36 days and counting as Newcastle United players start pre-season today – Massive week lies ahead | OneFootball

The Newcastle United players are back.

Pre-season preparations kick off today with the NUFC first team squad returning to the training ground, apart from those that have had international commitments this summer and who will be taking up the offer of a little extra time away.

Less than six weeks since the end of the 2021/22 season at Turf Moor and now only 36 days until the kick off against Nottingham Forest at St James Park.

This is going to be some rollercoaster, a massive NUFC Premier League season with a World Cup stuck in the middle of it.

No messing about as the club have already shown just after 8am players arriving at the training ground…

Newcastle United FC@NUFC

The lads are back for the first day of pre-season! 🙌 ⚫️⚪️https://t.co/9weznCosB3

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It is of course absolutely brilliant to be able to, as Newcastle fans, be able finally to once again look ahead to a new season with so much anticipation.

Arguably even better, I think pretty clear that maybe the players are looking forward to it even more!

After zero ambition under Mike Ashley, players new and established, hoping to keep that form going that saw Newcastle United behind only Liverpool and Man City in the second half of last season, when picking up 38 points in the final 19 PL matches.

What a week lies ahead, the players set to be back on the training pitch AND facing their first pre-season friendly already! Next Saturday (9 July) a behind closed doors run out against Gateshead.

For Newcastle United fans, Tuesday looms large.

We have seen absolutely crazy demand for tickets, season tickets and even memberships!

On Tuesday the tickets go on sale for both home friendlies, in four weeks time Atalanta at St James’ Park on the Friday night (29 July) and then Athletic Bilbao the Saturday afternoon (30 July). Two friendlies less than 24 hours apart and 100,000+ tickets to sell, I have a sneaking feeling that this ticket demand thing could get even crazier on Tuesday, when it is only friendly tickets up for grabs! Not claiming they will sell out instantly BUT I think we will see instant massive demand that hasn’t been there pre-season for a long long time.

Tuesday is also the day when the Premier League and broadcasters are scheduled to release the live UK TV choices for both August and September, especially with Man City home and Liverpool away as two of NUFC’s first five matches, I can see Eddie Howe and his team featuring highly.

I think that overall, one of the massive positives is that Eddie Howe has started to put together not only a very strong first eleven but also the makings of a very competitive squad, with seven (once Sven Botman is finally formally concluded) permanent signings already in 2022, things are rapidly moving forward.

Newcastle United important dates:

Sunday 22 May 2022 – NUFC end the 2021/22 season with a 2-1 win at Burnley.

Wednesday 8 June 2022 – Club announce Matt Targett has signed for NUFC.

Friday 10 June 2022 – Premier League summer transfer window opens.

Thursday 16 June 2022 – The 2022/23 Premier League fixtures released (view them HERE).

Thursday 16 June 2022 – Opening weekend live TV choices announced and two NUFC matches to be shown on Amazon Prime confirmed (read HERE).

Thursday 23 June 2022 – Club announce Nick Pope has signed for NUFC.

Saturday 25 June 2022 – The new 2022/23 NUFC home shirt went on sale at the official club shop.

Monday 27 June 2022 – Club announce noon.com as the new sleeve sponsor, reports claim the deal is worth £7.5m per season. The Middle East shopping website is part owned by Saudi Arabia PIF.

Tuesday 28 June 2022 – The new 2022/23 NUFC white and green third shirt launched and went on sale at the official club shop.

Tuesday 28 June 2022 – At 10am, around 2022/23 1,000 season tickets were made available to buy online, tens of thousands queued online trying to get them.

Tuesday 28 June 2022 – Club announced Sven Botman is signing for NUFC, deal agreed in principle and ‘formalities’ to be sorted by the end of the week.

Friday 1 July 2022 – First team squad return for start of Newcastle United pre-season preparations (as reported by Chronicle)

Tuesday 5 July 2022 – Tickets go on sale for the St James Park friendlies against Atalanta (29 July) and Athletic Bilbao (30 July)

Tuesday 5 July 2022 – August/September 2022 Premier League live TV matches scheduled to be announced (though sometimes a day / days late).

