HARPENDEN Town A team will show off their new strip sponsored by Waitrose at Rothamsted Park on Saturday. Coach Christian Garzarolli is poised to lead the newly-formed A squad, made up of young local players

HARPENDEN Town A team will show off their new strip sponsored by Waitrose at Rothamsted Park on Saturday.

Coach Christian Garzarolli is poised to lead the newly-formed A squad, made up of young local players, to honours in their first season.

The introduction of the A team came about as a result of the work done behind the scenes by the new committee to obtain charter standard for the club. The driving force for this was coach Chris Gregory who did most of the administration work and spends hours of his spare time with the local colts and at local schools.

Harpenden Town have also supported the training of coaches for Colts and Wheathampstead Wanderers in gaining formal coaching badges.

This work has encouraged a number of players to graduate to adult football and the A team provides the platform for this. The Harpenden first team stabilised under manager Paul Tomkins in the final few weeks of the campaign and, despite losing 3-0 at Stony Stratford Town on Saturday, they had already secured safety in the Molten Spartan South Midlands League Division One.

To take the club forward and to maximise the support on offer, a great deal of work and investment needs to be generated to improve playing/training facilities and importantly to improve the club house at Rothamsted Park along with the dressing rooms and shower areas.

Funding is available through the FA for Charter Standard clubs and they will match any funding the club can generate. Waitrose have a major interest in supporting local youth in sport and they have come on board to sponsor the A team.