Carlisle City will start their pre-season programme of friendlies with a cross-border clash on July 6 against Threave Rovers at Gillford Park.
City are lining up half a dozen warm-up games and have announced four with two more to confirm.
The rest of the programme is: Heaton Stannington (July 13, home), Kendal (July 16, away) and Carlisle Under-18s (July 23, home).
Manager Jim Nichols, preparing for his seventh full season in charge, is hoping to retain all his players from last season, although he has lost one to Gretna 2008 and others have been approached by other clubs in the area.
“I think the majority of my first team players are interesting rival clubs but so far we’ve only lost defender Jack Dickinson, who is going back over the border to play for Gretna 2008.
“With losing Dicko I’m looking to bring in a centre-half but it’s early days for players to decide,” said Nichols.
Dickinson was a target for Workington’s former boss Danny Grainger when he lost Dan Wordsworth to retirement halfway through last season, but he opted to stay at Carlisle City.
Dickinson was at Queen of the South until he was 18 and was then signed by Nichols when he was in charge of Penrith. He then moved between Dalbeattie and Gretna before joining City for last season.
The interesting pre-season game is against Heaton Stannington who were promotion rivals in Northern League Two and then again in the top flight. They are managed by former Reds player Dean Nicholson who was signed by current Penrith boss Darren Edmondson during his time at the Reds.
Heaton Stannington won the play-offs in the season just ended and will be playing next season, along with several other former Northern League clubs, in NPL East Division.
