YATE Town are targeting promotion from the Evo-Stik Southern League Division One South and West in the forthcoming season, with manager Craig Laird receiving plaudits from the board for his thorough pre-season work with the squad.
Town have seen a lot of ins and outs from the squad since the end of the 2014/15 campaign, in which they finished just outside the play-off places in sixth.
But with a competition, which appears to be more open than last season when Welsh side Merthyr Tydfil ran away with the title, Yate believe they can make a serious mark in the coming campaign.
Director Lawrence Wortman said: “We were disappointed that we missed out for a play-off position last season, but the timing of bringing Craig in has probably proved its worth.”
Laird replaced former manager Rob Cousins at the end of March and he has already brought new blood into Lodge Road to prepare for a fresh assault on the Division One South.
Wortman said: “Craig was given an opportunity to assess the quality of the squad from last season.
“I know that some of the players who have moved on, the club and Craig did not want that but that is football at this level.
“But he has proven himself previously and he knows how to get teams out of this league.
“Irrespective of us losing the nucleus of the squad, he has rebuilt with quality and I think they will make an impression.
“I think we will be up there and, if you talk to Craig directly, his aim is to win the league. That is the mentality he is instilling into the players.
“Inevitably, for the fans, there will be an element of curiosity and concern that a lot of the squad has moved on.
“However, I think people will be pleasantly surprised to recognise that we have a quality squad and we will be there or thereabouts come the end.”
Laird has worked on Yate’s fitness with sessions at Brean Sands in Somerset already this summer.
And as the squad finds its feet in terms of teamwork during the pre-season friendly campaign, Wortman is certain they can hit the ground running.
He said: “It would be good to make a good start to the season and Craig will be looking for that and for the squad to gel as quickly as possible.
“But I think we have strength in depth and our fitness will prove beneficial and also the experience.
“I think we have had the most professional pre-season approach from Craig that I have ever experienced in my time at the club and that is echoed by other people.”
Yate have had three pre-season matches so far, and, although they lost the opener at Laird’s former club Weymouth, they have beaten Shepton Mallett away last Saturday by 3-0, and earned a 2-1 away result at Cribbs Life on Tuesday night.
Now they have back-to-back home clashes with Hungerford Town and Bath City at home on Saturday and Tuesday respectively, with another match at Bitton scheduled for other squad members.
Then, a fortnight on Saturday, the big kick-off arrives when Yate travel to Evesham United which forms one of six games in August, including derbies with Mangotsfield United and Slimbridge.
Wortman added: “We have been building up for Hungerford this weekend and Bath on Tuesday . They are attractive games but they will also be testing matches. It is interesting to see how we perform against both of those.
“So Evesham away and Cinderford will be a tough test as I think they will be one of the stronger teams and it is great we have the local derby with Mangotsfield on the bank holiday weekend.
“Mangotsfield will be strong and the rivalry will be even stronger this season with them taking a few of our ex-players.
“I think the league this season won’t be dis-similar to the last one with the clubs competing for the play-offs.”