THERE will be a strong North-East flavour to the Motherwell squad that visits Darlington for Sunday's pre-season friendly.

The Scottish Premiership side, runners-up in each of the Scotland’s two cup competitions last season, will field a strong side and in their squad are a number of players formerly with clubs in the region.

The two most notable are Curtis Main and Ryan Bowman, two ex-Darlington strikers.

Main made his senior debut for Darlington as a 15-year-old in the final game of the 2007-08 season, used as a substitute away to Peterborough United.

Current Quakers boss Tommy Wright was rested ahead of the play-off first leg the following week against Rochdale, and Main was on the bench for the second leg at Spotland when Quakers were struggling with injuries – midfielder Micky Cummins started on his own up front.

Main has turned out for Middlesbrough, Doncaster and Portsmouth, among others, since being released by Mark Cooper in 2011, the same summer that Bowman moved to Darlington from Carlisle United.

In his sole administration-afflicted season with the club, Bowman netted 11 times before joining Hereford and he has since represented York, Torquay and Gateshead.

Former Hartlepool United players Trevor Carson, Peter Hartley and Liam Donnelly are all with Motherwell as his ex-Gateshead striker Danny Johnson, who made the move north of the border this summer.

Ex-Newcastle United midfielder Gaël Bigirimana, at St James’ Park for four years until 2016, is starting his second season with Motherwell

Quakers’ first friendly of the summer will see Wright give run outs to all six of his summer signings: Liam Hughes, Simon Ainge, Jordan Nicholson, Alex Henshall, Jonny Burn and Jonny Maddison.

Sunday's game is the first of two home friendlies in three days as Sunderland are the visitors on Tuesday evening, a game brought forward 24 hours.

Kick-off on Sunday is 3pm, it is not all-ticket with admission £10 adults, £8 concessions and £5 U16s. Under 11s are admitted free.