Penrith completed their pre-season programme with a quick-fire treble of victories against Kirkoswald, Kirkby Stephen and Cleator Moor Celtic.
They had also beaten Workington Reds 2-1 ahead of their closing friendlies so go into the start of the Northern League in good heart.
The Bonnyblues had respective 2-0, 5-1 and 3-0 victories over their last three opponents to complete a largely successful build-up to the new season.
Chairman Billy Williams said: “We are, I suppose, like a lot of other clubs looking forward to a successful season with optimism.
“We have had a fair bit of investment over the last year so we will be looking to make progress on what we achieved last season.
“The only thing I can say about the fixtures is that we have 16 home games before the end of the year and then only five until the end of the season. Maybe they are trying to make up for last season when we played our home games away for the first three months of the season.”
Manager Darren Edmondson missed the last three friendlies because of a family holiday but will be back on Saturday when Penrith start the campaign at home to Birtley Town.
The visitors are under new management this season following the departures of joint managers Paul Bryson and Paul Foster. They quickly appointed Reece Chapman, who had joined the club in 2021 as part of Paul Beat’s backroom team.
He was a key part of Paul Foster and Paul Bryson’s side that won promotion from Northern League Division Two and ultimately went on to secure a promotion spot in Division One. Chapman is a lecturer in Sport Coaching at Northumbria University, is a UEFA B licence coach and holds a doctorate in the field.
He was quick to make two new acquisitions ahead of the new season and the inevitable Northern League merry-go-round in full swing and expressed his delight at the first two new faces through the door.
Chapman said: “The management team and I sat down a few weeks ago and we drew together a list of players who we think can support us both on the pitch and off it. Naturally one or two of those haven’t come off but we’ve also had some huge successes”.
The first signing was Jack Elliott who joined the club from Whickham. Previously, Elliott made 141 appearances for Dunston and scored 18 goals. A tricky attacking player, Jack will look to provide goals and assists to a Birtley line that registered 98 goals last season, the third highest in the division.
The Hoops also signed Sam Dinsley a player who was going back to The Arrowmark club. Dinsley, who has been captain of Bedlington Terriers for the last two seasons will now offer Chapman a range of options across defence and midfield.
Another double signing followed this month in the shape of striker Nick Marley, who will be familiar to Birtley fans as the Hoops have faced him on numerous occasions in Division 2, notably his time at Esh Winning, and more recently at Crook Town. He is a constant goal threat, and is also able to use his strength to
The Hoops also welcome Jay McLean, another young and vibrant forward. He has most recently plied his trade at Sunderland West end and Billingham Town. He is expected to bring more pace and dynamism to the Birtley front line, alongside the existing squad.
Having finished fourth last season in Division One, losing 1-0 to eventual winners Heaton Stannington in the play-off semi-final, Birtley will be a good test for Penrith in Saturday’s opening game.
