As Tony Mowbray and Sunderland put in the hard yards in the off-season ahead of the next Championship campaign, fans will be planning when they can get their first look at the Black Cats ahead of the next campaign.
The pre-season period often brings about summer training camps, friendlies with sides in higher and lower leagues as well as the all-important new transfer arrivals.
Supporters will be hoping that this time next year the club will be preparing for a return to the Premier League.
As we wait for the new season to continue, the Sunderland Echo journies back to 2008 when the club were getting ready for a second year back in the top flight after surviving with a 15th place finish the year previous.
In one of the pre-season games, Sunderland faced Sporting Lisbon in the Albufeira Cup. The side won 3-1 thank to goals from Nyron Nosworthy, Anthony Stokes and Roy O’Donovan, and this is what that team are up to now.
Supporters will be hoping that this time next year the club will be preparing for a return to the Premier League.