St Albans City’s reserve and development manager, Mark Swales, has left the club and taken up a job at Berkhamsted as a coach.

Swales made the decision to leave Clarence Park prior to Christmas.

The development side face AFC Hillgate at Clarence Park on Saturday in a Spartan South Midlands League Division Two game and Sam Mardle, who has been working with the U18 side, will take charge of that game.

A spokesman for St Albans said: “Sam will take the reserves team from Saturday. Then we’ll go from there and see what we’re going to do.”

Swales’ move to The Comrades sees him link up again with former St Albans manager Jimmy Gray, who has signed playing forms with the club.

In a statement on the Berkhamsted website, head coach Tom Garratt said: “I’m delighted that Mark has agreed to come on board with the club and will be a massive asset to both ourselves and the players.

“He’s full of enthusiasm for the coaching side of things and his last appointment of managing St Albans’ development side shows the great reputation he already has.

“Having known Mark for a good 15 years, I can confirm he is a real football man, he even works full time job for the FA and is currently studying for his UEFA A license.

“He’ll be a valuable member of the management team and I look forward to getting him started this week before the big FA Vase game on Saturday.

“Jimmy joins us as a player, he tells us he’s got a bit of fitness work to get through but we can see he is already well on his way and we’re all looking forward to him adding his ability and experience to the team”.