Northern League First Division club Bedlington are going on a pre-season tour with a difference – all the way to the USA in a football trip of a lifetime.

The Terriers will fly 5000 miles across the Atlantic to Buffalo in New York State, as the guests of their benefactor, billionaire Bob Rich, who is the 488th richest man in the world.

When they arrive, they’ll play against local sides Buffalo and Erie Admirals, who both play in the National Premier Soccer League, as well as getting involved in other activities.

The invitation from Rich, who is baseball and soccer mad, arrived last week, and now the Terriers are hurriedly making preparations for the eight day trip, which begins on June 25th.

Chairman Dave Holmes, who has also been invited to throw the first pitch at a baseball game involving one of Rich’s teams, said: “The idea of taking a team over there has snowballed in recent weeks, and it became a definite earlier this week.

“There is a full itinerary during our stay. We have the two matches against the Buffalo and Erie Admirals, plus we’ll be helping at coaching clinics, visiting local dignitaries, as well as going on a trip to Niagara Falls.

“There’ll also be an extra incentive for our game against Buffalo – we’ll be playing for the Rich Cup, which Bob has kindly donated.

“It’s a real privilege to go on this trip, and really we’ve got to keep on pinching ourselves that it’s happening. It’s a very unique story of how Bob got involved with us, and we’re very fortunate that we’re going to benefit.

“He is fully in agreement with the way we run the club. The whole direction is for the people of Bedlington to come along and use the facilities.”

Rich, who is the owner of a food company that has a multi billion dollar turnover, discovered that some of his ancestors came from Bedlington, and visited the club for a home game in November. His wife, in a sentimental gesture, bought him the ancestral title of Lordship of the Manor of Bedlington before Christmas. Soon after he announced that he would help the club in a small financial way as well as providing a scoreboard. At the time, he said: “Yes there is a place for the Manchester Uniteds and San Francisco 49ers at the top of their sports, but I love the passion of the people at Bedlington. The big clubs can only exist because there are hundreds of smaller clubs below them. I understand that if they do well on the field they can move up in divisions. If this is the dream the community has, I want to help. I don't want to become an owner – I just want to help."