BARRY Town United have confirmed their pre-season schedule for the 2018-19 season, with a trio of opponents from days gone by making their way to Jenner Park in the months of July and August.

After coming within two wins of European football in their 2017-18 campaign, Barry’s pre-season kicks off on Saturday 14th July (2.30pm) with a trip to recent JD Welsh Cup giant killers and FAW Trophy finalists Penydarren, before welcoming old friends Ton Pentre to Jenner Park on Saturday 21st July (2.30pm).

The Town then entertain a Swansea City XI at Jenner Park on Tuesday 24th July (7.45pm), before Gavin Chesterfield’s squad make a swift return to Cardiff Metropolitan University on Saturday 28th July for what is poised to be another high-octane meeting with Christian Edwards’ Archers (2.30pm).

With a further friendly to potentially be added, Barry will welcome Southern League side and former Beazer Homes League adversaries Redditch United to Jenner Park on Saturday 4th August (2.30pm).

Redditch made a hat-trick of visits to Jenner Park in the early 1990s, holding Town to a 0-0 draw in March 1990 and winning 3-1 a year later, before goals from Paul Evans, Paul Burrows, Paul Giles and Wayne Matthews gave Barry an emphatic 4-0 win in the opening home game of the 1991-92 season.

As today’s team prepare for a renewed attack on the JD Welsh Premier League, the exact make-up of next season’s squad is unclear, though it is thought that a host of favourites will be back at Jenner Park in time to tackle champions The New Saints, returning Caernarfon Town and Llanelli and others.

While the likes of defender Luke Cooper and goalkeeper Mike Lewis have pledged their immediate future to the Jenner Park outfit, forwards Tyrrell Webbe and James Demetriou have both moved to pastures new, with Webbe heading west to JD Welsh Premier League rivals Carmarthen Town and Demetriou returning to his native Australia to again don the colours of former side Sydney Olympic.

Coming in meanwhile, manager Chesterfield has confirmed the re-signing of Clayton Green, after a life opportunity prevented the combative midfielder from linking up with the team 11 months ago.

Off the field, the club was stunned to learn that former Jenner Park favourite Gary Lloyd had been hospitalised on Thursday (7th), the long-serving defender and free-kick specialist suffering a stroke.

Former Barry teammates Darren Ryan, Gareth Knott, Neil Sharp, Dave Toomey, Scott Morgan, Nicky Burke, Lee Barrow, Leigh Pratt and Jon French were among the many to send their best wishes via social media, with everyone at Jenner Park sharing in their hopes for a full and rapid recovery.

Finally, thoughts are with the friends and family of Ken Dolman, who has sadly passed away at 82.

Playing alongside the likes of Charlie Dyke, Laurie Sheffield and Neil O’ Halloran, Ken made a mighty 286 appearances for Barry, scoring 26 goals; including seven against Ebbw Vale in an FA Cup clash.

Featuring in the famous FA Cup First Round tie with Queen’s Park Rangers the following season, Ken’s lengthy Jenner Park career encompassed the club’s landmark tour of Malta, where he was among the goalscorers in a 2-2 draw with 1961’s Maltese Premier League champions, Hibernians.