Hartlepool United legend Ritchie Humphreys is delighted to announce Sunderland will be the visitors to Victoria Park to celebrate his testimonial season.

The game will take place on Tuesday, August 2 (kick-off 7.30pm) when Steve Bruce will bring his Premier League stars to salute Humphreys’ 10 years at the club.

The match, five days before Pool's opening game of the League One season, is the pinnacle of a successful testimonial year which has seen fans enjoy celebrity golf and cricket tournaments, a black tie dinner, a question and answer session and the launch of his official testimonial brochure.

Humphreys said: “I am absolutely thrilled to be playing Sunderland for my testimonial game. It is going to be a fantastic curtain-raiser to the beginning of the season.

“I want to say a very big thank you to Steve Bruce and to Sunderland for agreeing to play in my testimonial. It means a great deal to me and I can’t wait for the game to come now.”

Sunderland manager Steve Bruce said: “Ritchie has been a fantastic servant for Hartlepool and to achieve what he has at one club in the modern game is absolutely terrific. “He has set a great example to his fellow professionals and we are delighted to be able to honour his career by taking part in his testimonial. It promises to be a great evening and I’d urge as many fans as possible to come along and show their support.”

Tickets will be priced at £10 for adults and £5 for concessions (Under 16s and Over 60s) and can be purchased in advance from the Victoria Park ticket office from Tuesday 7th June. Tickets will also be available on the turnstiles on match day.

Ticket information for Sunderland fans will follow in due course.

The sides last met in January 2004 in the FA Cup third round when 9,000 Pools fans made the short trip to the Stadium of Light to see their side put on a memorable performance in the 1-0 defeat by their Premier League counterparts.

Humphreys said: “That is definitely up there in my most memorable games ever. Everything from watching the draw in the dressing room after we won in the second round at Burton Albion when all of the lads were jumping up and down, to walking out at the Stadium of Light in that tremendous stadium.

“It was a great game and we acquitted ourselves well, had a few chances and hit the post. But Arca produced a bit of magic that won them the game.”

Ritchie added: “I would like to say a big thank you to my committee for all of the hard work that has gone into making this game happen and to Mick Wadsworth and Hartlepool for allowing it to be part of the pre-season fixture programme. It’s going to be a cracking match.”

The main testimonial dinner is on Saturday, July 16, at 7.30pm, when fans can join Ritchie and his team-mates from past and present for a night of football, music from the West End and some very special guests, including Sky Sports presenter and Pools fan Jeff Stelling.

Tickets for the dinner, costing £25 and including a three-course meal, are available from Samantha Lee -slee@pulbicityseekers.co.uk - or Nick Loughlin - nick.loughlin@nne.co.uk