Dandy Town flew out to California yesterday morning for one of their most ambitious pre-season tours in recent times.

Town, who blew their chance of Premier glory in the penultimate game of last season, are taking on two Major League Soccer reserve sides as part of a four-match tour of the US.

And coach Devarr Boyles, whose side take on Deportivo Chivas and the Los Angeles Galaxy in games tomorrow and on Wednesday, is confident that the trip will give his side a massive boost ahead of the new season.

?It has been quite an undertaking getting all of this sorted out,? said Boyles, who lost striker Khano Smith to the New England Revolution at the end of last season.

?But we have taken the prize money from last season plus quite a lot of fund-raising and put this trip together.

?It has taken a lot of organisation but I think it is an important part of our preparations for the year and will be of enormous benefit to our team.

?There is a lot to be said for playing against teams with a different style of play and I think we are going to learn a lot about ourselves on this trip.

?It will be an important experience for all of the players and is definitely something other clubs should think about doing.

?Forging these kind of links with MLS sides can only benefit Dandy Town and Bermuda soccer in general.?

Although Boyles is missing a number of key players from his travelling party, he feels that those making the trip will bond as a team and a number of fringe players will get a chance to prove themselves.

And this tour isn?t just a one-off event. The Dandy Town organisation are planning on making regular voyages to take on MLS opposition for their pre-season preparations ? and they also intend to make some competitive trips abroad.

?One of the reasons we are involved in this is to test the water on how fund-raising can be done to see if it is worth our while taking part in the CONCACAF Champions Cup,? he continued.

?The top two teams in the league are eligible to enter and if we achieve that ? and, of course, that is something we are aiming for ? then we would have to seriously consider entering.

?That would be a big undertaking but hopefully we can prove by taking this trip that the right level of fund-raising can be achieved and these matches will certainly whet their appetite.?

Talk about staging such an elaborate pre-season tour began last year when Dandy Town took on the New England Revolution reserves in a 45-minute training match at the National Sports Centre North Field. Although they were defeated 9-0, they took heart from that game and began plans to visit MLS sides.

And Boyles is happy to allow this trip to be used as a scouting venture for the American sides, promising not to stand in the way of any players who are offered opportunities to follow in the massive footsteps of Smith, who was snapped up earlier this year by the Revolution.

?When Khano left I said to him ?I hope you never play for us again?,? added Boyles.

?And I stand by that. It was a great move for Khano and although it meant we lost a great player, who are Dandy Town to stand in the way of an individual?s ambitions?

?What has happened to Khano is good for Dandy Town and it is good for Bermuda football.?

As well as games against the two MLS sides ? to be played at the Home Depot Centre in LA ? Town will also take on university and state sides during the tour.

The travelling squad of 38 players includes the Under-13 team, who will play youth state champions Los Angeles Arsenal as well as the San Bernardino Soccer Club.

The group will also watch the US v Mexico World Cup qualifier and return home a week on Monday.