POOLE Town have announced a summer friendly against a Chelsea XI as part of what chairman Chris Reeves hopes will be the “most attractive pre-season programme that we’ve ever had”.

The Blues used Poole’s Black Gold Stadium as their training base ahead of January’s Premier League game against Cherries.

And although things didn’t go well for Chelsea at Vitality Stadium, losing 4-0, they are set to return to the south coast to take on Poole on Saturday, July 20 (3pm).

Dolphins chairman Chris Reeves told the Daily Echo: “It’s tremendous.

“They approached us to use our ground for a training session prior to their game with Bournemouth a couple of months ago.

“They asked what we would charge them and what we wanted and basically we didn’t charge them anything.

“We just said give us a few signed shirts and maybe if we can have some sort of game.

“We struck up a really good relationship with them during the course of those arrangements and they were very pleased with our facilities, pleased with the pitch and the way that we kept it quiet because they didn’t want loads of people there.

“It was just a very, very good relationship.

“That resulted in them doing what they said they would do and confirming this game.”

He added: “They’re also entertaining a whole clutch of our youngsters up at their training complex.

“They’ve been absolute first class to deal with. Way, way over the top in demonstrating their gratitude for the service that we provided for them and they’ve just been absolutely brilliant.”

And Reeves says the clash against Chelsea is just the start of what he hopes will be an exciting pre-season fixture list for Tom Killick’s side with commercial manager Alex Pike looking to tempt in some more big names.

Reeves said: “Alex’s connections in football, grafted onto our own are such that we’re looking to have the most attractive pre-season programme that we’ve ever had.

“Pre-season is going to be very good for us, we hope.”