Newcastle United will send a first-team squad to Gateshead on Saturday afternoon but Eddie Howe will be looking at the friendly against the Tynesiders as an opportunity for fringe stars to impress him.
Howe has confirmed that goalkeeper Nick Pope, who ended last season with a finger injury, Joe Willock, still recovering from a hamstring problem, and Emil Krafth, still getting back from an ACL absence, are not in contention for the first friendly of the summer. Young duo Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon also enjoying an extended break after their involvement in the European Championships which ended in glory for the England Under-21s to the delight of the Scouse star.
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Ahead of the clash south of the Tyne on Saturday lunchtime, here's five players who will be looking to grasp their chance and impress the boss.
Elliot Anderson
The 20-year-old stayed on Tyneside last season when a queue of clubs from the EFL wanted him on loan. And he was heavily involved in terms of being in the senior squad 41 times under Howe.
Anderson would have hoped for more game-time but ended the season with 22 Premier League appearances of some sort. He was one of the stars of last pre-season and will be looking to explode on to the scene this summer again.
Lewis Miley
The 17-year-old is viewed as a genuine star of the future by Newcastle boss Eddie Howe but he must plot his journey carefully with the Academy product still at a tender age. Miley burst on to the scene at Chelsea in the 1-1 draw and cracked the woodwork within minutes.
The attacking midfielder is desperate to impress and has the hunger that can not only take him places but also have senior stars looking over their shoulders. The pre-season schedule is a superb chance for Miley to impress.
Harrison Ashby
The 21-year-old arrived from West Ham in January but took time to settle on Tyneside and is yet to announce himself to Geordie fans. Ashby will have watched on as the club were linked with a back-up right-back for Kieran Trippier but may feel he can provide answers in that department.
Ashby has strong competition in that area with Emil Krafth and Javier Maquillo still on board. And some may argue a loan is his best option but Howe will want to take a look at him in pre-season and minutes at Gateshead could be on the cards.
Matt Ritchie
At 33, Ritchie has nothing to prove to anybody at Newcastle but still has plenty to play for. You can stick Ritchie in the "consummate professional" category and it's not hard to see why Howe had no issue sanctioning a new deal rather than move the ex-Bournemouth star on.
Ritchie does not let standards slip on the training pitch and in the dressing room. With many seniors yet to return he could be an ideal fit for Howe in the opening weeks of pre-season.
Matt Targett
The former Aston Villa full-back was back with a smile for pre-season training but will not need to prove his qualities to Eddie Howe. Yet Targett will be hungry to show what he can do and challenge for the left-back spot.
Kieran Tierney was heavily linked with Newcastle at the start of the summer window but Targett and Dan Burn are already set for a major battle in that position. Targett is now well over his injury woes and ready to start the summer in style.