Saturday 9 July 2022 – Behind closed doors friendly against Gateshead at Newcastle’s training ground.

Friday 15 July 2022 – FC Pinzgau Saalfelden will host a friendly between Newcastle United and German side 1860 Munich at their stadium, the Saalfelden Arena Bürgerau, kick-off is 6pm local time.

Monday 18th July 2022 – Newcastle playing German side Mainz at the 4,500-capacity Kufstein Arena FC Kufstein, kick-off 5pm local time.

Tuesday 26 July 2022 – Away friendly at Benfica with 8pm kick-off (local time).

Friday 29 July 2022 – October 2022 Premier League live TV matches scheduled to be announced (though sometimes a day / days late).

Friday 29 July 2022 – Home friendly at St James Park – Newcastle v Atalanta with 7.45pm kick-off.

Saturday 30 July 2022 – Home friendly at St James Park – Newcastle v Athletic Bilbao with kick-off time of 3pm.

Saturday 6 August 2022 – Newcastle United v Nottingham Forest 3pm kick-off, kicks off Premier League season for NUFC.

(Week commencing) Monday 22 August – League Cup second round matches will be played.

Thursday 1 September 2022 – The Premier League summer transfer window closes at 11pm.

Tuesday 13 September 2022 – November 2022 Premier League live TV matches scheduled to be announced (though sometimes a day / days late).

Tuesday 11 October 2022 – December 2022 and January 2023 Premier League live TV matches scheduled to be announced (though sometimes a day / days late).

(Week commencing) Monday 7 November – League Cup third round matches will be played.

Saturday / Sunday 12/13 November 2022 – Sixteenth and final round of Premier League fixtures before the World Cup finals begin.

Monday 14 November 2022 – Players able to join up with national squads only a week ahead of the finals starting.

Monday 21 November 2022 – Qatar World Cup finals kick-off.

Tuesday 6 December 2022 – February 2023 Premier League live TV matches scheduled to be announced (though sometimes a day / days late).

Sunday 18 December 2022 – World Cup final.

(Week commencing) Monday 19 December – League Cup fourth round matches will be played.

Monday 26 December 2022 – Full round of Premier League fixtures, the first of 22 more rounds of games to be fitted in by end of May.

Saturday 7 January 2023 – This weekend sees FA Cup third round matches played

(Week commencing) Monday 9 January – League Cup quarter final matches will be played.

Wednesday 25 January 2023 – March 2023 Premier League live TV matches scheduled to be announced (though sometimes a day / days late).

Wednesday 25 January 2023 – League Cup semi-finals first leg matches played.

(Weekend of) Saturday 28 January – FA Cup fourth round matches to be played.

Wednesday 1 February 2023 – League Cup semi-finals second leg matches played.

Tuesday 21 February 2023 – April 2023 Premier League live TV matches scheduled to be announced (though sometimes a day / days late).

Sunday 26 February 2023 – League Cup final.

(Midweek of) Wednesday 1 March – FA Cup fifth round matches to be played.

(Weekend of) Saturday 18 March – FA Cup quarter-finals to be played.

Thursday 23 March 2023 – Match Week 35 Premier League live TV matches scheduled to be announced (though sometimes a day / days later).

Thursday 30 March 2023 – Match Week 36 Premier League live TV matches scheduled to be announced (though sometimes a day / days later).

Friday 7 April 2023 – Match Week 37 Premier League live TV matches scheduled to be announced (though sometimes a day / days later).

(Weekend of) Saturday 22 April – FA Cup semi-finals to be played.

(Sometime after Saturday 20 May 2023) – Match Week 38 live TV match choices to be announced, after Match Week 37 games played.

Sunday 28 May 2023 – Final round of Premier League 2022/23 fixtures, Chelsea v Newcastle United 4pm kick-off.

Saturday 3 June 2023 – FA Cup final.