AFC Sudbury boss, Mark Morsley, is “turning the pressure up” on himself ahead of his side’s new season in Isthmian League North, which kicks off with an away match at Coggeshall Town tomorrow afternoon.
Morsley is confident that his players can have a successful season at this Step Four level, and improve on their eighth-placed finish of last term.
"I feel positive about our chances this season," insisted Morsley.
"In fact I'm turning the pressure up on myself a bit - on me, not the players. The squad is looking strong and we will be able to put square pegs in square holes.
"It's a hard start, Coggeshall away, on the opening day, but the squad is looking OK and I like the look of it.
"We've made a couple of signings this summer, with Adam Bailey-Dennis and Sean Marks, so there's some more experience in there for us.
"We tailed off quite badly last season, but people forget that there were other factors, like missing Joe Whight, our skipper and centre-half, for the last 10 weeks. We also lost Reece Harris for a while as well.
"We've got them back now, and I have a warm glow about the squad," added Morsley.
The arrival of striker Marks and defender Bailey-Dennis should boost AFC Sudbury's chance of mounting a play-off push this term, even though the division looks to be very strong.
Goal poacher Marks really made a name for himself under Alan Devonshire and then Danny Cowley at Braintree Town, when the unfashionable Essex club were close to earning promotion to the Football League.
Marks, 33, spent eight years at Cressing Road, between 2008 and 2016, before moving to Maidenhead to be reunited with Devonshire, and then spending last season at AFC Hornchurch at Step Three level.
Bailey-Dennis, meanwhile, is another former Braintree stalwart. The 28-year-old was playing at Aveley last season.
Today's hosts Coggeshall Town finished in fourth spot last season, and were then beaten by Maldon & Tiptree in the play-off semi-finals.
"I think Copggeshall will be even stronger, so this is a good test for us," said Morsley. "They will have aspirations of grandeur, so the pressure will be on them. But we have no injury problems."
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