FORMER Salisbury City player and manager Darrell Clarke will be returning to the Ray Mac with his Bristol Rovers side on Saturday at 1pm for a pre-season friendly.

This will be the third time the 39-year-old has brought his side to Salisbury, all of which ended in defeat for the Whites. Rovers won 4-1 in 2015 and 3-0 in 2016.

This will be the Whites’ fourth pre-season game, and is in the middle of four games in seven days for Claridge’s men.

Clarke played for the Whites between 2007 and 2013 following a move from Hartlepool United and made 138 appearances for the club, scoring 12 goals.

Clarke’s managerial career began at Salisbury in 2010, where he won double promotions as a player/manager. In three years at the club he took the Whites to the top of the non-league pyramid.

He then left for Rovers in 2013, starting out as assistant manager, before taking over as manager.

Clarke added two further promotions to his tally with Bristol Rovers, taking them from the Conference Premier to the Sky Bet League One.

Clarke’s side finished tenth last season in Sky Bet League One, seven points off the play-off places, which was Clarke’s fourth season with the club.

Following the fixture against Rovers the Whites will be back in action again on Monday against League Two Swindon Town at the Ray Mac (7pm), then an away trip to Andover Town on Tuesday, July 18 (7.45pm).

The Whites then face Downton on Tuesday, July 29, (7.45pm).