The Shopmates have appointed Laurence Revell as their new first team manager.

Revell joins the club having had spells in charge of Chatteris Town, Cranfield United, Potton United and Huntingdon Town.

Revell will be joined by his experienced coaching team of Kevin O’Sullivan and Graham Haggar.

The club have placed on record its thanks to former manager Craig Haywood.

Neil Healey, who took over as reserve team manager towards the end of last season, begins his first full season in charge alongside coach Paul Rice, goalkeeper coach Jordan Hall and physio Beth Freeman.

Youth team manager Steve Whitney, who formed a new under-18 side in January that did remarkably well to reach the final of the Jaymann Shield after replacing Kempston Rovers when the Walnut Boys decided against taking part, will begin their first season in the Northants Senior Youth League with a new coach in Dan Payne alongside Steve Oslar and Neil Healey.

Whitney has also been appointed as Raunds’ new Football Development Manager to link the youth section with the senior teams.

Raunds` first team will take on a Stevenage X1 at Kiln Park on Tuesday 5^th July.

The new Raunds manager is the brother of former Northampton Town striker Alex Revell, who is a coach at the Lamex Stadium.

The Shopmates new boss commented: “This is a great pre-season fixture for us we really want to re-engage with the local community and hope that a cracking pre-season schedule will get people talking about the goings on at Kiln Park again. 

“I am really grateful to Stevenage for agreeing to bring a side down to us. Games like this can provide a real financial boost for clubs like ours who have had it very tough through the COVID pandemic.”

Raunds begin their pre-season campaign with a home game against Peterborough & District Premier League side Crowland Town at Kiln Park on Saturday, 2nd July (3pm), before entertaining Stevenage on Monday 4th July under the lights (7.45).

Southern League Biggleswade Town will also visit the Shopmates on Saturday, 16th July in what is set to be another testing fixture.

The remaining preseason fixtures are as follows with all games to be played at Kiln Park:

Saturday 9th July v Eynesbury Rovers

Tuesday 19th July v Desborough Town

Saturday 23rd July v Parson Drove