Carlisle United have confirmed an extra friendly on their pre-season calendar - a trip to Gateshead.

Manager Paul Simpson said on Saturday that a trip to the north east was being discussed.

And now it has been confirmed that United will head to the International Stadium on Tuesday, July 30.

The game against Rob Elliot's National League side will kick off at 7.15pm.

It will be United's penultimate friendly and is staged in between the trip to Rochdale and the home clash with Stockport County on respective weekends.

The game will offer extra match minutes for Simpson's squad as they build up to the big League Two kick-off on August 10.

The Gateshead trip will see Carlisle's longest-serving player Jon Mellish return to his former club.

United's ex-Gateshead man Jon Mellish will return to his former club on July 30United's ex-Gateshead man Jon Mellish will return to his former club on July 30 (Image: Martin Swinney)

Luke Armstrong also had a spell with the north east club while United's Taylor Charters also spent time there on loan.

It will also be a reunion for the home club's first-team coach Antony Sweeney, the former Blues midfielder who joined Gateshead this summer after leaving Hartlepool United.

Heed finished sixth in the National League last season but were denied the chance to compete in the play-offs over their council's failure to offer a ten-year lease at the International Stadium.

They also won the FA Trophy last season after defeating Solihull Moors on penalties at Wembley.

It is the second consecutive summer that United have travelled to Gateshead, after last season's trip saw them take on Newcastle United's under-21s at the stadium.

Tickets for the July 30 game are priced £15 for adults, £10 for over-65s and £5 for under-18s.

United take on St Mirren in their next friendly this Friday in Paisley, before going to Rochdale the following Saturday, the midweek Gateshead game then coming ahead of their only home friendly against Stockport on Saturday, August 3.