DARREN Byfield’s first game as Redditch United manager will be at West Midlands Premier Division side AFC Bridgnorth on Saturday, July 6.

With work on the new 3G Valley Stadium pitch continuing until the eve of the new season, the Reds will be on the road for the entire pre-season campaign.

The players return for training on Saturday, June 25, with the trip to Bridgnorth pencilled in two weeks later.

The Shropshire side just missed out on promotion to the Midland Football League last season, finishing a point behind champions Shawbury United. And this season they will also have a new man at the helm in former Walsall academy coach and AFC Telford United assistant John Psaras.

On Wednesday, July 13, the Reds head to MFL side Loughborough University with Byfield hoping to add another game on Saturday, June 16.

The following week sees the club focus on the Worcestershire Senior Cup with a semi-final clash against Carl Heeley’s Worcester City on Tuesday, July 19, ahead of the final or third place play-off on Saturday, July 23. The semi-final game will be a home tie for Worcester but will be played at Stourport Swifts’ Walshes Meadow ground with improvement work continuing at their new base – Bromsgrove Sporting’s Victoria Ground.

The final week of pre-season sees the new-look Reds head to MFL side Highgate United on Tuesday, June 26, before rounding things off at Bedworth United on Saturday, July 30 – a match which will be played on the Northern Premier Division One South side’s 3G pitch.

The Reds manager said: “The first couple of weeks will be all about fitness and getting players up to speed on how I want Redditch United to play.

“It’s not ideal having to play all our pre-season away from the Valley but I’m happy with the mix of games that we have – a good range including a good physical test against Highgate at the end before a game at Bedworth on their 3G which should be very similar to our own pitch, as we are using the same company.”

It’s been a good week for the club after they pulled off a coup by signing former Birmingham City, Republic of Ireland and Crystal Palace ace Clinton Morrison, who had been at League Two Exeter last season.

Morrison is Byfield’s fifth signing following the return to Valley Stadium of former Reds’ players Jamie Spencer and Jordan Jones, who both had spells at Kidderminster Harriers, while one-time Burnley defender Duane Courtney has joined after playing for Corby Town last term. Winger Eli Bako has also re-signed.

Morrison said: “I’m really excited about working alongside Darren who is a very close friend of mine and the real reason I chose to play at Redditch.”

Max Loveridge and Cameron Young have also signed on from last season but Ashley Sammons, Callum Flanagan, Jim Mutton and Simeon Maye have followed former boss Liam McDonald to Hednesford.

Jamie Molyneux has signed for Westfields and Jamey Osborne, who United signed for a four-figure fee from Hednesford last summer, moved to Solihull Moors on a free transfer.

Sam Merson has joined National South side St Albans City.

Meanwhile, Redditch are rumoured to he interested in Bromsgrove Sporting winger Reece Hewitt and Highgate keeper Bradley Catlow.