AFC Telford to take on Albion in pre-season friendly

Premier League giants West Bromwich Albion will travel to face AFC Telford United in a high-profile pre-season friendly this summer.

Roy Hodgson's side will visit the New Bucks Head on Wednesday, July 13 (7.45pm) in the build up to a new campaign.

Albion could yet secure a top half finish in this season's top flight and their visit to Shropshire will certainly whet the appetite of Bucks fans ahead of their first season back in the elite level of non-League football.

Telford chairman Lee Carter said: "Andy Sinton has put this one together using his contacts and as far as we know West Brom will be bringing a full strength side.

"It is a good friendly for us to get and hopefully we can get a good crowd in.

"Having a Premiership side will obviously be a tough test for the players, but they're another Midlands side as well.

"Our players will be coming back midway through June and so we only have a six week period to get ready for the new season. Our plans for next year are already taking shape."

Telford have already confirmed home friendlies with Burton and Cheltenham along with a trip to Welsh Premier club Aberystwyth.

And Carter added the Bucks would be playing a number of county sides in the build-up to the new Blue Square Bet Premier season.

"We will be playing teams like Ellesmere Rangers and Shifnal," he confirmed

"We certainly won't be forgetting our roots and we know how important it is to play those matches. We just haven't confirmed the dates as yet."

Meanwhile, Bucks boss Andy Sinton and his assistant Darren Read will continue to finalise the retain list over the next few days.

By ALEX JAMES