Improvements to the Gaywood Park pitch will help Kings Langley compete with their Southern League Premier Division rivals, according to Derry Edgar.

The club has benefitted from heavy investment from Watford Ladies, who they will share the ground with in the 2017/18 season.

It is a move Edgar, who is a club spokesman after stepping down as chief executive, says was required to show Kings are eager to establish themselves in a league they secured survival in on the final day of last season.

“If you can try and improve your facilities to be in keeping with the rest of the league, it doesn’t set you apart as a Cinderella club,” Edgar said.

“If we can be in keeping with the expectations of visiting teams it all just adds to the sense of belonging and that you want to stay in the league.

“It keeps people happy, not just the players, supporters as well and it is good for the club.”

The improved surface comes with the added bonus of being paid for by Watford.

Edgar concedes the improvements could not have been made without the support and believes the new pitch will be beneficial for both clubs.

“It is fantastic, without overstating it and getting too emotive it was a real big boost, because we needed it,” he said.

“We are very grateful to Watford Ladies and it is also an important improvement for them. we simply could not have made the investment without them.

“Some maintenance work has to take a backseat with our budget. The investment is an indication of how good the partnership is and how good it will hopefully continue to be.”

Perhaps the clearest indication of the impact a new surface can have will be, predictably, on the pitch.

Players will no longer have to contend with the testing conditions which went hand-in-hand with playing at Gaywood Park.

Again Edgar feels such improvements can help the club manage their limited finances and attract players.

“It is no secret we are not going to be able to offer the most money in the league and I doubt we will be challenging for the title at this stage,” he said, “You have to try and attract players with the promise of improving and developing them.

“Players feel they can do that more readily when the facilities, particularly the playing surface, are good. It’s a real plus for them.

“It all helps to make them feel they can develop at our club and we are trying to create an environment to do that. This is a big step.”

Kings face a Watford XI in a pre-season friendly tonight before getting their campaign underway next Saturday. They face newly-promoted Hereford on the opening day.