St Albans City’s pre-season schedule has been announced ahead of their second season in the newly rebranded National League South.

The team returns to training at the end of the month, 13 days ahead of their first warm-up game against Sky Bet League Two side Dagenham and Redbridge at Clarence Park on June 7. It will be Ian Gayle’s first time back at the club since his successful loan spell came to an end.

Seven days later they entertain newly-promoted Barnet before making the trip to SSML Premier Division neighbours London Colney on July 16.

Two days later the Saints travel to Essex to take on Billericay.

The highlight of the schedule is on July 21 when a Crystal Palace XI make the trip to Clarence Park. The Eagles beat City 1-0 when the teams met last season.

Trips to Waltham Abbey, Biggleswade Town and Hitchin Town follow before the slate of pre-season games is wrapped up at home against National League side Woking.

Commercial manager Tom Norman said: “As much as we would have liked to be announcing fixtures against the likes of Arsenal and Tottenham, pre-existing agreements and the ever-growing number of high-profile televised tournaments means that it’s getting harder to cement the ‘marquee’ sides.

“That said, the calibre of opposition on show will provide the ideal platform for the team as we head into the new season.”

The season begins in earnest on August 4 with a trip to Ware in the first round of the Herts Charity Cup.