PICKERING Town will welcome an EFL club to Mill Lane as part of their pre-season preparations. 

The Northern Counties Eastern League premier division side will welcome Bradford City to North Yorkshire during their pre-season for a friendly. 

Bradford confirmed on Friday afternoon that a City eleven will travel to Pickering on Tuesday, July 9, with a kick-off time still to be confirmed at Mill Lane. 

It will be a huge coup for the North Yorkshire outfit to welcome a former Premier League side, in what will be a first ever meeting between the two sides. 

Bradford ended their Sky Bet League Two campaign on a seven-match unbeaten run, but missed out on the play-offs by just one point.

The friendly will reap huge financial benefits for manager Jamie Hackworth's side, who have already began to assemble their squad for the 2024/25 season. 

The Pikes have already confirmed that Wayne Brooksby, Connor Avison, Nathan Dyer, Jamie Thornton and Blake Drury will be extending their stay in North Yorkshire, whilst adding former loanee Harry Lovick to the club on a permanent basis from Hull City. 

Pickering will be looking to build upon their 19th placed finish in the NCEL last campaign, having avoided relegation to division one by just four points after their lateral switch last season.