It is a period of exciting change at Colney Heath and the strengthening of the club for the future has been boosted by the appointment of a local football legend to a key role.

Tony Kavanagh has been named director of football at the new Southern League club and will oversee all of the Magpies' squads although with a special emphasis on helping the talented youngsters reach the first-team.

It is a position that Kavanagh, who has coached across the district at all levels, is thoroughly excited to get his teeth into.

Herts Advertiser: Tony Kavanagh on the sideline during his time as Colney Heath's first team coach.Tony Kavanagh on the sideline during his time as Colney Heath's first team coach. (Image: Danny Loo)

He said: "It basically links up all the men’s teams, from the seniors through the development side, the U18 side and into the youth.

"We’re trying to bring the youth through and I’m making sure that everything is in place.

"I watch how they are progressing, their time on the pitch and I report back to Thommo [first-team manager Ryan Thompson].

"We always want to give them the opportunity to come through to the first team, that’s what Colney Heath is about now.

"I link with the committee and the youth committee as well.

"I’m enjoying it and they are just using all my experience to glue it all together.

"It’s all coming together and now that we’ve got promotion, everybody is happy and this club is only going one way, and that’s up."

The club have already held some trials at U18 levels with most of them "good enough now to play in the first team" and he will also keep tabs on the two ladies' teams - "two good sides and part of the club, part of the Colney family".

And for the Colney boss, it is an appointment he has wanted for a number of years.

Thompson said: "We’re so heavily reliant on the youngsters and bringing the youth through, we just want to build it up so it gets better and better

"It’s our lifeline, all these kids, and we want parents to bring them here at a young age.

"Kavs doing this job will link a lot of things up, with us, with the committee and he’ll oversee it.

"This is perfect for him and even in the short time since he’s come in he’s shaken things up and really helped us out.

"It’s good to have him on board."