Leeds landing at Throstle Nest

Farsley AFC, Frickley Athletic and Ilkeston FC are the latest Evo-Stik Northern Premier League clubs to unveil prestigious pre-season friendlies against Football League sides.

First Division North Farsley announced on Thursday that Leeds United had agreed to kick off their warm-up campaign against them with the Championship club landing at Throstle Nest on Saturday 6 July.

Premier Division Frickley announced their own high profile fixture on Thursday after Barnsley agreed to send a side to face the Blues at Westfield Lane on Saturday 27 July.

Ilkeston FC then completed a good week for the league's clubs on Friday when the Premier Division outfit released news that Leicester City would be following in the footsteps of European champions Chelsea in sending a team to the New Manor Ground on Saturday July 20.

Chelsea arrive at Ilkeston on Tuesday 30 July and tickets for the clash go on sale to season ticket holders next Monday before being released for general sale on Tuesday June 11.

The Robins have enjoyed a close relationship with the Championship's Leicester City in recent years and manager Kevin Wilson hopes the meeting between the clubs will build on a partnership that led to Jide Maduako and Steven Smith spending time with them last season gathering experience.

Wilson said: "We have an excellent working relationship with Leicester City - especially with development coach Steve Beaglehole - and although I thought we had finalised our pre-season plans, I’m delighted to change the schedule. Steve said some time ago that he would do his best to bring a team to play us in pre-season and he has been true to his word."

Pre-season fixtures are being added to the friendly fixtures service now running on the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League's official website on a daily basis.

With preparations for the coming campaign at the Evo-Stik NPL's 68 clubs now well underway, the friendly fixtures under the 'match info' tab on the home page listed more than 130 fixtures when it went live earlier this week.

The pre-season diary passed the 160 mark on Thursday and club officials should send further updates or amendments to: dwatters@evostikleague.co.uk.

News of friendlies from across Non-League are also available on Pitchero's Non-League pages throughout the summer.