LLANFAIR United stand ready and prepared for life in JD Cymru North.

The Mount Field club have returned to the second tier with manager Rhys Stephens keeping faith with the MMP-NL Mid Wales League One title winning squad.

As ever the United squad is dominated by locally based players with the conveyor belt of talent in as good working order as ever.

Josh Astley will once again prove key with the talisman playing a leading role in the club’s march to promotion.

However the United ranks boast leaders across the pitch with the Hughes brothers, Alun and Andrew and the midfield brothers, Rob and Matt Bumford, joining the experienced Karl Seliaerts in pulling the strings.

Midfielder Paul Griffiths also remains an integral figure at Mount Field while defender Matt Spencer has been an ever present for United for a decade.

Stephens has also re-united brothers Gethin and Rhys Stephens with the latter returning to his hometown club from Berriew while goalkeeper Danny Foulkes has also returned from a spell at Abermule.

Foulkes will contest the No1 jersey with last season’s regular Mark Richards.

Former Rhayader Town midfielder Gethin Jones joins midfield prospect Aron James in stepping up from recreation level with Jones arriving from Cambrian Tyres Aberystwyth League side Tregaron Turfs while James makes the step up having impressed with Newtown Wanderers in the JT Hughes Montgomeryshire League.

United will also look to teenager Ryan McVeagh who enjoyed an impressive debut season in senior football while fellow midfielder Ryan Evans will look to return following a lengthy spell on the sidelines with injury.

Stephens has also added striker Ashley Davies to the senior ranks having impressed with the club’s reserve string while midfielders Chris Humphreys and Ben Jones and defender Tom Gregory in completing a tight knit squad.

Stephens said: “We are looking forward to the season, we know it will be a tough league but we believe we can be competitive like when we were last in the division.

“We have brought in a few new faces and retained last season’s squad.

“Obviously survival is always the first priority for any new club stepping up to a new division but we are confident and we are looking forward to the season.”

Stephens will be assisted by club stalwart Luke Gethin alongside Seliaerts.