NPL Division One East
Jas Colliver hopes Ossett United can get involved in the race for the play-offs.
Ossett finished ninth under Colliver and Mark Ward and the pair want to push on during their first full campaign at the helm.
“When we went into the club we wanted to stride for those play-offs but we’re under no illusions because they’ll be 12 or 14 teams who will be fighting for the play-offs positions,” Colliver told Non League Yorkshire.
“They are all well-backed with fans and lots of financial backing and we need to find a way to win matches.
“A successful season would be finishing higher than we did last year and being around those play-offs.
“We want to hit the ground running.
“We feel we’re fit and we feel like we have recruited well.
“We feel we have a good mixture of experience of the league.
“This is a project and we want to be building year-on-year so I think developing the players we have got and keeping them would be a success as well.”
Ossett face a tough opening for league fixtures.
They kick off with a trip to Carlton Town before facing North East giants Stockton Town, Dunston and Cleethorpes Town and Colliver assessed the challenge.
“Absolutely (those opening four games will be a test of character) and we’ll find out where we’re at,” he said.
“We play two of the North East teams in the first month and they are really physical.
“I thought Stockton were outstanding when we played them last season.
“Dunston was one of our earlier games in charge and we drew 1-1.
“Cleethorpes absolutely battered us last season.
“Carlton are paying good money and are well-supported and have come into our league and have recruited well.
“The first four games are tough but you have to play everybody.
“Hopefully they will look at how we have recruited and how we have performed in pre-season and fear some of our threats we have got.”