Terry Reeve BUNGAY Town may have made the return to senior football by the back door - but they are determined to consolidate their place in the Anglian Combination Division One in the coming season.

Terry Reeve

BUNGAY Town may have made the return to senior football by the back door - but they are determined to consolidate their place in the Anglian Combination Division One in the coming season.

They finished fifth in Division Two, but withdrawals elsewhere and Beccles Caxton's facilities not being up to Division One standard meant they went up. And with preparations for the new season well under way, manager Richard Daniels is ready for the challenge.

“We definitely showed championship form in the run- in last season. Now senior football is a big step up for the boys and I think we can hold our own. Whether we can challenge for the top places remains to be seen,” he said.

“We need to consolidate in senior football first, and press on from there. We need to get a solid start, points on the board in a hard, competitive league.”

He is hoping promotion, and playing some entertaining football, will bring the crowds back to the Maltings Meadow.

“Considering we went up through the back door it is looking very positive. We have been able to attract some new players and others are still interested,” he said.

“We have got a big squad and should be quite strong, and to begin with we will be looking to hold our own, and get a good start to give us confidence.”

The healthy state of the club is shown in the fact that there have been 50-60 players at training each week.

New signings include Neil Renaut from Sprowston, Alan Kennedy from Hellesdon, Cai King from Beccles, Tiro Oxborrow from Wortwell, and Corey Lay, a player who “just turned up at training”.

Two former Oulton Broad players, Ian Thomas and Ollie Beare, are also there.

Daniels' assistant manager Lee Henwood is also set to

play regularly this season, and Daniels said Graham Lewis and midfielder Paul Hunter were taking some first-class training sessions.

The Anglian Combination season kicks off on August 19 with a trip to Long Stratton, and the first home game is against Sole Bay (Southwold) the following Tuesday.

In the Suffolk Senior Cup, Bungay have been drawn against holders Grundisburgh, and in the League Cup they entertain Dersingham.

In a pre-season friendly the Black Dogs drew 1-1 with Stowupland (Oxborrow).