South Shields will host National League North club Dagenham and Redbridge in a pre-season friendly on Saturday, August 1.

South Shields FC have confirmed their upcoming pre-season friendly against National League South club Dagenham and Redbridge has been designated as a testimonial fixture for long-serving centre-back Dillon Morse.

The former Blyth Spartans defender penned a new one-year deal with the Mariners earlier this summer and will now celebrate a decade of service with the club when they host a Daggers side that will contain former Newcastle United and England striker Andy Carroll at Mariners Park on Saturday, August 1 (3pm kick-off).

Morse joined South Shields in the summer of 2016 and enjoyed a stellar first season as his new side claimed the Northern League, Northern League Cup and Durham Challenge Cup treble before the defender scored at Wembley as the Mariners completed a historic quadruple by lifting the FA Vase with a comprehensive Wembley win against Cleethorpes Town. Two further promotions have followed and Morse will now hope to help Mike Williamson’s side push for a place in the National League during the upcoming campaign.

As he reflected on the club’s rise from Northern League to the second tier of the non-league game, securing six trophies and three promotions and transitioning from part-time to full-time status, Morse revealed his pride over the journey he has experienced during that time.

Speaking to The Gazette earlier this month, he said: “The ten years have flown over and I came in as the youngest member of the squad and I’m pretty sure I’m starting this season as the oldest. The change in the club has been unbelievable. When I started out at the club, it’s was part-time, and my ambition was to get into full-time football if I am honest. I didn’t expect it would transition into that with South Shields but we have gone through that and it’s going from strength-to-strength. From Northern League to where we are now, it’s just incredible and with the new ownership coming in, it’s so exciting to see where things are heading. I know how proud it has made me to be part of it and my family feel the same way.”

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