Andy Myers will take charge of our development squad following the promotion of Joe Edwards to a position on Frank Lampard’s backroom staff.

The 45-year-old former Blues defender has spent over a decade working in various coaching roles in our Academy, most recently last season as lead coach of our Under-18s, as well as acting as number two to successive coaches with the development squad. He also spent the 2016/17 campaign as assistant coach at Vitesse Arnhem.Myers succeeded Jody Morris, another of Lampard’s newly-appointed assistants, in the role of youth team manager last summer and guided the young Blues to a third-place league finish. After progressing through the Academy ranks himself as a player, he made over 100 senior appearances for us between 1991 and 1999, winning the FA Cup and Cup Winners’ Cup.Jon Harley, who also moves up from the Under-18s after working closely with Myers last term, will take the role of development squad assistant.

Meanwhile, Ed Brand is the new Under-18s head coach. Formerly a youth team captain as a player, the 32-year old has been coaching in our Academy for 10 years, most recently as assistant to Edwards with the development squad last season. He also worked with Morris during a two-year period in which the team won every competition they entered.He will be assisted by James Simmonds, another former schoolboy player who has turned his hand to coaching since hanging up his boots and is promoted from Under-16s head coach.

Both teams travel to Dorset this weekend for a double-header against Bournemouth and Poole Town.

-READ: JODY MORRIS ON HIS RETURN HOME TO CHELSEA