TENBURY Town kick-off the new Herefordshire FA County League campaign with a new signing who will nevertheless be a familiar face to the home supporters.

Midfielder Alex Lombardi has returned to the fold from cross-town Premier Division rivals Tenbury United ahead of Saturday’s curtain-raiser (ko 2.30pm) against a Hinton side who finished one place above 11th-placed Town last season.

United requested a delayed start to the season because joint managers Nick Stocker and Aaron Morris are on holiday at the weekend and the county FA has yet to set down any fixtures for the Palmer’s Meadow side.

Lombardi is one of two departures from a side which finished third last season to be the highest finishing first team in the competition.

Central midfielder Gavin Podmore has stepped up two rungs of the non-league ladder to join West Midlands League Division One side Worcester Raiders after moving home to Worcester but Stocker and Morris have brought in two replacements during the summer.

An unnamed forward has been drafted in from the Evesham area and will be joined by 16-year-old utility player Rhys McIntosh, who has done enough in pre-season friendlies to cement a place in the squad.