JOHN O’Sullivan is excited about coming across some familiar faces among the crowd, and opposition, as Stanley prepare to welcome back supporters for the first time since February.

The Reds host Preston North End on Saturday, the first time in 17 months the Wham Stadium will have opened its gates to supporters, as John Coleman’s side gear up for a fourth successive season in League One.

O’Sullivan is into his third spell at the club, signing as a free agent after opting to leave Morecambe in the summer, following on from loan spells in 2014 and 2016.

And relishing the prospect of fans being back for tomorrow’s friendly, he said: “My first spell here was my first taste of league football and I loved it and I loved my second spell as well.

“My career has gone in different directions since then but I always felt, and I said when I signed, that I had unfinished business at Accy and the gaffer and Jimmy (Bell) know exactly what kind of lad and player I am. After last season at Morecambe, I think I am ready to step up and challenge myself.

“I can’t wait for the fans to be back. When I was here last time I had a close relationship with them. I wear my heart on my sleeve, I work hard and I can’t wait to see them on Saturday.”

O’Sullivan is one of the new faces at the Wham Stadium who supporters will be able to see this weekend as Coleman gears up his side for the upcoming League One campaign.

They have also beaten Clitheroe, Hibernian and Blackpool, and following the visit of North End, they face Warrington Town and Bradford City next weekend in their final warm-up games before the season opener against Wycombe Wanderers on August 7.

For O’Sullivan, the visit of North End, beaten 1-0 by Bolton Wanderers earlier this week, means a reunion is on the cards this weekend.

Good friend, and former Stanley loanee, Seani Maguire will be in the opposition, the pair having grown close during their time at the club in 2014/15.

Striker Maguire was then on the books of West Ham, scoring seven times in Stanley red, before heading back to his native Ireland following his release from the Premier League side, before moving to North End in 2017.

O’Sullivan has remained friends with the 27-year-old, and is looking forward to tussling on the pitch this weekend.

He added: “As soon as the fixture came out, I sent him a screenshot saying ‘see you in a few weeks’.

“That first game for Accy, Northampton away, where I scored two and Seani scored one, as Coley said it was one of the best games he has been involved in.

“At Accy, I lived with Seani in Preston, we ate, slept, played football together for a couple of years.

“Since then we have become best mates, go on holidays together, speak most days, he is one of my best mates. We met here seven or eight years ago and I think this is the first time I have ever played against him so it should be a good game.

“Seani had a different path, he went back to Ireland and he was one of the best goalscorers to ever play in the League of Ireland and that’s testament to the lad he is and how hard he worked, he had to dig deep, and got his move to PNE.

“I am proud of him as a friend that he has done so well.”

Tickets are on sale, priced at £10 for adults and £5 for concessions.