Penrith are two weeks into their pre-season preparations and will play their first game on Saturday at home to Workington.
Manager Jim Nichols has been able to keep the bulk of last season’s squad with the notable exception of Connor Shields who has joined Northern League rivals Kendal Town.
Shields scored 20 goals for the Bonnyblues la season, taking over the main responsibilities after the departure of Luke Hunter to FC Fylde.
But Nichols has been able to bring in a player he knows well, Jordan Palmer the former Carlisle City striker who was a regular marksman for him during his time as manager of the Sky Blues.
Like his former City captain Dan Kirkup, who succeeded him as boss at Gillford Park, Nichols cannot see beyond Bishop Auckland as winners of the Northern League Division one in the coming season.
You can hear what Nichols thinks about the Penrith squad, the training programme so far and the look of the Northern League title race in conversation with Cumbria Crack’s John Walsh below:
