NORTHERN Counties East League outfit Pickering Town FC are lining up a pre-season friendly with first division Sheffield United.

Manager Jimmy Reid said: "We have some contacts with Neil Warnock (Sheffield United's manager) and we're hoping to arrange something."

Those links were first established when Warnock was manager at Scarborough, and he has since brought his other sides, such as Notts County, to North Yorkshire for friendly games.

Pickering are also hoping to arrange summer friendlies with Nationwide Conference neighbours Scarborough, and NCEL premier division sides Goole, Harrogate Railway and Garforth Town.

Meanwhile, the Pikes have been boosted by their acceptance into the NCEL reserve division.

The club's second team have been playing in the local Beckett League, but competing in this new division will give their younger players a better chance to improve and progress.