supporters should identify themselves as visiting Sunderland fans when they make reservations.