Whitehaven go into the 2023/24 West Lancashire League season following a positive end to their last campaign which saw them finish 12th.
They are looking to improve on this going into the first game of the season on Saturday at home to Fulwood Amateurs.
Their pre-season programme has had a range of results, starting with two difficult games against Workington Reds and Kendal Town, which both ended in defeats, but had positive moments with wins over Maryport and Windscale.
First team coach Carl Short has been talking to Cumbria Crack about prospects for the new season and the opener against Fulwood Amateurs who finished fourth of 16 in the table.
Short said: “Pre-season was a good workout for us seeing some good performances and some areas to work on. We looked to play against opponents that have played in Leagues above us from last season to give us a real good test.
“Pre=season is always a challenge with injuries, holidays and family commitments.
“The main task for us this pre-season was in keeping the core nucleus of the group that have continued with us this year in Cody Benson, Josh Green, Kian Goulding, Brad Harrison and Owen Woodburn who were mainstays in our starting 11 last season.
“We have also been able to add some real quality into the areas where we needed to strengthen. George Frampton came in at the back of last season and has been brilliant for us, along with Josh Hilton and Callum Oswald who have added some real quality to the team and further competition for places in the starting 11.
“We will start the season with around 25 players that we feel will get their opportunities throughout the season with us. We know this league well now and we have tried to best equip ourselves for the long season ahead.
“We go into this weekend on the back of a really good team performance against Windscale which was ideal preparation for the opening game.
“Fulwood will come for the win and they played well against us home and away last season. It should be a really good curtain-raiser for the season which quickly continues with our first away game at Milnthorpe on Tuesday.”
