Bishop Auckland have announced that Premiership side Bolton Wanderers will be playing them in a friendly next month, writes RAY SIMPSON.

Trotters' boss Sam Allardyce has kept a promise he made by sending a team to play Bishops on Wednesday August 7, kick off 7pm at Shildon.

It isn't yet known how strong the Bolton line up will be, but Bishops are hoping that their former player Jeff Smith will be in the starting line up.

Smith was a big hit at Kingsway, and he was snapped up by Bolton as they pushed for promotion from the First Division in season 2000-01.

Bishops have also arranged to play Huddersfield Town in another friendly, again at Shildon, on Wednesday July 17.

Bishop Auckland and Shildon kick off their ground-sharing partnership when the pair meet in a pre-season friendly at Dean Street tonight.

Northern League club Shildon will be sharing their ground with their UniBond League neighbours this season, and they start the build up to the start of their respective seasons with a friendly.

Shildon manager Ray Gowan said: "We thought that it would be an ideal way to start the campaign by playing each other."

Shildon have got several young players training with them, and Gowan will give them outings in pre-season friendlies at least.

All of them used to play for Ferryhill juniors, and manager Gowan points to current players Charlie Walton and Nigel Bolton, and said: "We have always been very proactive with junior players, and these lads will be given every opportunity."

Tow Law have arranged a pre-season friendly with Football League club Carlisle United on Wednesday, July 17 (7pm).

Tow Law striker Brian Wake signed for Carlisle last season, but returned to Ironworks Road in March and played a part in finishing runners-up at the end of the season.

Lawyers are also playing in a four team tournament with Chester-le-Street, Birtley and North Shields at Birtley on July 20 and 21.

Meanwhile, there were rumours that full back Marc Eccles was the subject of interest from Nationwide Conference club Doncaster Rovers, but manager Graeme Forster said "We've heard nothing."

North Shields have been accepted back into the Wearside League for next season.

Shields quit the Wearside League, of which they were champions, in an attempt to join the Northern League at the end of last season, but after a meeting between the FA, the Northern League and its two feeder leagues just before the Northern League AGM, it was decided that the Northern League wouldn't expand in order to meet Shields and Northern Alliance club West Allotment.

In theory, Shields were left without a league to play in, but they withdrew their resignation from the Wearside League and will be playing their football in that league again next season.

But their ambition to move up the pyramid hasn't been blunted. Chairman Alan Matthews said: "Our only aim is to get into the Northern League, and hopefully we can still achieve that."

The door to the Northern League might open this season, because the Wearside League is trying to bring 50 per cent of its grounds up to Northern League standard, which they hope will then bring about a formal system of promotion and relegation between it and the Northern League.

The Wearside League have admitted a new club, Barnard Castle, into the league next season. The team is managed by Terry Laffey, who until the end of last season was manager of Northern League club Evenwood.

Whitby Town have launched an appeal to raise £45,000 to build a new main stand at the Turnbull Ground.

Whitby are worried that their stand might fall below league standard next year, and they could be relegated to the First Division.

Chairman Graham Manser said: "A new stand will cost £275,000. We have £70,000 and there are grants available up to £160,000, but this leaves us with a shortfall of around £45,000"

Whitby are launching a sponsorship scheme in which fans can pay £100 for every new seat in the stand.

Durham City's proposed friendly with Darlington on Tuesday night has been cancelled because New Ferens Park isn't ready.

Durham manager Brian Honour said: "We've had a brand new sprinkler system installed, and it's delayed re-seeding by a couple of weeks, so we thought it best to postpone the game. We might be able to arrange it at a later date."

However, Durham believe that the pitch will be ready by the time they play Newcastle in a friendly on Thursday, August 15.