Development squad being brought back

Charity Shield-winning Berkhamsted celebrate with the trophy

The team will play in the under-25s division, a new venture for 2017/18 from the Spartan South Midlands League to replacing reserve-team football.

All teams in the division have floodlights and it currently stands at 16 teams, 11 of which compete the SSML Premier division.

Berko, which won the Charity Shield this year after beating Tring in a great final, understands that Leighton Town, Newport Pagnell Town and themselves will be joining, while Oxhey Jets are leaving.

The final line-up will be decided at the league AGM in June.

The Comrades will be led by manager Paul Toms, assistant managerLiam Dwyer and coaches James Gibson and Ryan Jackett, the son of former Watford and Swansea manager Kenny Jackett.

Toms is delighted to be back at his hometown club. He has coached at Luther Blissett’s academy, Bliss8, run out of Burnham FC.

He has also coached the Hemel Town Ladies squad.

Dwyer, 26, has coached at St Albans City Youth for the last three years, running the men’s disability team which he took to the National Final of the People FA Cup in 2017.