The U21s kick off a new era with their opening pre-season friendly at Longridge Town tomorrow (Saturday).
Julian Darby has stepped up from the Youth Team to take charge of the Whites’ senior Academy side and leads them for the first time in the warm-up game at Inglewhite Road (KO 3pm).
A visit to Longridge – who lost 2-0 to Preston North End's U21s on Wednesday night and also face Blackburn Rovers later this month – has become a regular feature of the Whites’ pre-season schedule at U21 level with Wanderers securing a 4-2 win last summer.
The game against the North-West Counties Premier League Division outfit is the first of half-a-dozen pre-season fixtures in place for Darby’s side with friendlies to follow at Daisy Hill on Saturday, 18th July (KO 3pm), Radcliffe FC on Tuesday, 28th July (KO 7.45pm) and then against Academy sides from Manchester City, Everton and Liverpool.
Admission at Longridge is £5 adults and concessions, £2 for 11-17-year-olds and free for U11s, with up-dates from Saturday’s fixture available on Wanderers’ official Academy X account @BWFCBandAcademy