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Newcastle United are looking to prepare for life in the Championship with a pre-season tour to Ireland - just like they did last time they were relegated.

Though plans are yet to be finalised, The Chronicle understands that Rafa Benitez does not want a long-haul trip to impact on his pre-season schedule - and so has opted for the short hop across the Irish Sea to the Emerald Isle as his preferred destination of choice.

The pre-season schedule is unlikely to be finalised until Benitez’s future is resolved - with the indications suggesting that a positive conclusion could be reached on that by the middle of next week.

However, Ireland is understood to be where the Spaniard wants to take his Magpies side as they prepare to achieve promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

Dublin-based League of Ireland Premier Division side Shamrock Rovers, a club United faced back in pre-season in 2009, are believed to be one of the opponents Newcastle could potentially take on.

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Further games could yet be scheduled elsewhere on the Continent, or even north of the border in Scotland, though Newcastle will not be heading as far afield as the USA like they did last summer - something which previous manager Steve McClaren was not happy with.

As things stand, the traditional annual pre-season fixture with near-neighbours Gateshead at The International Stadium appears to be in serious jeopardy, however.

United began their pre-season campaign with a 1-0 win just across the Tyne on July 10 last summer, but the dates which the Heed have proposed to host the match look set to clash with the Magpies’ expected trip to Ireland.

The prospect of the Magpies facing Gateshead is not completely dead in the water yet, though it is proving extremely tricky to accommodate - though an Under-21 side could yet take on the Heed as a potential back-up plan.

Seeing as the Championship campaign begins on the weekend of Saturday, August 6, Newcastle will likely play their first friendly in Ireland around four weeks before that, possibly during the second week in July.

Players who have not been involved in Euro 2016 this summer are expected to report back for training towards the end of June.

Asked about pre-season before Newcastle’s final-day hammering of Tottenham Hotspur, Benitez admitted plans were already in place, regardless of whether he remained at the helm - and it is now understood Ireland is the likely destination for a tour.

He explained: “What we have done as professionals, is even prepare the pre-season.

“So the dates, the idea, the number of games, where we will go, where we would like to go, but not for us, just for the team and for the club.

“We have to do it and you have to prepare things as if you would be here for 20 years and we have done that.

“In terms of what we needed to do, it is done.”

Back in 2009, United prepared for life in the Championship by first beating Shamrock Rovers 3-0 at the Tallaght Stadium in Dublin - and they never once left Britain or Ireland during their pre-season campaign that summer, something which could yet be the case this time around.

They then travelled to Darlington and Huddersfield Town, before the infamous 6-1 defeat at Leyton Orient which led to harsh truths being shared in the dressing room.

Newcastle’s only friendly at St James’ Park that summer was a 0-0 draw with Leeds United, while the final match saw the Magpies head up to Scotland to take on Dundee United.

Newcastle’s pre-season schedule back in 2009:

Shamrock Rovers 0-3 Newcastle United - July 11, 2009

Darlington 2-7 Newcastle United - July 18, 2009

Huddersfield Town 0-1 Newcastle United - July 21, 2009

Leyton Orient 6-1 Newcastle United - July 25, 2009

Newcastle United 0-0 Leeds United - July 29, 2009

Dundee United 1-1 Newcastle United - August 2, 2009