WORCESTER City is preparing for the start of the 2020/21 season by strengthening its coaching team and expanding its youth section.

The club has hired Andy Swatton as reserve team head coach as well as coaching the under-18 Midland Floodlit Youth League side, working along their recently appointed manager Steve Humphrys.

Swatton has managed and coached in youth football after an extensive playing career with Andover FC, Salisbury City, Newbury Town, Romsey Town, Andover New Street and Whitchurch United.

The Worcester City Ladies team has also bolstered its ranks, with David Holdsworth and Craig Dedicoat moving from Cookley Sports Ladies to City, where they will form a new-look management team alongside Neil Rayment when the next West Midlands Regional Women’s Football League Premier Division campaign gets underway.

With 22 years' experience of coaching women's and youth football within professional clubs, UEFA B licence holder Holdsworth has built an impressive CV, working with Leeds United, Hibs, Limerick, Coventry City and Kidderminster Harriers, where he was a full-time academy coach before linking up with Dedicoat at Cookley last season.

After starting out at the helm of an Under 12s team, Dedicoat has enjoyed success with Cookley overseeing the Under 16s to the Central Warwickshire Girls Football League Premier Division double - a feat he helped repeat with the club’s Midwest Counties League Ladies team in 2019.

Worcester City Youth chairman Mark Wilcox said: "We've been really busy since the lockdown brought the 2019/20 season to a close as our focus switched immediately to the football resumption.

"Work is ongoing with a three-year strategy to improve the overall structure within the Youth Section and ensure a progressive plan across all ages groups, but in particular from Under 16s and Under 17s in the women's case to cover all aspects of player development linking through to our First Teams.

"For the five to 11-year-old beginners attending our weekly girls soccer centre at Worcester University every Sunday and those representing our junior teams, I firmly believe we have a structure in place that will inspire them to play for Worcester City and the highest standard of football possible."

Another UEFA-B licensed coach Matt Waldron has arrived from Wyre Forest Phoenix to manage the new Under 23 squad, which will be entering the Midwest Counties Female Football League, whilst another former Cookley Sports Ladies coach, Andy Hartill, will oversee an Under 17 team in the Mercian Fortis Junior Football League.

Also joining Worcester City Youth next season are James Tainton and Alex Warner who will be managing the Under 14 Junior Premier League team. The duo were previously at Leigh and Bransford.

The Club will be announcing dates for trials across all age groups as soon as Government/FA guidance permits. Players can register now though by contacting Head of Youth Development Nigel Upson via email at worcestercityyouth@gmail.com

If you are a coach who is interested in joining Worcester City Youth please contact Nigel on 07956 918761 to discuss potential opportunities.