CHRIS LAKEY Norwich City are going back to Holland as part of their pre-season schedule.Canaries boss Peter Grant has been to Holland in recent weeks to look at facilities and has settled on matches against Dutch second tier sides AGOVV Apeldoorn and FC Zwolle in July in preparation for the 2007-08 Championship season, which starts on August 11.

CHRIS LAKEY

Norwich City are going back to Holland as part of their pre-season schedule.

Canaries boss Peter Grant has been to Holland in recent weeks to look at facilities and has settled on matches against Dutch second tier sides AGOVV Apeldoorn and FC Zwolle in July in preparation for the 2007-08 Championship season, which starts on August 11.

Matches closer to home - at Exeter, Lowestoft Town and King's Lynn - have also been confirmed, although more friendlies in the UK are still being planned.

The Dutch matches will both be played at the Sportpark De Strokel in Harderwijk, close to where the City will be training during their stay.

City played two matches in Holland two years ago, as part of their pre-season schedule, drawing 0-0 with MVV Maastricht and losing 1-0 to VVV Venlo 1-0.

The summer schedule begins on Saturday, July 14 at Exeter, who are hoping to regain their place in League Two this season after finishing in the final play-off spot in the Conference.

Three days later City travel to Crown Meadow to take on recently-deposed Ridgeons League champions and the following evening are at The Walks to face Southern league promotion hopefuls King's Lynn, managed by former City youth coach Keith Webb.

Then it's off to Holland for matches on Saturday, July 21 against AGOVV Apeldoorn and FC Zwolle four days later.

City's visit to west Norfolk fulfils a promise manager Peter Grant made when Webb left the Norwich set-up to take over at Lynn in December.

“It's a good one for the club and hopefully a money spinner,” said Webb. “Something I wanted to do when I came here was to forge better relations between two main clubs in Norfolk and Peter Grant was enough to say he would bring a team and the club have honoured that.

“It would be nice if we can be in a higher division. It's a good test for the players and something I know they will relish. Hopefully we can get a big crowd. I came here for the Shaun Carey testimonial and Lynn played some good football that night. We are heading in the right direction and this sort of recognition is another step.”

t Pre-season friendly schedule (to date):

Saturday, July 14 - Exeter City (away)

Tuesday, July 17 - Lowestoft Town (away)

Wednesday, July 18 - King's Lynn (away)

Saturday, July 21 - AGOVV Apeldoorn

Wednesday, July 25 - FC Zwolle