MANAGER Carl Heeley believes Worcester City have arranged a strong set of pre-season friendlies considering they don’t have a permanent home.

With the Blue and Whites currently in exile at Aggborough, they are unable to host friendlies due to potential clashes with landlords Kidderminster Harriers and the costs of hiring the stadium.

It means, like last season, playing Premier League academy sides or Football League opposition is off the agenda.

However, City have agreed six warm-up matches, all away, as they prepare for the 2014-15 Conference North campaign.

They begin at Midland Alliance outfit Coventry Sphinx, the team City beat 4-0 in the FA Cup second qualifying round last term, on Saturday, July 12.

That is followed three days later by a trip to Wellington Amateurs, who play in the West Midlands League Premier Division, and a visit to Stratford Town on Saturday, July 19. Worcester travel to county rivals Redditch United on Tuesday, July 22, and Evesham United on Friday, July 25.

The last scheduled warm-up fixture for Heeley’s side is at Leicestershire-based Northern League Premier Division outfit Barwell on Saturday, August 2.

Boss Heeley said: “There are some tough tests there. Barwell will be tough with a lot of players who have played in Conference North.

“We would like to be playing League clubs but none will play us at their ground. Our hands are tied in what we can arrange.”

Meanwhile, club secretary Joe Murphy has become the sixth member of the City board of directors.

He joins chairman Anthony Hampson, vice-chairman Colin Layland, Rich Widdowson, Mark Wilcox and Mike Davis.

Murphy’s appointment comes after he was elected to the Football Conference’s board as the Conference North representative. He is also a Worcestershire FA council member.