BURNLEY director Brendan Flood says it was vital for the club to bring back its reserve side.

The Clarets dropped its second string team last season due to the small size of its squad.

But they have now reapplied to enter the Pontin's Holiday League West for the new season.

Flood, who has promised to invest in the club this summer and boost the squad numbers, said: "It's vital this year that there will be a reserve team again.

"That's something that the club needs.

"We do need it this year. When players haven't been fit, we haven't been able to play them in reserve games because we haven't had a reserve team.

"So I think we have recognised that it will be better to have a reserve team again."

The decision to scrap the reserves last year was taken because the Clarets entered the season with only 19 first team players. That would have meant youth team players having to play in both academy games and reserve team games, risking burn-out.

Dave Edmundson, then chief executive, said: "It had nothing whatsoever to do with finances.

"This was about the potential risk to our young players developing into professional footballers."

But this year, new director Flood has helped to finance moves for Ade Akinbiyi, Joey Gudjonsson, Steven Caldwell and Gabor Kiraly.

Manager Steve Cotterill hopes to bring in another four players this summer, which will boost the squad numbers further.

Burnley's reserve team will compete against Accrington Stanley, Blackpool, Burnley, Bury, Carlisle United, Chester City, Manchester City, Morecambe, Preston North End, Rochdale, Tranmere Rovers and Wrexham The venue for home matches has not yet been decided.