BRIDGWATER United Football Club will kick off a new era under a new name next month, with five pre-season matches lined up for the men’s 1st XI, ahead of the start of the Toolstation Western League season on July 31.

They kick off with a home match against Cardiff-based side Taff’s Well on Saturday, July 10 (2pm), albeit with limited spectators as the game will be played on Bridgwater & Taunton College facilities.

That fixture is followed by a trip to Bideford AFC, of the Southern League, on Tuesday, July 13 (7.30pm).

National League club Weymouth will be at Fairfax Park on Saturday, July 17 (3pm), ahead of a home match against Barnstaple Town on July 20 (7.30pm) and a trip to Bodmin on July 24 (3pm).

Bridgwater supporters who bought season tickets for the last two seasons will be able to use these to gain entry to the pre-season games at Fairfax Park.

With the last two campaigns being curtailed due to Covid-19, the club has announced that all season tickets purchased for 2019/20 and 2020/21 will be valid for the upcoming season, without any further payment necessary.

However, the ongoing uncertainty over what impact the pandemic will have on the 2021/22 campaign means no new season tickets will be available.

The club hopes to reinstate the sale of season tickets for 2022/23.

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BRIDGWATER manager Dave Pearse has his first new signing of the summer, with former Weston-super-Mare player Tom Llewellyn joining the club.

Tom joins his brother Jake at Fairfax Park, and the young midfielder brings National League experience to a side which is targeting a return to the Southern League next year.

Of last season’s (Bridgwater Town) squad, Mark Armstrong, Jake Llewellyn, Jack Taylor, Dave Thorne and Jake Viney have agreed to stay at Fairfax Park.