Chorley boss Hesketh aims to build young team for future

9:06am Wednesday 9th July 2008

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Chorley will field a mix of old and new players in a double test with the visit to the Chorley Nissan Victory Park Stadium of Blue Square Premier club Northwich Victoria on Saturday and Preston North End on Tuesday.

Vics’ manager Noureddine “Dino” Maamria, a former Tunisia Under-21 striker who took over last year, is expected to field a useful team of Blue Square players.

Then three days later the Magpies will try to capture the Jack Kirkland Trophy from North End in a match with a 7pm kick-off. Chorley manager Tony Hesketh has been busy setting his stall out in the pre-season programme and the fans will be eager to see who is among his new recruits.

Hesketh’s team building is youth-orientated and the link-up with Myerscough College, where his assistant Phil Brown holds a key position, has helped him reintroduce a reserve team as well as putting an Under-18 team in the FA Youth Cup, a competition that has not had a Chorley entry for several years.

After a bye in the preliminary round the young Magpies have been drawn at home to Marine in the first qualifying round Hesketh said: “There were a lot of youngsters in last season’s squad who are good enough and committed enough to build a side round.

“I feel it is in long-term interests of the club to develop a young team.” The Chorley manager was pleased with the turnout when the players started training on Thursday. “We had 30 to 40 there, including most of last season’s squad. It was encouraging to see a number of players who had asked for trials,” he added.