WEST Ham legend Julian Dicks is returning to Heybridge Swifts as first team manager on 1 July.

Dicks will resume his partnership with former Colchester United legend Karl Duguid; one that saw the Swifts win the Isthmian North play offs in 2019 only to be denied a promotion place due to an FA league reshuffle.

Julian spoke at length to the Swifts media team and vice-chairman Steve Spreadbury on Sunday and confirmed he had unfinished business with the club and relished the opportunity to put that right in the 2021/22 season.

Dicks left the Swifts two years ago to spend a successful period as a coach at West Bromwich Albion alongside manager Slaven Bilic that saw them gain automatic promotion to the Premier League at the first attempt.

Swifts chairman Gary White said: "Getting Julian to come back to the Swifts was an easy decision to make.

"I hope we can keep the existing coaching team together."

White stressed the importance of a strong structure and continuity, given the great ability already existing within the coaching team.