Canterbury Ladies this week confirmed Nick Clark as their new head coach and unveiled details of a new two-year sponsorship deal with local car dealership EuroCanterbury.

Clark, 47, helped guide England’s under-21s to a silver medal in the European Junior Nations Championships in Lille last month, and succeeds Ian Jennings, who left Polo Farm after two years to join Guildford.

His arrival coincides with his appointment as Director of Sport at Kent College, having previously been a PE teacher at Repton School in Derbyshire.

Player-coach Mel Clewlow (pictured) said: "Nick’s track record speaks for itself. He was at Beeston for four years, helping them win promotion back to the Premier League, before stepping back from club hockey, and concentrating his efforts on the England set-up. He also worked with the indoor squad last season.

"Ian did a lot for us, but was probably only able to field his first choice team twice in 36 games.

"He instilled disciplines into the club, and was hard on everybody, whether it was me or a 15-year old player.

"I know a lot of the players have been in touch to thank him for all his hard work. We hope that Nick can build on the foundations Ian started."

Susannah Townsend and Kirsty Chambers are both returning to the club, while Marissa Alves and Laura Dowling have moved on. Canterbury hope that South African international Cath Taylor may be back after World Cup and Commonwealth Games commitments.

Meanwhile, Natalie Seymour has been named in England Women’s 18-strong party for the World Cup in Argentina.

The Canterbury defender, who won a bronze medal in the Champions Trophy in Nottingham last month, is named in an unchanged squad.

Ranked sixth in the world, England begin their Pool B campaign against Spain on August 29, and also have the host nation, China, Korea and South Africa in their group.