Everything is pointing towards an October reopening of the Portway Stadium as newly formed Andover Town FC gear up for their first season in the Wessex League Division One.

However, new supporters will be left in no doubt that this is a brand new football club and has no links to the defunct Lions who bit the dust ingloriously two years ago.

To link firmly with the branding of Andover/Sparsholt College the club colours have been revealed as being blue shirts and white shorts with a change strip of tangerine and white and work is also ongoing for the design of a new badge.

With the legalities regarding the lease and grants all but done and dusted the college-based side have begun to put together all the parts needed for the new campaign which begins next month.

Assistant principal Stuart Barlow explained how things are progressing behind the scenes: “The U18 side will be playing again in the South West Counties League on Saturday mornings and the Conference Youth League on Wednesday afternoons which will be a natural progression to the Wessex League squad.”

The senior squad will be a mix of players who have approached the club to play along with ex-students who have been through the three year football programme at the college and the elite scholars they already have.

Barlow added: “The next three months are on track as the pitch work is already in progress and the pre season matches are beginning to take shape. We are also building a profile for sponsorship as well as developing interest in the reopened facility at the Portway Stadium.”

The management team will be headed by Neil Benson with his son Lewis as his number two and the Limited Company will have principal Tim Jackson and Barlow with Lawrence Blair as learning manager.

As yet a secretary has not been appointed but the club is keen to hear from anyone who wishes to get involved behind the scenes.